Session of 2025 SENATE BILL No. 90 By Senator Schmidt 1-28 AN ACT concerning property taxation; relating to exemptions; providing for a property tax exemption from local government levies to the extent of the first $100,000 of appraised value for certain owner-occupied homes; authorizing local governments to propose a ballot question to opt out of such property tax exemption and to exclude such local government's levy from all or 1 /2 of the exemption if approved by the electors. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas: Section 1. (a) The following described property, to the extent herein specified, shall be and is hereby exempt from property or ad valorem taxes levied by local governments under the laws of the state of Kansas, except as provided in subsection (c): All owner-occupied homes to the extent of the first $100,000 of their appraised valuation. (b) In order to be eligible for the exemption pursuant to subsection (a), the appraised value of the owner-occupied home shall not exceed an upper limit threshold amount. For tax year 2026, the appraised value of the owner-occupied home shall not exceed $350,000. For tax year 2027, and all tax years thereafter, the upper limit appraised value threshold amount for eligibility shall be annually adjusted for inflation. The adjustment for inflation shall be calculated using the average increase in appraised valuation by county. (c) (1) The exemption shall not apply to any portion of a mill levy that is attributable to bonds and indebtedness that exist on July 1, 2025. (2) In accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, any local government is hereby authorized to seek to opt out of the property tax exemption provided by this section as it relates to the property or ad valorem taxes levied by such local government if its governing body, on a November general election ballot, submits a proposition asking its electorate to exclude such local government's levy from the exemption provision for the following tax year. If the proposition receives the approval of 2 /3 of the electors of the local government voting thereon at the election, then the property tax exemption shall not apply to the property or ad valorem tax levy of such local government. If the proposition receives the approval of a majority of the electors of the local government voting thereon at the election but not by 2 /3 of such electors, then 1 /2 of the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 SB 90 2 property tax exemption shall not apply to the property or ad valorem tax levy of such local government. Local governing bodies shall ask the electorate each year for an exclusion from the exemption for the following tax year, if such local governing body seeks to opt out of the exemption. Any governing body of a local government proposing to opt out of the property tax exemption provided by this section for the following tax year shall give notice of its intention to submit such proposition for approval by the electors in the manner required by K.S.A. 25-105, and amendments thereto. The notice shall state the time of the election, explain the proposition and provide the ballot question language. Every election held under this paragraph shall be conducted by the county election officer. (d) For purposes of this section: (1) "Owner" includes a person who possesses record title, a vendee in possession under a land contract, a life tenant, a beneficiary under a trust and one or more joint tenants or tenants in common; (2) "owner-occupied home" means a single-family owner-occupied residential property occupied as the primary residence of the owner; and (3) "taxes levied by local governments" does not include taxes levied pursuant to K.S.A. 72-5142, 76-6b01 and 76-6b04, and amendments thereto. (e) The provisions of this section shall apply to all taxable years commencing after December 31, 2025. Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24