The Kansas Legislature will host a joint meeting of the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means Committees today at 10:00 a.m. to hear the Governor’s Budget Report and review current state budget numbers.  Listen to the committee at http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20220112/-1/13872 or view at the Kansas Legislature channel on YouTube.  The 2022 Legislative Session opened Monday afternoon and featured the Governor’s State of the State speech last night, along with a State of the Judiciary presentation by Chief Justice Marla Luckert yesterday afternoon.  The Governor is proposing the elimination of the food sales tax and an income tax refund to all Kansas taxpayers of $250 per individual.  Kelly says the Kansas economy is strong – with revenue estimates consistently increasing. 

Budget estimates predict the highest ending balance the state has ever seen, mostly due to several rounds of federal pandemic relief funding and increased federal match for Medicaid, and Kelly is arguing that Kansans should benefit directly.  At this point, Republican leaders are arguing that the federal aid will end and create a revenue cliff – so, a graduated approach may be better.  There was also talk about reducing the sales tax rate for other kinds of purchases beyond groceries and using surplus funds to pay down KPERS debt.  They do not support sending tax refunds to every Kansan – a proposal that they say is all about the Governor’s re-election campaign. 

Governor Kelly used her State of the State speech to promote her priorities and to criticize the Legislature’s refusal to pass Medicaid Expansion.