SPEAKER DAN HAWKINS OF THE HOUSE ADDRESSES KAIA MEMBERS
KANSAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP-UP
2024 SESSION COMES TO A CLOSE written by Dan Murray , KAIA Lobbyist
The Kansas legislature completed a brief Veto Session and adjourned Sine Die early on May 1 , the full legislature will return June 18 for a special session on tax reform . Before adjourning , the Legislature considered several vetoes and successfully overrode Governor Kelly on many , including on budget line items . Notably , though , the legislature was again unable to muster enough votes to override the Governor ’ s veto of another major tax reform bill . In response , the legislature kicked out a tax plan similar to one Kelly vetoed . Keep in mind , a special session is considered a new session with all legislation starting from scratch .
Legislative leaders may soon approve and assign special committees to study various topics throughout the interim session . These interim committees typically approve non-binding recommendations for the full legislature to consider in the 2025 regular session . But , with the special session and an election year for all legislative seats , we expect their workload will be light .
ROUND-UP OF ' 24 BILLS TO KNOW
Workers ' Compensation : Senate Bill 430 , known as the Enhanced Kansas Workers ' Compensation Act , was passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2024 and signed into law by Governor Kelly . The bill represents the first time Kansas ’ workers ’ compensations laws have undergone major changes in 13 years .
The bill was carefully crafted by a consortium of legislators , businesses , attorneys , and organized labor groups to accurately represent stakeholders from the labor and business communities . Your KAIA team was part of a working group that partnered with the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and other business interests in promulgating suggested language for the bill . SB 430 becomes law July 1 , 2024 and includes many changes .
The most notable changes include the following :
• Increase functional impairment benefits from $ 75,000 to $ 100,000 ;
• Increase permanent partial disability from $ 130,000 to $ 225,000 ;
• Increase temporary partial disability from $ 130,000 to $ 225,000 ;
• Increase the cap on permanent total disability
4 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER