May 2025 Newsletter
Kansas Action for Children | May 9, 2025
Session in Review
We had an idea of what we all were up against after the elections last November, but the 2025 session proved even tougher than we were expecting. At times, we found it difficult to work around the stronghold of the chambers when many critical decisions that came down to party-line votes.
We witnessed many more instances of the body’s reliance on a lack of transparency and a focus on consolidating power within the legislative branch in the name of government efficiency. Their out-of-touch priorities left Kansans without much of anything that will improve their lives, like making families more financially secure.
We will undoubtedly see the supermajority flexing its power next year, too. As we look back on 2025 and document what transpired, we’re working to prepare for 2026, now that we have a better idea of the politics at play and who may be influenced to work for the good of Kansas kids.
Before next January, make a plan to connect with your state representatives and senators so they know people in their district are watching their legislative actions.
Read our full session recap here.
Federal Action Alert
With Congress getting closer and closer to finalizing a budget plan, massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP appear imminent.
And not only that, a new Republican plan in the works would put in place work reporting requirements for parents of children age 7 or older in order to be eligible for SNAP. As we all know, work requirements in public assistance programs do nothing to incentivize work. Rather, they just make it harder for people to be eligible and not be able to access grocery help.
We’ve put together an action alert for Kansans to more easily contact the Kansas delegation and urge them to reject these devastating cuts and arbitrary rules.
The more Kansans speak up, the more likely our congressional delegation will listen. Please share this with your friends and family so congressional office emails are flooded with messages from real Kansans.
State Revenues Begin to Reflect 2024 Tax Policy Changes
The Consensus Revenue Estimating Group met last month to release their predictions for final tax collections in the current year, as well as next fiscal year. While current revenues aren’t quite yet cause for concern, revenues are expected to shrink in future years, primarily due to major tax changes that are eating away at Kansas’ surplus funds.
For instance, April revenues came in about $17 million above estimates for the month, but compared to the same time in 2024, the revenue collections were lackluster. Year over year, we are beginning to see a downward tick in the amount of funds flowing to the state.
As we continue to evaluate the state budget, we will get a clearer picture of what the Legislature can afford, especially in light of federal budget cuts that could hit the state coffers hard.
Read our summary of the estimates here and our monthly updates on Kansas revenues here.
Deeper Dive into HB 2045
On April 24, Governor Kelly signed HB 2045 into law. This bill creates the Office of Early Childhood, along with a few provisions that we fear will jeopardize the health and safety of Kansas kids in early learning settings.
After the session finished, we were able to take a deeper dive into the legislation and write up a summary to document everything covered in the 43-page bill.
To all of you who provide care for kids, thank you for keeping Kansas kids safe, learning, and thriving!
Share
