Latest news with #KansasActionforChildren
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dozens of health organizations urge Kansas governor to veto Medicaid eligibility changes
The Kansas Statehouse in February 2025 in Topeka. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Nearly 50 health organizations signed a letter urging the Kansas governor to veto a budget provision that would end continuous eligibility in the state's Medicaid program, which allows public health insurance enrollees to consistently access health care. If allowed to become law, the budget provision would require the state to evaluate parents and caregivers who receive coverage under KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, to be evaluated every month instead of every year. Currently, eligible enrollees are covered under KanCare for an entire year once approved, regardless of any change in circumstances during that time. The Hutchinson-based United Methodist Health Ministry Fund drafted the letter, which was delivered Tuesday to Gov. Laura Kelly with signatures from 48 organizations. David Jordan, president and CEO of the health fund, said allowing the provision to pass could mean adding between $3-4 million in costs to the state and lost health insurance coverage for low-income families. An estimated 38,000 Kansans would be impacted by the change, the letter said. 'This change will affect the most vulnerable Kansans who live well below the poverty line,' the letter said. 'The constant dis-enrollment and re-enrollment of beneficiaries is burdensome for everyone and could prevent families from receiving the necessary care they need.' Kansas has used continuous eligibility since 2010. In order to qualify for KanCare, households must remain below income thresholds. A family of four, for instance, cannot exceed an annual income of roughly $11,800. 'These families already have enough challenges on their plates without the added burden of continuously reapplying for health insurance,' the letter said. Research has shown that continuous eligibility reduces financial barriers for low-income families, improves health outcomes and gives states the ability to exercise accountability measures. Other signers of the letter included advocacy health care providers, patient groups, foundations like United Methodist Health Ministry Fund and advocacy groups like Kansas Action for Children. Adrienne Olejnik, vice president of Kansas Action for Children, said the organization is concerned. 'Not only is this a waste of money on administrative costs, but it would also cause health care disruptions and delays based on small changes in income,' she said. Olejnik said the Senate Ways and Means Committee added the provision to a budget bill at the last minute. She said she hopes a veto from the governor will allow lawmakers to fully consider the weight of the change. Kelly, whose office declined to comment for this story, has until Thursday to veto line items in the budget. The Legislature's two-day veto session also is scheduled to begin Thursday.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Skeptics say Kansas Senate bill exempting tips from state income tax doesn't go far enough
Nathan Kessler, tax policy adviser at Kansas Action for Children, said a Kansas Senate bill removing tips from calculations of state taxable income would lead to inequities in the workplace and have a limited impact economically. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Legislature's YouTube channel) TOPEKA — Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association president Adam Mills appreciated thinking behind a Kansas Senate bill exempting tips from state income taxes because it could put cash in the pocket of some food service industry employees. Mills just didn't believe the idea went far enough to strip away tax or regulatory barriers undermining the societal value placed on work. The state should move to exempt overtime pay from income tax, he said. Kansas needed to embrace reform that helped youth to more easily join the workforce. The bill before the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee should be amended to address the unfairness of singling out certain employees at a restaurant for the tax break, he said. 'Work is a good and decent virtue that leads to personal integrity and societal respect,' Mills said. 'Serving and bartending is a legitimate profession. The work they do is important, but they can't do it alone. It's a total team effort to provide great food and service for our dining public.' Under Senate Bill 277 introduced by Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, the annual cost of the state income tax exemption would be an estimated $13.2 million. That figure could change if the bill was amended or if taxpayer behavior shifted so more Kansans worked in tipped positions. The proposed tax break would apply to tips reported on federal tax returns, which were the basis for determining state taxable income for Kansans. The state tax benefit would start in the 2026 tax year and an individual would be limited to a $25,000 exemption annually. The Internal Revenue Services views all tips as income subject to taxation. President Donald Trump has endorsed the idea of repealing the federal tax on tips. There have been conversations in Congress about exempting tips, but the new U.S. House budget resolution didn't mention tips or overtime compensation. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, predicted a federal exemption could pass Congress by June as part of the president's agenda to drive domestic prosperity. A federal tax break might be included in future legislation, but absence of progress on the national level led states to consider exempting tips from state taxable income. During the Kansas Senate committee's hearing on the bill Monday, no one offered testimony in favor of the legislation. Kansas Action for Children did raise concerns. Nathan Kessler, tax policy adviser at Kansas Action for Children, said economists and tax experts across the political spectrum regarded eliminating the income tax on tips as poor public policy. He said issue of fairness existed because tips provided a waitress would be exempt, while tips to a teacher wouldn't. The distinction was likely to compel lobbyists for all sorts of industries — accountants, doctors to educators — to seek inclusion of their clients in the tip exemption, he said. 'Kansas Action for children recognizes the real need for cost-of-living relief, especially for low-income households,' Kessler said. 'If the goal is to put more money in the pockets of tipped workers there are much better ways to do that. The most efficient would be to raise the minimum wage for those workers in Kansas.' In February, Gov. Laura Kelly and Democratic leadership in the House and Senate proposed the Legislature raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour. The $7.25 minimum wage in Kansas hasn't been increased since 2010. In Missouri, the minimum wage stands at $13.75 per hour. Kessler said the Senate legislation would capture about 2.5% of the state's workforce if every bartender, waiter, food server, host, hairdressers, stylist, cosmetologist, manicurist, pedicurist and concierge was included. The Kansas Department of Labor estimated the median annual income for these Kansans was approximately $29,350. 'Many of these workers do not actually have a tax liability or it is so small that exempting their tipped income will offer little meaningful relief,' Kessler said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Skeptics say Kansas Senate bill exempting tips from state income tax doesn't go far enough
Nathan Kessler, tax policy adviser at Kansas Action for Children, said a Kansas Senate bill removing tips from calculations of state taxable income would lead to inequities in the workplace and have a limited impact economically. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Legislature's YouTube channel) TOPEKA — Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association president Adam Mills appreciated thinking behind a Kansas Senate bill exempting tips from state income taxes because it could put cash in the pocket of some food service industry employees. Mills just didn't believe the idea went far enough to strip away tax or regulatory barriers undermining the societal value placed on work. The state should move to exempt overtime pay from income tax, he said. Kansas needed to embrace reform that helped youth to more easily join the workforce. The bill before the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee should be amended to address the unfairness of singling out certain employees at a restaurant for the tax break, he said. 'Work is a good and decent virtue that leads to personal integrity and societal respect,' Mills said. 'Serving and bartending is a legitimate profession. The work they do is important, but they can't do it alone. It's a total team effort to provide great food and service for our dining public.' Under Senate Bill 277 introduced by Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, the annual cost of the state income tax exemption would be an estimated $13.2 million. That figure could change if the bill was amended or if taxpayer behavior shifted so more Kansans worked in tipped positions. The proposed tax break would apply to tips reported on federal tax returns, which were the basis for determining state taxable income for Kansans. The state tax benefit would start in the 2026 tax year and an individual would be limited to a $25,000 exemption annually. The Internal Revenue Services views all tips as income subject to taxation. President Donald Trump has endorsed the idea of repealing the federal tax on tips. There have been conversations in Congress about exempting tips, but the new U.S. House budget resolution didn't mention tips or overtime compensation. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, predicted a federal exemption could pass Congress by June as part of the president's agenda to drive domestic prosperity. A federal tax break might be included in future legislation, but absence of progress on the national level led states to consider exempting tips from state taxable income. During the Kansas Senate committee's hearing on the bill Monday, no one offered testimony in favor of the legislation. Kansas Action for Children did raise concerns. Nathan Kessler, tax policy adviser at Kansas Action for Children, said economists and tax experts across the political spectrum regarded eliminating the income tax on tips as poor public policy. He said issue of fairness existed because tips provided a waitress would be exempt, while tips to a teacher wouldn't. The distinction was likely to compel lobbyists for all sorts of industries — accountants, doctors to educators — to seek inclusion of their clients in the tip exemption, he said. 'Kansas Action for children recognizes the real need for cost-of-living relief, especially for low-income households,' Kessler said. 'If the goal is to put more money in the pockets of tipped workers there are much better ways to do that. The most efficient would be to raise the minimum wage for those workers in Kansas.' In February, Gov. Laura Kelly and Democratic leadership in the House and Senate proposed the Legislature raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour. The $7.25 minimum wage in Kansas hasn't been increased since 2010. In Missouri, the minimum wage stands at $13.75 per hour. Kessler said the Senate legislation would capture about 2.5% of the state's workforce if every bartender, waiter, food server, host, hairdressers, stylist, cosmetologist, manicurist, pedicurist and concierge was included. The Kansas Department of Labor estimated the median annual income for these Kansans was approximately $29,350. 'Many of these workers do not actually have a tax liability or it is so small that exempting their tipped income will offer little meaningful relief,' Kessler said.
