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Read. Follow. Verify.Kansas bill requires audits of public utility property valuations dropping over 5%
Last action · April 10, 2026: Died in Committee
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What This Bill Proposed
The Kansas legislature considered a bill requiring the to audit or review a public utility's property valuation when it drops by more than 5% year-over-year, upon request from an eligible local taxing body. Public utilities would continue to submit annual written returns to the director of property valuation before March 20. The measure applies retroactively to requests covering the three prior tax years.
Local taxing jurisdictions gain the statutory authority to trigger state-level audits of utility property values when local tax bases drop significantly, potentially affecting municipal and county tax revenues derived from public utility infrastructure.
- Public utilities in Kansas are centrally assessed for property tax purposes by the state director of property valuation rather than by individual county appraisers. context
- HB 2496 was introduced by the House Committee on Taxation during the 2025-2026 legislative session and ultimately died in committee. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Public utilities
Public utilities are subject to mandatory state reviews and audits of their property valuations when their assessed value decreases by more than 5%.
Local governmental bodies
Local taxing bodies gain the authority to request a state review or audit of a public utility's property valuation within their taxing jurisdiction.
Director of Property Valuation
The director is required to conduct property valuation reviews and audits upon receiving qualifying requests and a 5% value decrease.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggers a state audit or review of a public utility's property valuation?
When must public utilities submit their annual property returns?
How far back can local taxing bodies request a review or audit?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died in committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Apr 10, 2026HouseDied in Committee
- Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced
- Jan 21, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to House Committee on Taxation
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.kslegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 45)
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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