TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas House has voted in approval of reducing the food sales tax in the state on Thursday night.
The representatives in the House voted 114 to 3, approving of HB 2106. This bill will lower the state’s food sales tax gradually from its current rate of 6.5% to 4% next year and down to 2% the next year with the tax disappearing completely by 2025.
Governor Laura Kelly has announced that she will sign the bipartisan bill which will begin lowering the state’s food tax on Jan. 1, 2023.
Make no mistake — today’s action is a win for every single Kansan. Eliminating the state tax on food will provide financial relief to everyone, and this bill is a good first step. However, prices continue to rise for essential necessities like groceries. We must provide financial relief swiftly – and I call on the Legislature to move the implementation date up to July 1, 2022. We owe it to Kansans to get this done and get it done immediately.”
Governor Laura Kelly
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who is running against Gov. Kelly in her reelection campaign, also commented on the vote.
I commend the Legislature for coming together, reaching compromise, and answering our bipartisan call to reduce or eliminate the state sales tax on groceries this session. The state grocery tax should have been put on the path to elimination in 2019, but Governor Kelly’s veto stood in the way. This is a second chance to get it right.”
Attorney General Derek Schmidt
The Kansas Senate approved the food sales tax legislation on April 27 after a previous version was struck down on April 26.
To go back and watch the full discussion on the bill on YouTube, click here.
