06 Jan Kansas Chamber Releases 2023 Legislative and Policy Agenda

The Kansas Chamber on Friday released its 2023 Legislative and Policy Agenda, a comprehensive plan focused on removing barriers to job growth, workforce development, and business expansion so Kansas can be a top state to do business.

“Kansas has seen improvement in some economic metrics. Our regulatory climate has improved, and our employment laws are among the best in the nation,” said Chamber President and CEO Alan Cobb. “Unfortunately, the work is not done. Actions taken by other states have made them more attractive to investment and to workers. We must act to become competitive.”

Pointing to examples of the challenges facing the state and its business community, Cobb said, “The lack of population growth continues to be a barrier for greater economic prosperity. And our legal climate has become favorable to the trial bar.”

Cobb said the Chamber’s 2023 agenda proposes how the state can address the challenges and seize on the opportunities before it. The agenda includes Chamber positions on numerous issues and policies it will track, the Chamber will be actively pursuing about a dozen bills, including:

• Supporting legislation which grants corporate taxpayers the choice between the current three-factor apportionment formula and a new, single-factor sales-based formula (Taxation).
• Supporting the establishment of a new tax credit for employers who participate in the Kansas Registered Apprenticeship Program (Education & Workforce Development).
• Supporting policies to make childcare more affordable and accessible for Kansas workers by relaxing overly restrictive staff-to-child ratios and increasing childcare capacity across age groups (Education & Workforce Development).
• Support legislation that requires disclosure of third-party financing of litigation (Legal Reform).
• Supporting lowering prejudgement interest rates to bring Kansas in line with other states (Legal Reform).
• Supporting legislation prohibiting local governments from banning consumer merchandise and plastic containers (Regulatory Affairs).
• Supporting efforts to achieve regionally-competitive electric rates and delivery costs as well as ensure uninterruptible service regardless of source (Energy & Environment).
• Supporting further review of modifications to the structure of the Kansas Corporation Commission and its appointment process to support the state goal of regionally competitive electric rates (Energy & Environment).

“During the 2023 legislative session, we also will ask the Kansas Legislature to use a portion of the significant budget surplus to lower personal and corporate income tax rates by passing a flat tax,” Cobb said. “While it’s true our tax climate has improved, the state’s income tax rates remain in the bottom half of our region and our sales tax is among the ten highest.”

He continued, “We look forward to working with the Kansas Legislature and Governor Laura Kelly on the issues important to the state’s business community so Kansas can become more competitive and a great state to do business.”

Input for the agenda is gathered from the Chamber member task groups and in-person meetings throughout the state as well as from research from its Annual Business Leaders Poll, Kansas Tax Modernization report, and the Kansas Competitiveness Analysis report.

Click here to read the Chamber’s 2023 Legislative and Policy Agenda, including the full list of priorities and issue positions.