Taxes, Medicaid headline 2024 session; Here's what to expect

TOPEKA (KSNT)- Kansas Governor Laura Kelly will take the stage to outline her top priorities for 2024 Wednesday night. However, Republican leaders have a tax plan of their own.

"Taxes are still the biggest priority...but, it's going to be our tax plan," Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita said.

Nexstar's Kansas Capitol Bureau spoke with Republican leaders this week.

Both sides are refreshing their plans from last session. GOP leaders will renew their push for a 'single-rate' income tax, or 'flat tax' as some call it.

However, Democrats are pushing back.

"Last session... we were able to sustain a veto, and I believe we're still going to be able to sustain a veto," Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa said.

Republicans were just one vote short of overriding the Governor's veto of their tax package, last year.

Kelly has now siphoned some key votes from the Senate side to sign on to her tax plan. Two Republicans and one Independent are crossing party lines to vouch for the Governor's plan to speed up 'axing' the food tax, among other big cuts.

"It was meant to demonstrate to me, I think, that I can't override a veto on that... but, that just means we have to go talk to other people," Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover said. "There are democrats that are willing to have a conversations around that... so it's just can we get to a compromise in the end," he continued.

However, Sykes said she's confident that the Governor's plan will prevail.

"I think we have to stop his 'flat tax' plan... it will probably pass with at least 21 votes... I mean, that's all it takes to pass the Senate... but, I do expect a veto by the Governor," Sykes said.

Medicaid Expansion is another big push for the Governor this year.

However, in the House, it appears to be a non-starter for Republicans. Hawkins said he's not compromising on his open opposition to the issue.

"It has to come out of a committee first... and I've not seen it come out of a committee in the past several years... so, we'll have to see," he said.

However, House Minority Leader Vic Miller, D-Topeka, said Medicaid Expansion remains a top priority for Democrats.

"We've seen all across the state, people strongly support us taking action and that's why they resort to Parliamentary maneuvers to frustrate what should be happening on behalf of the people," Miller said.