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SB 500

Creating the Kansas public employees retirement system cost-of-living adjustment commission, prescribing powers and duties of the commission and establishing procedures of the legislature relating to the annual cost-of-living adjustment rate recommended by the commission.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Creates an independent commission to propose KPERS cost-of-living adjustments each year, with legislature reviewing and implementing the recommended rate.

Died in Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 500

Overview

SB 500 (Kansas, 2025-2026) proposes the creation of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System Cost-of-Living Adjustment Commission. The commission would assess and recommend an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) rate for Kansas public employees covered by the Kansas public employees retirement system (KPERS). The bill outlines the commission’s powers, duties, and how the legislature would use (and respond to) its annual recommended COLA rate. The measure progress indicates it was introduced, moved through committees, but ultimately died in committee in April 2026.

Purpose and intent

  • Establish a formal, independent body—the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System Cost-of-Living Adjustment Commission—to determine an annual COLA rate for KPERS beneficiaries.
  • Provide a structured process for calculating and recommending COLA adjustments, with the legislature retaining procedural interactions regarding the annual rate.

Key provisions and changes

  • Creation of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System Cost-of-Living Adjustment Commission.
    • Commission would have defined powers and duties related to evaluating KPERS COLA needs.
  • Annual COLA rate recommendation.
    • The commission would review economic indicators, actuarial assumptions, funded status, and other relevant factors to propose a COLA rate for the upcoming year.
  • Legislative procedures related to COLA recommendations.
    • The bill would establish how the legislature reviews, debates, amends, or adopts the commission’s annual COLA recommendation.
    • May include timelines, reporting requirements, and potential adjustment processes to implement the recommended rate.
  • Scope and applicability.
    • Applies to KPERS beneficiaries who receive cost-of-living adjustments funded or influenced by KPERS mechanisms.
    • Likely interacts with KPERS actuarial reports and state budget considerations.

Who is affected

  • KPERS beneficiaries (retirees and certain beneficiaries who would receive COLAs).
  • State and local employers and the state budget, insofar as COLA funding interacts with state appropriations and the KPERS funding status.
  • Kansas legislators and the executive branch, due to the prescribed legislative procedures for handling the annual COLA rate recommendation.
  • KPERS administration and actuarial staff who would provide data and support to the new commission.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Committee actions:
    • Introduced on 2026-02-09.
    • Referred to Senate Committee on Ways and Means and the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance (both on 2026-02-10).
    • Withdrawn and re-referred to the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance (2026-02-10).
  • Status:
    • Died in Committee on 2026-04-10, meaning the bill did not advance to floor debate or enactment in its current form.
  • Implications of status:
    • If resurrected in a future session, the commission would need to re-pass through committee and floor processes, with potential updates to respond to fiscal considerations and actuarial data.

Potential impact (if enacted)

  • Establishing a formal, data-driven mechanism for COLA decisions could improve transparency and predictability for KPERS retirees.
  • The commission could help align COLA adjustments with Kansas fiscal health and the KPERS funding status, potentially affecting annual budget planning.
  • Legislative procedures would define how quickly and in what manner COLA recommendations translate into actual adjustments.

Note

  • The bill’s progression indicates it did not advance beyond committee hearings in the 2025-2026 session. If similar legislation is introduced again, expect renewed emphasis on actuarial soundness, legislative timelines, and funding implications.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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