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HB 2151

Reassigning the accreditation of private cannabis testing laboratories from the department of ecology to the department of agriculture.

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Chapman and 2 co-sponsors

Raises Kansas minimum wage to $15/hour; about 199,535 workers gain; state tax receipts rise by tens of millions annually, with modest campus/local payroll effects.

Effective date 3/13/2024*.
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Bill Summary · HB 2151

HB 2151 — Summary (Kansas, 2025)

Status: Introduced January 28, 2025. Referred to the House Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development. Companion bill: SB 2921. If enacted, the bill takes effect upon publication in the statute book.

Purpose

Raise the statewide minimum wage in Kansas to $15.00 per hour by amending existing state wage statutes (K.S.A. 44-1202 and 44-1203) and repealing the current versions of those sections.

Key provisions

  • Amends K.S.A. 44-1202 (definitions) and K.S.A. 44-1203 (minimum wage and related provisions) to set the minimum hourly wage at $15.00.
  • Repeals prior statutory language in the cited sections and replaces it with the amended text.
  • The bill’s text also addresses standard statutory matters already in those sections (definitions of “employer,” “employee,” “wage,” and exclusions) and retains language governing tipped employees and exemptions; readers should consult the bill text for precise changes to those provisions.

Fiscal and operational impacts (per Kansas Division of the Budget fiscal note, March 7, 2025)

  • Workers affected: The Kansas Department of Revenue estimates about 199,535 workers currently earn less than $15.00/hour. Using a 40-hour workweek assumption, taxable income would rise by roughly $1.0 billion per year.
  • State tax receipts: The Department of Revenue projects increased State General Fund individual income tax receipts of approximately $43.8 million in FY 2026 and $55.2 million in FY 2027 (assumes a marginal rate of 5.2% and 1% annual growth in number of returns). Administrative costs to the Department of Revenue are minimal (~$1,340).
  • Regents universities: The Kansas Board of Regents estimates increased payroll costs for state universities of about $14.3 million (all funds) in FY 2026, of which approximately $4.7 million would be State General Fund.
    • Example state-university SGF estimates provided in the fiscal note (FY 2026): Kansas State University ~$3.3M SGF; Wichita State and others included in the aggregate total.
  • State agencies: Kansas Department of Administration reports no fiscal effect for agencies under the Governor because those positions already pay at least $15.03/hour.
  • Local governments and school districts: Counties, cities, and school districts could face increased payroll costs if they employ workers earning under $15/hour; total local fiscal effect not estimated.
  • Labor and unemployment programs: Kansas Department of Labor expects potential increases in wage claims (workload absorbable within existing resources) and higher unemployment insurance payroll tax liability (impact to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund not estimated).

Who is affected

  • Directly: Kansas employees currently earning less than $15/hour (private sector, public employers, university staff, school district employees, municipal and county employees).
  • Indirectly: Employers (higher payroll costs), state higher-education institutions (noted SGF impact), local governments and school districts, the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (via payroll-tax changes), and State General Fund (via increased income tax revenue).

Procedural/timeline notes

  • Introduced Jan 28, 2025; currently at committee referral (Commerce, Labor and Economic Development).
  • If passed, the bill specifies effective date: upon publication in the statute book.

For precise statutory language (including any changes to tipped-worker rules or exemptions), consult the introduced bill text and later committee amendments.

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

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