State Representative Steven K. Howe

Give Taxpayers a Seat at the Table! 🏛️
​If local governments want to raise property tax revenue beyond a fair limit, the people footing the bill deserve a say. That is exactly what HB 2043 provides.

​This critical property tax relief passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers. Now, it’s time to give taxpayers the power to make their voices heard.

​Take Action:
Ask Governor Laura Kelly to sign HB 2043 into law today!
📞 Call (785) 368-8500

Representative Adam Smith is one of the most respected Members of the Legislature. He is hard working, honest and desires to produce good policy. I admire how he's handled himself through this difficult session. I am proud to call him friend.

Weskan, KS – State Representative Adam Smith, honored to serve as the House Taxation Committee chairman, issued the following statement in response to the press release and personal attack from Senate President Ty Masterson… but not until traveling home from Topeka on Saturday to spend time with his family and respectfully putting politics on the back-burner on Sunday.

“Instead of retaliating with the vitriol and personal attacks that are so common in the political realm these days, I would like to offer a rational rebuttal of certain accusations made against my integrity and intentions on property tax relief.

I completely agree Kansans have had enough. But they deserve more than a shell game disguised as property tax relief. The Senate’s proposal of a 3% valuation cap has been touted as real property tax relief, but no one can answer the question “how much?” because manipulating valuation only gives the false pretense of lower taxes.

Restricted taxable valuation does not always result in lower taxes, and I am more than willing to explain.

Local governments, which determine the bulk of your property tax bill, don’t set the mill levy - they adopt budgets and then calculate the tax rate required to fund their budget. If valuations are restricted, the mill levy will just increase and their budget will still be fully funded.

I won’t argue the fact that the Senate’s 3% valuation cap would provide tax relief for some. But the simple question to ask is… if the government is still fully funded, where does the tax relief come from?

The answer will disturb you… other taxpayers.

If the cap is 3%, a property with a 20% increase gets a 17% reduction in value whereas a property with a 3% increase gets NO reduction in value. Since the overall tax base is artificially restricted but the local governments are still fully funded, the total mill levy will be higher than it would have been without the cap. All properties with small valuation changes will actually see a tax INCREASE to offset the other properties receiving a large benefit from the cap. That is the sole reason this valuation limit has to be placed in the Kansas Constitution – it would otherwise violate the “equal and uniform” clause and be ruled unconstitutional if attempted as a law.

Despite this poorly conceived policy, I continued to work with the Senate President and legislative leadership on ways to compromise on this proposal.

Apparently Masterson felt I was being disingenuous from the beginning.

I’m not certain how I could have been more ingenuous?

I told him where I stood on the 3% cap and why, but said I would give him my vote on SCR1616 and encourage members to get it on the ballot for the people to vote. I did exactly that.

I offered to step aside and gave him the opportunity to hand pick someone else to lead his effort. He refused.

I offered my letter of resignation to the Speaker to allow him to appoint someone else to the committee. It was refused.

I explained the number of votes they needed to gain – last year the 3% cap received 37 votes and needed 84 to pass. I was never misleading about the number of members opposed to the resolution.

In the first conference committee meeting of the two chambers on the constitutional amendment, I offered the compromise proposal that had been agreed to in a meeting of the Senate President, Majority Leader, tax chair, House Speaker, Majority Leader, and myself. The offer was promptly rejected.

While I’m not personally a supporter of government interference in the free market, I introduced a different type of valuation limit that avoids unfair tax treatment while still preventing sharp spikes in valuation. It was refused.

For those Kansans that desire true property tax relief, neither of the two primary measures proposed provide a reduction in your property tax bill. Even the tax lid on local government spending is a method to only slow the rate of growth in property taxes. The only way to provide true property tax relief at the state level is to subsidize property taxes with income and sales tax revenue.

Some of the proposed ways to do this were increasing the existing residential exemption for homeowners, expanding the property tax refund programs, reducing the statewide mill levy for schools that is set in statute, and providing a limited-time property tax rebate check from the state to each property owner.

There are many ways we could provide direct property tax relief, but out of the $10.7 billion general fund budget this year, not a penny was dedicated to enhancing existing property tax relief programs or providing any additional property tax relief. Read that again.

We’ve passed tax credits for aviation, angel-investors, and others, not to mention incentives foregoing massive amounts of current and future revenue for things like Panasonic and the Kansas City Chiefs. We’ve even handed out money for the World Cup.

If Masterson wants to try to blame me for the lack of property tax relief in Kansas, I would remind him that as the President of the Kansas Senate, he had the power to prioritize meaningful property tax relief in many various ways. Instead, he gambled everything on a single flawed policy and came up empty."

We are adjourned Sine Die.Thankful to have made it back to District 71 after a marathon session @3:53am.

THE MIDNIGHT COUNTDOWN IS ON! 🕛
​We are in the final hours of the 2026 Legislative Session, and the halls of the Capitol are buzzing. The big question on everyone’s mind: Will we gavel out and adjourn Sine Die before the clock strikes midnight?
​Between final negotiations and last-minute procedural motions, it’s going to be a photo finish. Stay tuned for updates as we work to cross the finish line. 🏛️⚖️
​

Great start to the Veto Session! I arrived at my desk this morning to find a kind letter and commerative coin from Speaker Dan Hawkins.

​It has been an honor to work alongside Dan; he has served Kansas faithfully for years, especially in his leadership as Speaker. We’ve made a lot of progress for our state under his watch. Thanks for everything, Dan!

“It was an honor to present this Resolution recognizing Stryten Energy’s 50 years of manufacturing in Salina. For five decades, the company has shown a deep commitment to our community and the families who live and work here,” said Representative Steven Howe. “Stryten Energy’s work not only strengthens our state, but also supports our domestic supply chain and contributes to our nation’s energy and security independence. I’m proud to acknowledge their long‑standing role in helping Salina and Kansas continue to grow and thrive.”

The resolution was sponsored by Representative Steven Howe and formally adopted by the Kansas House on March 11, 2026.

Stryten Energy in Salina recognized by Kan. House of Representatives for its services state and nationwide Members of the Stryten Energy team in Salina, along with Rep. Steven Howe holding Resoluti

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🏛️ LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Day 79 of 90 🏛️

Dear Neighbors,

Serving as your State Representative is a true privilege. This past week at the Capitol was an absolute marathon, with the House reaching "First Adjournment" after midnight on Friday. Despite falling ill on Thursday and briefly missing some votes, I was grateful to return Friday morning to finish the exhausting work of the regular session.

While broad tax relief remained elusive this session, I am proud of the targeted work we accomplished. I will return to Topeka for the Veto Session on April 9–11.

Please remember that I work for you. If I can be of assistance, please contact me at [email protected] or leave a message here. Please stay in touch!

🤝 1. Servant Leadership: Working for the Taxpayers
My primary lens for evaluating any bill—especially the state budget—is what is most responsible for taxpayers and the long-term stability of Kansas.

📉 HB 2513 (The State Budget): I could not support the final conference committee report on this budget. While I was not present for the vote due to illness, I would have voted NO.
📊 The Big Picture: While we held total spending to $27.8 billion for FY 2026, we are currently deficit spending and burning through $400 million in our State General Fund reserves from FY26 to FY27.
⚠️ The Risk: If we do not reduce spending by roughly $200 million annually over the next three years, we will exhaust our ending balance by 2029. This would force the state to aggressively cut spending, drain the rainy-day fund, or raise taxes. I do not believe raising taxes is the answer, which is why we must remain disciplined now.

🎖️ 2. Elevating Success for Our Veterans
We must honor the service of our military families while protecting them from unnecessary bureaucracy and bad actors.

🛡️ HB 2626 (Veterans Benefits Protections): I proudly supported this bill to put reasonable guardrails on private companies that charge veterans to assist with benefit claims.
✔️ Choice and Protection: The bill prohibits upfront fees and guarantees on outcomes, ensuring veterans aren't misled. It preserves their freedom to choose a paid private service or use free Veteran Service Organizations.
💼 Expanding Opportunity: This legislation also expands veteran hiring preferences to include members of the National Guard, reserves, and military spouses.

🗣️ A Special Thanks to a Local Voice for Our Veterans
I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Johnnie A. Keller with the Salina Area Veterans Assistance Group. Johnnie traveled to Topeka to provide powerful testimony in support of this legislation before the Committee on Veterans and Military. In his own words:

"Our veterans today are volunteers. They signed a blank check to be used in defense of our country... We veterans aren’t looking for a free ride, we just want our country to honor her veterans by making sure that our veterans are being taken care of and not forgotten."

Thank you, Johnnie, for your service and for ensuring our veterans were heard loud and clear in the Capitol!

🚓 3. Prioritizing Public Safety and Freedom
Keeping Kansans safe means addressing emerging global threats as well as the immediate challenges facing our local communities.

🚜 HB 2413 (China and Ag Crime Bill): I voted in favor of this legislation to combat "transnational repression"—where foreign governments like China attempt to intimidate individuals living on U.S. soil. It also directly helps our district by increasing penalties for the large-scale theft of livestock, grain, hay, and farm equipment.
🛑 HB 2365 (Controlled Substances Act & Fentanyl): I supported updating our laws to fight the fentanyl crisis. This bill creates a fentanyl-related substance class to prosecute dangerous analogs and removes high-potency synthetic opioids from store shelves.
🎓 HB 2333 (The KIRK Act): I supported this bill to ensure public universities remain open forums for free expression, banning restrictive "free speech zones" on campuses.

💰 4. Fiscal Responsibility & Local Accountability
I am committed to slowing the growth of government and putting power back into the hands of the people.

📝 Senate Sub. for HB 2745 (Protest Petitions): I voted in favor of this legislation to slow the growth of local government budgets. It creates a protest petition process for taxpayers if a local taxing jurisdiction attempts to increase property tax funding beyond the rate of inflation (up to 3%).
🏠 SCR 1603 (Property Tax Cap): I supported this constitutional proposition to limit the annual growth of taxable assessed value for residential and commercial properties to 9%. While it failed to reach the required 2/3 majority, a motion to reconsider was adopted, keeping the vehicle alive for the upcoming Veto Session.

👶 5. Pro-Life Advocacy & Supporting Pregnancy Service Centers
I remain firmly committed to protecting the unborn and supporting the organizations that provide care to mothers and families in need.

🏥 HB 2635 (Pregnancy Center Autonomy): I proudly voted to override the Governor's veto on this act. This legislation provides vital statutory protections for private, nonprofit pregnancy centers and medical pregnancy centers to provide life-affirming care, support, and material resources without government interference.

Another late night at the Capitol. First adjournment hours away...

🚗 Parents of New Drivers: This is for you! 🚗

Did you know that new drivers are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash? It’s a sobering reality, with over 300,000 new drivers expected to be seriously injured in car crashes this year.

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📢 Explanation of Vote: Senate Bill 20

I proudly voted YES on SB 20 to stand up for the independent pharmacies and small businesses in District 71. The House passed the SB 20 Conference Committee Report by a vote of 104-17, and it will now go back to the Senate.

For too long, Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have operated in the dark, using "spread pricing" to charge employers more while paying our local pharmacies less than the actual cost of medication. 💊

By implementing a transparent NADAC-based reimbursement floor, Kansas joins states like West Virginia and Kentucky in delivering real premium relief and protecting the local health providers we trust.

We must reject the misleading "pill tax" rhetoric funded by out-of-state lobbyists. It’s time for a system where savings are passed directly to Kansans—not pocketed by middlemen. 🛡️

Steven K. Howe
State Representative, District 71
Salina and Saline County

💬 Frequently Asked Questions: How SB 20 Helps You

Q: Will this bill actually lower my out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy? A: Yes. SB 20 requires that 100% of drug rebates—the discounts PBMs negotiate with manufacturers—be used to lower your costs at the counter or reduce your health insurance premiums. Currently, those "savings" are often kept by the middleman.

Q: What is a "Pill Tax," and is it in this bill? A: There is no "pill tax" in SB 20. That is a misleading label used by PBM lobbyists to protect their profit margins. The bill actually stops PBMs from charging your insurance one price and paying the pharmacy a lower price while pocketing the "spread."

Q: How does this help keep my local pharmacy open? A: Many local pharmacies are closing because PBMs often reimburse them less than what the medicine actually costs. By setting a fair reimbursement floor (NADAC + $10.50), we ensure your local pharmacist can afford to keep the lights on and continue serving our community.

Q: Will my insurance premiums go up? A: Other states that passed similar reforms, like West Virginia and Kentucky, actually saw premium growth slow down. When you remove the hidden "spread pricing" fees that PBMs charge employers, the overall cost of the insurance plan can decrease.

"The Kansas debate shouldn’t be reduced to whether lawmakers “care about kids.” The real question is whether mandated age verification makes families safer—or just makes government bigger, privacy weaker, and parents less empowered."

Age Verification Isn’t Parenting - Kansas Policy Institute Kansas lawmakers are weighing a proposal that would require new age-verification measures for online platforms, part of a growing national effort to address