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Kansas Senate votes to send rolling-average property-valuation amendment to November ballot after late-night debate
Summary
After hours of late-night debate, the Kansas Senate voted 27–12 to approve HCR 5008 with an amendment inserting a rolling-average valuation limitation to property tax valuation and sent the measure to the House for placement on the November ballot. Supporters said it curbs sudden assessment spikes; opponents called the last-minute maneuver a "gimmick."
The Kansas Senate approved a constitutional amendment package early Saturday that would allow property to be valued for tax purposes using the lesser of current fair-market value or an average of values over a period specified by law, sending the question to voters on the November ballot.
Senator Masterson (Senator from Butler), who explained and moved amendment 4681 into House Concurrent Resolution 5008, said the change would "empower the people" to adopt a rolling-average valuation limit meant to reduce the impact of rapid assessment increases. "This is the rolling average the House has been crying for," Masterson said during debate.
Opponents described the move as a last-minute, insufficiently detailed effort to address property-tax pain. "This is just another gimmick that we're doing as a stunt in the middle of the night," said Senator Corson, who voted no and urged more immediate relief. Senator Francisco said he could not in good conscience tell constituents how a yes-or-no vote would read on the ballot because the final explanatory language had not been available when members were asked to vote.
Senators pressed for and discussed the scope of the measure on the floor: whether residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural improvements and mobile homes would be included; how many years would be used to calculate the average; and whether the legislature would be authorized to set implementing details by statute. Masterson and supporters said details would be prescribed by law and that the constitutional change would take effect in a later session and require enabling implementation.
A motion to call the question ended extended debate. Following a call of the Senate to locate absent senators and explanations of vote, the clerk closed the roll and reported the final tally: 27 in favor, 12 opposed. Senate leaders declared the measure passed and forwarded it to the House for its action and, if successful there, placement on the November ballot.
The vote was the most contested on the Senate floor during the chamber’s final day of the 2026 session. Supporters argued the measure protects homeowners from steep, sudden assessment increases, while opponents warned that a rolling-average approach could be implemented in ways that offer limited immediate relief and could permit future legislatures to alter implementation by statute. The sponsor said the amendment would not itself set the averaging period but would authorize the process and empower voters to decide whether to adopt the change.
Next steps: the House will receive the resolution; if both chambers adopt identical constitutional amendment language, the measure would be presented to Kansas voters in the next statewide election.
