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Gov. Laura Kelly wants food tax axed next legislative session

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, D-Kansas, holds axe while announcing "bold new plan" to eliminate the state's food sales tax. (KSNT/ Rebekah Chung)

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) – Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has called on the legislature to completely eliminate the state sales tax on groceries, diapers, and feminine hygiene products when they return for the 2023 session.

Last year, the legislature passed a bill that would drop the tax to 4% and 2% the following year. It would be completely gone in 2025. The plan will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023. Currently, the state has the second-highest sales tax on groceries, sitting at 6.5%.

“We have ‘Axed the Food Tax’ and are putting money back in Kansans’ pockets,” Kelly said in a statement. “Kansans will see the savings very soon, but we can do more. When the Kansas Legislature comes back in January, I will push again for the complete and immediate elimination of the state’s sales tax on groceries.” 

The Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) published its notice to initiate those changes.

The informational notice can be found here, and the sales tax publication can be found here. Retailers with questions about implementation can contact the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Tax Assistance Center at 785-368-8222.