Kansas Chamber of Commerce outlines plan to improve state business

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Kansas Chamber of Commerce’s 2023 Legislative and Policy Agenda outlines how the governing body plans to expand Kansas business by removing barriers to job growth, workforce development, and business expansion.

The actively improve the state’s business ventures, the chamber will look at multiple policies and pursue bills such as:

Supporting legislation that grants corporate taxpayers the choice between the current three-factor apportionment formula and a new, single-factor sales-based formula (Taxation).
Supporting the establishment of a new tax credit for employers who participate in the Kansas Registered Apprenticeship Program (Education & Workforce Development).
Supporting policies to make childcare more affordable and accessible for Kansas workers by relaxing overly restrictive staff-to-child ratios and increasing childcare capacity across age groups (Education & Workforce Development).
Support legislation that requires disclosure of third-party financing of litigation (Legal Reform).
Supporting lowering prejudgment interest rates to bring Kansas in line with other states (Legal Reform).
Supporting legislation prohibiting local governments from banning consumer merchandise and plastic containers (Regulatory Affairs).
Supporting efforts to achieve regionally-competitive electric rates and delivery costs as well as ensure uninterruptible service regardless of source (Energy & Environment).
Supporting more review of modifications to the structure of the Kansas Corporation Commission and its appointment process to support the state goal of regionally competitive electric rates (Energy & Environment).

Chamber President and CEO Alan Cobb says that he has seen the kind of challenges the state faces in the business community and believes that population growth continues to negatively affect economic prosperity.

“The lack of population growth continues to be a barrier for greater economic prosperity,” said Cobb. “And our legal climate has become favorable to the trial bar.”

“Kansas has seen improvement in some economic metrics. Our regulatory climate has improved, and our employment laws are among the best in the nation,” said Cobb. “Unfortunately, the work is not done. Actions taken by other states have made them more attractive to investments and to workers. We must act to become competitive.”

All the measures added to the agenda were gathered from the Chamber member task groups and in-person meetings in Kansas, through research acquired from its Annual Business Leaders poll, Kansas Tax Modernization report, and the Kansas Competitiveness Analysis report.

To view the 2023 Legislative and Policy Agenda, click HERE.