The Nature Conservancy is excited to support HB 2097, which reauthorizes and updates Kansas’s habitat management tax credit. This legislation was drafted in partnership with the Kansas chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, demonstrating the strong connection between public access and conservation.
Established in 1997, the original habitat management tax credit was limited to state offered programs and designated habitat. The tax credit received robust bipartisan support, but due to its narrow scope had negligible uptake before its expiration in 2003.
HB 2097 would expand qualified habitat programs to potentially include private and federal options, providing landowners with more choices to fit their needs. Additionally, it would expand designated habitat criteria to include federal designations and provide an incentive for landowners who participate in public access opportunities.
Through this legislation, The Nature Conservancy and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers seek to support landowners enhancing habitat in critical ecoregions and promote public access to natural areas across the state.
Interested in learning more? Read HB 2097 in its entirety here.
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