Legally married same-sex couples are suing the Kansas Department of Revenue over a policy that says they must file separate state tax returns. Kansas does not recognize same-sex marriages, but some other states and the federal government do.
Thomas Witt is with the group Equality Kansas. He says married same-sex couples in Kansas could file a single federal return but would be forced to file two separate state returns.
“I think what we’re looking at is the Department of Revenue and the state of Kansas singling out gay and lesbian taxpayers for unequal, unfair and discriminatory treatment,” says Witt.
Jeannine Koranda, spokesperson for the Department of Revenue, would not comment on the litigation because the agency has not been formally served with the suit.
She says requiring same-sex couples to file separate returns follows the Kansas Constitution and is similar to rules used in other states that ban same-sex marriages.
