2025 Kansas Legislature Convenes on Monday
The Kansas Legislature convenes on Monday, January 13th for its 90-day general legislative session. This will be the first year in the new legislative biennium, which means bills from the 2024 session do not carry over for consideration. We are also entering a session following the election in which all 40 Senate seats and 125 House seats were up for election. This fact generally impacts the initial pace of the session as the newly elected legislators, new leadership and new chairs find their bearings. That said, the released legislative calendar (attached) carves out about two weeks from the traditional 90-day session calendar. Additionally, the veto session was moved up to April 10th this year. Traditionally, the veto session is held after the consensus revenues are tallied after the April 15th tax day. So, we anticipate this year may start slow as the new legislature acclimates, but will advance very quickly as the legislature attempts to get its work done with a slimmed down calendar.
The state closed the 2023 fiscal year with an over $2.5 billion ending balance and an over $1.5 billion in the state’s rainy day emergency fund. With state coffers flush with cash, it took a special session for the legislature and governor to agree on an individual income tax reduction plan. While revenue forecasts predict a downturn in receipts, there is still a desire by the legislature to provide additional tax, particularly property tax, relief to Kansans. But, there will be competing ideas on whether to enhance programs, cut taxes or a combination of both. Indeed, Governor Laura Kelly (D), who has long-supported Medicaid expansion, continues her advocacy for this program. However, legislative leaders continue to block Medicaid expansion and it isn’t anticipated to pass anytime soon.
Beyond the politics of taxing and spending, we anticipate seeing several other policy debates which will grab the headlines this session. After the failure of the Value Them Both constitutional amendment restricting abortion and a 2023 court order blocking some existing abortion laws, there may be renewed, creative attempts that legislators pursue regarding abortion and increased adoption access. Republican legislative leaders continue to signal that they plan their ongoing pursuit of policies creating more transparency in K-12 public schools and giving parents more choices in where they send their kids to school. Further, look for so-called medical marijuana to be in the mix. Kansas remains one of the few states that does not allow medical or recreational marijuana. Finally, we anticipate seeing legislation on matters such as on so-called “gender-affirming care” for minors very early in the session.
On matters directly impacting agents and brokers and the insurance industry, we expect this session to be relatively quiet. However, the Kansas Insurance Department (KID) has indicated that they plan to introduce several items impacting our profession. In addition to the annual perfunctory bills they file, KID also plans to pursue legislation giving them flexibility to lower fees and legislation to downsize some of the boards and authorities KID oversees. Additionally, the Department plans to introduce bills regarding consumer complaint response time, a premium tax reduction and insurance savings accounts. Regarding legal reform, the KAIA continues to partner with the business community on the issue of third party-financed lawsuits. Finally, the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association is pursuing legislation to address an issue in the statutes related to auto dealer insurance coverage.
Republicans continue to enjoy a supermajority in the House and Senate which provides enough votes to potentially override any veto made by Democrat Governor Laura Kelly—the legislature successfully exercised this override power on some key issues last session. But, in her second term, Governor Kelly has become familiar with contending with a Republican-controlled legislature. The Governor, who has shown a willingness to work across the aisle on some issues, will need to exercise bipartisan efforts as she again faces a deeply-Red legislature.
WHAT TO EXPECT THE FIRST WEEK…
As noted above the session kicks off on Monday. The first week of every session is mostly organizational as legislators return to Topeka, move back into their offices and hold introductory committee meetings. That’s no different this year, but the real work will start later in the week when Governor Kelly delivers her State of the State Address to the House and Senate on Wednesday evening. We don’t expect her to present many details, but she will paint a broad picture for her agenda. We expect Kelly will focus on her legislative successes and broadly layout her policy objectives for the next two years of her administration, with a major focus on expanding Medicaid and school funding. The administration will publicly release their budget recommendation to the legislature on Thursday morning to a joint meeting of the House and Senate budget committees.
Legislative Calendars: Calendars - January 2025 | Kansas State Legislature
Prefiled Bills
There have been very few prefiled bills this session; however, the bills are often of interest. These bills are generally pet projects or political statements for the legislator prefiling the legislation. Links to the full list of prefiled bills are below.
House Prefiled Bill List: 2025_Prefiled_Bills.pdf
Senate Prefiled Bill List: 2025_senate_prefiled_bills.pdf
Legislative Leadership:
House
- Speaker – Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita)
- Speaker Pro Tem – Blake Carpenter (R-Derby)
- Majority Leader – Chris Croft (R-Overland Park)
- Assistant Majority Leader – Kyle Hoffman (R-Coldwater)
- Majority Whip – Nick Hoheisel (R-Wichita)
- Majority Caucus Chair – Kristey Williams (R-Andover)
- Minority Leader – Brandon Woodard (D-Lenexa)
- Assistant Minority Leader – Mike Amyx (D-Lawrence)
- Minority Whip – Jo Ella Hoye (D-Lenexa)
- Minority Caucus Chair – Barbara Ballard (D-Lawrence)
- Minority Agenda Chair – Jerry Stogsdill (D-Prairie Village)
- Minority Policy Chair – Dan Osman (D-Overland Park)
Senate
- President – Ty Masterson (R-Augusta)
- Vice President – Tim Shallenberger (R-Baxter Springs)
- Majority Leader Chase Blasi (R-Wichita)
- Assistant Majority Leader – Caryn Tyson (R-Parker)
- Majority Whip – Rick Kloos (R-Berryton)
- Minority Leader – Dinah Sykes (D-Lenexa)
- Assistant Minority Leader – Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D-Wichita)
- Minority Whip – Cindy Holscher (D-Overland Park)
- Minority Agenda Chair – Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence)
- Minority Caucus Chair – Ethan Corson (D-Prairie Village)
Updated Legislative Rosters and Committee Lists
The Kansas Legislature’s website has been updated to include the most current roster of members and committee memberships. The rosters and committee pages provide pertinent information, like contact information and meeting times and locations. Below are links to areas of interest that we hope you’ll find useful as we kick-off the 2025-26 cycle.
House Roster: House | Kansas State Legislature
Senate Roster: Senate | Kansas State Legislature
Committee Lists: Committees | Kansas State Legislature
2025 Legislative Session Deadlines:
The following dates are the deadlines for introduction and consideration of bills for the 2025 Session, pending adoption as part of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Representatives. (ATTACHED IS A 2025 SESSION PLANNER)
January 27th
Last day for member or members to REQUEST bill drafts from Revisor’s Office.
February 3rd
Last day for non-exempt Committees to REQUEST bill drafts from the Revisor’s Office. NOTE: This is the last day requests for introduction can be on non-exempt committee agendas
February 5th
Last day for Individuals to INTRODUCE bills in originating chamber. NOTE: Bills must be submitted to chamber staff during daily session for Introduction.
February 7th
Last day for non-exempt Committees to INTRODUCE bills in originating chamber. NOTE: Bills must be submitted to chamber staff during daily session for Introduction.
February 17th
Last day for committees to meet before Turnaround Day
February 20th (Turnaround Day)
Last day to consider non-exempt bills in house of origin.
March 18th
Last day non-exempt committees can meet, consider bills
March 21st
Last day to consider non-exempt bills not in originating chamber.
March 28th (Drop Dead Day/First Adjournment)
No bills considered after this date except bills vetoed by governor, omnibus appropriations act and omnibus reconciliations spending limit bill.
April 10th (Veto Session Anticipated to Begin)
Veto Session where the legislature considers gubernatorial vetoes and puts finishing touches on budget.
Exempt committees: House and Senate Federal and State Affairs, Senate Ways and Means, Senate Assessment and Taxation, House committees on Calendar and Printing, Appropriations, Taxation or select committees of either house when so authorized. Exempt bills are those sponsored by, referred to or acted upon by an exempt committee.
Exempt bills are those sponsored by, referred to or acted upon by an exempt committee.
