During the legislative session, KSCPA’s government affairs representatives – Marlee Carpenter and Natalie Bright of Bright & Carpenter Consulting, LLC – track bills and provide legislative updates and a bill tracker summary weekly via video, podcast, and write-up. See below.
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April 14, 2026
The Legislature adjourned Sine Die early Saturday, April 11, concluding the 2026 Legislative Session. Legislators worked through the 27 vetoed bills and 31 vetoed line items in the legislative passed budget, overriding many of the vetoes.
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March 31, 2026
The 2026 Legislature adjourned early Saturday morning, passing both a budget and a partial property tax reform bill before they headed home. The Legislature will return for Veto Session on April 9th, taking up Gubernatorial vetoes, line-item vetoes on the budget bill and passing final conference committee reports that were not advanced during regular session. With a veto-proof majority in both chambers and a Gubernatorial election in 2026, the stakes continue to be high for both parties.
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March 23, 2026
Last week marked the final full week of committee meetings at the Kansas Statehouse as lawmakers continue moving toward First Adjournment on March 27. While the House wrapped up its work week on Thursday, the Senate held several committee meetings on Friday. Budget negotiations advanced, with the House and Senate budget conference committee meeting to begin comparing their respective budget proposals. Property tax relief remained a major topic at the Capitol, though progress in both Chambers stalled Thursday, leaving the issue unresolved as the session enters its final weeks. Looking ahead, committees will meet for their final day this Tuesday, after which the Legislature will spend the remainder of the week primarily working bills on the House and Senate floors as lawmakers move toward adjournment. Below is a recap of some of the issues the legislature took up last week.
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March 16, 2026
Last week marked the final full week of committee meetings at the Kansas Statehouse as lawmakers continue moving toward First Adjournment on March 27. While the House wrapped up its work week on Thursday, the Senate held several committee meetings on Friday. Budget negotiations advanced, with the House and Senate budget conference committee meeting to begin comparing their respective budget proposals. Property tax relief remained a major topic at the Capitol, though progress in both Chambers stalled Thursday, leaving the issue unresolved as the session enters its final weeks. Looking ahead, committees will meet for their final day this Tuesday, after which the Legislature will spend the remainder of the week primarily working bills on the House and Senate floors as lawmakers move toward adjournment. Below is a recap of some of the issues the legislature took up last week.
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March 9, 2026
Last week, the Legislature began on a somber note with the unexpected passing of Rep. John Resman (R–Olathe), who represented District 121. Rep. Resman was serving his 10th year in the Kansas Legislature and was remembered as a gentle giant and a true statesman. He will be missed by colleagues on both sides of the aisle, a sentiment reflected during Monday’s House session when official business was postponed so members could pay tribute to his life and service.
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March 2, 2026
The 2026 Legislature has reached its halfway point, with the Turnaround Deadline on February 19. Bills must be out of their house of origin or touch an exempt committee if they are to advance this session. Many bills passed out of each chamber but major issues, such as budget and property tax relief, will be worked in the coming weeks.
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February 23, 2026
The 2026 Legislature has reached its halfway point, with the Turnaround Deadline on February 19. Bills must be out of their house of origin or touch an exempt committee if they are to advance this session. Many bills passed out of each chamber but major issues, such as budget and property tax relief, will be worked in the coming weeks.
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February 16, 2026
Last week, the Kansas Legislature entered the fifth week of the 2026 Session, marking the final full week for most committees to advance bills ahead of today's deadline. This week will shift focus from committee hearings to three days of floor debate, culminating in Turnaround on Friday—the halfway point of session—when most bills must clear their chamber of origin to remain viable. As deadlines tighten, both chambers are working to finalize committee action and prepare priority legislation for floor consideration. Below are highlights of action taken last week.
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February 9, 2026
As the February 19 turnaround deadline approaches, legislative committees are operating at full capacity, with budget deliberations dominating the week. Budget subcommittees are finalizing their work ahead of full House and Senate budget debates, limiting time for other legislation. Several policy committee hearings have been delayed due to drafting backlogs, software issues, and the continued introduction of new bills.
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February 2, 2026
The Kansas Legislature remained busy last week as both the House and Senate held significant floor debates, votes and committee hearings, signaling a noticeable increase in the pace of the 2026 session. Lawmakers worked late to debate immigration policy and a bathroom bill. Amid the policy debates, the Statehouse also marked Kansas Day, highlighted by a moment as the House joined together to sing “Home on the Range.” Attention now turns to this week’s deadline for non-exempt committees to introduce bills.
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January 26, 2026
Last week was shortened by the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday, but it was an official legislative day because the 2026 calendar counts both weekends and holidays. Friday marked the 12th day of the 90-day session. Budget subcommittees held hearings on the Governor’s budget recommendations. While several committees advanced major policy proposals, others were forced to wait as bill drafts emerged slowly from the Revisor’s Office.
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January 19, 2026
The Kansas Legislature convened on January 12, 2026, with Governor Laura Kelly delivering her final State of the State address the following day. She highlighted accomplishments from her seven years in office, crediting bipartisan cooperation for restoring fiscal stability and improving quality of life for Kansans.
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April 15, 2025
The Kansas Legislature adjourned Sine Die just before 5:00 pm last Friday. The two-day veto session was just enough time for gubernatorial veto overrides and finishing up conference committee reports left over after first adjournment. Despite 2025 going down as one of quickest legislative sessions in recent memory, there was an overall sense of bipartisan work accomplished. Barring any vetoes of what was approved last week, lawmakers passed over 130 bills into law this year.
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March 31, 2025
The Kansas Legislature adjourned the regular part of the 2025 Legislative Session before midnight on Thursday. Lawmakers spent several long days and nights last week in conference committees and on the floor approving bills to send to Governor Kelly’s desk.
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March 24, 2025
Last week was full in the Kansas Legislature, with floor debate and action on over 140 bills. March 18 was the last day for committees to meet and finish their work for the year, and Friday was the deadline for passage of all non-exempt bills.
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March 17, 2025
We’re nearing the end of one of the shortest and most fast-paced legislative sessions in recent memory. Last week, committees were swamped – many with three to four hearings a day – rushing to finish their work before March 18, when all non-exempt committees are done meeting for the year.
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March 10, 2025
As usual, the last few weeks of committee meetings are packed with back-to-back hearings and final action on bills. Other than those that are exempt from legislative deadlines (Budget, Tax, Federal and State Affairs), committees have less than two weeks to complete their work for the year. March 18 is the last day for them to meet and pass any bills they want to move forward this session. After that, Legislators are mostly on the floor, then conference committees begin meeting on March 24.
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March 3, 2025
Lawmakers returned from their four-day recess on February 25 to officially start the second half of the 2025 Legislative Session. The legislature was Pro Forma on Friday, making it a relatively quiet week. While they slowly eased back into committee work, it’s typically after Turnaround when the tempo speeds up significantly to meet bill deadlines for the year. Roughly 120 hearings are scheduled this week, so it will be fast and furious until the March 28th scheduled Adjournment date.
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February 24, 2025
The Kansas Legislature adjourned for Turnaround break Thursday evening. Committees only met last Monday, leaving the next three days for debating and passing legislation on the floor. Any non-exempt bills that did not pass their house of origin or get “blessed” by leadership last week are dead for the year.
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February 17, 2025
Last week was the last full week for non-exempt committees to complete their work for the first half of the legislative session. While most Fridays have been ProForma (not in session), the Legislature worked a full Friday to make up for Wednesday’s snow day. Lawmakers, particularly committee chairs, are certainly feeling the pinch of this year’s condensed session calendar.
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February 10, 2025
With only two weeks left before Turnaround – when bills must pass their original chamber to stay alive for the year – the pace picked up significantly last week in the Kansas Legislature. Revisors worked furiously to meet Friday's non-exempt bill deadline.
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February 3, 2025
Last week was only week three of the legislative session, and 163 more bills were introduced. This is typically when committees go into overdrive to meet approaching legislative deadlines. Over 75 hearings are already scheduled for this week.
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January 27, 2025
The fast pace and sense of urgency that kicked off this legislative session continued last week with 95 more bills introduced as critical bill deadlines loom. Turnaround is less than one month away, set for February 20. This is when all non-exempt bills must pass their House of Origin to stay alive for this session. Both old and new legislators are navigating an intense political landscape focused on getting work done quickly and efficiently.
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January 21, 2025
Lawmakers reconvened in Topeka on January 13, 2025, to start the 2025 Kansas Legislative Session. New legislators were sworn in last Monday and committees began meeting last Tuesday. It was mostly introductions and housekeeping items, followed by informational briefings by agency heads. The Governor gave her executive address to the Legislature on January 15, and preliminary budget discussions started that will shape the state’s fiscal direction. Over 70 bills were introduced, and several hearings are already scheduled for this week.
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December 2, 2024
The Kansas Legislature convened in Topeka to elect their new Senate and House leaders for the 2025-2026 biennium legislative session.
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