Category Archives: Kansas

Government, Kansas

KS Tax Collections Up 32% in May

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May Total Tax Collections Over $657M;
31.7% Above Estimate


TOPEKA – The State of Kansas ends May 2025 with total tax collections at $657.7 million. That is $158.3 million, or 31.7%, above the estimate. Total tax collections were down 0.2% from May 2024.

“Surpassing estimates this month is a positive indicator, but we remain diligent and focused on maintaining long-term financial health,” Governor Laura Kelly said.

Individual income tax collections were $314.7 million. That is $144.7 million, or 85.1% above the estimate, and up 3.1% from May 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $29.2 million. That is $840,880, or 2.8% below the estimate, and down 26.8% from May 2024.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $282.1 million, which is $11.1 million, or 4.1% above the estimate, with no change from May 2024.

Click here to view the May 2025 revenue numbers.

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Fort Scott, Government, Kansas

KDOT to begin Bridge Repair on U.S. 69 June 9

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Courtesy of Google Street View.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to begin a bridge repair project on the U.S. 69 bridge over Wall Street in Fort Scott the week of June 9.

Project activity includes patching and resurfacing the bridge deck.

One-lane traffic will continue through the work zone. Drivers can expect delays of no more than 15 minutes, weather permitting, through the end of December 2025.

KDOT awarded the $1.5 million construction contract to PCI Roads, LLC of St. Michael, Minnesota. People with questions may contact Construction Manager Warren Ebberts at (620) 901-6549.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones.

For current road conditions, visit kandrive.gov or call 5-1-1. For updates on construction projects in Southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/projects/southeast-kansas-projects.

Government, Kansas

Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson

3 Comments
Caryn Tyson
May 23, 2025
Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer and can be a busy weekend, especially with all the cemetery services, decorating graves, picnics, and other events.  It is a time to remember and pray for those brave men and women who sacrificed by laying down their lives for our country.  They inspire us to live with courage and gratitude, never forgetting the sacrifice they made for our freedom.
One Big Beautiful Bill is working its way through the U.S. legislature.  Kansans need the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, not only to keep our federal taxes lower but to also keep us from a massive state income tax increase.  Our state income taxes start with the federal adjusted gross income (AGI).  It’s not hard to see, a higher AGI means a higher baseline for state income taxes.  If this bill doesn’t become law, it will be a drastic tax increase.
There are other items in the One Big Beautiful Bill besides tax policy, including Medicaid work requirements for able bodied individuals without children under 7.  Dr. Oz recently reported over $14 billion in Medicaid fraud.  The changes in the bill are an attempt to stop fraud and abuse.  The bill also has funding to build the wall and increase border security.  The legislation is posted at https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text/.
K-12 Funding has been a topic discussed for years.  With spending increases over the years, the money still doesn’t get to the teachers and classrooms.  From 2020 to 2024, it was reported the statewide average spending per pupil increased $3,476, from $14,848 to $18,324.  It is the largest expenditure in the state budget and increasing spending isn’t helping.  An Education Funding Task Force has been established to do a deep dive on K-12 funding.  The task force is made up of legislators and lay people.  A post-audit report completed in 2022 by a non-partisan group reported that only about 1/3 of students met state standards in three major subjects. It’s also been reported that school districts have over $1 billion in cash reserves.  Hopefully, the task force will consider how the money is being spent and managed.
Property Taxes are too high.  The valuation process is broken and subjective.  The burden to prove the valuation is not accurate is on the taxpayer.  Many say the valuation is based on fair market value.  How fair is it that you are paying a tax on unrealized gains?  You don’t pay income tax on estimated future earnings or sales tax on what you think the product will sell for, but you pay property taxes based on an estimated value.  The Senate passed a Constitutional Amendment to limit taxable valuation increases to a maximum of 3% each year (SCR 1603), but it stalled in the House.  This would help stop the bleed on a broken system.  It needs to pass next session so we can get it on the ballot for voters to pass it to become law.
Have a good summer.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
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Government, Health Care, Kansas

Public Health Advisories for Kansas Lakes Due to Blue-Green Algae

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Public Health Advisories for Kansas Lakes Due to Blue-Green Algae

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have issued a public health advisory due to blue-green algae.

The water recreation season in Kansas officially runs from April 1 to Oct. 31, as do the harmful algae blooms (HAB) response program’s active operations. Kansans should remain vigilant while engaging in activities taking place in or on the water, such as swimming, boating, and fishing.

A HAB may look like foam, scum or paint floating on the water and be colored blue, bright green, brown or red. Blooms can develop rapidly; if the water appears suspicious or there is decaying algae on the shore, avoid contact and keep dogs away. These toxins can be absorbed by ingestion, inhalation of aerosols and even skin contact. Symptoms vary depending upon the type of exposure (e.g., direct contact, ingestion, inhalation) but can include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and headache.

If you, or your pets, come into contact with algae rinse the area with clean, fresh water. Suspected HAB-related health incidents, whether human or animal, regardless of season, should be reported as soon as possible at kdhe.ks.gov/1163.

Active Advisories

Warning
  • Augusta Santa Fe Lake, Butler County (Added May 23)
  • Frazier Lake, Grant County
  • Gathering Pond, Geary County
Watch

  • Marion Reservoir, Marion County (Added May 23)
  • Pony Creek lake, Brown County (Added May 23)

Lifted
  • Council Grove City Lake, Morris County
  • Lake Shawnee, Shawnee County
Government, Kansas

Sunflower Summer Program Wins National Award for Tourism Impact

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TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced Kansas Tourism received national recognition for its work on the Sunflower Summer program, which was named the Best Local Impact Campaign at the 2025 eTSY Awards. The honor was presented during the eTourism Summit, held April 22-24 in Las Vegas.

“The Sunflower Summer program is an investment in our young Kansans, highlighting for them all the great and exciting things to love and experience across our state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “This program not only encourages exploration; it supports Kansas residents vacationing right here at home while showcasing our many quality attractions. We are grateful to be recognized on a national level and are excited to build on last year’s success.”

This award recognizes the outstanding success of the 2024 Sunflower Summer program, which provided Kansas families with school-aged children complimentary access to more than 200 attractions statewide. Nearly 500,000 tickets were redeemed – a 55% increase from the previous year. Tickets are claimed through the free Sunflower Summer app and redeemed at participating attractions upon arrival.

“The Sunflower Summer program has been extremely successful since its conception. It entices Kansans to travel around the state of Kansas and it promotes venues throughout the state on what Kansas has to offer,” Representative Troy Waymaster said. “This award only intensifies the success of the Sunflower Summer program, and I will always advocate for its continuation and the service it provides for our points of interest and Kansans.”

The eTSY Awards, organized by Informa Connect, celebrate excellence in digital tourism marketing by highlighting campaigns that demonstrate creativity, engagement and effectiveness in promoting travel and tourism. ​Presented annually at the eTourism Summit, these awards honor the most innovative and impactful digital marketing campaigns in the tourism industry.

“This award is a testament to the creativity, dedication and passion of the hardworking team that has brought this program to life for our residents,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “Kansas is the only place in the nation with a program like Sunflower Summer, and while we were proud of what we accomplished in the 2024 season; we are looking forward to what the 2025 season will bring for our partner sites across Kansas.” ​

Thanks to bipartisan support from the Kansas Legislature, the popular Sunflower Summer program will return July 12 to August 3, 2025. For more information, visit the webpage here or download the Sunflower Summer app.

About Kansas Tourism:

The mission of Kansas Tourism is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education and support. 

About the Kansas Department of Commerce: 

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

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Government, Kansas

Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson May 16

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Caryn Tyson
Kansas Supreme Court Justice Wilson has resigned.  You will get to see how broken the current system is for selecting a replacement.  It has been reported that 15 people have applied for the position.  The names are public.  The State Supreme Court Nominating Commission will interview applicants in June.  The Commission is accepting written comments from the public.  All of the information can be found at https://kscourts.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/News/2025-News-Releases/May/Supreme-Court-Nominating-Commission-to-interview-a.
The current system to select a new justice may sound good, but let’s take a closer look.  There are 9 members on the Commission, two from each congressional district and one chairman.  Four members, one from each district, are elected by members of the bar (lawyers) from that district.  The other four members, who are not lawyers, are appointed to the Commission by the Governor.  The chairman of the Commission is a statewide election by members of the bar.  The Commission interviews justice applicants and presents three names to the Governor to select a replacement.  Yes, the interviews are public, and the Commission is accepting comments from the public.  However, the public has no say.  But the good news is you will have a say as to changing the process with a Constitutional Amendment that will be on the ballot August 4, 2026, allowing the option to elect justices.  Some say that electing justices makes it political.  Isn’t the Commission selection process political?  From 1861 to 1958, Kansas elected State Supreme Court Justices.  It was changed after Governor Hall resigned in January of 1957 and his Lt. Gov, who become Governor, appointed Hall to the Kansas Supreme Court.  Hall had lost a primary challenge, and before the end of his term, the maneuver was executed.  Talk about political.  After that happened the process with lawyers and a governor in control was put in place.  The powers that be in the late 1950’s felt that Kansas voters were not smart enough to select their supreme court justices.  This process has failed Kansans.  You may have heard, the U.S. Supreme Court has allegedly overturned more Kansas Supreme Court rulings than any other state per capita.
Wind and Solar inverters and batteries have “mysterious, undocumented communication devices in some Chinese-made” equipment.  It’s been reported the devices could be remotely accessed, bypassing firewalls. “The devices were designed to connect solar panel arrays and windmills to power grids.” The devices can do more than “spy on the U.S. power grid… [it] could allow an attacker to shut down power grids”.  To protect the people of Kansas the legislature passed language that bans government purchases of drones and drone technology from foreign adversaries. There are also restrictions of land purchases and oversight of foreign land ownership by requiring registration. The language didn’t go far enough, but I am hopeful that people will realize the threats to our nation, and we can strengthen Kansas laws for our safety.
Legislative Post Audit presented a report last week on the selection process the Department of Commerce used to distribute Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID-19 grant money.  The report states, “The Department of Commerce evaluated BASE 1.0 grant program applicants using a standardized scoring rubric, but it didn’t consistently follow its process or document the Secretary’s final award decisions.” The report is disturbing, and it is not the first report to point to problems with the Department and how they are distributing funds.  Another report (audit results) of a BASE 1.0 grant of $3 million was awarded to a Johnson County Company, SOFTwarfare, who was suposed to open a facility in Barton County.  The Department issued grant money even though the company’s “matching fund expenses also differed from the specifics of the award agreement”.  The Department and the business denied the report, but the two reports do not bode well.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn
Government, Kansas

Public Health Advisories for Kansas Lakes Due to Blue-Green Algae

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Public Health Advisories for Kansas Lakes Due to Blue-Green Algae

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) have issued a public health advisory due to blue-green algae.

The water recreation season in Kansas officially runs from April 1 to Oct. 31, as do the harmful algae blooms (HAB) response program’s active operations. Kansans should remain vigilant while engaging in activities taking place in or on the water, such as swimming, boating, and fishing.

A HAB may look like foam, scum or paint floating on the water and be colored blue, bright green, brown or red. Blooms can develop rapidly; if the water appears suspicious or there is decaying algae on the shore, avoid contact and keep dogs away. These toxins can be absorbed by ingestion, inhalation of aerosols and even skin contact. Symptoms vary depending upon the type of exposure (e.g., direct contact, ingestion, inhalation) but can include rash, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, sore throat, and headache.

If you, or your pets, come into contact with algae rinse the area with clean, fresh water. Suspected HAB-related health incidents, whether human or animal, regardless of season, should be reported as soon as possible at kdhe.ks.gov/1163.

Active Advisories

Warning
  • Frazier Lake, Grant County
  • Gathering Pond, Geary County (Added May 16)
  • Lake Shawnee, Shawnee County
Area News, Government, Kansas

K-47 resurfacing work starts this week

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The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) plans to begin a resurfacing project on K-47 in Crawford County on Friday, May 16. The mill and overlay work will begin at the east city limits of Girard and continue east for 7 miles to end at U.S. 69.

 

Flaggers and a pilot car will direct one-lane traffic through the work zone during weekday daylight hours, Drivers can expect delays of no longer than 15 minutes. The work should be completed in one month, weather permitting.

 

KDOT awarded the $1.2 million construction contract to Bettis Asphalt & Construction Inc., of Topeka. People with questions may contact Construction Engineer Bukola Oni, 620-308-7615, or Public Information Officer Priscilla Petersen, 620-902-6433.

 

Bourbon County, Government, Kansas

K-65, in Northern Bourbon County, to close for pipe replacement on May 20

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K-65 to close for pipe replacement on May 20

 

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) will close K-65 in Bourbon County to replace a crossroad pipe on Tuesday, May 20, weather permitting.

 

K-65 will be closed between the junctions of K-3 and K-31 for the entire day, reopening in the evening. Drivers should use other routes during the closure.

 

People with questions may contact KDOT Superintendent Jeff Marks, 620-901-6550, or Public Information Officer Priscilla Petersen, 620-902-6433.

 

 

Government, Kansas

USDA Opens 2025 General and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment

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USDA to Open General and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment for 2025

WASHINGTON, May 12, 2025 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP beginning today through June 6, 2025.

CRP, USDA’s flagship conservation program, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year. For four decades, CRP has provided financial and technical support to agricultural producers and landowners who place unproductive or marginal cropland under contract for 10-15 years and who agree to voluntarily convert the land to beneficial vegetative cover to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and support wildlife habitat. The American Relief Act, 2025, extended provisions for CRP through Sept. 30, 2025.

“With 1.8 million acres available for all CRP enrollment this fiscal year, we are very aware that we are bumping up against the statutory 27-million-acre statutory cap,” said FSA Administrator Bill Beam. “Now more than ever, it’s important that the acres offered by landowners and those approved by USDA address our most critical natural resource concerns. With the limited number of acres that we have available, we’re not necessarily looking for the most acres offered but instead prioritizing mindful conservation efforts to ensure we maximize the return on our investment from both a conservation and economic perspective.”

General CRP (Signup 64)

Agricultural producers and landowners submit offers for General CRP through a competitive bid process. Offers are ranked and scored, by FSA, using nationally established environmental benefits criteria. USDA will announce accepted offers once ranking and scoring for all offers is completed. In addition to annual rental payments, approved General CRP participants may also be eligible for cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover.

Continuous CRP (Signup 63)

Unlike General CRP, Continuous CRP offers are not subject to a competitive bid process. To ensure enrolled acres do not exceed the current statutory cap of 27 million acres, FSA is accepting Continuous CRP offers on a first-come, first-served basis through June 6. However, should allotted CRP acreage remain available following the June 6 deadline, FSA will accept continuous CRP offers from interested landowners through July 31, 2025, and may be subsequently considered for acceptance, in batches, if it’s determined that the offered acres support USDA’s conservation priorities.

Continuous CRP participants voluntarily offer environmentally sensitive lands, typically smaller parcels than offered through General CRP including wetlands, riparian buffers, and varying wildlife habitats. In return, they receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource-conserving vegetative cover.

Continuous CRP enrollment options include:

  • State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement Initiative: Restores vital habitat in order to meet high-priority state wildlife conservation goals.
  • Highly Erodible Land Initiative: Producers and landowners can enroll in CRP to establish long-term cover on highly erodible cropland that has a weighted erodibility index greater than or equal to 20.
  • Clean Lakes, Estuaries and Rivers (CLEAR) Initiative: Prioritizes water quality practices on the land that, if enrolled, will help reduce sediment loadings, nutrient loadings, and harmful algal blooms. The vegetative covers also contribute to increased wildlife populations.
  • CLEAR30 (a component of the CLEAR Initiative): Offers additional incentives for water quality practice adoption and can be accessed in 30-year contracts.
  • Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program: Addresses high priority conservation objectives of states and Tribal governments on agricultural lands in specific geographic areas.

Grassland and Expiring CRP Acres

FSA will announce dates for Grassland CRP signup in the near future.

Additionally, landowners with acres enrolled in CRP set to expire Sept. 30, 2025, can offer acres for re-enrollment beginning today. A producer can offer to enroll new acres into CRP and also offer to re-enroll any acres expiring Sept. 30, 2025.

For more information on CRP participant and land eligibility, approved conservation practices and detailed program fact sheets, visit FSA’s CRP webpage.

 

 

More Information  

Interested producers should apply through the FSA at their local USDA Service Center.

Signed into law in 1985, CRP is one of the largest voluntary private-lands conservation programs in the United States. Originally intended to primarily control soil erosion and potentially stabilize commodity prices by taking marginal lands out of production, the program has evolved over the years, providing many conservation and economic benefits.

FSA helps America’s farmers, ranchers and forest landowners invest in, improve, protect and expand their agricultural operations through the delivery of agricultural programs for all Americans. FSA implements agricultural policy, administers credit and loan programs, and manages conservation, commodity, disaster recovery and marketing programs through a national network of state and county offices and locally elected county committees. For more information, visit fsa.usda.gov.

 

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

 

Bourbon County, Government, Kansas

Bourbon County Is In Drought Watch:consider water usage and take extra care to prevent wildfires

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Governor Kelly Updates Declaration of Drought Emergency, Warnings, and Watches for Kansas Counties

 

TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly has signed a proclamation approving updated drought declarations for Kansas counties.

“Drought conditions have persisted across Kansas through the winter and spring, and we must respond accordingly,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “As we head into the summer months, where we typically see drier conditions, I urge Kansans to consider their water usage and take extra care to prevent wildfires.”

The drought declaration placed three counties into emergency status, 39 counties into warning status, and 63 counties into watch status. This action was recommended by Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. Precipitation totals have varied widely across Kansas in recent weeks, with some eastern and southeastern counties receiving heavy rainfall that temporarily improved surface moisture, while central and western regions continue to experience worsening drought conditions. Despite these isolated rains, much of the state remains below average for cumulative precipitation, with ongoing deficits in soil moisture and declining streamflows.

“While we’ve seen precipitation in various regions of the state this spring, the long-term effects of drought have prevented improvements in the overall conditions,” said Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. “The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to monitor the drought conditions across Kansas and make recommendations to Governor Kelly as conditions change.”

Through an interagency agreement between the Kansas Water Office, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, counties in the emergency stage are eligible for emergency water use from certain state fishing lakes and some federal reservoirs.

 

Individuals and communities must contact the Kansas Water Office for a water supply request before withdrawing water from lakes. These requests will, in turn, be referred to the appropriate office to obtain the necessary permits to withdraw the requested water.

 

This proclamation shall remain in effect for those counties identified until rescinded by a proclamation ending the declaration or revising the drought stage status of the affected counties.

 

Effective immediately, the proclamation:

 

  • Declares a Drought Emergency, Warning, or Watch for the counties as identified below;
  • Authorizes and directs all agencies under the jurisdiction of the governor to implement the appropriate watch, warning, or emergency-level drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.

 

The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the negative drought-induced effects on Kansans. Kansans are encouraged to report drought-related conditions and impacts in their region through the Condition Monitoring Observer Reports (CMOR) system.

For more detailed information about current conditions, visit the Climate and Drought webpage on the Kansas Water Office website at kwo.ks.gov.

County Drought Stage Declarations:

Drought Emergency: Harvey, Reno, Sedgwick.

 

Drought Warning: Barber, Barton, Butler, Chase, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Cowley, Decatur, Edwards, Grant, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Jewell, Kingman, Kiowa, Lyon, McPherson, Marion, Marshall, Meade, Morton, Norton, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Rawlins, Republic, Rice, Rush, Seward, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Sumner, Washington.

Drought Watch: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Bourbon, Brown, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Coffey, Crawford, Dickinson, Doniphan, Douglas, Elk, Ellis, Ellsworth, Finney, Ford, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Graham, Gray, Greeley, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kearny, Labette, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Logan, Miami, Mitchell, Montgomery, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Osage, Osborne, Ottawa, Pottawatomie, Riley, Rooks, Russell, Saline, Scott, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Wallace, Wichita, Wilson, Woodson, Wyandotte.

 

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Government, Kansas

Legislative Update by State Senator Caryn Tyson

2 Comments
May 9, 2025
The President and his administration are moving at an epic pace.  This rapid implementation has reversed damaging actions by the previous administration and put our nation on a path to protect our borders, to cut wasteful spending (fraud and abuse), and to cut taxes.
President Trump and congress made considerable tax cuts in 2017 that will end this year.  The cuts can be extended if legislation is passed, you may have heard the President talk about a “big, beautiful bill”.  If the tax cuts are not extended it will be a major tax increase on over 80% of U.S. taxpayers.  It will also be a major state income tax increase on Kansans.  The federal Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is the baseline for filing your state income taxes so if it increases your state income taxes increase.  It’s a heavy lift for Congress to pass legislation so the 2017 tax cuts do not sunset, especially since they are attempting to pass more cuts like exempting Social Security, tips, and overtime from federal income taxes.  “It is a paradoxical truth that tax rates are too high today and tax revenues are too low, and the soundest way to raise the revenues in the long run is to cut the tax rates.”–John F. Kennedy
 
Kansas Supreme Court justices are currently selected by a nominating commission (made up mainly of lawyers) that submit three names to the Governor, and the Governor picks one of the three to be a justice.  The reason this process was put into effect for selecting state supreme court justices is that the powers that be felt that Kansas voters were not smart enough to select their supreme court justices and that it had to be handled by professional lawyers.  This process has failed Kansans.  You may have heard, the U.S. supreme court has allegedly overturned more Kansas Supreme Court rulings than any other state per capita.
This could change because on the August 4, 2026, ballot Kansas voters will have an option to keep the current process or change it to electing state supreme court justices.  Why would Kansas consider changing the selection process of justices?  To increase transparency and public trust.  It has been argued that judicial activism is a “threat to democratic principles and the rule of law… by allowing unelected judges to make decisions that should be left to the people or their elected representatives.”  U.S. Justice Scalia warned that judges who interpret the Constitution as a “living document” have crossed a line to effectively become policymakers.  He also compared this “approach to the situation in the 1930’s Germany, where judges began interpreting laws to reflect the ‘spirit of the age,’ leading to disastrous consequences.”
For example, in the case Kansas versus Garcia, illegal immigrants who committed identity theft, the Kansas Supreme Court majority ruled that it was a federal issue, and the state didn’t have authority to prosecute even though identity theft is against Kansas law and the illegals used stolen identities on state and federal forms.  Thankfully, this ruling was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.  Justice Scalia wrote in response to the Kansas Supreme Court ruling that, “This interpretation is flatly contrary to standard English usage.”
Currently, there is a retention vote for justices on a six-year schedule. You vote yes or no on each justice – to retain or not.  Some say that is an election of sorts.  However, common sense tells us two or more candidates running for the position educating voters is more transparent and provides an opportunity to get to know the candidates.  With the current retention vote, it is very difficult to be an informed voter.  A super majority of legislators supported putting this change on the August 4, 2026, ballot and voters will get to have their voices heard.
Interim Committees are approved by the Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC), which is made up of eight legislators that are in House and Senate leadership.  They approved several interim committees that will meet to take a deeper look at topics before the next session.  A special interim committee on tax will meet and cover several topics.  The House Tax Chairman and I requested a deeper dive on property valuations.  The more I research that system and attempt to navigate it, the more convinced I am the system is broken.  This is not just a Kansas issue; many states have the same problems.  It will take innovative thinking to bring more accuracy and transparency to property taxes.
There will also be interim committees on KPERS, housing, crypto currency, campaign contributions/transparency (hopefully a look at stopping dark money) and several other topics.
It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.
Caryn