SENATE HIGHLIGHTS - WEEKLY OVERVIEW

Hello from Topeka. We are on the floor all day this week, getting ready for a slew of conference committees between the House and Senate as we work towards first adjournment on April 1st.

Week 10

It may seem hard to believe, but the legislature is now fully ten weeks into its session and has just two weeks remaining prior to “first adjournment.” This week, the Kansas Senate accomplished its two primary constitutional responsibilities—adopting a budget and passing a new map for the Kansas Senate to cover the next decade.

Hello from Topeka. We are on schedule for first adjournment on April 1st. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Legislature has worked quickly to provide responsive legislation to address concerns in both the healthcare and business industries.

This past week the House passed SB 286, with a vote of 102-17. SB 286 extends the expiration dates from March 31, 2022 to January 20, 2023 for certain portions of the governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those provisions include:

• Expansion of telemedicine

Week Nine

Senate Highlights

Hello from Topeka. It was good to see many people over the weekend in Hays. Thanks to the Hays Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring a legislative coffee with Senator Billinger and Representative Waymaster and Wassinger.  We are working on dates in April to come to other communities as we do each year, watch for more details as they are worked out.

Week Eight

Senate Highlights

This week saw a lot of work done in committees. After last week's narrowing down of the myriad of legislation, lawmakers did some heavy rowing in committees. The topic of Ukraine was also discussed at the state level this week. The legislature is very fluid at this point and will continue to work on legislation in the committees and on the Senate Floor the next two weeks.

Senate Highlights

Senate Highlights

This week marked the sixth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us. As we approach “turn-around” the Senate held floor debate on Tuesday and Thursday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full Senate. The bills voted on by the full Senate now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over.

SENATE HAPPENINGS