2023 Kansas legislative session
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| 2023 Kansas legislative session |
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| General information |
| Session start: January 9, 2023 Session end: April 28, 2023 |
| Leadership |
| Senate President Ty Masterson (R) House Speaker |
| Elections |
| Next Election: November 5, 2024 Last Election: November 8, 2022 |
| Previous legislative sessions |
| 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
| Other 2023 legislative sessions |
In 2023, the Kansas State Legislature was scheduled to convene on January 9, 2023, and adjourn on April 28, 2023.
The House legislators serving in this session took office following the 2022 elections. Republicans had a 28-10-2 majority in the Senate and won an 85-40 majority in the House. Democrats controlled the governorship, making Kansas one of 11 divided governments with no state government trifecta. At the start of the 2023 session, Kansas was one of 18 state legislatures where Republicans had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
Leadership in 2023
Kansas State Senate
- Senate president: Ty Masterson (R)
- Majority leader: Larry Alley (R)
- Minority leader: Dinah Sykes (D)
Kansas House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House: Daniel Hawkins (R)
- Majority leader: Chris Croft (R)
- Minority leader: Vic Miller (D)
Partisan control in 2023
- See also: State government trifectas
Kansas was one of 11 divided governments where neither party had state government trifectas at the start of 2023 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.
Kansas was also one of 18 state legislatures where Republicans had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.
The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Kansas State Legislature in the 2023 legislative session.
Kansas State Senate
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 10 | |
| Republican Party | 28 | |
| Vacancies | 2 | |
| Total | 40 | |
Kansas House of Representatives
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 40 | |
| Republican Party | 85 | |
| Total | 125 | |
Regular session
The list below shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2023 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2023. This information is provided by BillTrack50.
Standing legislative committees
A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.
At the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, there were 59 standing committees in Kansas' state government, including 12 joint committees, 16 state Senate committees, and 31 state House committees.
Joint committees
- Administrative Rules and Regulations Committee
- Corrections and Juvenile Justice Oversight Committee
- Home and Community Based Services Oversight Committee
- Information Technology Committee
- Kansas Security Committee
- Legislative Budget Committee
- Legislative Coordinating Council Committee
- Legislative Post Audit Committee
- Pensions, Investments and Benefits Committee
- Special Claims Against the State Committee
- State Building Construction Committee
- State-Tribal Relations Committee
Senate committees
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Assessment and Taxation Committee
- Commerce Committee
- Confirmation Oversight Committee
- Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee
- Organization, Calendar and Rules Committee
- Public Health and Welfare Committee
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee
- Senate Interstate Cooperation Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Senate Local Government Committee
- Senate Transportation Committee
- Transparency and Ethics Committee
- Utilities Committee
- Ways and Means Committee
House committees
- Agriculture Committee
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Budget Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- Calendar and Printing Committee
- Children and Seniors Committee
- Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee
- Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee
- Elections Committee
- Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications Committee
- Financial Institutions and Pensions Committee
- Financial Institutions and Rural Development Committee
- General Government Budget Committee
- Health and Human Services Committee
- Higher Education Budget Committee
- House Education Committee
- House Federal and State Affairs Committee
- House Interstate Cooperation Committee
- House Judiciary Committee
- House Legislative Budget Committee
- House Local Government Committee
- House Transportation Committee
- Insurance Committee
- Insurance and Pensions Committee
- K-12 Education Budget Committee
- Rules and Journal Committee
- Rural Revitalization Committee
- Social Services Budget Committee
- Taxation Committee
- Transportation and Public Safety Budget Committee
- Veterans and Military Committee
- Water Committee
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods by which the Kansas Constitution can be amended:
| Kansas Constitution |
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| Articles |
| Ordinance • Preamble • Bill of Rights 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 |
Article 14 of the Kansas Constitution governs the ways in which the state's constitution can be changed over time.
- One path is the legislatively referred constitutional amendment. Either house of the Kansas State Legislature can propose an amendment to the state's constitution. Two-thirds of the members of each chamber must approve the resolution. If they do, the proposed amendment goes on either the next statewide ballot during which members of the state legislature are elected or on a special election ballot if the legislature agrees to have a special election for this purpose.
- If a simple majority of the electors of the state who vote on the proposition agree with it, it becomes part of the constitution.
- The legislature must say what the measure's ballot title will be in their resolution authorizing it.
- If there is more than one proposed amendment, voters must be able to vote on them separately.
- At most, five amendments can be proposed for one election.
- An amendment is allowed to revise one entire article of the constitution "except the article on general provisions."
- Another path to amend the state constitution is through a constitutional convention. If two-thirds of the members of each house of the state legislature vote in favor, the question "Shall there be a convention to amend or revise the constitution of the state of Kansas?" or "Shall there be a convention limited to revision of article(s) ________ of the constitution of the state of Kansas?" shall be placed on a statewide ballot.
- If a simple majority of those voting on that question say "yes," a convention is held.
- Any amendments or revisions that come out of the convention must go before the state's voters.
Kansas does not feature the power of citizen initiative for either initiated constitutional amendments or initiated state statutes.
Historical partisan control
The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Kansas.
Kansas Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Sixteen years of Republican trifectas
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Historical Senate control
Between 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Kansas State Senate was held by Republicans. The table below shows the partisan history of the Kansas State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2020. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Kansas State Senate election results: 1992-2020
| Party | 92 | 96 | 00 | 04 | 08 | 12 | 16 | 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 14 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 |
| Republicans | 26 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 29 |
From 1917 to 2020, Republicans held consistent control of the Kansas State Senate. The last time that Democrats held the chamber was from 1913 to 1916. Republicans gained a supermajority following the 1996 elections. Twenty-seven seats (two-thirds majority) are needed to override a gubernatorial veto and put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Republicans held a majority of 31-9 following the 2008, 2012, and 2016 elections. This was their largest majority between 1992 and 2016. Despite a national trend toward the Democratic Party in 2006 and 2008, Kansas Democrats did not eclipse 14 seats. Despite the national trend toward Republican state legislatures during the presidency of Barack Obama (D), the Kansas State Senate was resistant to that trend. Senate Republicans did not gain a seat during Obama's presidency. From 2009 to 2017, Democrats experienced losses in state legislative elections, totaling 968 seats altogether.
While Republicans have controlled both chambers of the state legislature since 1992, there has been conflict between conservative Republicans and moderate Republicans. Before the 2016 primary, moderate Republicans had been losing ground in the state legislature since the 2010 election of Gov. Sam Brownback (R), shifting from a more moderate Republican-controlled state legislature to a more conservative one after the 2012 elections. Eighteen Republican incumbents were defeated in the 2012 election. In the 2016 primary election, 14 conservative Republican incumbents—six in the Senate and eight in the House—were defeated by moderate Republicans running against the policies of Gov. Brownback.[1]
Historical House control
Between 1992 and 2022, partisan control of the Kansas House of Representatives was maintained by Republicans. The table below shows the partisan history of the Kansas House of Representatives following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Kansas House of Representatives election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 59 | 45 | 48 | 48 | 46 | 45 | 42 | 47 | 48 | 33 | 35 | 28 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 39 |
| Republicans | 66 | 80 | 77 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 83 | 78 | 77 | 92 | 90 | 97 | 85 | 85 | 86 | 86 |
From 1992 to 2022, Republicans held consistent control of the Kansas House of Representatives. Republicans had their largest majority following the 2014 elections when they held a 71-seat advantage. Republicans lost 12 seats in the 2016 elections but kept control of the chamber with an 85-40 majority. The last time that Democrats held the chamber was prior to the 1992 elections. In the 1992 elections, House Republicans gained four seats and took control of the chamber. The Republican gains in 2010 were in line with a national trend toward Republican state legislatures during the presidency of Barack Obama (D). From 2009 to 2017, Democrats experienced losses in state legislative elections, totaling 968 seats altogether.
While Republicans have controlled both chambers of the state legislature since 1992, there has been conflict between conservative Republicans and moderate Republicans. Before the 2016 primary, moderate Republicans had been losing ground in the state legislature since the 2010 election of Gov. Sam Brownback (R). The legislature shifted from a more moderate Republican-controlled state legislature to a more conservative one after the 2012 elections, when 18 Republican incumbents were defeated. In the 2016 primary election, 14 conservative Republican incumbents—six in the Senate and eight in the House—were defeated by moderate Republicans running against the policies of Gov. Brownback (R).[2]
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
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See also
| Elections | Kansas State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
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External links
Footnotes
