The House and Senate went into overdrive March 19 to complete deals on a new state budget and an updated 10-year highway program before vacating the Capitol until late April.

Lawmakers agreed to set aside $50 million for unforeseen expenditures during the COVID-19 crisis.

Another $15 million was allocated for emergency preparedness operations tied to the virus.

Additionally, the House and Senate voted to send a comprehensive transportation bill of $9.7 billion to Gov. Laura Kelly.

This decadelong program for roads, bridges, railways, and airports would make a top priority of highway system preservation projects.

The Legislature is scheduled to return April 27 to adjust the state budget and take up other unfinished work on bills.

However, there is no guarantee the pandemic would allow the 165 legislators to congregate.

After eight years, Kansas Rep. Brandon Whipple resigned from his House District 96 seat on January 13 to become mayor of Wichita, Kansas.

Whipple defeated incumbent Jeff Longwell to become Wichita’s mayor on November 5, 2019.

The Sedgwick County Democratic Party has nominated Stephanie Yeager to succeed Whipple.

Gov. Laura Kelly must appoint a successor and has not yet approved Yeager’s nomination.

The Kansas Legislature adjourned sine die on May 29.

Lawmakers adjourned earlier in the month to allow the governor time to appoint a candidate to the Kansas Court of Appeals.

On Wednesday, the Senate approved Sarah Warner to fill the vacant seat.

During the 59-day legislative session lawmakers introduced House Bill 2010 and Senate Bill 51.

The bills provide for restrictions on state officers and employees from engaging in lobbying for a specific period after resignation or expiration of employment.

Both bills failed to pass their respective chambers this session and will carryover to 2020.

State Rep. Greg Lewis announced his resignation from House District 113, effective February 22.

Rep. Lewis was re-elected to office last year, but is vacating his seat to battle brain cancer.

Under state law, the state’s Republican party will convene to vote on his successor and deliver the winner’s name to the governor for appointment.

The replacement will serve the remainder of Lewis’s term until 2021.

State Senator Steve Fitzgerald resigned from the state Senate on Monday.

A convention will be held by Republican precinct committeemen and committeewomen to select someone to fill the vacancy, and the person selected will be officially appointed by the governor.

The Fifth District includes Leavenworth, Lansing, Piper, and portions of Wyandotte County.

The filing deadline to run for the Kansas Senate seat in District 13 passed setting up unopposed elections for both the Democratic and Republican primaries on August 7.

Incumbent state Sen. Richard Hilderbrand will run against the primary winners in the special election set for November 6.

Hilderbrand was appointed last year when former Sen. Jacob LaTurner accepted the position of state treasurer.

The winner of the special election will complete the remaining two years of LaTurner’s term.

The 2018 Kansas Legislature adjourned sine die. This legislative session was the first to go the full 90 days since 2011.

Lawmakers passed multiple transparency laws this session by expanding the definition of lobbying to include all branches of the government and increasing the penalties for late reporting by lobbyist, political committees, and candidates.

In the final day of the session, legislators defeated a bill to make changes to income, sales, and motor fuel tax provisions.

Gov. Jeff Colyer signed a transparency bill to increase penalties for failing to file timely reports.

Effective July 1, House Bill 2642 imposes late fees for any report over 48 hours late for candidates, political committees, and lobbyists.

Penalties start at $100 for the first day and $50 for each subsequent day the report is late with a maximum up to $1,000.

The bill also requires lobbyist to file employment and expenditure reports electronically with the Office of the Secretary of State.

Gov. Jeff Colyer has signed Senate Bill 394 expanding the definition of lobbying to include executive and judicial branch procurement lobbying.

Effective July 1, lobbying will include the promoting or opposing in any manner an action or nonaction by any executive or judicial agency on any administrative matter.

The transparency bill requires lobbyist registration for attempting to influence members of the executive or judicial branch regarding any covered action, including contracts and agreements.

The bill also increases the value of a meal an executive branch member may receive from $25 to $40.

The Kansas Legislature adjourned its legislative session on Sunday, April 8, 2018.

During the late hours of the session, lawmakers approved an increase in spending for education in response to a court order.

The bill has been publicly supported by Gov. Jeff Colyer. The Legislature will reconvene on April 26.

Kansas lawmakers passed a bill expanding the definition of lobbying to increase transparency in government contracts.

Senate Bill 394 requires lobbyist registration for attempting to influence members of the executive or judicial branch regarding any covered action, including contracts and agreements.

The final version of the bill removed a provision that would have raised the gift-giving threshold for purposes of goodwill lobbying to $100 from $40 annually.

If Gov. Jeff Coyler approves, the bill will take effect July 1.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback resigned yesterday after the U.S. Senate confirmed him to be the ambassador at-large for international religious freedom.

The vote was 49-49 along party lines, with two senators absent, and Vice President Mike Pence broke the tie in favor of Gov. Brownback.

Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer will take over as governor when the resignation becomes official on January 31.

The Kansas Legislature adjourned the 2017 regular session on June 10, 2017. The session went 13 days beyond the scheduled 100 days, but lawmakers finally approved a two-year budget.

Lead by a group of moderate Republicans and Democrats, a $1.2 billion tax increase will reverse spending cuts spearheaded by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2012. Many on both sides of the aisle believe these cuts failed to kick-start the state’s economy as promised.

Lawmakers could be called into a special session in July, however, if a funding formula for public schools does not satisfy the state’s supreme court.

Carol Williams, executive director of the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission, announced her retirement from the commission.

She will step down from her post in September, staying on to assist with primary elections for school boards and first class cities.

Williams has worked for the Ethics Commission since 1977 and has been the executive director since 1981.