Updates and Alerts

STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION KICKS OFF:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FROM WEEK ONE (Jan. 12-16)

State lawmakers reconvened at the Capitol in Topeka on January 12 to kick off the 2026 state legislative session. The Lenexa Chamber will be there throughout the session to advocate on behalf of our members on legislation critical to business!

The state budget, property taxation and other tax policy, workforce development, regulatory reform, and education are among the issues expected to receive significant discussion. Bills and hearings addressing some of these issues have already gotten underway including a Senate Taxation hearing on SCR 1616, a proposed state constitutional amendment that would limit annual property valuation growth to no more than 3% except in certain circumstances.

On Tuesday, January 13, Governor Laura Kelly delivered her final State of the State Address, looking back on accomplishments and laying out her vision and policy priorities including the Chiefs relocation, civility in public discourse, education, water policy, child hunger, a K-12 cell phone ban, and mental health resources. Read a transcript of her Address here and the Republican response to her remarks by Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins here.

Also, the Governor’s State Budget Director Adam Proffitt presented to legislators the Governor’s proposed state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the second year of a new legislatively-lead budgeting process that sees lawmakers taking her proposal more as a recommendation as opposed to prior years when it served as the base from which they worked. Director Proffitt said the Governor’s proposal emphasized feedback from Kansans on a listening tour:

  • Fully fund K-12 education
  • Continue to invest in mental health and community programs
  • Restore certain State Library grant programs
  • Restore funding for the Arts Commission
  • Don’t go backwards on progress in restoring the state’s fiscal health

See the Director’s detailed 32-page slideshow presentation to lawmakers here.

LENEXA-AREA LEGISLATOR GUIDE
Kansas Senate

Kansas House of Representatives

Interested in a bill and want to learn more?

  • Explore the legislature’s website kslegislature.org to find House and Senate calendars, links to proposed bills, and committee information including live meeting audio links and posted testimony.
  • Watch House and Senate sessions and many committee meetings via the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel.
  • Access archived committee meeting audio recordings here.
  • Follow legislative action simultaneously detailed on X/Twitter using the hashtag #ksleg.
  • Call the State Library’s toll-free legislative hotline at (800) 432-3924. Calls and questions are confidential.
  • Ask questions such as how to read the calendar, what’s existing law and what would change in a proposed bill, etc, by contacting Ashley Sherard at asherard@lenexa.org or (913) 888-1414.

 

STATE LAWMAKERS VISIT THE CHAMBER

On Friday, January 16, several Lenexa-area lawmakers brought the State Capitol to the Chamber, joining a packed house of Legislative Affairs, Board of Directors, and Economic Development Council members to provide their insights on the new 2026 state legislative session and answer attendees’ questions about business issues and the legislative process.

Special thanks to Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard, D-Lenexa, Representative Jo Ella Hoye, R-Lenexa, and Representative Laura Williams, R-Lenexa, for sharing their time and experience, and to our 2026 Legislative Affairs Chair Dave Kepper of Security Bank of KC for keeping the meeting on track!

 

CHAMBER BOARD APPROVES 2026 STATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

The Lenexa Chamber Board of Directors has approved a legislative platform to guide our advocacy in the upcoming 2026 state legislative session.  The platform addresses a spectrum of issues important to the business community including tax policy, key business costs and regulations, K-12 and higher education, health care, transportation, economic development, and others.

Click here to view the Chamber’s 2026 State Legislative Agenda.

Questions or feedback?  Call Ashley Sherard, CEO, at 913-888-1414 or email asherard@lenexa.org.