By Alex Orel, KBA Senior Vice President Government Relations
The Kansas Legislature is set to convene in Topeka on Monday,
Jan. 11, and all indicators are showing that they are planning to hit the ground running when they do return. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 legislative session was abruptly cut short, with many significant pieces of legislation left on the table that will need to be addressed in the upcoming session. This legislation also includes KBA’s tax equity legislation that passed with strong bi-partisan support but was vetoed by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly with no chance to override since it was passed on the last day of the session.
Although many of the issues remain the same, the statehouse will have a very different look this year. The Senate Republican leadership will remain conservative for the next four years despite electing entirely new leadership for 2021, after eight years with Susan Wagle, the first female Senate President in Kansas history.
Ty Masterson
Ty Masterson
(R-Andover) won the Senate presidency by acclamation after having no opposition.
Rick Wilborn
Incoming Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn
The vice president’s slot went to current Judiciary Chairman Rick Wilborn (R-McPherson) after he defeated two other senators on a second ballot.
Gene Sullentrop
Incoming Senate Majority Leader Gene Sullentrop
In the race for majority leader, current Health Chairman and Legacy Bank Director Gene Suellentrop (R-Wichita) defeated current Ways and Means Chairwoman Carolyn McGinn (R-Sedgwick).
Dinah Sykes
Incoming Senate Minority Leader
Dinah Sykes
Dinah Sykes (D-Lenexa), who switched parties prior to the 2019 Legislative session, was elected to succeed the longtime Minority Leader Anthony Hensley. Hensley had been the Democratic leader in the Senate since 1996 but was defeated in the general election. Sykes, the first female minority leader in state history, was first elected to the senate as a moderate Republican in 2016 before switching parties shortly after the 2018 election. Sykes welcomes back the incumbent Assistant Minority Leader Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D-Wichita), who ran unopposed.
The 2021-2022 Kansas House Leadership teams will remain substantially the same as the previous biennium.
Ron Ryckman Jr.
Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman Jr.
Ron Ryckman Jr. (R-Olathe) was elected to an unprecedented third term as Kansas Speaker, and his core leadership team will also return in Majority Leader Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita) and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch (R-Ottawa).
The House Democratic Caucus re-elected current Minority Leader Tom Sawyer (D-Wichita), and he will be joined by newly elected Assistant Minority Leader Jason Probst (D-Hutchison).
Although there have been significant changes to the leadership posts, both chambers look poised to get to work early in response to the negative economic impacts caused by COVID-19. Other major issues include backfilling the state’s unemployment insurance fund, property tax reform and addressing the budget deficit projected for 2022.
The KBA congratulates these leaders on being elected earlier this month, and we look forward to working with them on behalf of the Kansas banking industry!
Alex Orel, KBA Senior Vice President Government Relations
If you have any questions or want to know how you can help, please do not hesitate to contact Alex at aorel@ksbankers.com or call the KBA office at (785) 232-3444.
This story appears in Issue 6 2020 of The Kansas Banker Magazine.
