Pub. 6 2017 Issue 1

l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s 8 BIG CHANGES, EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGES AWAIT STATE LAWMAKERS By Doug Wareham , EVP-COO, Kansas Bankers Association W HILE THE NATIONAL trend during the 2016 election cycle saw continued gains by Republicans in state legislatures across the country, the opposite occurred in the Sunflower State where Democrat office-seekers picked up a dozen seats in the Kansas House of Representatives and one seat in the Kansas Senate. Those Democratic gains, coupled with several Republican incumbents being ousted during the 2016 primary, created several new dynamics heading into the 2017 State Legislative Session, which officially gaveled-in on January 9th. The party-breakdown in the 40-member Kansas Senate saw just one seat switch from the Republican aisle to the Democratic aisle, however, there will be fourteen (14) new faces in the Kansas Senate. Many of those new faces ran on a more moderate platform than their predecessors and are concerned about how lagging state revenues are impacting state-supported programs, including education and healthcare. Democrat gains in the Kansas House bring the party breakdown in that chamber to 80 Republicans and 40 Democrats. While Republicans still hold a distinct numbers advantage in the Kansas House, most of the 45 new individuals who will be sworn in on January 9th are newly elected Democrats or similar to the Senate, are more moderate than their Republican predecessors. As the 2017 session gets underway, the Kansas House is fairly evenly divided among conservative Republicans, moderate Republicans, and Democrats. New Leadership Landscape The political sea change brought by last year’s election chauffeured in largely new leadership teams in the Kansas Senate and House with the exceptions being Senate President Susan Wagle (R-Wichita) and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka), who both retained their leadership posts. Senator Jim Denning (R-Overland Park), who was elected by his peers to serve as Senate Majority Leader, is the retired CEO of Discover Vision Centers based in Johnson County. Denning has an extensive background in business and finance. Early in his career, Denning served as a financial analyst for First International Bancshares located in Dallas, Texas, and he also served a stint with the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Denning is currently a member of Commerce Bank’s Advisory Board. The other newcomer to the Senate Leadership mix is Senator Jeff Longbine (R-Emporia), who was tabbed for the position of Senate Vice President. Longbine will also continue to serve as chairman of the Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, a position he’s held the past four years. Longbine owns and operates Longbine Auto Plaza, a full-service Chevrolet & Buick dealership in Emporia, Kansas. He also serves on the Board of Directors of ESB Financial, a family-owned bank serving Emporia and surrounding communities since 1901. Wagle Denning Longbine Hensley