Kansas Grain and Feed Association's Kansas Statehouse Insider

Kansas Grain and Feed Association
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A weekly report of legislative happenings affecting agribusiness.

Episodes

  1. Apr 14

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Sine Die Adjournment

    Following a two-week break, the Kansas Legislature reconvened Thursday, April 9 for a brief Veto Session largely dominated by property tax discussions and votes to attempt overrides of bills vetoed by governor Laura Kelly. After passage of a property tax bill on slim margins, the House and Senate gaveled out sine die (no more days) around 2:00 a.m., on Saturday morning, completing the 2026 legislative session. The 2026 session served as Governor Kelly’s final. With no signs of a special session this summer, the Legislature will plan to reconvene in January for the 2027 session. Many of the legislators have already begun turning their attention to campaigning for the 2026 election, which includes 100 percent of the Kansas House and all statewide offices. The Kansas primary is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, and the general election for Tuesday, November 3.

    36 min

  2. Mar 30

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week 11 (First Adjournment)

    Week 11 of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session concluded with First Adjournment just after 1:00 a.m., Saturday. The final days of the regular session were largely dominated by conference committee work, where lawmakers negotiated differences between House and Senate versions of key bills. The Legislature will reconvene on April 9 for a brief two- or three-day Veto Session. Property tax relief was one of the most closely watched and, at times, controversial issues of the session. After weeks of debate over competing proposals, lawmakers were unable to reach a broad agreement on a long-term property tax solution before First Adjournment, passing one bill with a slim margin that is likely to be vetoed by the Governor. The lack of consensus suggests property tax policy will remain a central topic when lawmakers return in less than two weeks, where they will consider any gubernatorial vetoes and revisit unresolved policy issues.

    27 min

  3. Mar 20

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week 10

    Despite the House and Senate continuing work on property tax relief and the state budget, the 2026 Kansas legislative session is quickly nearing its end. Friday, March 20, marked the final day for non-exempt bills in either chamber, and Friday, March 27, is the scheduled First Adjournment for the session. Racing the clock, final committee hearings and last-minute negotiations were held this week before two days of floor action on bills later in the week. House and Senate Conference Committees, comprised of the committee’s Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Ranking Minority Party Member, will play a central role in legislative activity next week, particularly on high-profile issues such as the state budget and property tax policy. As the Legislature enters the final phase of the regular session, lawmakers will focus on resolving key differences, advancing priority measures, and preparing final legislation for consideration by the governor.

    31 min

  4. Mar 14

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Nine

    Continued debate over property tax proposals dominated Week Nine of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session. One of the week’s most notable developments involved SCR 1616, the Senate-approved constitutional amendment that would limit annual increases in the assessed value of real property to three (3) percent. The measure previously passed the Senate with a bipartisan two-thirds majority vote, but it encountered difficulty in the House. During debate in the House late in the week, the resolution failed overwhelmingly to advance to final action on a voice vote, leaving its future uncertain while it remains on the calendar for potential reconsideration. Committees remained active throughout the week, but much of the attention at the Statehouse focused on competing approaches to property tax relief and whether any proposal could secure enough support to advance before upcoming legislative deadlines. Next week, the House and Senate budget committees will likely begin meeting to discuss differences between the two chambers’ approved budgets for the coming years. With the session entering its final stretch and key calendar deadlines approaching in the coming weeks, lawmakers are expected to narrow their focus to priority legislation capable of advancing through both chambers.

    28 min

  5. Mar 7

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Eight

    Week Eight of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session continued the steady pace of post-Turnaround activity as hearings on opposite-chamber bills occupied most of the week before the Legislature’s next set of deadlines the week of March 16. Fiscal policy and the state budget remain the central focus. During the week, the Kansas Senate passed its version of the state budget, with the minimum required number of votes, 21-19. With both chambers now having approved their separate budget bills, appropriators in the two chambers will now meet in a conference committee to resolve differences between the two plans. Property tax policy also remains a prominent topic. Lawmakers continued discussing separate House and Senate proposals aimed at providing property tax relief. Among them is SCR 1616, a proposed constitutional amendment approved by the Senate and, this week, by the House Tax Committee. The bill would place limits on increases in property assessed valuations. If the full House approves the measure with the required two-thirds majority, it would be placed before Kansas voters as a ballot question. As the Legislature progresses into the second half of the session, House and Senate leaders will narrow their focus on those bills that will potentially receive final approval, while negotiations intensify on the budget and tax proposals. The following report highlights developments from Week Eight.

    29 min

  6. Feb 28

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Seven

    Following the Turnaround, the Kansas Legislature’s seventh week quickly shifted to major policy and budget debates. While committees in both chambers began hearing bills from the opposite chamber, the House took up two of the session’s most closely watched issues: the state budget and property tax relief. With the Legislature now in the second half of the session, committees will work through bills that survived Turnaround, and negotiations will intensify on other high-profile measures. After several hours of debate, the House passed its version of the state budget for fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028. The measure passed with just 68 of the required 63 votes. The Senate has yet to run its version of the budget on the floor, but is expected to do so early next week. Budget discussions remain central to the remainder of the session, particularly as lawmakers weigh spending priorities alongside revenue projections and long-term fiscal stability. In addition, the House advanced a property tax bill that was significantly amended on the floor. The proposal includes changes aimed at limiting future valuation growth and adjusting certain levy and rate calculations, part of a broader effort to respond to concerns about rising property tax burdens on homeowners, businesses, and agricultural producers. The Senate passed SCR 1616, its proposed constitutional amendment, with the required two-thirds majority. The bill would amend the Kansas Constitution to place additional parameters around how property tax valuations are determined and limited, with the intent of providing longer-term structural guardrails.

    30 min

  7. Feb 21

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Six

    Week Six of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session brought one of the busiest stretches of the year as lawmakers worked to meet the Legislature’s Turnaround deadline. From Monday through Thursday, the House and Senate spent long days debating and advancing legislation. By the end of the week, nearly 200 bills had cleared their chamber of origin, sending a large volume of proposals to the opposite chamber for further consideration. As the pace accelerated, committees wrapped up hearings and leadership prioritized legislation that had gained traction during the first half of the session. The extended floor debates reflected the push to move policy proposals forward before the mid-session deadline, a routine but significant milestone that helps shape the Legislature’s workload for the remainder of the year. Lawmakers considered proposals tied to tax policy, regulation, water resources, energy, and infrastructure, all areas closely watched by stakeholders impacted by proposed legislation. With Turnaround now behind them, attention will shift to reviewing bills that crossed chambers, along with continued budget discussions and policy negotiations.

    23 min

  8. Feb 14

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Five

    Week Five of the 2026 Kansas Legislative Session marked a noticeable shift from early-session bill filings to more substantive committee work and initial floor debate. With most bill introductions complete, lawmakers spent the week refining proposals and moving priority measures forward ahead of Turnaround Day, next Thursday, Feb. 19, when most nonexempt bills must clear their chamber of origin in order to remain alive for this session. As the Legislature moves closer to key deadlines, the pace of activity is expected to accelerate, with more bills appearing on chamber calendars and negotiations beginning to take shape.

    19 min

  9. Feb 7

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Four

    The Kansas Legislature entered the fourth week of the 2026 session with activity at the Statehouse picking up quickly as lawmakers worked to meet bill introduction deadlines. Between Monday, Feb. 2, and Friday, Feb. 6, more than 210 bills were introduced in the House and Senate, a typical surge in production as legislators file proposals ahead of key procedural cutoffs. The increase in bill introductions marks a shift in the session’s pace, with committees beginning to move beyond informational briefings and into more substantive policy discussions. The growing volume of legislation reflects continued attention on issues affecting businesses and supply chains, including tax policy, energy and environmental programs, workforce and economic development. With most bill introductions now complete, legislative focus will turn to committee hearings, amendments, and floor debate in the weeks leading up to Turnaround Day, when many policy bills must advance to remain alive for the remainder of the session.

    19 min

  10. Jan 31

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Three

    The third week of the Kansas legislative session maintained momentum with committees and floor debate picking up, and several hot-button social policy issues drawing lengthy hearings. Alongside those debates, a few items of direct interest to the agriculture community moved forward. The House passed bills concerning theft of grain, livestock, and agricultural equipment, and a bill clarifying that federal pesticide warning or labeling requirements satisfy any state pesticide warning or labeling requirements. Both measures now head to the Senate for consideration. Lawmakers continued their discussions on other bills touching on taxation, land use, regulatory reform, employer obligations, and economic development programs, all of which will be monitored closely as the session quickly progresses.

    19 min

  11. Jan 23

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week Two

    The second week of the 2026 Kansas legislative session began with a shortened schedule due to the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, with committee activity ramping up later in the week. Lawmakers continued to introduce bills and hold committee hearings across a range of policy areas, including education, taxation, tort reform, public safety, and economic development. The first bill of the session addressing property tax relief – a proposed constitutional amendment to cap annual assessments – was advanced favorably from the Senate Tax Committee. With limited floor action, much of the focus remained on early committee work and setting the stage for more substantive debate in the weeks ahead.

    25 min
  12. 2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week One

    Jan 18

    2026 Kansas Statehouse Insider - Week One

    The 2026 Kansas legislative session began on Monday, Jan. 12 as members of the House of Representatives and Senate returned to Topeka ahead of fall elections where statewide offices and 125 House seats stand for election. Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover) and Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita) gaveled in their respective chambers for what could be the final time as Masterson embarks on a race for governor, while Hawkins is seeking to be elected as the state’s insurance commissioner.

    20 min
  • 12 Episodes

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A weekly report of legislative happenings affecting agribusiness.

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