Kansas House of Representatives
Generated by DeepSeek V3.2Expansion Funnel Raw 51 → Dedup 0 → NER 0 → Enqueued 0
| Kansas House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
 Hendrik M. Stoops Lugo · Public domain · source | |
| Name | Kansas House of Representatives |
| Legislature | Kansas Legislature |
| House type | Lower house |
| Body | Kansas Legislature |
| Term limits | None |
| New session | January 9, 2023 |
| Leader1 type | Speaker |
| Leader1 | Dan Hawkins |
| Party1 | (R) |
| Election1 | January 9, 2023 |
| Leader2 type | Speaker pro tempore |
| Leader2 | Blake Carpenter |
| Party2 | (R) |
| Election2 | January 9, 2023 |
| Leader3 type | Majority Leader |
| Leader3 | Chris Croft |
| Party3 | (R) |
| Election3 | January 9, 2023 |
| Leader4 type | Minority Leader |
| Leader4 | Vic Miller |
| Party4 | (D) |
| Election4 | January 9, 2023 |
| Members | 125 |
| Political groups1 | Majority (85), Republican (85), Minority (40), Democratic (40) |
| Term length | 2 years |
| Authority | Article II, Kansas Constitution |
| Salary | $88.66/day + per diem |
| Last election1 | November 8, 2022 |
| Next election1 | November 5, 2024 |
| Meeting place | House Chamber, Kansas State Capitol, Topeka |
| Website | http://www.kslegislature.org/li |
Kansas House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. It is composed of 125 members elected from single-member districts for two-year terms with no term limits. The body convenes at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka and shares lawmaking responsibilities with the Kansas Senate.
History
The House was first convened in 1855 in Pawnee under the Kansas Territorial Legislature, a period marked by violent conflict known as Bleeding Kansas. Following statehood in 1861 under the Wyandotte Constitution, the legislature established its permanent home in Topeka. Key historical actions include the contentious ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933 and the landmark 2019 decision in *Gannon* regarding school finance. The chamber's composition has been dominated by the Republican Party for much of its history, with notable shifts during the Populist era and the Great Depression.
Composition
The chamber consists of 125 representatives, each elected from a district apportioned by population following each United States Census. The current partisan breakdown, following the 2022 Kansas House of Representatives election, gives the Republican Party a supermajority of 85 seats, while the Democratic Party holds 40. Members must be at least 18 years old, a qualified elector, and a resident of their district for one year prior to election. The Legislative Coordinating Council oversees administrative functions between sessions.
Leadership
Leadership is elected by the full membership at the start of each biennium. The presiding officer is the Speaker, currently Dan Hawkins of Wichita. Other key officers include the Speaker pro tempore, Blake Carpenter; the Majority Leader, Chris Croft; and the Minority Leader, Vic Miller. The Republican Caucus and the Kansas House Democratic Caucus elect their respective leaders.
Committees
The work is organized through a system of standing, select, and conference committees. Major standing committees include Appropriations, Taxation, Federal and State Affairs, and the Judiciary Committee. Committee chairs are appointed by the Speaker and hold significant power in setting agendas and hearing legislation. Joint committees, such as the Legislative Budget Committee, include members from the Kansas Senate.
Elections and terms
Members are elected in even-numbered years during the general election in November. All 125 seats are contested every two years, with no term limits. Candidates are nominated through the primary election process, typically held in August. Vacancies are filled by appointment by the Governor from a list provided by the local party committee of the departing member's district. District boundaries are drawn by the Kansas Legislature itself, subject to veto by the Governor and review by the Kansas Supreme Court.
Powers and functions
The chamber holds the exclusive constitutional power to initiate revenue bills and articles of impeachment against state officers. It shares general lawmaking authority with the Kansas Senate, with bills requiring passage in both chambers before being sent to the Governor. The body also plays a key role in the state's budgetary process, confirms certain gubernatorial appointments, and can propose amendments to the Kansas Constitution, which must be approved by voters.
Current session
The 2023-2024 biennial session began on January 9, 2023. Major legislation considered includes tax policy following the 2022 repeal of the "flat tax" proposal, amendments to the Kansas Emergency Management Act, and ongoing responses to the *Gannon* school funding rulings. The session operates under rules adopted from Mason's Manual of Legislative Procedure and is scheduled for a 90-day regular session, with the possibility of extension by the Legislative Coordinating Council or a special session called by the Governor.
Category:Kansas House of Representatives Category:Lower houses of state legislatures of the United States Category:State legislatures of the United States