Updates and Alerts

LOOK TO THE CHAMBER FOR CANDIDATE & VOTING INFORMATION

Primary elections are here! There are primary races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Kansas Governor/Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Kansas House of Representatives seats, State Board of Education, and Jo Co Commission Chair.

Research the Candidates
You can review your sample ballot here and then research candidates at www.VoteJoCo.com, a nonpartisan countywide voter resource produced by the area local chambers of commerce. Be sure to share this website with other voters who may be looking for additional candidate information.

Voting in Advance
Advance voting both by mail and in person got underway last week. Take advantage of this opportunity to vote when it’s most convenient for you, including on Saturdays! Learn how and where you can vote in advance.

 

PROPOSED STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ON THE BALLOT

Primary ballots will include a proposed state constitutional amendment – all voters, including voters registered as Independent, are able to vote on this amendment.

Voters are being asked to decide whether Kansas will keep its current Supreme Court Justice nomination/selection process.

  • Under the current process, in place since 1958, a 9-member Supreme Court Nominating Committee comprised of five attorney and four non-attorney members evaluates applicants and selects 3 candidates from whom the governor chooses one. After one year, justices face a statewide retention vote, with statewide retention votes again every six years.
  • Under the proposed state constitutional amendment, the Nominating Committee would be abolished and Kansans would instead vote directly for Supreme Court Justices on the ballot. Supreme Court candidates could campaign like other elected office seekers. Terms would be six years.
  • The amendment gives authority to the Kansas legislature to determine details of how Supreme Court elections would be executed, for example, whether they would be partisan, whether those elections would be statewide or the state apportioned into districts, how interim vacancies would be filled, etc.

Supporters of the amendment argue the current process is controlled by attorneys and voters should have a direct say in who serves on the Supreme Court.

Opponents argue attorneys are best qualified to evaluate and ensure qualified judicial candidates and that campaign politics should be kept out of the courtroom.

The outcome of this vote will shape the future of Kansas courts for decades to come, so be sure to educate yourself on the issue and vote!

 

STATE LAWMAKERS PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE SESSION OVERVIEW

On Friday, May 15, several Lenexa-area lawmakers returned to the Chamber to provide an overview of the recently wrapped 2026 state legislative session to a full room of Legislative Affairs, Board of Directors, and Economic Development Council members, providing key insights and answering attendees’ questions.

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, and Representative Adam Turk, R-Shawnee, for sharing their time and experience, and to our 2026 Legislative Affairs Chair Dave Kepper of Security Bank of KC for emceeing!

 

2026 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAPS UP

Lawmakers reconvened at the Capitol for the “veto session,” a short wrap-up period to complete unfinished business and consider overriding any vetoes by the Governor since adjournment of the main body of the session. The veto session saw plenty of bills signed into law, plenty of vetoes, many veto overrides, and ongoing negotiations attempting to find legislative consensus on many key issues!

Lawmakers concluded their business and adjourned for the year in Saturday’s early morning hours; they’ll return to the Capitol in January 2027.

For a rundown on how key business issues and the Chamber’s 2026 legislative agenda fared, check out the Chamber’s 2026 State Legislative Session Summary.

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.