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As Kansas legislators jollily jostle into Statehouse, a low-budget Harry Potter film begins

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As Kansas legislators jollily jostle into Statehouse, a low-budget Harry Potter film begins

By Clay Wirestone
As Kansas legislators jollily jostle into Statehouse, a low-budget Harry Potter film begins
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Members of the Kansas House of Representatives are sworn in on Jan. 13, 2025. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)

Statehouse scraps

Opinion editor Clay Wirestone’s weekly roundup of legislative flotsam and jetsam. Read the archive.

Watching senators and representatives traipse merrily into the Statehouse on Monday morning was like watching the beginning of a knockoff Harry Potter movie, one in which lawmakers returned to their majestic chambers full of excitement for the year to come.

Of course, Harry Potter movies feature fewer magical tax cuts for corporations, fantastical abortion messaging bills and terrifying anti-trans legislation.

I felt excitement in the air, as freshly elected supermajority Republicans licked at their lips at the prospect of enacting their agenda without having to pay pesky Democrats the slightest notice. House GOP members were heading out to a caucus meeting across the street — one closed to journalists — and hellos and backslaps echoed throughout the entrance.

It’s going to be a long three months. But don’t worry. I’ll be here writing this weekly roundup to collect bits and bobs that we didn’t get to over the week.

Think of me as Topeka’s own J.K. Rowling, only not transphobic.

 

House Speaker Dan Hawkins stands before his chamber
House Speaker Dan Hawkins stands before his chamber on the opening day of session, Jan. 13, 2025. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector)

Press restrictions

I’ll have more about this Monday, but despite embarrassed protestations from some Republican House members, leadership indeed banned reporters from the chamber’s floor. Either have the decency to own the fact (it’s spelled out on a document sent to journalists) or voice your opposition, but don’t lie.

In the meantime, word of the new restrictions spread across the state and nation.

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker covered the situation here: Kansas House bans reporting from floor, mirroring move in Senate. Reflector editor Sherman Smith appeared on KCUR’s Up to Date on Tuesday to talk about the situation. TV stations KSNT out of Topeka and KWCH from Wichita also wrote about the changes.

 

The Kansas Department of Revenue said state income and sales tax revenue during August surpassed expectations by $11 million to record the 25th consecutive month in which revenue topped the official projection. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)
Kansas lawmakers will see their base pay double during the 2025 session. Nice work if you can get it. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Making money moves

Senators and representative have a good reason for the positive attitudes I saw Monday: They’re making a lot more money.

Thanks to a convoluted process involving an independent commission and its binding recommendations, rank-and-file lawmakers’ base pay more than doubled, from $21,000 to $43,000, for the session. If you include per diem reimbursements, that brings the average salary to $57,000. Leadership in both chambers saw their pay increase as well.

I’m on the record praising this idea. Given the aging demographics of our Legislature, these heftier salaries could attract younger talent. Hopefully, they will also cultivate a more professional attitude toward doing the people’s work. We shall see.

 

Americans for Prosperity lobbyists and enthusiasts, June 17, 2024
Americans for Prosperity lobbyists and enthusiasts pack a Statehouse hearing room on June 17, 2024 (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Conservative check-ins

We can’t ignore the various conservative lobbying groups that often have lawmakers’ ears, so today let’s check in with Americans for Prosperity and the National Federation of Independent Business.

AFP this week touted a new campaign calling on legislators in Washington, D.C., to renew former and future President Donald Trump’s signature tax cuts. The group claims in a news release that it will spend $20 million across 50 states to spread the word.

“If Congress fails to renew the TCJA, Kansans will be left paying $2,228 more in taxes,” claimed AFP-Kansas director Elizabeth Patton. “Along with increasing the burden of inflation on working families, the expiration of these tax cuts would cripple local businesses with a $988 tax increase and ultimately cost over 6,760 jobs.”

Meanwhile, the NFIB surveyed Kansas members and revealed the results, which mysteriously track with Topeka Republicans’ priorities.

The group writes in its own news release that more than 88% want state property taxes lowered. It also notes that 86% “believe Kansas should require the disclosure of third parties with financial interest in litigation,” and that 62% “support waiving fines and penalties for first-time regulatory errors.”

 

Robert Blaemire, author of a book about former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana, moderated a discussion with former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum at the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)
Robert Blaemire, author of a book about former U.S. Sen. Birch Bayh of Indiana, moderated a discussion with former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum at the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas in 2022. (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)

Kassebaum addendum

In my Monday column about former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum receiving the Presidential Citizens Medal, I noted that other state news organizations had only skimmed the surface in reporting on the honor.

Right on time, Marion County Record reporter Finn Hartnett popped up Wednesday with a lovely profile of Kassebaum at home. Read and enjoy.

 

Keyboard glows purple against a hazy yellow background.
The Kansas Reflector opinion section is always looking for fresh perspectives and new writers. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Calling contributors

With a new year and new legislative session comes a new call from yours truly for contributors to the opinion section. We have a page of guidelines about what we’re looking for, but the short version is this: If you want to write about Kansas, and you live in Kansas, please drop me a line.

We don’t run traditional letters to the editor (he said politely, so please don’t send them), but I would love to see pieces in the 650-850 word range about the Sunflower State and its extraordinary residents. Take a look at our opinion section to see more.

Who knows, perhaps you can be the next non-transphobic J.K. Rowling along with me.

Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.