Topeka Rep. Fred Patton submits letter of resignation, stepping down Oct. 16

TOPEKA — Five-term state Rep. Fred Patton plans to resign from the Kansas Legislature next month to devote more attention to his family, legal career and other forms of community involvement.

Patton, a north Topeka Republican and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, submitted a letter of resignation to the Kansas secretary of state. He intends to step down from the 50th District seat on Oct. 16. He was elected to the Kansas House in 2014.

“I’m proud of what we have accomplished this past decade in the Legislature,” Patton said. “The things I set out to do in this role were to better our business climate, support our local schools, and give northern Shawnee County a strong voice in the Statehouse.”

He worked to moderate legislation advanced by conservative Republican legislatures during the COVID-19 pandemic to undermine the authority of state and local government officials responding to the public health emergency.

A replacement selected by GOP precinct committee members would complete the second year of his House term and gain practical experience of working at the Capitol before potentially standing for election in November 2024.

“I look forward to working with the next representative our district chooses through this transition, and to remaining engaged in our community’s future like I have always been,” he said.