Here's what to know as Kansas Legislature reconvenes next week for 2024 session

Kansas lawmakers return to Topeka next week to begin their annual legislative session.

The House and Senate are scheduled to gavel in at 2 p.m. Monday for what is expected to be a largely ceremonial first day.

Here's what to know ahead of the 2024 legislative session.

When is the 2024 Kansas legislative session?

The session begins at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8, and can last for 90 days. The exact timetable is generally fluid, with a three-week break in April.

The Legislature is expected to adjourn by early May, though the exact date changes from session to session and hinges in large part on how many veto override attempts there will be and how long it takes to finalize the budget.

When is the governor's State of the State speech?

Gov. Laura Kelly is scheduled to deliver the State of the State address at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. The speech is in the House, addressing a joint session of the House and Senate along with Kansas Supreme Court justices in attendance.

The governor is likely to highlight policy priorities for the legislative session. Her budget proposal is expected to be unveiled on Thursday.

How do I figure out who my Kansas legislator is?

The Kansas Senate has 40 members, while the Kansas House has 125. You can look up who represents you in both chambers at www.kslegislature.org.

Shawnee County currently has three seats in the Senate and eight seats in the House. All three senators are Republicans, while the House delegation has three Republicans and five Democrats.

All 165 legislative seats will be up for election in November.

How does a bill become law in Kansas?

If you remember "Schoolhouse Rock," this will feel familiar.

Legislators will introduce bills, which are sent to the relevant committee. The committee chair has wide latitude in determining which legislation gets a hearing and moves forward, and often bills are altered or just abandoned in this stage.

Once legislation is voted out of committee, it goes to the floor, where lawmakers can deliberate and further amend the bill if they so choose. A final vote is held and, assuming a majority of members vote in support, it moves to the other chamber.

The process is then repeated in the other chamber. If the bill passes in its original form, it heads to the governor for consideration. If it is amended, the original chamber will decide whether to approve, or concur in, the changes. Another option is for legislators to request a conference committee, where members from both chambers come together to hash out a solution.

Once approved by both chambers, the governor can either sign the bill, veto it or allow the legislation to become law without her signature.

If vetoed, the bill is not dead — a two-thirds majority of both chambers can override the governor's veto, meaning the legislation becomes law.

New laws typically go into effect on July 1, but sometimes legislation is set to become effective earlier.

An important note: Often numerous policy items are consolidated into one bill as session nears its end for the sake of efficiency. For instance, a single tax bill can contain several changes to the tax code. There is also the controversial practice of "gut and go," where a piece of legislation is replaced in its entirety with unrelated bill text and moved on, making it more difficult for the public to track what is happening in the Statehouse.

Who will be in charge at the Kansas Legislature?

Republicans maintain a slim supermajority in both chambers of the state Legislature, meaning they can theoretically override vetoes by Kelly, a Democrat, as long as too many members do not defect.

Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, will be back for another session as presiding officer in the Kansas Senate, as will Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley, R-Winfield, and Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa.

Also returning to their leadership positions are House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, who is joined by House Majority Leader Chris Croft, R-Overland Park, and House Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter, R-Derby. On the Democratic side, there is House Minority Leader Vic Miller, D-Topeka.

How can I attend sessions of the Kansas Legislature?

Members of the public can go to www.kslegislature.org to find more information on visiting the Statehouse, find their elected officials and see schedules for floor debate and committee meetings.

If you are unable to travel to the Statehouse in person, all legislative floor debates and committee hearings are once again available to watch on the Legislature's YouTube page.

How can I submit testimony on a bill in Kansas?

Members of the public are allowed to submit testimony on pieces of legislation in committee. Once a person has identified the bill they are passionate about, they should determine which committee the legislation resides in.

The exact timeframe for submitting testimony generally varies from committee to committee, but conferees typically must send the testimony to the committee assistant anywhere from 24 hours to several days before a hearing is scheduled to take place.

The specifics about a committee's policy on accepting testimony can be found in the committee rules. Those details, as well as contact information for committee assistants and legislators themselves, can be found at www.kslegislature.org.

What if I want to learn more about Kansas government?

The Topeka Capital-Journal has you covered.

Our two Statehouse reporters, Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel, will be in the halls of the capitol day in and day out, reporting on what you need to know. You can follow them on X at @Jason_Alatidd and @JackHarvel and find their work every day at cjonline.com and in The Topeka Capital-Journal.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Here's what to know as Kansas lawmakers return to Topeka for 2024