Republicans retain majorities in Missouri and Kansas legislatures

KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics on both sides of the state line. If you have a story idea to share, you can email Charlie at: [email protected].

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Voters in Kansas and Missouri again elected mostly Republican lawmakers to their general assemblies. This should allow both states to advance legislation tied to conservative platforms.

State governments fund public education, can reduce property and income taxes, and make several other decisions that often have a greater impact on people than federal policies.

State legislators are more accessible to citizens than elected leaders in Washington, D.C.

Kansas election results show Republicans expanded their supermajorities in the state Senate and House of Representatives. That supermajority allows Republican lawmakers to override a veto by Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat. She was re-elected in 2022.

results from Missouri the show’s voters maintained supermajorities in both state houses. Missouri voters elected a Republican governor, so having a supermajority is less important than in Kansas.

Democrat Dan Osman – Kansas State Representative from Overland Park. He said the vast majority limits compromise and ultimately harms citizens.

“We don’t have the ability to communicate, compromise and work towards what would be a good law for everyone,” Osman said.

John Batten

In 2023, a supermajority overrode Kelly’s veto. pass a law banning transgender girls and women from participating in women’s sports.

Osman believes a large majority would likely defeat any effort to legalize medical marijuana in Kansas or expand Medicaid.

Both sides can work together. During this year’s special legislative session, the governor and legislators agreed tax reform measures and took incentive package to lure chiefs move to Kansas.

“We knew the Republicans would win big in Missouri,” Zeke Speaker said.

Charlie Keegan

He worked on the campaigns of several state senators, including members of the Freedom Caucus.

The caucus is a group of Missouri state senators who hold strong conservative values. Their positions sometimes diverge from more traditional Republicans. In 2024, the group disrupted Senate meetings to push its agenda.

Spiker does not expect the Freedom Faction to delay the passage of the law in 2025.

“The reason the Freedom Caucus has been forced to filibuster in recent years is because Senate leadership has betrayed Republican principles and platform,” the Speaker said.

He predicts that abortion will dominate conversations in Jefferson City. Voters Amendment 3 adopted this week to expand abortion rights.

Anti-abortion Republican lawmakers have vowed to introduce bills to limit the amendment’s reach or even introduce a new amendment in future elections to repeal components of Amendment 3.

“I think when Republicans start talking about this more and we have an educational campaign to let people know what we’re actually doing, then we can definitely roll back some of what Amendment 3 did,” the Speaker said.

Both states will begin their next legislative sessions in January 2025.