Contact Gov. Kelly Before the Veto Session

17 hours ago
3 min read

Chair’s Message

The Kansas legislature temporarily gaveled out on March 27th, giving us a brief respite until the body returns for the veto session on April 9th. Between those two dates, Governor Kelly will decide which bills to sign, veto, or let become law without her signature. This is our last opportunity as constituents to speak with legislators and sway their final votes.

Below is a list of bills the Governor may veto, but has yet to do so as of this writing. Please contact her office to urge her to follow through, and then reach out to your legislators to ask that they uphold those vetoes.

HB 2329: Rolls back years of bipartisan juvenile justice reform by expanding detention and making it easier to incarcerate youth, including for lower-level offenses. It doubles allowable detention time and broadens pathways into correctional facilities, prioritizing punishment over rehabilitation. It risks pushing more young people deeper into the system while ignoring evidence-based approaches that have reduced recidivism.

HB 2521: Extends legal protections under the Kansas Tort Claims Act to private child placement agencies, potentially shielding them from accountability when harm occurs in foster placements. HB 2521 reduces transparency and limits recourse for vulnerable children and families impacted by agency misconduct. By expanding liability protections, the bill risks weakening oversight of organizations entrusted with the state’s most at-risk youth.

HB 2437: Expands voter roll purges by allowing the state to rely on broad data sources and inactivity triggers to remove registered voters. The bill increases the risk of eligible Kansans being wrongly disenfranchised while reducing transparency around how voter data is used.

HB 2569: If any state court strikes down ballot signature requirements, HB 2569 would eliminate no-excuse mail-in voting, making it significantly harder for Kansans to cast ballots—especially seniors, rural voters, and those with disabilities.

Sub HB 2731: This bill is part of a broader push to tighten election laws, likely imposing additional administrative burdens or restrictions on voters and election officials. Such measures often create confusion, reduce access, and undermine confidence rather than strengthen it.

HB 2727: Expands legal pathways for lawsuits related to abortion by altering standards around informed consent and damages. It is designed to intimidate providers and restrict access to reproductive healthcare through the courts. It inserts politics into private medical decisions and increases legal risk for providers.

HB 2729: Mandates new state-controlled consent forms and requirements tied to abortion care. The bill forces providers to tell patients medically incorrect information about abortion procedures and recovery, undermining the patient-provider relationship.

SB 254: Prohibits undocumented residents of Kansas from receiving state or local public benefits, including in-state tuition for people with DACA (“Dreamer”) status.

SB 391: Prohibits cities and counties from requiring landlords to accept tenants who use housing vouchers or other assistance programs. It weakens local control and worsens housing discrimination against low-income Kansans.

The Governor’s office can be reached at 785-368-8500. And the contact information of all Riley County legislators is below. Tell all of them to sustain the vetoes when they return to the Capitol on April 9th.

Senator Brad Starnes

Phone: 785-296-7360

Email: Brad.Starnes@senate.ks.gov

Rep. Megan Steele

Phone: 785-296-7310

Email: Megan.Steele@house.ks.gov

Rep. Francis Awerkamp

Phone: 785-296-6989

Email: francis.awerkamp@house.ks.gov

Rep. Bill Bloom

Phone: 785-296-7654

Email: Lewis.Bloom@house.ks.gov