Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly highlights bipartisan laws passed with GOP-led Legislature in 2024 • Kansas Reflector

TOPEKA – Gov. Laura Kelly says bipartisan highlights of 2024 include strengthening the authority of the state’s independent children’s advocate, overhauling Kansas’ workers’ compensation system and advancing a plan to improve reading instruction in the classrooms.

Kelly, a Democrat in the midst of her second term as governor, said collaboration with the Republican-led Legislature led to progress during the year on tax relief, K-12 education funding, infrastructure investments and economic development. . In 2024, Kelly signed 103 bills that gained bipartisan support in the Legislature.

“I’m amazed at how much we’ve been able to do,” Kelly said in an interview with the Kansas Reflector. “We made promises and we have actually been able to keep them.”

Kelly signed legislation in June that calls for establishing by law an independent agency dedicated to advocating for children involved in the state’s welfare system. The agency is charged with acting on complaints related to the health, safety and welfare of persons under the age of 18 in the custody of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, allegedly a child in need of care or receiving services from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

He law, approved 117-3 in the House and 36-3 in the Senaterequired that the agency’s top administrator be appointed by the governor subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate. The child advocate office previously existed under a state executive order signed by Kelly.

Rep. Susan Concannon, R-Beloit, said the law offered “peace of mind that we will have a future of advocacy for Kansas children who are in the child welfare system.”

Additionally, the governor said bipartisanship was critical to enacting the Kansas Literacy Plan. He bill adopted 34-3 in the Senate and 98-22 in the House created a mechanism to update university teacher training programs to improve reading instruction for kindergarten through 12th grade. Existing teachers and college students preparing to become educators will participate in the revamped instructional programs.

“This bill puts Kansas at the forefront of national efforts to reform reading instruction,” Kelly said.

Kelly emphasized the passage of a compromise bill that changes the state’s system for compensating workers injured on the job. The law negotiated by labor and business interests and passed unanimously in the House and Senate increased the cap on compensation benefits and added a cost-of-living adjustment beginning in 2027.

Under this law, employees and employers involved in a dispute would have the option to resolve cases without a formal hearing. They would also exchange medical records in a timely manner and restrict the use of independent medical examinations.

“Experienced, level-headed professionals on both sides of this issue were able and willing to work together,” said Rep. Sean Tarwater, R-Stilwell.

Throughout 2024, Kelly and Republican lawmakers fought for specific tax reform provisions, abortion and transgender rights, changes to voting laws, Medicaid expansion, and legalization of medical marijuana. The year was marked by a fight for the two-thirds Republican majority in the Legislature. Kelly wanted to see enough Democrats elected to the House and Senate to deny the Republican leadership a supermajority. The opposite happened: Republicans expanded their seats in both chambers, making the impending 2025 legislative session more difficult for Kelly.

Meanwhile, Kelly said it took lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle to fully fund K-12 education for the sixth consecutive year and allocate $75 million for special education programs in 2024. The state budget dedicated $1.3 billion to education top of the state. system.

In June, after a special session of the Legislature, the governor signed a robust tax relief bill that “responsibly cuts Kansas taxes while preserving the state’s long-term fiscal health.”

He said it would result in state tax reductions of nearly $2 billion over five years. This led Kansas to a two-tier income tax, instead of three tax tiers. Eliminated the state income tax on Social Security income and nearly doubled the state tax exemption on residential property to $75,000.

In terms of economic development, the Kelly The administration reported that the state attracted 266 economic development projects equal to $3.4 billion in new business investment in 2024. The governor’s office said the initiatives created or maintained 5,100 jobs.

Kelly said the Kansas Department of Transportation repaired 1,740 miles of roads and 136 bridges in the fiscal year that ended in June. In an effort to bridge the digital divide, the state invested $16.8 million to expand access to high-speed Internet services. The state budget passed by the Legislature committed $35 million annually to water quality, conservation and infrastructure programs in Kansas.

Kelly said the state added 1,200 licensed child care spaces in 2024. In September, the governor said Kansas would cover state licensing, background checks and fingerprinting fees for child care providers seeking an initial license. or a license renewal until 2025 or until funds are exhausted.

“I am proud of everything my administration has accomplished throughout this year,” Kelly said. “By working with the Legislature, our state agencies, stakeholders and Kansans across the state, we were able to reach new heights in 2024. I look forward to continuing this momentum into 2025.”