Each week during the 2024 Kansas legislative session, we will provide Johnson County lawmakers the opportunity to share their thoughts about what is happening in the state capitol.
Below is a submission from Democratic Rep. Cindy Neighbor, who represents House District 18, covering parts of Merriam and Shawnee.
Republican Sen. Rob Olson of Olathe and Democratic Rep. Lindsay Vaughn of Overland Park have also been offered the chance to submit columns later this week.
The views expressed in each Capitol Update are solely those of the lawmaker.
Many constituents think the “end of session” in the Legislature means a representative’s work is done. That is far from the truth.
While we are not in Topeka, we have commitments and opportunities that can set the tone for the next session. The months outside a session are our time to educate ourselves so we can serve our constituents better.
One of those opportunities for is the the 2024 Kansas Field Conference!
The Kansas Field Conference is organized and led by the Kansas Geological Survey each year in a different area of the state. The conference targets state legislators, governmental agency officials, business leaders, environmental leaders and others in positions that make or influence state policy.
The primary objective is to present policymakers with balanced, unbiased information about Kansas’s natural resources.
This year, the Kansas Field Conference will be headed to Manhattan and Washington County, Kansas.
This year’s conference theme is “Adaptation” and will feature different stops at the Tuttle Creek Reservoir, the Blue River Trailhead, the K-State Agronomy Farm and more!
I have attended most of these over the past years and have studied wetlands, water issues, salt mines and oil and gas wells.
As a member of the Kansas House’s Energy, Utilities, and Communication Committee, I have found that the information that is presented and shared has helped my ability to be a more informed member of the legislature.
Listed below are the many sponsors that contribute to this event. As you can see, they represent many important agencies that comprise our state government that address our needs on a daily basis:
- Kansas Water Office
- Kansas Department of Transportation
- Kansas Corporation Commission
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment
- Kansas Department of Agriculture
- Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks
- Friends of the Kaw
- The Nature Conservancy
