Each week during the 2025 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. Dan Osman, who represents Kansas House District 48, covering a portion of Overland Park.
The Post has also extended offers to Republican Rep. Carrie Barth and Democratic Sen. Pat Pettey to submit Capitol Updates this week, as well.
The views expressed in each Capitol Update are solely those of the lawmaker.
According to the laws of physics, the speed of light is the fastest thing in the universe. But the speed of this year’s Kansas’s legislative session comes in a close second.
This year we started our session in mid-January and will wrap up by mid-April, shaving about three weeks off what was an already short session.
While our calendar is condensed, the amount of work that needs to be done remains the same. Our revisors who draft every bill introduced are coming in early and leaving late every day just to keep up. Our committee assistants need to get dozens of testimonies and other documents organized for every hearing, usually with just a day or two notice on a constantly changing schedule.
It also means we don’t have time for thoughtful debate on the topics as we rush from one bill to the next. I’ve seen requests to revisit an issue later when we have more information be denied because our schedule was too full to ever slow down.
Of particular note, our schedule means we will adjourn for the year prior to obtaining consensus revenue estimates. That means we’ll have created and passed a budget before we get the official report on what funds we brought in last year! That is the exact opposite of what we should be doing.
But worst of all, this affects you.
Did you want to introduce legislation? You had a week less time to do it this year.
Did you want to testify on a bill? Our committee chairs are continually revising their weekly agenda giving you less notice than ever of when something will be debated.
Your ability to have your voice heard in Topeka is being negatively affected.
There are ways I can help. You can always contact me at Dan.Osman@house.ks.gov and I can assist you in tracking legislation that’s important to you.
You can also join my contact list at www.Dan4Kan.com. My weekly newsletters will outline what’s going on in the session and keep you informed about things to come. My monthly town halls are open to everyone.
I work with other senators and representatives around the area to try to slow things down and provide you a wide picture of what’s happening in Topeka.
You elect us to deliberate important issues and I take that responsibility seriously. We can and must do better for you.
