During the 2025 Kansas legislative session, we are providing Johnson County lawmakers the opportunity to share their thoughts about what is happening in the state capitol.
The views expressed in each Capitol Update are solely those of the lawmaker. The topics are of the lawmakers’ choosing and are not fact-checked.
Below is a submission from Republican Sen. Doug Shane, who represents Kansas Senate District 37, covering the southwestern corner of Johnson County, including Edgerton and parts of Gardner and Olathe.
The Post is also extending invitations to submit Capitol Updates this week to Democratic Rep. Nikki McDonald of Overland Park and Democratic Rep. Brandon Woodard of Lenexa.
First, I want to thank the citizens of Senate District 37 for placing their trust in me and giving me the opportunity to serve them in Topeka. I am pleased to report that my experience in Topeka has been positive and that I have already had the opportunity to have a significant impact.
This year I introduced fifteen bills.
One of my bills bringing changes to the Kansas Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act, SB 70, passed the Senate, was included in the conference committee report for HB 2134, and has become law.
In addition, I played a central role in negotiating compromise language for SB 54, a bill dealing with third-party litigation funding.
I offered a floor amendment to the budget to provide an additional $300,000 for the Kansas School for the Deaf. These have both been enrolled in Kansas law.
This is just a snapshot of all I was able to accomplish within the legislature this year. Without doubt, I feel a great sense of fulfillment and gratitude after my first session.
While these are great changes, I would like to speak about something I see as one of our state’s foremost challenges: educating in the modern era.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are approximately 7.5 million students aged 3 to 21 who received services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, which represents approximately 15% of all public school students.
In 2012, these numbers were 6.4 million and approximately 13% of all students. This 17.2% increase in the population of IDEA students has largely been driven by increases in autism rates and developmental delay. There are many speculations related to autism rates increasing alarmingly from 1 in 150 children in 2000 to 1 in 36 today, and this research is ongoing.
Our schools also find themselves struggling to simultaneously address increases in students suffering from developmental delays. According to a 2023 report from the CDC, developmental delays and disorders are also on the rise, increasing from 7.4% in 2019 to 8.56% in 2021, with continued increases anticipated as more data becomes available.
In addition, my experience in higher education and collaborating with K-12 educators has highlighted a continually worsening situation regarding reading and academic endurance, emotional intelligence and stability and mental health.
As a parent, scientist, educator, legislator, Kansan and American, I find myself wondering: why are we seeing these changes in our children? How can we support our schools in navigating these challenging circumstances?
It is time for our society to enter a deep dialogue and evaluate the root causes of these phenomena we are observing in our children. The future of our great state and country depends on our ability to enter into difficult dialogue to unpack and solve these complex challenges. Our children and future generations are worth it.
