Several veteran Kansas lawmakers announced their retirements ahead of June 1 noon filing deadline. And as Jim McLean reports, Kansas voters may decide to retire others.
At least 23 House and Senate members aren’t running for re-election, including two of the top three leaders in the House and several committee chairs.
Some are saying it was just time to step down. But others say the state’s ongoing budget problems have simply worn them out.
Rep. Tom Moxley, a moderate Republican from Council Grove, referenced the budget mess in his farewell to House colleagues.
“The past four years of budget woes has given new meaning to the words ‘bleeding Kansas,'” Moxley said.
The budget problems and the spending cuts lawmakers are forcing to highways, universities and Medicaid are expected to be big issues in an election year in which all 165 legislative seats will be up for grabs.