Kansas – Legislative Branch

Kansas – Legislative Branch

Core Idea: The Kansas Legislature holds the state’s legislative power under the Kansas Constitution and creates/empowers state agencies through statutes.

Constitutional Basis

• Kansas Constitution, Article 2 (Legislative) – Vests legislative power in a Senate and House of Representatives.
  • Text: Kan. Const. art. 2.
  • Official access via Kansas Legislature: https://www.kslegislature.gov (see "Kansas Constitution").

Delegation to Agencies

• The Legislature enacts the Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.), which:
  • Create state departments and agencies (e.g., Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department of Transportation, Kansas State Department of Education).
  • Delegate rulemaking and enforcement authority.
• Agencies adopt regulations under the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act (KAPA) and related statutory frameworks.
  • K.S.A. 77-501 et seq. (KAPA) governs administrative adjudication.
  • K.S.A. 77-415 et seq. (Rules and Regulations Filing Act) governs rulemaking procedures.
  • Overview: Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes – Article 77: https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes.html

This branch is where Kansas state-level delegation begins: statutes define the powers and duties of executive agencies that implement state policy.