From the Reference Desk...

This blog provides links to current resources to help you find what is new and noteworthy in the state of Kansas. State Library staff will highlight a topic of specific interest and supply links to important news and services in the state of Kansas.

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Apr 08

Summaries of Legislation

Posted on April 8, 2016 at 12:09 PM by Brian Herder

There is no 'typical' legislative session, but in the past five years an average of almost 150 bills a year have been passed by the Kansas Legislature. Since many of these consist of multiple bills bundled together during an eleventh-hour conference committee, keeping track of the laws that get passed every year can get complicated.

To help with that, the Kansas Legislative Research Department publishes an annual Summary of Legislation. This is a very helpful publication that selects major bills to summarize in 'lay language', similar to supplemental notes that come out during the year. This usually comes out in July after the session has adjourned and passed laws typically go into effect.

For an example, see the 2015 Summary of Legislation.

Additionally, during session, Legislative Research will publish one or more Preliminary Summaries of Legislation compiling legislation that have passed the Legislature to date. The following is the 2016 Preliminary Summary of Legislation.

To read current and recent Summaries of Legislation, check out Legislative Research's Publications page, and don't forget to check back in for the full 2016 Summary of Legislation in July!