Governor Brownback this afternoon announced that a special session of the 2016 Kansas Legislature will begin on Thursday, June 23 at 8:00 am. The deadline set by the Supreme Court for the Legislature to act is June 30.
We would imagine that the Legislature is hoping to get in to Topeka, get the job done, and get out. This is an election year with an early August primary. The longer the special session lingers on, the fewer days candidates will have to knock doors and campaign for votes. At issue also is the prohibition on campaign contributions while the Legislature is in session.
Everyone with an interest in the opening of school come August hopes that this will be a very short special session and that the Court will be able to issue an opinion on the results as quickly as possible. Schools will hopefully be able to fund July activities that prepare our buildings for the opening days in August.
We are pleased that the special session has been announced and we urge all lawmakers to return to Topeka ready to resolve the issue and open schools for our students in August.
We will be keeping you up to date on any news or actions taken during the time between now and June 23. As always, we urge you to stay vigilant, stay engaged, and keep talking to your legislators while they are back home.
HOMEWORK: Make a list of 5-10 of your closest friends, family members or neighbors. Contact them and educate them on the issues at hand while encouraging them to reach out to their representatives. Share the following link with them to find their representatives: http://knea.org/home/312.htm