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Home > Committees
> The Committee Process
The Committee Process
The Role of Committees in the Legislative Process
Working with The Committee Process
Testify before a Committee
Be on time to the Committee Meeting
Tips to be Effective
Take an Interest in the Process
The Role of Committees in the Legislative
Process
The major work of the legislature is done in committees-standing
committees, select committees, joint committees, interim committees
and committee of the whole.
Standing committees are created by the adoption of the rules
of each house. Members are appointed to standing committees in
the House by the Speaker and in the Senate by the Committee on
Organization, Calendar and Rules. Chairperson, vice-chairpersons
and ranking minority members are also named. Each committee is
set up to consider bills in which the members have expertise and
bills are referred to committee by topic.
The chairperson of the committee sets the agenda for the meetings.
Bills are considered and committee members have the opportunity
to offer amendments. Hearings may be held in which citizens and
lobbyists have the opportunity to testify. The committee votes
on the bill and it is sent to the full House or Senate with a
report of the committee action.
Select committees are created to work on a particular issue.
Conduct of these committees is the same as a standing committee.
Joint committees have members from both the House and Senate
are created by statute and some have membership appointed by the
Legislative Coordinating Council. Others have members appointed
in the same manner as standing committees. These committees also
may meet in the interim to tackle issues requiring more time than
is available during the session.
Interim committees are established by the Legislative Coordinating
Council to study particular topics. These committees meet and
submit bills or reports at the beginning of the next session.
They are created each summer and do not carry over to the next
interim.
Committee of the Whole occurs during the calendar order of business,
General Orders. The House and Senate resolve themselves into committee
to consider bills and allow for debate and the offering of amendments
by any member of the body.
Working with The Committee Process
Kansas has an open legislative process. All committee action
on bills and amendments is conducted in open session. The public
is invited to attend any of the meetings. All bills are identified
by number upon introduction. If you do not know the bill number,
to inquire by subject matter, you may call Legislative Hotline
[1-800-432-3924]. Copies of each bill, in every amended version,
are available in the Statehouse Document Room [145-N] on the first
floor of the State House, or accessed as http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/index.cgi.
Committees meet on a regular schedule during the session. The
regular meeting room and the name and telephone number of the
committee secretary are listed in the Committee Agendas [http://www.kslegislature.org/calendars/index.cgi]
in the House and Senate Calendars. Most standing committees end
deliberation on bills in the house of origin on March 2, 2002
and bills from the other house on March 30, 2002.
House Appropriations, Taxation, Federal and State Affairs and
Calendar and Printing and Senate Federal and State Affairs and
Ways and Means committees may continue to meet but the schedule
may be flexible due to longer session hours. Always check the
Committee Agendas in the House and Senate Calendars for changes
in meeting times.
Testify before a Committee
To testify at a hearing on any bill, you should contact the committee
secretary whose name and telephone number also appear with the
Committee Agenda. When making an appointment with the secretary,
identify your concerns. You will be given instructions on:
- Time limitations;
- the number of copies of testimony to provide;
- other guidelines;
- if others are also testifying on this bill, try to coordinate
testimony prior to the hearing to avoid duplication.
Be on time to the Committee Meeting
Seating is limited. You will be asked to register at the door.
If there is not time for all interested parties to be heard, you
may submit written testimony.
- Begin your testimony by addressing the chair and committee
members. Introduce yourself, declare who you represent, and
state if you are a proponent or opponent of the measure.
- Be courteous in your language and address.
- Be brief--do not repeat what others have said.
- Do not be nervous--most hearings are informal. There may be
questions from the committee members.
- There is to be no clapping, booing, cheering or disruption
of any hearing.
- There may be no decision made by the committee on the day
of the hearing. Continue to watch the Committee Agenda in the
Calendar for final action on the bill.
Tips to be Effective
- If you wish to express your opinion to your legislator without
appearing in person, you may write or telephone.
- Know the bill number and status of the bill upon which you
wish to comment.
- Be brief--never write more than one page. Type or print for
easy reading.
- Identify the issue at the top of the letter. Address one issue
per letter.
- Identify yourself and your expertise.
- Offer to be of assistance in providing any information you
may have.
- Be polite and reasonable.
- Do not organize a telephone campaign or letter or post card
campaign. These are the least effective means of making a point.
A short personal note is much more effective.
The proper way to address your legislator is:
The Honorable Representative/Senator _______________
300 SW 10th Street
TOPEKA KS 66612-1504
The salutation should read:
Dear Representative/Senator ___________________:
Take an Interest in the process
Legislators want to hear what you have to say. Take an interest
in the Kansas political process.
For further information on the Kansas Legislature's Committee
process, see House Rules Article 13 [http://www.ink.org/public/house_secretary/house.rules.1.html]
and Senate Rules 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 [http://www.ink.org/public/senate_secretary/sen.rules1.html].
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