Pub. 9 2020 Issue 6

Pub. 9 2020 Issue 6 19 Incoming Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes Dinah Sykes (D-Lenexa), who switched parties prior to the 2019 Legislative session, was elected to succeed the longtime Minority Leader Anthony Hensley. Hensley had been the Democratic leader in the Senate since 1996 but was defeated in the general election. Sykes, the first female minority leader in state history, was first elected to the senate as a moderate Republican in 2016 before switching parties shortly after the 2018 election. Sykes welcomes back the incumbent Assistant Minority Leader Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D-Wichita), who ran unopposed. The 2021-2022 Kansas House Leadership teams will remain substantially the same as the previous biennium. Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman Jr. Ron Ryckman Jr. (R-Olathe) was elected to an unprecedented third term as Kansas Speaker, and his core leadership teamwill also return inMajority Leader Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita) and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch (R-Ottawa). The House Democratic Caucus re-elected current Minority Leader Tom Sawyer (D-Wichita), and he will be joined by newly elected Assistant Minority Leader Jason Probst (D-Hutchison). Although there have been significant changes to the leadership posts, both chambers look poised to get to work early in response to the negative economic impacts caused by COVID-19. Other major issues include backfilling the state’s unemployment insurance fund, property tax reform and addressing the budget deficit projected for 2022. The KBA congratulates these leaders on being elected earlier this month, and we look forward to working with them on behalf of the Kansas banking industry! If you have any questions or want to know how you can help, please do not hesitate to contact Alex at aorel@ksbankers.com or call the KBA office at (785) 232-3444.