Kansas2026Passed Legislature
HB2057
HB2057: Rules for Filling Vacancies in State and Federal Offices
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 9:52 AM
In one sentence
This bill requires the Kansas Legislature to select three candidates from a list of nominees, after which the Governor must appoint one of them to temporarily fill vacancies for U.S. Senator, State Treasurer, or Commissioner of Insurance.
What it does
- Establishes a Joint Committee on Vacancy Appointments made up of 14 legislators (five majority and two minority from both the Senate and House) when an office becomes empty.
- Requires that any person appointed must be registered with the same political party as the previous holder for at least ten general elections, unless the previous holder was not affiliated with a party.
- Mandates public hearings where nominees can speak before being reviewed by the joint committee.
- Directs the full Legislature to hold a special meeting (joint session) to vote on and select exactly three candidates from the list provided by the committee.
- Requires the Governor to appoint one of those three selected candidates within two days after receiving their names.
Who it affects
- The Governor, who must choose an appointee only from a specific list created by lawmakers.
- Members of the Kansas Legislature, who nominate people and vote on which three become final candidates.
- Residents seeking to fill vacancies in the offices of U.S. Senator, State Treasurer, or Commissioner of Insurance.
Limits and unknowns
- The provided bill text ends abruptly and does not explain what happens if fewer than three candidates receive enough votes.
- This legislation only applies to temporary appointments until the next election; it does not change how permanent elections are held.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Vacancy
- An empty job position that needs to be filled because someone left before their term ended.
- Joint Committee on Vacancy Appointments
- A temporary group of 14 lawmakers from both the Senate and House created to review nominees for open offices.
- Concurrent Resolution
- An official agreement passed by both houses of the Legislature that sets a date for them to meet together as one group.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Requiring the governor to appointment persons to fill vacancies in the offices of United States senator, state treasurer and the commissioner of insurance from a list of names approved by the legislature.
Official activity
Bill history
- Died on CalendarHouse
- Withdrawn from House Committee on Elections and re-referred to Committee of the WholeHouse
- Withdrawn from Calendar, Rereferred to House Committee on ElectionsHouse
- Withdrawn from House Committee on Calendar and Printing and re-referred to Committee of the WholeHouse
- Withdrawn from Calendar; Referred to House Committee on Calendar and PrintingHouse
- Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by House Committee on Federal and State AffairsHouse
- Withdrawn from Calendar; Referred to House Committee on Federal and State AffairsHouse
- Committee Report recommending bill be passed by House Committee on ElectionsHouse
- Hearing: Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 3:30 PM — Room 218-N eventHouse
- Referred to House Committee on ElectionsHouse