"I do solemnly swear..."

These powerful words are spoken by our elected officials--everyone from those serving at the state level to the President of the United States. It is a promise to serve faithfully, "...so help me God."  Serious business.  We pray they fulfill their oaths.  

Week One of the 2025 Kansas Legislative Session is now history. Newly elected State Representatives and State Senators took the Kansas Oath of Office on Monday, January 13. Family and friends swarmed the Statehouse.  With the grind of the campaign season behind them, it is a joyful day of relief, optimism and hope for our elected officials. They have their committee and leadership assignments. The stage is now set for their hard work on behalf of the people of Kansas.  

On Wednesday, January 15, state legislative leaders heard the Kansas State of the Military Address. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly offered her annual Kansas State of the State Address that evening. 

By Thursday, virtually every House and Senate Committee had met at least once. Committee meetings are most often the birthplace of legislation in Kansas.  If there is a law, it almost certainly began as a bill in a committee meeting. Initial committee meetings are dedicated to introductions and overviews.  The real blocking, tackling and clashes over ideas and policies are just ahead.   

You can follow committee meetings at the Kansas Statehouse here: Kansas Legislature Livestream.  

WHO REPRESENTS YOU IN TOPEKA?

Now is a great time to reach out and introduce yourself to your State Representative or State Senator. Let them know who you are. Make it personal. Share YOUR story. Then, the NEXT time you contact them, they will probably remember you.  And you may be asking for their support (or opposition) to legislation.  Click this link and enter your zip code: https://www.kansascatholic.org/issues/connect-with-your-legislators to find out who is representing you in the Kansas Legislature and make your connection. 

THE KANSAS CATHOLIC CONFERENCE GETS TO WORK

The Kansas Catholic Conference is the official voice of the Catholic Bishops of Kansas on matters of public policy.  We follow a wide variety of issues. By "follow," we mean we stay in contact with committee chairs and members, speaking to them about issues they are discussing. While we may not always issue a policy statement or offer testimony on a specific bill, we stay abreast of what's happening, to the extent possible. 

You can find out what we follow by clicking here:  https://www.kansascatholic.org/issues/what-we-follow

Follow us on Facebook, here: Facebook Page for Kansas Catholic Conference

Two key pieces of legislation where we will soon be offering testimony are the Do No Harm Act and legislation strengthening Educational Choice for parents in Kansas.   

The Do No Harm Act would ban so-called "gender transition" manipulations on children through surgery and chemicals. These diabolical procedures have been inflicted on dozens of Kansas children, and we must move to protect them.  Many may know of the remarkable story of Chloe Cole who was at the Kansas Capitol last year.  

At 12 years old, she told her parents she was a boy. They took her to therapists and doctors, hoping for guidance. Instead, every single one of them pushed the Left's gender ideology. What happened next is gut-wrenching. Her "gender transition" surgery irreparably changed her life forever. Chloe now travels the world, telling her story to anyone who will listen. Here is one clip of her story worth a look: Chloe Cole Testimony 

Educational Choice for Parents is another issue we anticipate will be tackled in the 2025 Kansas Legislative Session.  Our position flows from Catholic Teaching, which says parents are the first and best educators of their children--be that in a public school, a private school, Catholic school, home school or another setting. For a great many parents and their children, public school is their best educational choice. For many others, an educational setting outside the public school system is a better alternative that would allow the child to excel.  Low-income and "at risk" students in particular suffer from good educational opportunities.  

The Kansas Catholic Conference supports improvements to the low-income tax credit scholarship program and other legislative proposals that will provide more educational choice options for parents. The KCC is NOT "anti-public school!" We do not oppose fully funded public schools and recognize they are a vital part of the Kansas educational equation.  

SCHOOL CHOICE RALLY IN TOPEKA TUESDAY, JANUARY 28

There are two ways to participate in the annual School Choice Rally being held in Topeka on Tuesday, January 28.  #1, please come to the Kansas Statehouse and join dozens of children and parents from around the state in the rally. #2, contact your State Representative and your State Senator. Let them know you support educational choice for Kansas parents and their children. Learn more about educational opportunities and policy initiatives from our friends at the Kansas Policy institute: Kansas Policy Institute on Education 

OTHER TOPEKA HAPPENINGS

Tuesday, January 28- Red Mass with Kansas Bishops at noon, St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Topeka.  Red Mass Invitation 

Wednesday, January 29- Pro Life Ignite Rally and Mass, followed by the Kansas March for Life to the Statehouse steps. Pro Life Ignite Rally and Mass in Topeka

The headline above appeared in the Topeka Capital Journal this past week, announcing that Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach was suing a website owner for violating an anti-pornography law that the Kansas Catholic Conference endorsed last year. You can read the actual court petition here: Kobach court petition suing porn sites  

SARJ LLC., is identified as a foreign-owned information technology company with a base of operations in Seatlle, Washington. It is alleged by the Kansas Attorney General that the company violated the new Kansas age verification law that requires viewers of pornography to be at least 18 years old.  

You can read the Kansas AG's news release posted on X here: Kobach statement on X suing porn site company

The new Kansas law is similar to those passed in Texas, Tennessee and elsewhere, and have been challenged by the porn industry.  Tennessee age verification law takes effect after court ruling

It has been widely reported that pornography has a number of negative effects when consumed by children. Indeed, the Kansas legislature voted in 2016 and 2017 that pornography should be recognized as a public health hazard. You can read that resolution here: Kansas Legislature recognizes pornography as a public health hazard  That resolution helped pave the way for the law Kansas passed last year. The False Promise of Pornography impacts men, women and children in various and insidious ways. 

We commend law enforcement for their diligence in enforcing this law designed to help protect our children. 

LOOKING AHEAD--A CLOSER LOOK AT THE NEWS MEDIA 

Next week we will take a closer look at the declining state of the secular news media in Kansas, and around the nation.  As a former TV news journalist who once covered the State Capitol and Kansas politics, I am deeply concerned about the lack of objectivity and good, solid reporting that is all-too-common today. Just this past week, the Mainstream Media (in this case, CNN) lost a defamation trial that will cost the network millions of dollars, but also, lost credibility. 

Poor news reporting has a direct connection to Free Speech, which is the first and most important Amendment we enjoy as Americans.  We will also look at the chilling effect on free speech rights some have experienced in and around the Kansas Statehouse because of questions surrounding the Kansas Ethics Commission.  

IN CONCLUSION

Please pray for our legislators. We pray for our new President. We pray for America.

Until next time, we persevere.

Chuck Weber
Kansas Catholic Conference