“Kansas’ legislative process is among the least transparent in the country, often cutting the public out of debates and making it difficult for constituents to track bills, let alone determine who sponsored them.” A popular tactic is the “gut-and-go,” in which a bill is sent to the floor with its original content deleted and unrelated matter substituted, which can result in the bringing to a quick floor vote of legislation that has bypassed the committee hearing process and public attention. The maneuver turns up in some other states as well, under nicknames like “gut and stuff” and “gut and amend.”

Also: “In Kansas, unlike most other states, nearly all the laws passed stem from bills whose authors are anonymous. All but six of the 104 bills that became law this year — a whopping 94 percent — were introduced by committees, with no sponsors identified. That means Kansans don’t know who pushed the measures and why.” [Judy L. Thomas and Bryan Lowry, Kansas City Star]

Filed under: Kansas, legislature