Blog

I am so proud to have earned the trust of my neighbors to represent the 25th District in the Kansas Senate.

In the weeks since the Senate District Convention in early December, I’m lucky to have met with countless friends, business owners, and working Wichitans in my district. I want to specifically thank Lt. Gov. Lynn and Kris Rogers for their mentorship as I learn the ropes.

Seemed like everywhere I went around town, old friends and new friends stopped me to congratulate me and to give words of encouragement. To everyone who did, thank you.

I heard your stories, listened to your concerns, and many of you shared visions of your goals. To everyone who shared your thoughts, thank you. Now, I'm eager to turn these thoughts into action and stand up for Wichita’s working families in Topeka.

I am lucky none of us is in this alone, and I'm going to need you to continue to talk with me, ask me questions, and take action with me.We have a lot of work ahead of us, and I’m excited about what we'll accomplish together.

I’m ready to get to work.

The Inauguration and Swearing-In

State government officials and Legislators gathered last Monday afternoon to observe the swearing-in of our new Governor Laura Kelly and our friend Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers! It was a grand event where Gov. Kelly highlighted the themes of her new administration: Equality. Education. Opportunity.

Later, I was officially sworn into the Kansas Senate, along with other new colleagues.

Committees have already begun meeting. Early on, many committees heard briefings on topics related to issues the Legislature will face this session while others began reviewing proposed legislation. Similar work in committees will continue in the coming weeks.

I am pleased to announce I am the ranking member on the Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee, and I serve on the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, the Joint Committee on Kansas Security, and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations. You can learn more about these committees, their meeting times, and how to follow the status of sponsored bills at my Legislative homepage.

You can find information on everything from calendars, to bill proceedings, to livestreams at the Kansas Legislature’s homepage, www.kslegislature.org.

The State of the State

Gov. Kelly delivered her first State of the State message Wednesday, setting forth a clear path toward progress and justice through moderation and civil debate.

While it’s true Kansas has been through a lot in the last eight years, I agree with Gov. Kelly when she says the time for pointing fingers is over. We have become so conditioned to strife and political warfare, and it’s so refreshing to turn the page to an era of cooperation, compromise, and moving our state in the right direction.

Gov. Kelly outlined her priorities in the upcoming session:

• School Finance - correcting the underinvestment problem and finally ending the constant litigation surrounding the proper funding of our schools. I will always fight for Wichita schools, home of the largest school district in the state, USD 259!

• Rural Communities - investing in digital and physical infrastructure and protecting Kansas’ rural way of life, including our ag producers.

• Healthcare - finally expanding Medicaid to save our rural hospitals, create economic development opportunities across Kansas, and provide affordable health care to 150,000 more Kansans, no matter where they live.

• Foster Care - addressing the crisis of our foster care system and hiring dozens of new social workers to help alleviate the system’s extreme caseload issues. Issues surrounding our broken DCF system have plagued people in Wichita, and I'm deeply grateful for the Governor's leadership. I will continue to fight on this issue for working Kansas families.

The State of the State address also echoed the theme of bipartisanship from her inaugural address. We must work together, regardless of party, to address these critical issues. I am eager to get to work for the benefit of all Kansans, but especially you and your families in the 25th District. I’m eager to hear what you think of this framework.

Getting in Touch!

I look forward to talking with you while this Legislative session goes forward. If you ever have any questions about bills, laws, or issues you believe I should know about, please call, email or come to the Statehouse!

If you want to visit me at the Statehouse, the address is: 300 SW 10th St, Topeka KS, 66612; Room 135-E

My Topeka phone number is (785) 296-7391 and my official email is: mary.ware@senate.ks.gov

Finally, thank you to Tom, my partner in life, business, and now this new adventure, for your love and support.

I'm so excited for this journey. I can't wait for all of the good things we can and will accomplish for our district, for the City of Wichita, and for the good of our state. Please don't hesitate to email, call or write if you have questions. Stop me on the street if you see me around! Talk to you soon.

For Kansas, For Wichita,

Senator Mary Ware

www.wareforkansas.com