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Sedgwick County adopts 2026 legislative platform, elevates appraiser-office items to top priority
Summary
The Sedgwick County Commission adopted its 2026 legislative platform Oct. 22, prioritizing corrections funding, sales-tax apportionment, treasurer/tag-office reforms and moving appraiser-office items into the top priority category; commissioners discussed strategy for bill sponsorship in Topeka.
The Sedgwick County Commission on Oct. 22 adopted its 2026 legislative platform, adding appraiser-office policy items to the board’s top legislative priorities and approving a list of appropriations and policy objectives county staff will pursue with state legislators.
Assistant County Manager Tanya Cole presented the final draft and told commissioners the platform is the county’s “foundation of a focused strategy” for advocacy during the 2026 Kansas legislative session. Justin Wagoner, county counselor, outlined that staff and county attorneys had prepared draft text and identified about 10 items for bills or further work, including tag-office operations, public-bidding thresholds for county construction projects, appraiser-office changes, juvenile corrections reimbursement provisions, dangerous-animals authority for county judges, a forensic science center bill, expanded online publication authority for counties and items tied to cremains and Senate Bill 367 modifications.
Wagoner said three of the ten items were “finalized or near finalization,” four were in early draft form, two were pending with house approval awaiting senate action and one was expected to be drafted by a commissioner for elections-related language. “Based on conversations yesterday, from my notes, I had there were 10 different items that you all had requested bills on or the bills have already been submitted on,” Wagoner said.
Commissioners discussed strategy for the short legislative session and whether the county should draft bills itself and ask local legislators to carry them or submit bills directly. Chairman Ryan Beatty said county staff could draft bills and then work with interested legislators to carry them in committees. Commissioners agreed to focus on a short list of top priorities while continuing to advance other platform items as capacity allows.
Commissioner discussion also produced consensus to designate four ‘‘number-one’’ priorities rather than a single ranked list. Commissioners said corrections funding formula changes, the sales-tax apportionment/distribution formula, treasurer/tag-office items and the appraiser-office policy package should be treated as equally top-tier priorities for advocacy in Topeka.
Chairman Beatty moved to adopt the 2026 legislative platform with the appraiser-office items elevated to the top-priority category; the motion passed unanimously on roll call (5-0).
Ending: County staff and the county counselor will continue drafting bills for priority items and work with the county’s lobbyist to identify legislators to sponsor or carry measures during the 2026 session. Commissioners noted the session is expected to be short and said prioritization will be important.
