Acting Kansas wildlife and parks secretary outlines priorities at confirmation hearing

Acting Secretary Christopher Kennedy appeared before the Kansas Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources for a confirmation hearing, summarizing his background, agency priorities and policy positions and answering senators’ questions. The committee did not vote on confirmation during the session; the hearing was suspended and will resume at a later date.

Kennedy, who said he has served as acting secretary for about 10 months and has 33 years of experience in fisheries and conservation work, told senators he intends to use the Wildlife and Parks Commission as “identified in statute” and does not plan to change that statutory role. “I have no intention of changing the role of the commission,” Kennedy said. He described the commission’s statutory function as proposing, modifying, approving or denying fish and wildlife regulations and said changes to that arrangement would require a statute change.

Kennedy presented agency priorities that include fiscal responsibility, improving internal communication, modernizing infrastructure and increasing public awareness of agency services. He told senators the agency has not raised fees “for at least 15 years” and said fee adjustments, plus other revenue models, are needed to address aging park infrastructure such as roads, restrooms and shower houses—many of which he said date to the 1960s. He said any fee changes would require public, gubernatorial and legislative support.

On diversity, equity and inclusion policies, Kennedy told the committee, “The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks does not use DEI in our hiring, promotion, or staff development processes, and I commit to you today that as a secretary, that practice will not change under my leadership.” He summarized his personnel priorities as hiring people with relevant education and technical expertise and a “servant mentality.”

Senators asked operational questions: Kennedy said the agency employs about 465 full‑time staff and roughly 400 seasonal workers. He confirmed two Topeka locations: an administrative office on Kansas Boulevard and a regional office at 300 West Wanamaker that houses fisheries and wildlife biologists and some law enforcement staff. He said he does not plan to relocate regional staff to Topeka because regional presence is “vital to our success.”

Committee members also asked about law enforcement structure. Kennedy said the agency currently has law enforcement authority in three places: the game warden law enforcement division, a public lands division with law enforcement authority on public lands, and park rangers who are law enforcement certified. He said the agency is “taking a hard look” at divisional organization and that other states have consolidated law enforcement to improve efficiency and consistency, but he gave no decision or timetable.

The committee discussed wildlife policy questions raised by constituents, including feral hog hunting. Kennedy said he would consult agency biologists and the public before considering any change. He warned that opening a season could incentivize people to release hogs to create huntable populations, creating “a major impact on the natural habitats” and agricultural lands. On species restoration, Kennedy described efforts to reestablish alligator gar in other states and defended the species’ ecological role, citing research showing the species did not harm sport‑fish communities and in some cases helped them thrive.

Kennedy described organizational changes already underway at the agency, including revised budgeting and procurement procedures, fiscal staff realignment with federal aid staff, and changes in public affairs roles to improve clarity and accountability. He said those changes have been aimed at improving stewardship of taxpayer dollars and supporting regional staff who “are deeply embedded in their communities.”

Chairman Peck suspended the hearing until the committee can resume questions at a later date; no confirmation vote was held during the session.