{"id":979,"date":"2025-10-25T00:15:01","date_gmt":"2025-10-25T00:15:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kansas-shl.org\/?p=979"},"modified":"2025-10-25T00:15:01","modified_gmt":"2025-10-25T00:15:01","slug":"kshl-press-release-2025-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/2025\/10\/25\/kshl-press-release-2025-session\/","title":{"rendered":"KSHL Press Release 2025 Session"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Kansas Silver Haired Legislature Announces 2025 Session Outcomes and Priority Resolutions for 2026 Legislative Session<\/strong><br><em>Five key resolutions address medical cannabis, property tax relief, Medicaid expansion, voting rights, and senior transportation<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Topeka, KS \u2014 10\/9\/2025<\/strong>\u2014 The Kansas Silver Haired Legislature (KSHL), a non-partisan, volunteer legislative body representing Kansans age 60 and older, concluded its annual session at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka this week. Delegates adopted <strong>five key resolutions<\/strong> that will be formally presented to the Kansas Legislature and Governor for consideration during the 2026 legislative session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThese resolutions reflect the real priorities of seniors across Kansas,\u201d said <strong>Leroy Burton, Speaker of the House of the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature<\/strong>. \u201cOlder Kansans want to see accessible healthcare, fair taxation, the protection of their voting rights, reliable transportation options, and sensible approaches to medical cannabis. We call on the Kansas Legislature to act boldly and compassionately on these issues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each resolution focuses on a critical area impacting older adults\u2019 quality of life:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. Medical Cannabis Access \u2014 Supporting Senate Bill 294<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">KSHL passed a resolution supporting <strong>Senate Bill 294<\/strong>, the Kansas Medical Cannabis Act. This bill provides for the <strong>licensure and regulation of the cultivation, processing, manufacturing, distribution, sale, and use of medical cannabis and medical cannabis products<\/strong>. Delegates underscored the potential benefits for Kansans living with chronic pain, debilitating illnesses, and other health conditions for which medical cannabis offers therapeutic relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Property Tax Relief for Seniors \u2014 Supporting Senate Bill 215 or Similar Legislation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A resolution was passed supporting <strong>Senate Bill 215 (2025)<\/strong>, or similar legislation, during the 2026 regular legislative session, to <strong>provide property tax relief for certain senior citizens<\/strong>. Rising property taxes continue to threaten seniors\u2019 ability to maintain their homes and standard of living. Delegates emphasized that targeted relief would allow older adults to age in place with stability and dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. Preserving and Expanding Medicaid and Food Assistance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Delegates adopted a resolution <strong>urging the Kansas Legislature to preserve Medicaid services, home and community-based services, and SNAP food assistance<\/strong>, as well as to <strong>support Medicaid expansion<\/strong> in Kansas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>8.5% of Kansas seniors live below the poverty line<\/strong>, and older adults make up a growing portion of the state\u2019s population.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>25,000 Kansas seniors participate in SNAP food assistance<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Expanding Medicaid would leverage federal resources to finance healthcare reform and strengthen the safety net for vulnerable populations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. Protecting Voting Rights for Kansas Seniors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">KSHL adopted a resolution opposing any efforts to restrict voting rights that would make it more difficult or impossible for Kansas senior citizens to cast a ballot. Seniors represent <strong>25% of registered voters in Kansas<\/strong>, with <strong>79.9% voting in the 2024 general election<\/strong>\u2014the highest turnout of any age group. Delegates emphasized that protecting voting access is essential to maintaining seniors\u2019 civic voice and engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The resolution specifically:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Opposes any legislation or administrative action that would make it more difficult to vote<\/strong> in Kansas, including measures that could limit access for the elderly and disabled.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. Supporting Collaborative Community-Based Senior Transportation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">KSHL passed a resolution <strong>urging the Kansas Legislature to continue supporting and funding collaborative community-based transportation systems for senior citizens<\/strong>, including micro-transit support in rural, remote, and metropolitan areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The resolution calls on the Legislature to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Increase funding<\/strong> for community-based transportation systems serving seniors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support local control and involvement<\/strong> in establishing and operating these systems.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Direct the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT)<\/strong> to study and identify transportation expansion opportunities in rural, remote, and metro areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Coordinate with local entities<\/strong>, such as county and city governments, Area Agencies on Aging, the Silver Haired Legislature, and other organizations, to develop and implement comprehensive transportation plans.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reliable transportation remains a critical factor in seniors\u2019 ability to access healthcare, groceries, social supports, and civic life\u2014particularly in rural and underserved communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature<\/strong><br>Created by an Act of Congress in 1969 and established in Kansas in 1982 by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1649, the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature identifies priority concerns of Kansans aged 60 and older and develops legislation and policy recommendations for state leaders. Members are elected from all 105 counties and serve voluntarily to advocate on behalf of older Kansans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more information:Leroy Burton, KSHL Speaker of the House, 316-670-4127, <a href=\"mailto:leburton@cox.net\">leburton@cox.net<\/a>&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chuck Schmidt, KSHL Speaker Pro Tem, 620-330-4576, <a href=\"mailto:cschmidt3131@gmail.com\">cschmidt3131@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kansas Silver Haired Legislature Announces 2025 Session Outcomes and Priority Resolutions for 2026 Legislative SessionFive key resolutions address medical cannabis, property tax relief, Medicaid expansion, voting rights, and senior transportation Topeka, KS \u2014 10\/9\/2025\u2014 The Kansas Silver Haired Legislature (KSHL), a non-partisan, volunteer legislative body representing Kansans age 60 and older, concluded<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-979","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-kshl_media"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=979"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/979\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":980,"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/979\/revisions\/980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kansas-shl.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}