He served in the Kansas state legislature for 29 years, and was a leader in policy on prisons and corrections.
He attended the University of Kansas and received a bachelor's degree in political science, graduating in 1961; after graduation, he joined his family's business and spent his professional career in banking, real estate and insurance.
[2] Reilly originally joined the state legislature when he was appointed to the Kansas House of Representatives in 1964, to fill a seat left vacant by the resignation of Robert Behee.
[1] During his time in the legislature, Reilly chaired the Committee on Federal and State Affairs, which often dealt with issues involving corrections and the penal system.
After his retirement from the Kansas Senate, Reilly was appointed to the United States Parole Commission, serving as chairman from August 1992 to February 1997 and again in 2001.