Government of Kansas

It passes statutes, votes on the budget, and controls the action of the executive through oversight and the power of impeachment.

The independent judiciary is based on the common law system which evolved from use in the British Empire.

The people of the state reserve the right to directly participate in the government by referendum, recall, and ratification.

The Lieutenant Governor of Kansas is in line to succeed to the governorship in the event of a vacancy.

Even so, such executive orders do not have the force of law and may only be issued when related directly to the governor's duties.

Given the dominance of the two-party system in Kansas (between the Democrats and the Republicans), the plurality is often a majority as well.

The lieutenant governor is the second-highest official in the Kansas government and the first in line to succeed to the governorship in the event of a vacancy.

The Kansas Legislature, the state's legislative branch, consists of two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

All acts of the legislature must be approved by a majority in both houses and signed by the governor to be enacted into law.

The Senate is the upper house of the legislature, with its 40 seats divided equally among the state's 40 senatorial districts.

Each member serves for a two-year term, with the entire House up for reelection every even numbered year.

All bills for raising revenue must originate in the House of Representatives, though the Senate may alter and amend them as the body sees fit.

Justices are also ratified by the electorate at the next general election following their appointment and at the end of each six-year term.

All lawyer admissions and disbarments are done through recommendations of the association, which are then routinely ratified by the Supreme Court.

The association has 6,900 members, including lawyers, judges, law students, and paralegals.

Once published, the opinion becomes the controlling factor in the state's law surrounding the issue(s) it addresses.

In traditional Midwestern fashion, counties in Kansas possess a moderate scope of power.

Their primary responsibilities are related to managing, planning for, and governing all unincorporated land within their borders.

The counties must also maintain a court system, law enforcement, road and bridge construction, and voter registration.

All county officials serve four-year terms beginning on the first Monday in January following their election.