Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate is reserved with special functions such as confirming or rejecting gubernatorial appointments to executive departments, the state cabinet, commissions and boards.

[1] With little evidence of a conspiracy and the smaller role of Governor Charles L. Robinson, his impeachment trial ended with only three state senators voting to convict him.

[2] Prohibitionist, Progressive and Populist movements rose in Kansas in the late 19th century.

[4] Although they did not gain control of the Kansas House of Representatives, the Populists went ahead and claimed it, alleging election fraud.

[4] The Kansas Senate helped enact a law in 1905 to restrict children under 14 from working in factories, meatpacking houses, or mines.

[5] With the help of progressive state senators, women gained the right to vote through a constitutional amendment approved by Kansans on November 5, 1912.

Democrats only gained control of the Kansas Senate briefly in the early 1900s and haven't held it since 1917.

A constitutional amendment adopted at the 1974 general election extended the duration of the session held in the even-numbered years from 60 to 90 calendar days, subject to extension by a vote of two-thirds of the elected membership of each house.