State Legislative Agenda
The Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce's primary government relations goal is to create a better business environment for your company or organization by promoting investment, innovation and job creation.
Each year, the Wichita Chamber develops a state legislative agenda of initiatives important to the business community in South Central Kansas. This agenda is developed by the Chamber’s Government Relations Committee with input from Chamber membership, including a survey to all members. It is then approved by the Chamber’s Board of Directors. For more information about the process of developing the Legislative Agenda, contact Toni Porter, Vice President of Government Relations.
All Kansas legislators receive a copy of the agenda familiarizing them with the Wichita Chamber's priorities for the legislative session. The Chamber creates a scorecard after each session to show how members of the South Central Kansas delegation voted on items of importance to the Chamber and business community. View the 2024 Legislative Scorecard.
2025 State Legislative Agenda
Workforce Development, Talent and Education
- Support innovative approaches to addressing critical workforce shortages through tax incentives, tuition forgiveness, and other creative means.
- Support expanded funding for workforce development programs, including the Excel in CTE initiative, the Level Up Kansas initiative, the Kansas Promise Scholarship Act, the National Center for Aviation Training (NCAT), and apprenticeships.
- Advocate for criminal justice reform and enhanced re-entry programs that encourage ex-offenders to re-enter the workforce and support programs that encourage work and help recipients of government assistance with obtaining employment.
- Promote systems of diverse and inclusive educational options that can be tailored to meet the needs of individual students, like the student-focused Kansas Tax Credit for Low Income Students Scholarship, and a greater emphasis on certifications and college credit during high school.
- Support growing the Kansas and local economy through applied research and private-public partnerships, like the National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR), university/business innovation programs (WSU's Innovation Campus), and career pathways for high school students.
- Support an increased focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning initiatives, including support for computer science classes in schools.
Taxation and Budget
- Oppose increases in business taxes and fees that would negatively impact Kansas’ competitive environment.
- Support a reduction and simplification of the income tax code at the corporate and individual levels.
- Encourage government to reduce spending and pursue efficiencies through consolidation, privatization, and innovation.
- Support policies that would reduce property taxes.
Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Technology
- Promote and expand critical tax/economic development incentive programs that result in more jobs and investment.
- Support enhancements and increased focus on entrepreneurship and the technology sector as contributors to economic growth.
Healthcare
- Support increases in Medicaid reimbursement rates and inpatient mental health beds.
- Support the identification and implementation of innovative and effective strategies to reduce and treat substance abuse.
- Oppose mandates and excessive regulations that increase the cost of providing affordable healthcare coverage to employees.
- Support policies and programs to address homelessness.
Transportation
- Support the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE) and encourage equitable taxing and distribution of funding to address critical needs in South Central Kansas, including the regionally significant projects identified by the South Central Kansas Transportation Coalition.
- Encourage policies that would draw Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) federal transportation dollars to the South Central Kansas region.
- Support policies that expand air service at Eisenhower Airport.
- Support policies that would allow for regional transportation authorities.
Energy, Environment and Regulation
- Support policies and incentives that will improve the competitiveness of Kansas utility rates.
- Protect and strengthen workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance reforms.
- Reform regulations to ensure Kansas is competitive with other states related to childcare regulations.
- Support policies that preempt local units of government from banning products and services that are not prohibited by the state.
- Support legislation to address the municipal water supply and regulatory uncertainty for the region.
- Support a Constitutional amendment allowing the legislature to override agency rules or regulations via a resolution.
Inclusion & Diversity
- Support policies that strengthen access and opportunity for diverse populations and promote racial justice.
- Advocate for reforms that address racial disparities in the criminal justice system and support appropriate training and adequate funding for law enforcement.
