Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kansas Legislature Supports Revamping State’s Wildlife and Parks Commission
May 13, 2024
Hunter Nation, which is headquartered in Mission, KS, salutes the Kansas Legislature for its bipartisan effort in passing House Bill 2530. This legislation amends the way members of the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission are selected. The new change provides for the Governor to select four (4) members of the commission and the Kansas Speaker of the House, President of the Senate and state Attorney General would each select one (1) member for the seven (7) person commission. Under the previous law, the governor selected all seven (7) members of the commission
Hunter Nation salutes Governor Laura Kelly, who recently signed this legislation into law.
Wildlife management should never be a political issue,” said Keith Mark, Founder and President of Hunter Nation. “Being a lifelong Kansan, and hunter, this bipartisan legislation brings much needed changes, and is a real victory for Kansas hunters, landowners, and wildlife,” added Mark.
Kansas is steeped in a rich tradition of hunting and fishing, passed down through generations. To preserve this heritage, we must unite across party lines and advocate for our sportsmen and sportswomen. Having dedicated hunters and/or anglers on the State Board is crucial—it ensures that Kansas policies protect our rights, our lands, and our way of life,” KS Sen. Jeff Pittman, District 5
“As they say, if you don’t make needed changes, you will retain the same results. The sportsman and landowners saw the radical wokeness with the current system and was asking for better representation for all Kansans. This was a great victory for all Sportsmen not only in Kansas but all over and landowner’s 4th amendment rights are more secure,” commented KS Rep. Ken Corbet, District 54 and owner of Ravenwood Lodge near Topeka
House Bill 2530 passed by the Senate 21-18 and by the House vote of 78-45 on Tuesday.
Contact: Keith Mark at info@hunternation.org
HB 2530 - Conference Committee Report was adopted by both the House and Senate on 04/30/2024
Kansas Senators and Representatives are advocating for hunters by voting in favor of HB2530, which aims to diversify the selection process for the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission.
Please reach out and express your gratitude to the Senators and Representatives who supported Hunters!
"Yea" Vote (21) Senators
- Sen. Larry Alley (R) - Dist. 32
- Sen. Molly Baumgardner (R) - Dist. 37
- Sen. Rick Billinger (R) - Dist. 40
- Sen. J.R. Claeys (R) - Dist. 24
- Sen. Renee Erickson (R) - Dist. 30
- Sen. Michael Fagg (R) - Dist. 14
- Sen. Beverly Gossage (R) - Dist. 9
- Sen. Rick Kloos (R) - Dist. 19
- Sen. Ty Masterson (R) - Dist. 16
- Sen. Virgil Peck, Jr. (R) - Dist. 15
- Sen. Jeff Pittman (D) - Dist. 5
- Sen. Dennis Pyle (R) - Dist. 1
- Sen. Ronald Ryckman (R) - Dist. 38
- Sen. Tim Shallenburger (R) - Dist. 13
- Sen. Mark Steffen (R) - Dist. 34
- Sen. Alicia Straub (R) - Dist. 33
- Sen. Dinah Sykes (D) - Dist. 21
- Sen. Mike Thompson (R) - Dist. 10
- Sen. Caryn Tyson (R) - Dist. 12
- Sen. Kellie Warren (R) - Dist. 11
- Sen. Rick Wilborn (R) - Dist. 35
"Yea" Vote (78) Representatives
- Rep. Avery Anderson (R) - Dist. 72
- Rep. Francis Awerkamp (R) - Dist. 61
- Rep. Carrie Barth (R) - Dist. 5
- Rep. Brian Bergkamp (R) - Dist. 93
- Rep. Emil Bergquist (R) - Dist. 91
- Rep. Lewis "Bill" Bloom (R) - Dist. 64
- Rep. Jesse Borjon (R) - Dist. 52
- Rep. Ron Bryce (R) - Dist. 11
- Rep. David Buehler (R) - Dist. 40
- Rep. Nathan Butler (R) - Dist. 68
- Rep. Blake Carpenter (R) - Dist. 81
- Rep. Will Carpenter (R) - Dist. 75
- Rep. Bill Clifford (R) - Dist. 122
- Rep. Kenneth Collins (R) - Dist. 2
- Rep. Susan Concannon (R) - Dist. 107
- Rep. Ken Corbet (R) - Dist. 54
- Rep. Chris Croft (R) - Dist. 8
- Rep. Leo Delperdang (R) - Dist. 94
- Rep. Michael Dodson (R) - Dist. 67
- Rep. Owen Donohoe (R) - Dist. 39
- Rep. Duane Droge (R) - Dist. 13
- Rep. Ronald Ellis (R) - Dist. 47
- Rep. John Eplee (R) - Dist. 63
- Rep. Robyn R. Essex (R) - Dist. 78
- Rep. Susan Estes (R) - Dist. 87
- Rep. Brett Fairchild (R) - Dist. 113
- Rep. Shannon Francis (R) - Dist. 125
- Rep. Randy Garber (R) - Dist. 62
- Rep. Jason W. Goetz (R) - Dist. 119
- Rep. Daniel Hawkins (R) - Dist. 100
- Rep. Scott Hill (R) - Dist. 70
- Rep. Kyle Hoffman (R) - Dist. 116
- Rep. Nick Hoheisel (R) - Dist. 97
- Rep. Michael Houser (R) - Dist. 1
- Rep. Steven K. Howe (R) - Dist. 71
- Rep. Leah Howell (R) - Dist. 82
- Rep. Cyndi Howerton (R) - Dist. 98
- Rep. Susan Humphries (R) - Dist. 99
- Rep. Tom Kessler (R) - Dist. 96
- Rep. Brenda Landwehr (R) - Dist. 105
- Rep. Bob Lewis (R) - Dist. 123
- Rep. Les Mason (R) - Dist. 73
- Rep. Carl Maughan (R) - Dist. 90
- Rep. Kyle McNorton (R) - Dist. 50
- Rep. Lynn Melton (D) - Dist. 36
- Rep. Jim Minnix (R) - Dist. 118
- Rep. Lisa Moser (R) - Dist. 106
- Rep. Michael Murphy (R) - Dist. 114
- Rep. Lance W. Neelly (R) - Dist. 42
- Rep. Stephen Owens (R) - Dist. 74
- Rep. Patrick Penn (R) - Dist. 85
- Rep. Sandy Pickert (R) - Dist. 88
- Rep. Samantha Poetter Parshall (R) - Dist. 6
- Rep. Pat Proctor (R) - Dist. 41
- Rep. Ken Rahjes (R) - Dist. 110
- Rep. John Resman (R) - Dist. 121
- Rep. Bill Rhiley (R) - Dist. 80
- Rep. Marvin Robinson (D) - Dist. 35
- Rep. Webster T. Roth (R) - Dist. 79
- Rep. Clarke Sanders (R) - Dist. 69
- Rep. Rebecca Schmoe (R) - Dist. 59
- Rep. Joe Seiwert (R) - Dist. 101
- Rep. Chuck Smith (R) - Dist. 3
- Rep. Eric Smith (R) - Dist. 76
- Rep. Bill Sutton (R) - Dist. 43
- Rep. Sean Tarwater (R) - Dist. 27
- Rep. Adam Thomas (R) - Dist. 26
- Rep. Mike Thompson (R) - Dist. 33
- Rep. Kenny Titus (R) - Dist. 51
- Rep. Adam Turk (R) - Dist. 117
- Rep. Carl Turner (R) - Dist. 28
- Rep. Jeff Underhill (R) - Dist. 65
- Rep. Paul Waggoner (R) - Dist. 104
- Rep. Barb Wasinger (R) - Dist. 111
- Rep. Troy Waymaster (R) - Dist. 109
- Rep. Gary White (R) - Dist. 115
- Rep. Kristey Williams (R) - Dist. 77
- Rep. Laura Williams (R) - Dist. 30
Kansas Senators and Representatives who voted against of HB2530, which aims to diversify the selection process for the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission.
"Nay" Vote (18) Senators
- Sen. Chase Blasi (R) - Dist. 27
- Sen. Elaine Bowers (R) - Dist. 36
- Sen. Ethan Corson (D) - Dist. 7
- Sen. Brenda Dietrich (R) - Dist. 20
- Sen. John Doll (R) - Dist. 39
- Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau (D) - Dist. 29
- Sen. Marci Francisco (D) - Dist. 2
- Sen. David Haley (D) - Dist. 4
- Sen. Tom Holland (D) - Dist. 3
"Nay" Vote (45) Representatives
- Rep. John Alcala (D) - Dist. 57
- Rep. Mike Amyx (D) - Dist. 45
- Rep. Barbara Ballard (D) - Dist. 44
- Rep. Doug Blex (R) - Dist. 12
- Rep. Sydney Carlin (D) - Dist. 66
- Rep. John Carmichael (D) - Dist. 92
- Rep. Ford Carr (D) - Dist. 84
- Rep. Pam Curtis (D) - Dist. 32
- Rep. Linda Featherston (D) - Dist. 16
- Rep. Fred Gardner (R) - Dist. 9
- Rep. Dan Goddard (R) - Dist. 7
- Rep. Kirk Haskins (D) - Dist. 53
- Rep. Christina Haswood (D) - Dist. 10
- Rep. Henry Helgerson (D) - Dist. 83
- Rep. Dennis "Boog" Highberger (D) - Dist. 46
- Rep. Allison Hougland (D) - Dist. 15
- Rep. Jo Ella Hoye (D) - Dist. 17
- Rep. Trevor Jacobs (R) - Dist. 4
- Rep. Timothy Johnson (R) - Dist. 38
- Rep. Angela Martinez (D) - Dist. 103
- Rep. Nikki McDonald (D) - Dist. 49
- Rep. Heather Meyer (D) - Dist. 29
- Rep. Dennis Miller (D) - Dist. 14
- Rep. Silas Miller (D) - Dist. 86
- Rep. Vic Miller (D) - Dist. 58
- Rep. Cindy Neighbor (D) - Dist. 18
- Rep. KC Ohaebosim (D) - Dist. 89
- Rep. Melissa Oropeza (D) - Dist. 37
- Rep. Dan Osman (D) - Dist. 48
- Rep. Jarrod Ousley (D) - Dist. 24
- Rep. Mari-Lynn Poskin (D) - Dist. 20
- Rep. Jason Probst (D) - Dist. 102
- Rep. Louis Ruiz (D) - Dist. 31
- Rep. Susan Ruiz (D) - Dist. 23
- Rep. Tom Sawyer (D) - Dist. 95
- Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton (D) - Dist. 19
- Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen (D) - Dist. 55
- Rep. Mark Schreiber (R) - Dist. 60
- Rep. Adam Smith (R) - Dist. 120
- Rep. Jerry Stogsdill (D) - Dist. 21
- Rep. Lindsay Vaughn (D) - Dist. 22
- Rep. Virgil Weigel (D) - Dist. 56
- Rep. Brandon Woodard (D) - Dist. 108
- Rep. Rui Xu (D) - Dist. 25
- Rep. David Younger (R) - Dist. 124
Kansas Senators and Representatives who were absent for the vote on a hunting-related bill.
Absent Not Voting (1) Senators & (2) Representatives
HB 2530, as agreed upon by the Conference Committee, contains the amended contents of SB 347. This bill would make changes to the Kansas Wildlife and Parks Commission. Hunter Nation actively supported HB 2530 throughout its development, which involved the related House Bill (HB 2582) and Senate Bill (SB 347).
HB 2582 - AN ACT concerning wildlife and parks; relating to the Kansas wildlife and parks commission; increasing the membership of the Kansas wildlife and parks commission from seven to nine; granting membership appointment authority to multiple state officers; providing certain requirements for the members of such commission; amending K.S.A. 2023 Supp. 32-805 and repealing the existing section
SB 347, AN ACT concerning wildlife and parks; relating to the wildlife and parks commission; abolishing the existing commission; creating a new Kansas wildlife and parks commission; granting appointment authority to multiple state officers; authorizing the election of the chairperson thereof; requiring senate confirmation of appointees thereto; amending K.S.A. 2023 Supp. 32-805 and repealing the existing section.