Secretary of State Scott Schwab Announces 2025 Legislative Agenda

Tuesday, January 7, 2025

TOPEKA – Today, Secretary of State Scott Schwab announced his 2025 legislative agenda. Schwab is proposing to eliminate unnecessary customer filings with the Office, reduce customer fees, help protect Kansas businesses from scams, modernize the state’s rule and regulation making process, and enhance Kansas election laws.

The Secretary of State’s legislative agenda includes:

Eliminate Unnecessary Filings and Reduce Fees: As part of Secretary Schwab’s goal to modernize and streamline the Secretary of State’s Office, he proposes to eliminate over a dozen statutorily required filings and reduce or eliminate numerous fees. Many filings are duplicative in nature or are no longer used in the conduct of business in Kansas.

“Eliminating filings and cutting fees builds on my commitment to modernize the agency,” Schwab said. “Kansans deserve to benefit from our increased productivity and to pay less to the government when possible.”

Combat Business Scams: Currently, third parties offer some Secretary of State services to Kansas business owners for exorbitant prices, while these services are provided directly by the agency for a significantly lower cost. Often, these third parties take on the appearance of a government agency. Schwab’s legislation would require these companies put a disclaimer on all messaging directing businesses to the lower cost option provided by the Office.

“We have successfully moved business filings off a 30-year-old computer system,” Schwab said. “I plan to continue prioritizing Kansas businesses by combating scammers.”

Modernize Regulation Making Process: In Kansas, the rule and regulation making process has been paper-based since 1965. Schwab is continuing an initiative launched in 2024 to modernize and improve the efficiency and transparency of the regulation making process for all state agencies, boards, and commissions.

“A paper-based system lacks transparency for Kansans who are affected by, and often bear the cost of, state government regulations,” Schwab said. “The current process is outdated, has many flaws, increases the potential for human error, and is inefficient.”

Enhance Elections and Election Security: The 2024 elections ran smoothly, but Schwab aims to continuously improve Kansas election laws by addressing some insights gained during the election cycle through targeted legislation. Secretary Schwab is seeking authority to regulate the use of drop boxes and increase election worker safety by making it a crime to threaten or interfere with election workers performing official duties.

“I stand willing to work with the legislature on other ideas regarding Kansas election law,” Schwab said.

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