Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly approves redrawn Board of Education map that drew criticism
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly approved a package of redistricting maps Friday that includes new lines for the state Board of Education that have been heavily criticized.
The Democratic governor approved redrawn boundaries for state Senate, House and Board of Education seats. Under the state Constitution, the Kansas Supreme Court reviews the legislative maps.
The Legislature bundled the three maps into a single bill, meaning Kelly had to either veto all three or sign. While the governor’s office announced Friday afternoon she had signed the bill, it offered no immediate explanation and didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican and Kelly’s likely general election opponent, is required to petition the Supreme Court to review the new legislative districts. In a statement, Schmidt said he would go further and ask to the court to approve the map as well.
“The new legislative district boundaries appear to satisfy all legal requirements previously established by state constitutional, statutory or common law,” Schmidt said.
If the Supreme Court rejects the maps, the Legislature will have the opportunity to make changes.
The Board of Education map, which splits the state into 10 equal districts, drew heavy opposition from board members when lawmakers proposed it last month. The map splits Wyandotte County into three board of education districts and draws four current members into a district with another incumbent.
When the map was proposed, Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, said he hoped the configuration would encourage more conservatives to run for the state board.
“I’d love to have more conservatives run because you’re starting to see, particularly after COVID, how important education is and how important that board is in the process,” Masterson said.
During the Board of Education’s April meeting last week, chair Jim Porter said Kelly had indicated she was likely to sign the package but he asked her to express her disappointment over the state board map.
The message, Porter said, could help an outside group appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court to reject the map when they review it.
“There’s a group that intends to intervene on our behalf,” Porter said.
