Sunday, December 2, 2012
Nearly a third of the Kansas Legislature's members will have no previous experience in either chamber when lawmakers convene in January.
That will bring new energy and less predictability to the lawmakers' annual session.
The large freshman class is likely to have a big influence over how lawmakers and conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback close a projected budget shortfall and tackle other issues.
Turnover in the Senate will push it to the political right following the ouster of moderate GOP leaders who'd worked with Democrats to stall initiatives from Brownback and other conservatives.
In the House, 49 of the 125 members will have no prior legislative experience.
Four of 40 senators will have no previous service in the Legislature, but another 12 are new to the chamber from the House.
