Welcome to KS Governor

The Official Site of the Kansas Governor
Read the Latest

About Laura Kelly

Laura Jeanne Kelly is an American politician serving since 2019 as the 48th governor of Kansas. A member of the Democratic Party, she represented the 18th district in the Kansas Senate from 2005 to 2019. Kelly was elected governor in 2018, defeating Republican nominee Kris Kobach.

Laura Kelly, the Governor of Kansas, ran on a platform of expanding Medicaid, improving education and infrastructure, and addressing the budget deficit.

  1. Medicaid Expansion: Kelly campaigned on expanding Medicaid in Kansas, which would provide health care coverage to thousands of low-income Kansans. She argued that expanding Medicaid would not only improve the health outcomes of thousands of Kansans, but it would also boost the state’s economy by creating jobs and reducing the burden of uncompensated care on hospitals.

  2. Education: Kelly promised to increase funding for public schools and to improve teacher pay. She also pledged to invest in early childhood education and to increase access to vocational and technical education.

  3. Infrastructure: Kelly promised to invest in infrastructure projects throughout the state. She campaigned on the need to improve roads, bridges, and public transportation in order to create jobs and boost economic growth.

  4. Budget deficit: Kelly promised to address the state’s budget deficit by implementing fiscally responsible policies, such as cutting wasteful spending and streamlining government operations.

  5. Economic Development: Kelly promised to create jobs and grow the economy by investing in infrastructure, education, and workforce development. She also promised to promote small businesses and to create a business-friendly environment in Kansas to attract new businesses and investment.

  6. Environmental Protection: Kelly promised to protect Kansas’s natural resources and to address climate change by promoting renewable energy, protecting wetlands and wildlife habitats, and reducing emissions.

  7. Health care: Kelly promised to expand access to affordable health care by increasing Medicaid coverage and protecting those with pre-existing conditions.

  8. Criminal justice reform: Kelly promised to reduce recidivism, improve public safety, and create more effective and efficient criminal justice policies, such as reducing sentences for non-violent offenses, and investing in mental health and addiction treatment programs.

Laura Gets Things Done

Governor Laura Kelly brings together both parties to get things done for Kansas. Laura has brought jobs, businesses, opportunities, and record economic success to Kansas. She’s balanced the budget, fully funded schools, and is fighting for tax cuts for every Kansan.

Our Story

Governor Kelly Leadership

Laura Kelly is the Governor of Kansas who served as the State Senator of Kansas. As a leader, she is known for her commitment to expanding access to healthcare, improving education, and addressing the budget deficit.

One of Kelly’s key priorities as Governor has been expanding Medicaid in Kansas. She campaigned on the issue and has made it a priority in her administration. Expanding Medicaid would provide health care coverage to thousands of low-income Kansans and would boost the state’s economy by creating jobs and reducing the burden of uncompensated care on hospitals.

Another key priority for Kelly has been improving education in Kansas. She has promised to increase funding for public schools and to improve teacher pay. She also pledged to invest in early childhood education and to increase access to vocational and technical education. By investing in education, Kelly hopes to improve the opportunities for Kansas students and prepare them for successful careers.

Additionally, Kelly has also prioritized addressing the state’s budget deficit. She has implemented fiscally responsible policies, such as cutting wasteful spending and streamlining government operations, to balance the budget.

Laura Kelly is also known for her commitment to environmental protection. She has promised to protect Kansas’s natural resources and to address climate change by promoting renewable energy, protecting wetlands and wildlife habitats, and reducing emissions.

In terms of leadership style, Governor Kelly is known for her willingness to work across party lines and to find common ground with lawmakers from both parties. She has been able to successfully negotiate and pass important legislation, despite the challenges of working in a divided government.

In addition to her policy initiatives, Governor Kelly is also known for her strong communication skills. She is often praised for her ability to clearly articulate her vision and policy goals to the public. She is also known for her ability to build relationships and to work collaboratively with other leaders and stakeholders.

Overall, Laura Kelly is a leader who is committed to improving the lives of Kansans through expanding access to healthcare, improving education, and addressing the budget deficit. She is also known for her dedication to environmental protection, her ability to work across party lines, and her strong communication skills.

Make a Difference

Join us.

Contact us

How to Request a Proclamation From the Kansas Governor

TLDR

  • Kansas gubernatorial proclamations are honorary recognitions, not laws or endorsements.
  • Requests currently must come from a Kansan or Kansas organization.
  • The Governor’s Office requires a short draft using a specific proclamation format.
  • Submit well ahead of the observance date because late requests can be declined.
  • Check the current Governor’s Office requirements before preparing the submission because policies can change.

A state proclamation can help a nonprofit, professional association, community group, or awareness campaign formally recognize an issue that matters to Kansans.

But requesting one is not the same as mailing a letter to the governor and asking for a signature.

If you are trying to figure out how to request a proclamation from the Kansas governor, the current process has specific eligibility, formatting, and timing requirements. Knowing those before you start can save a lot of unnecessary rewriting.

What Is a Kansas Governor’s Proclamation?

A proclamation is an honorary statement from the governor recognizing an issue, milestone, accomplishment, or observance considered significant to people in Kansas.

It does not create a new law.

It is also not the same thing as an executive order.

Kansas currently makes that distinction clear: gubernatorial proclamations are honorary and are not legally binding. They also do not automatically represent a formal endorsement of the requesting group.

For broader information about the office and state government, KSGovernor.com can serve as a starting point before following through to the official state resources.

Who Can Submit a Request?

Under the current Kansas Governor’s Office policy, proclamation requests must come from a Kansan or Kansas organization.

An individual generally should be requesting the proclamation on behalf of a larger group rather than simply submitting one personally.

That makes proclamations a better fit for organizations such as:

  • Nonprofits
  • Professional associations
  • Community organizations
  • Advocacy groups
  • Cultural organizations
  • Educational groups
  • Statewide awareness initiatives

Requests involving private commercial promotion are treated differently, and a proclamation cannot simply be turned into advertising without permission from the Governor’s Office.

Start Early

Timing is one of the easiest parts of the process to get wrong.

As of September 2026, the Governor’s Office says requests are due by the 15th day of the month before the requested observance date.

The office also strongly encourages organizations to apply at least eight weeks ahead.

At the same time, applications generally are not accepted more than three months in advance.

That creates a useful planning window.

If your organization has a major awareness day in October, do not wait until the last week of September to begin discussing the proclamation.

Put the request on the event calendar alongside venue reservations, speakers, promotional materials, and other advance planning.

Follow the Required Format

Kansas currently asks applicants to submit draft proclamation language meeting a specific format.

The draft must:

  • Be no more than 250 words
  • Use at least five “WHEREAS” clauses
  • Include one “THEREFORE” clause
  • Cite statistics included in the text
  • Be submitted electronically

The Governor’s Office may edit the final wording.

And there is an unusual requirement worth knowing before you start: current state policy expressly says generative AI may not be used to draft the official proclamation language. A submission containing AI-generated proclamation language may be denied.

That does not prevent an organization from using general resources to understand the process.

But the actual language submitted as the proclamation draft needs to comply with the Governor’s Office policy.

Gather Your Facts Before Writing

A strong proclamation request is easier to prepare when you already have the underlying information organized.

Gather:

  • Organization name
  • Requested observance date
  • Reason for recognition
  • Kansas connection
  • Relevant historical information
  • Current statistics
  • Credible sources for statistics
  • Contact information for the person submitting

Keep the focus on why the observance matters to Kansas.

A national awareness day may be well known, but the application will usually be stronger when the group can explain its significance within the state.

Decide Whether You Want a Ceremony

Kansas currently provides two general issuance options.

One is receiving the signed proclamation by mail.

The other is requesting consideration for an official Statehouse signing ceremony.

Signing ceremonies depend on the governor’s schedule and have participant requirements and group-size limits. A ceremony request therefore needs more planning than simply receiving the proclamation by mail.

If the proclamation will be part of a larger event, decide early whether the ceremony itself matters to the organization.

Understand What Constituent Services Can Do

The Governor’s Office also has a broader Constituent Services function.

Kansans can use it to request help with unresolved state-agency matters, share opinions, request recognition letters, seek proclamations, or submit meeting and event requests.

Those are separate processes.

A proclamation request is not the right method for asking the governor to intervene in an individual agency dispute.

Choose the form that matches what you are actually asking the office to do.

Verify the Rules Before Submitting

Government procedures change.

Before submitting your final request, check the current Kansas Governor’s Office proclamation page rather than relying on an old checklist or a previous organization’s application.

Confirm:

  • Eligibility
  • Deadline
  • Required format
  • Word limit
  • Supporting information
  • Submission method
  • Ceremony options

That last check can prevent an otherwise good request from being rejected for a procedural reason.

Give the Process Enough Time

Learning how to request a proclamation from the Kansas governor is mostly a matter of following the current process carefully.

Start early.

Make sure the request has a real Kansas connection.

Gather accurate information.

Follow the required structure.

And verify the current rules before submitting.

The proclamation itself may eventually fit on one page.

Getting that page approved starts several weeks earlier.