46-142. Preorganizational meetings of members-elect; selection of candidates for offices of senate and house; election of majority and minority leaders; secretary of state as temporary chairperson of each house; election of officers, when. (a) Persons elected to the house of representatives in 1976 for terms to commence in 1977, shall meet at the state capitol in Topeka on the first Monday in December in 1976, and such members-elect shall convene at 10 o'clock a.m. in the house of representatives. The secretary of state or an assistant or deputy assistant designated by the secretary of state shall call the meeting to order, and shall call the roll of the members-elect from the list certified by the state board of canvassers as provided in K.S.A. 25-3206 et seq. and shall thereupon appoint one of the members-elect to be temporary chairperson of the meeting. Upon adjournment, on the same day, the members-elect of the majority and minority parties of the house of representatives shall caucus and nominate, respectively, their candidates for speaker and speaker pro tem of the house of representatives for the next ensuing biennium, and select, respectively, their majority leader, minority leader, and other caucus or party officers. Such bodies of members-elect may determine such other matters as their parties shall deem necessary and proper and as will aid the legislature in organizing and performing its functions as soon as possible after the legislature is convened. In each even-numbered year thereafter, the members-elect of the house of representatives shall meet and caucus in the same manner and take such actions as hereinbefore indicated.

(b) Persons elected to the senate in 1976 for terms to commence in 1977 shall meet at the state capitol in Topeka on the first Monday in December in 1976, and such members-elect shall convene at 10 o'clock a.m. in the senate chamber. The secretary of state or an assistant or deputy assistant designated by the secretary of state shall call the meeting to order, and shall call the roll of the members-elect from the list certified by the state board of canvassers and shall thereupon appoint one of the members-elect to be temporary chairperson of the meeting. Upon adjournment, on the same day, the members-elect of the majority and minority parties of the senate shall caucus and nominate their candidates, respectively, for president and vice-president of the senate for the next ensuing four years and select, respectively, their majority leader, minority leader, and other caucus or party officers. Such bodies of members-elect may determine such other matters as their parties shall deem necessary and proper and as will aid the legislature in organizing and performing its functions as soon as possible after the legislature is convened. In each fourth year after 1976, the members-elect of the senate shall meet and caucus in the same manner and take such actions as hereinbefore indicated.

(c) The secretary of state, or an assistant or deputy assistant designated by the secretary of state, shall serve as temporary chairperson of the house of representatives from the moment of convening of the house of representatives until the speaker of the house of representatives has been duly elected and has taken his or her oath of office. The election of the speaker shall be the first order of business following the administration of oaths to the members.

(d) The secretary of state, or an assistant or deputy assistant designated by the secretary of state, shall serve as temporary chairperson of the senate from the moment of convening of the senate until the president of the senate has been duly elected and has taken his or her oath of office. The election of the president shall be the first order of business following the administration of oaths to the senators.

History: L. 1968, ch. 169, § 1; L. 1975, ch. 270, §1; July 1.