Virgil Weigel is a Democratic state representative from Kansas House District 56 who has represented the district since January 2017 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election.[1]Weigel previously held the same seat from 2012 to 2015 and served in the U.S. Army.[1]
Virgil Weigel was born in Hays, Kansas, and graduated from high school in 1971.[1]He served in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1974 as an armored crewman, then earned a bachelor of arts from Fort Hays State University in 1982 and a master's degree in political science in 1983.[1]His career experience includes work with the Hays Police Department, the U.S. Border Patrol, the MTAA Police Department and the Kansas Department of Revenue/ABC, and he has been a member of the Boy Scouts, the Safe Streets Advisory Board, American Legion Post 400 and the Neighborhood Watch.[1]
Weigel first served in the Kansas House of Representatives for District 56 from 2012 to 2015, and he returned to the seat on January 9, 2017.[1]In the 2025-2026 session he was assigned to the Financial Institutions and Pensions, House Transportation, Transportation and Public Safety Budget, and Veterans and Military committees.[1]He defeated Braeden Curwick in the August 4, 2026 Democratic primary and faces Republican Elvin Fajardo in the general election.[1]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Jobs & cost of living186 with · 12 against198 votes
On the version voted Feb 26, 2026: Makes supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for later fiscal years for state agencies, authorizing certain transfers, capital improvement projects, and fees.
Limits the ban on prepayment penalties more than six months after signing to home loans made for personal, family or household purposes, which lets lenders charge prepayment penalties on business-purpose home loans.
On the version voted Mar 17, 2026: Has Kansas elect to take part in the federal tax credit for contributions to scholarship granting organizations for tax years after 2026, and raises the aggregate cap on the state's low-income scholarship tax credit program.
Requires political subdivisions to hold an open meeting and make written findings before approving a contingent-fee legal services contract, and requires Attorney General approval before it takes effect; the provisions expire July 1, 2029.
Repeals the Mail Ballot Election Act and all provisions authorizing elections conducted exclusively by mail ballot, without changing advance voting by mail in primary, general, or special elections.
On the version voted Mar 24, 2025: Renames the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission, requires closing campaign accounts of officeholders who decline to run or lose re-election, and amends other campaign finance rules.
Directs the Department for Children and Families to request a federal waiver to bar buying candy and soft drinks with SNAP food assistance, and to bar those purchases if approved. If denied, it must reapply each year.
Directs the children and families secretary to request a federal waiver barring purchase of candy and soft drinks with SNAP benefits, to re-request it yearly if denied, and to implement it within six months if granted.
Requires public school districts to give elementary students 30 minutes of organized recess daily from 2027-28, bars withholding recess as discipline unless a student is an immediate threat, and requires an annual state physical fitness test for grades 1 through 12.
On the version voted Mar 17, 2026: Has Kansas elect to take part in the federal tax credit for contributions to scholarship granting organizations for tax years after 2026, and raises the aggregate cap on the state's low-income scholarship tax credit program.
Requires public school districts to give elementary students 30 minutes of organized recess daily from 2027-28, bars withholding recess as discipline unless a student is an immediate threat, and requires an annual state physical fitness test for grades 1 through 12.
Requires nursing school faculty to hold a nursing degree at least one level above the degree of the program they teach, bars the Board of Nursing from requiring more advanced credentials, and lets the Board grant exemptions to schools with hiring hardships.
Bars cities and counties from enforcing building codes, ordinances, or permit and license requirements against non-public registered agritourism locations: working farms of 160 acres or less with an agricultural education facility, open to the public by invitation only.
Deems a pesticide label to satisfy state health or safety warning requirements if it matches the most recent federal health assessment or EPA carcinogenicity classification, without barring claims unrelated to warnings or labeling.
Requires local governments to approve or deny single-family building permits within 60 days of a complete application or the permit is deemed approved, and requires the health department to act on construction stormwater notices within 45 days.
Requires driver's licenses to list citizenship status and lets a person whose license lists them as a noncitizen but who claims to be a citizen obtain a provisional ballot.
Requires the Division of Vehicles to give the Secretary of State a quarterly list of noncitizens with driver's licenses, checked against voter rolls; county officials must remove matching noncitizens within five business days and notify them they can be reinstated with proof of citizenship.
On the version voted Mar 13, 2025: Authorizes a Hunter Nation license plate starting January 1, 2026, for passenger vehicles and trucks up to 20,000 pounds. Hunter Nation, Inc. sets a royalty of $25 to $100, paid at issuance and renewal.
Limits the ban on prepayment penalties more than six months after signing to home loans made for personal, family or household purposes, which lets lenders charge prepayment penalties on business-purpose home loans.
Proposes a constitutional amendment, from tax year 2028, taxing residential, commercial, industrial and farm-building property at the lesser of fair market value or average fair market value, and letting the Legislature set valuation limits for property classes.
On the version voted Apr 10, 2026: Bars cities and counties from adopting or enforcing local rules that stop landlords from refusing housing-voucher payments, restrict tenant screening criteria, cap security deposits, or require a right of first refusal for tenants; voids such rules adopted before July 1, 2026.
Enacts the SAVE Act, barring compensation for referring a veteran to others, and for services on claims filed within one year of active-duty release unless the veteran signs a waiver; requires written fee agreements before services.
Expands veteran's preference in government hiring to certain National Guard and reserve members and eligible spouses, creates a Capitol kiosk listing Kansas military members killed in service, creates a Kansas Military Affairs Commission, and limits fees for help with veterans benefits claims.
Declares the World Health Organization, United Nations and World Economic Forum have no jurisdiction in Kansas and bars the state, its agencies and local governments from enforcing any of their rules, fees, taxes, policies or mandates.
Limits online voter registration to .gov websites or sites approved by the Secretary of State under data-protection criteria, and makes running an unapproved voter registration website a crime.
Bars state agencies from letting employees access designated foreign-adversary AI platforms such as DeepSeek on state devices and networks, and bars medical and research facilities from using genetic sequencers and software made by foreign adversaries.
Requires public school districts, and permits accredited nonpublic schools, to adopt policies banning student cell phone use during the school day, with phones turned off and stowed, sets enforcement procedures, and provides indemnity for lost or damaged devices.
Voted against most of their party on 25 of 279 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Jobs & cost of living (9), Rights & public safety (7), Climate & energy (5)
Providing a protest petition to contest certain increases in property tax revenues and continuing reimbursements from the taxpayer notification costs fund for an additional five years.
A yes vote adopted the conference committee report on HB 2043, the property tax protest petition bill, accepting the compromise text negotiated between the House and Senate. (AI-written)
What it does: Lets voters contest non-school local budgets raising property taxes above the prior year plus inflation (up to 3 percent) by protest petition signed by 10 percent of the district's Secretary of State vote total; exten…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 9–25, Republicans 78–10
Senate Substitute for HB 2372 by Committee on Federal and State Affairs - Creating the crime of unlawful approach of a first responder and providing penalties therefore, requiring traffic laws that apply to local and state law enforcement to apply to federal law enforcement; including federal law enforcement in the definitions used in the crime of interference with law enforcement; including buildings owned by the United States in the crime of interference with the conduct of public business of public buildings; including enforcement of federal laws and executive orders in the exceptions from liability in the tort claims act, relating to the enforcement of detainers issued by the United States immigration and customs enforcement by a county sheriff operating a county jail; requiring municipal insurance pools to provide coverage of law enforcement agencies enforcing federal law; requiring the state to pay certain judgements in federal civil actions and provide legal representation by the attorney general, exempting section 287(g) federal immigration agreements from certain provisions of the interlocal cooperation act.
A yes vote adopted the conference committee report on HB 2372, which creates the crime of unlawful approach of a first responder and lets sheriffs detain people named in facially sufficient federal immigration detainer requests. (AI-written)
What it does: On the version voted Apr 9, 2026: Makes it a misdemeanor to come within 25 feet of an on-duty first responder after a warning if it distracts them or raises safety concerns, lets sheriffs hold people on immigration de…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 1–35, Republicans 84–4
Relating to housing code requirements, removing the definition of apartment houses from chapter 31 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, providing requirements for adoption of the international fire code, 2024 edition, and providing that certain state accessibility standards are not applicable to moderate income housing program and Kansas investor tax credit housing act projects.
A yes vote adopted the conference committee report on HB 2739, which exempts apartment houses from State Fire Marshal fire safety rules and requires the Marshal's regulations under the bill to be ratified by a bill. (AI-written)
What it does: Removes apartment houses from State Fire Marshal fire safety rules and repeals the definition of apartment house. Exempts housing financed through two state housing programs from accessibility standards and creates a…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 11–24, Republicans 86–0
Requiring the department of wildlife and parks to offer a discounted resident senior combination hunting and fishing license to residents of Kansas who are 65 years of age or older and increasing the maximum age to qualify for the Kansas kids lifetime combination hunting and fishing license and decreasing the maximum fee and removing the expiration of such license.
What it does: Requires the wildlife department to offer a resident senior combination hunting and fishing license for Kansans 65 or older, at a fee no more than one-eighth of the general lifetime combination license, and changes th…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 15–22, Republicans 86–1
Requiring members of governing bodies of subordinate service taxing areas to be residents of such taxing areas.
What it does: Requires voting members of an appointed governing body of a subordinate service taxing area to live in that area when it levies a property tax or sets a budget; nonresident members serve as nonvoting.
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 13–23, Republicans 81–2
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
HB 2763 · KS HOUSE
Requiring school districts to provide elementary students with a certain amount of daily recess, prohibiting limiting or withholding recess for disciplinary reasons, requiring a Kansas state fitness test and designating required recess time as part of the school term.
NoVOTED
Motion: Conference Committee Report was adopted
A yes vote adopted the conference committee report on HB 2763, the elementary school recess bill, accepting the compromise text negotiated between the House and Senate. (AI-written)
Requires public school districts to give elementary students 30 minutes of organized recess daily from 2027-28, bars withholding recess as discipline unless a student is an immediate threat, and requires an annual state physical fitness test for grades 1 through 12.
Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to value residential real, commercial and industrial real property and mobile homes property based on the fair market value or average fair market value of the residential portion and providing the legislature the authority to establish valuation limits for any classes or subclasses of property.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to concur with amendments failed
A yes vote agreed to the Senate's amendments to HCR 5008, the constitutional amendment on valuing residential, commercial and industrial property. (AI-written)
Proposes a constitutional amendment, from tax year 2028, taxing residential, commercial, industrial and farm-building property at the lesser of fair market value or average fair market value, and letting the Legislature set valuation limits for property classes.
Providing that certain portions of the crime of cruelty to animals do not apply to any person who catches a feral cat to provide vaccination, spaying or neutering and returns such cat back to the location where such cat is caught.
YesVOTED
Motion: Motion to not adopt Conference Committee Report passed; (Bill is killed)
As rewritten by the conference report voted on, lets Butler, Labette and Leavenworth counties ask voters to approve extra countywide sales taxes for property tax relief, fire departments and emergency management, and keeps the current city-county sales tax sharing formula through 2027.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto prevailed; Line item veto 88(k), 88(m) overridden
A yes vote overrode the governor's line-item veto of two provisions in the state budget bill (HB 2513) creating a school-district penalty process for student walkouts and setting education program spending. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto prevailed; Line item veto 26(a), 53(b), 54(w) overridden
A yes vote overrode the governor's line-item vetoes in the budget bill (HB 2513), including a provision letting state employees and legislators park in ungated state lots from 5 to 11 p.m. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto failed; Line item veto 37(e) sustained
A yes vote overrode the governor's line-item veto of the budget bill's aviation loan program, which authorizes loans to airport authorities and aircraft maintenance firms funded by up to $50 million. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto prevailed; Line item veto 54(u), 54(y) overridden
A yes vote overrode the governor's line-item vetoes of two budget provisions: performance-metric requirements for state-funded program applicants, and unlimited access to state accounting systems for legislative fiscal auditors. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto prevailed; Line item veto 15(b), 15(c) overridden
A yes vote overrode the governor's line-item vetoes in the budget bill (HB 2513) of the Board of Nursing's nurse fair treatment and recovery fund and a $500,000 transfer into it. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto prevailed; Line item veto 37(a) overridden
A yes vote overrode the governor's line-item veto of the State Treasurer's $3 million pregnancy compassion awareness program (formerly the alternatives to abortion program) in the budget bill. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
Making and concerning supplemental appropriations for fiscal year 2026 and appropriations for fiscal years 2027, 2028, 2029 and 2030 for various state agencies, authorizing certain capital improvement projects and fees, authorizing certain transfers.
NoVOTED
Motion: Motion to override line item veto prevailed; Line item veto 72(l), 74(p) overridden
A yes vote overrode the governor's line-item vetoes of two budget provisions requiring spending to implement the CDC immunization schedules in effect July 1, 2026, including Medicaid coverage. (AI-written)
Sets state agency spending for fiscal years 2026 through 2030, including about $27.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 and $26.8 billion in fiscal year 2027 from all funds, and funds a new Office of Early Childhood.
