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STATE OFFICES

The following is a brief description of the elected offices of the Kansas Executive Branch.

GOVERNOR

Under the Kansas Constitution ,the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Kansas executive branch. The governor is the commander-in-chief of the state National Guard when not called into federal use. Despite being an executive branch official, the governor also possesses legislative and judicial powers. The responsibilities of the Governor include making yearly "State of the State" addresses to the Kansas Legislature, submitting the budget, ensuring that state laws are enforced, and that the peace is preserved.

Other duties and privileges of the office include:

• commanding reports from any other officer of the Executive on any aspect of their job. Heads of state institutions must also make annual reports to the Governor no later than ten days prior to the state of the regular legislative session (§ 4).

• calling the legislature into special session either by proclamation or following a petition signed by two-thirds the membership of either house (§ 5), as well as adjourning the legislature when the body cannot agree to do so itself

• reorganizing the parts of the Executive "for the purpose of transferring, abolishing, consolidating or coordinating" (§ 6)

• granting pardons (§ 7)

• keeping and officially using the Great Seal of Kansas (§ 8)

• making vacancies to the offices of Attorney General of Kansas and Kansas Secretary of State (§ 11)

 LT. GOVERNOR

The lieutenant governor succeeds to the officer of governor if the office becomes vacant, and may also serve as acting governor if the governor is incapacitated or absent from the state.

The office has such other responsibilities and duties as the Governor shall assign.

 ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Attorney General of Kansas is the chief legal official and law enforcement official of the state. The office of the Attorney General  carries out its prescribed duties through the coordinated efforts of its constituent divisions. The office is responsible for protecting consumers from fraud, assisting the victims of crime, defending the state in civil proceedings, giving legal counsel to various agencies and boards and ensuring the legal integrity of overall governmental operations as per constitutional guidelines and state code.

 SECRETARY OF STATE

 Electoral

The secretary of state is the chief elections officer of the state, administering elections and voter registration throughout the state.

The office also files campaign finance reports and registers lobbyists. The duty of regulating lobbying and campaign finance is shared with the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission.

 Economic

 The secretary operates the business filing center, which registers business entities, trademarks, trade names, and liens made pursuant to the uniform commercial code.

 The secretary regulates a wide variety of businesses, including sports agents, trade unions, cemeteries, and funeral homes.

 Administrative

 The publications section is responsible for publishing various legal and informational documents for the state. This includes statutory and administrative law publications such as session laws, regulations, and the official state gazette, the Kansas Register.

 The secretary also operates "Safe at Home," an address confidentiality program and conducts census adjustments.

TREASURER

The Office of the Kansas State Treasurer is separated into five areas: administration, bond services, cash management, Kansas learning quest and unclaimed property. The administration department covers the overall workings of the office, the bond department issues money to schools or cities that have bonds, the cash department keeps track of allocated money and invests it as needed. Unclaimed property tracks down owners or heirs and the learning quest department provides funds for higher education to students in need.

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER

The commissioner is charged with the administration of all laws relating to insurance, insurance companies and fraternal benefit societies doing business in this state, and all other duties which are or may be imposed upon such officer by law. The commissioner also has general supervision, control and regulation of corporations, companies, associations, societies, exchanges, partnerships, or persons authorized to transact the business of insurance, indemnity or suretyship in this state and shall have the power to make all reasonable rules and regulations necessary to enforce the laws of this state relating thereto."