Decorum is essential to good policymaking.  It creates an appropriately formal atmosphere.  It encourages order and focus on the issues being discussed, not on the person speaking.  To ensure this, all members of media are asked to follow the rules set by the Kansas House Leadership.  Please contact the Speaker’s office at 785/296-2302 for more information.

A media pass is required for admittance to the House floor when the House is in session. Session-long passes are obtained in the offices of the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate in alternating years (House in even years).  One-day passes are available through the Speaker’s office.

When the House is in session:

·         Professional dress is required to be in the House chamber.  Shorts, T-shirts, tank tops, etc are not acceptable attire.

·         Members of the media are not allowed on the floor of the chamber where legislators' desks are located.  Only Representatives are allowed to walk in the center aisle and in front of the dais.

·         Members of the media should remain in designated areas: the Media Desk and along the back and side walls of the chamber. They are not allowed in leadership offices located adjacent to the back hall unless they have an appointment. 

·         Members of the media are not to sit, lean, stand on, or pass behind the dais. They can use the back hallway to go from one side of the House to the other.

·         Members of the media should not interview Representatives at their desks. Interviews may be conducted once the House adjourns or outside the chamber.

·         For safety purposes, photographers wanting to work from either gallery must get prior approval from the Speaker’s office or the Sergeant-of-Arms.

·         No photographs of the voting board are allowed during the taking of a division vote.

·         The use of cell phones in the House chamber and galleries is prohibited.  Members of the media are asked to leave the chamber to use their cell phones.

During the Governor's State of the State address and other formal situations, the media will remain in assigned areas and refrain from circulating until the House adjourns.  Television cameras are not to be stationed in an area which will restrict the view of the Governor by the members or other guests.  The Speaker’s Office will inform media outlets about assigned areas the day prior to events and if necessary, establish pool coverage, i.e. a print reporter, an audio reporter, a still photographer and a video photographer

Copies of votes, amendments and new bills will be placed on the Media Desk once they are available. Copies of Explanations of Votes may be obtained from the House Journal Room, 473-W, following the daily session.

House Committee Chairmen determine the media rules for their committees.  Please contact House Committee Chairmen with questions.