Kansas Leadership in Indiana: Speaker Daniel Hawkins at the ALEC Annual Meeting
Speaker Daniel Hawkins talks budget discipline, building camaraderie, and why Wichita would be a great stop for ALEC.
Kansas House Speaker Daniel Hawkins wants to know when the American Legislative Exchange Council is going to visit Kansas.
“I’d love to have ALEC in Wichita,” he said with a smile during a recent ALEC TV interview at the 52nd ALEC Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. “I’m not sure that there would be enough activities.”
Any event that draws more than 1,600 elected officials, policy experts, and industry leaders deserves a full slate of programming – but bringing one to Kansas is a lofty goal Speaker Hawkins may well chase during his final year in office.
“I’ve been Speaker for three years, spent 13 years in the House and have one year to go. So next year will be my last.”
But he isn’t coasting. Hawkins is focused on fiscal reform and restoring legislative control of the budget.
“For the last 70 years, the governor has produced the budget,” he explained. “This was the first year since 1957 that the legislature produced its own budget, introduced it the first day of session, and then worked it through the whole process.”
It wasn’t just a symbolic gesture. Working with partners in the Senate, both chambers were able to cut more than $200 million from the state budget. In 2026, he’s looking to reduce it by another $200 million.
“That first 200 million is probably the easy one to cut,” he told us. “It starts getting harder every year after that.”
Hawkins’ leadership style reflects a collaborative mindset. Unlike others serving in Topeka, his focus is on making the legislative process work for his members rather than pushing a personal agenda. It’s a sacrifice, but one he’s glad to make.
“My agenda is that the House of Representatives is the best House they’ve ever seen,” Hawkins explained. “That means that all of my folks get what they want.”
It’s a recurring theme at ALEC meetings. As legislators from across the country come together to exchange ideas, tackle policy challenges, and strengthen their state economies, they also build lasting camaraderie. Whether they serve in the majority or the minority, each is focused on advancing legislation that improves life back home for their constituents.
For Speaker Hawkins, that commitment will be the driving force behind his final year in the Kansas Legislature. And if he delivers?
“Then I’m a happy camper,” he said with a smile.