The Kansas Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas, responsible for enacting laws, approving the state budget, and overseeing state government operations. It is a bicameral assembly consisting of the lower house, the Kansas House of Representatives with 125 members elected to two-year terms, and the upper house, the Kansas Senate with 40 members elected to four-year terms. The legislature convenes annually in Topeka, with sessions typically starting in January. Established upon Kansas's admission to the Union as the 34th state, it has played a key role in the state's governance, including during pivotal historical events like the Bleeding Kansas period leading to statehood in 1861 and modern legislative activities on issues such as education funding, taxation, and social policies.