Laura Kelly

Personal life

Kelly was born in New York City. She studied at Bradley University where she earned a BS in Psychology, and at Indiana University where she earned a MS in Therapeutic Recreation.

Political career

In late 2009 Kelly briefly considered a run for Kansas's 2nd congressional district. During the 2011-2012 Legislative Sessions, she served as the Kansas Senate Assistant Minority Leader

Issue positions

Priority issues for Kelly include:

Education

Lower health care costs

Working with the public and with all levels of government for job creation

Committee assignments

Kelly serves on the following legislative committees:

2015 Special Committee on Foster Care Adequacy

Financial Institutions and Insurance

Health Care Stabilization Fund Oversight Committee

Joint Committee on Pensions Investments, and Benefits

Joint Committee on State Building Construction

Legislative Budget Committee

Legislative Post Audit Committee

Public Health and Welfare (Ranking minority member)

Robert G. (Bob) Bethell Joint Committee on Home Community Based Services and KanCare Oversight (Ranking minority member)

Senate Select Committee on KPERS

State Employee Pay Plan Oversight

Ways and Means (Ranking minority member)

Sponsored legislation

Legislation co-sponsored by Kelly includes:

A bill regarding the income tax

A bill regarding retirement pensions

A resolution supporting a U.S. laser program

Group ratings

Abortion:

Senator Kelly supported the interests of the Kansans for Life 17 percent in 2005.

Budget, Spending, and Taxes:

Supported the interests of the Kansas Taxpayers Network 15 percent in 2005.

Supported the interests of the Kansas Taxpayers Network 20 percent in 2006.

Senator Kelly received a rating of 16.7 from the Kansas Taxpayers Network in 2007.

Senator Kelly received a rating of 9.1 from the Kansas Taxpayers Network in 2008.

Business and Consumers:

Senator Kelly supported the interests of the Kansas National Federation of Independent Business 100 percent (2005–2006)

Senator Kelly received a rating of 67 from the Kansas National Federation of Independent Business (2007–2008)

Education:

Senator Kelly supported the interests of the Kansas Association of School Boards 80 percent in 2005.

Senator Kelly supported the interests of the Kansas Association of School Boards 67 percent in 2006.

Past endorsements

Kansas Sierra Club (2008)

Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-America Missouri (2008)

Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus (2008)

Kansas National Education Association (2008)

Major donors

Some of the top contributors to Kelly's 2008 campaign, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics:

Senate Democrats of Kansas, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee of Kansas, Laura Kelly (self-finance), American Federation of Teachers, Astrazeneca, Kansas National Education Association, Kansas Trial Lawyers Association

Political parties were her largest donor group.