Kansas Lawmakers Approve Unproven CALIS Software Despite Delays

Kansas lawmakers are pushing forward with an unproven, long-delayed bill-writing software system, opting to launch the platform despite warnings that it may not be ready for the 2027 legislative session.

The decision highlights a tense standoff between the state’s desire to modernize its aging infrastructure and the practical, high-stakes reality of governing without a reliable digital foundation.

The Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) gave its approval for the go-live order despite mounting frustration with the contractor, Propylon. Hired four years ago to replace the state’s antiquated drafting and publishing system, the company missed its original June 2025 completion date, followed by a failed deadline in January 2026. The Legislature has already spent approximately $8 million into the project, known as the Computer Assisted Legislative Information System, or CALIS.

For lawmakers, the choice feels less like a strategic upgrade and more like a forced leap. House Majority Leader Chris Croft, a Republican from Overland Park, captured the mood at the Capitol: “We spent a ton of money on this thing, waited a long time and you’re telling us to leap.

You’re pushing us off at the same time. It’s just disappointing that this is where it’s come.”

The stakes are immediate and functional. Legislative attorneys, who are responsible for the complex task of drafting state law, have spent significant time troubleshooting the software rather than focusing on their primary duties.

To mitigate this, the LCC approved the hiring of a business system analyst to act as a buffer between the attorneys and the contractor. Despite this, Altaf Uddin, the Legislature’s chief information technology officer, conceded that the system remains a work in progress. “While operationally viable,” Uddin said, “this is really not the polished product.”

The Risk of a Digital Meltdown

The timeline for the transition offers a razor-thin margin for error. According to Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi, R-Wichita, the old system cannot be rebooted until approximately Dec. 2, while the new software is not expected to be online until Dec. 7. This leaves lawmakers with one month to finalize and refine legislation before the 2027 session commences on January 11.

People are very upset. I think that’s incredibly undemocratic, frankly. People have been robbed of the opportunity to draft legislation.

Blasi’s concerns reflect a broader anxiety among those who see the digital transition as a potential bottleneck for the legislative process. Blake Carpenter, a Republican from Derby, noted the irony of the situation, observing that in the private sector, such delays and costs would be unsustainable.

“Only in government can we spend millions and millions of dollars — I can see why the taxpayers are frustrated, right? In business, if you do that, you’re out of business. We can’t really go backwards, but we’re taking a massive risk going forward.” Carpenter remarked. “We’re left with an impossible choice at this point.”

To guard against a total collapse, the LCC conditioned its approval on the requirement that the old system must remain available as a backup. Gordon Self, who manages the Legislature’s bill-writing office, has urged patience as staff deal with the inevitable bugs of a new system. The hope is that the backup will provide a safety net, though the tight window for implementation complicates any contingency plans.

Political Leadership Changes Delay New Bill Tracking Contract

The turmoil surrounding the bill-writing software is compounded by shifting political leadership. The LCC recently decided to delay the selection of a contractor for a separate system designed to track the evolution of bills. With the upcoming departure of Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, who is moving to the role of state insurance commissioner, and the reelection defeat of Croft, the House is currently in a state of flux.

By postponing the contract decision, the LCC aims to incorporate feedback from the incoming House leadership, ensuring that the next major IT investment aligns with the priorities of the new legislative term. For now, the focus remains on the immediate hurdle: getting the bill-writing system to function well enough to serve the citizens of Kansas when the gavel falls in January.