Topeka ? A woman’s place is in the dome — that’s the Capitol Dome — according to several female lawmakers who have formed a women’s legislative caucus.

The group met for the first time this week and plans to meet regularly throughout the 2003 legislative session to see if it can advance measures that will help Kansas women.

“We’re trying to give a united, bipartisan voice for women’s issues and have a good, honest discussion,” said state Rep. Annie Kuether, D-Topeka, who led the effort to form the caucus.

Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, also instrumental in getting the group formed, said the caucus would steer clear of hot-button issues, such as abortion, hoping instead to reach a consensus on other issues affecting women.

“We’re going to look at different things to see how we can improve them and stay away from the really controversial things,” Ballard said.

Some of the issues that the caucus may tackle are related to health, pay equity and sexual harassment in the workplace, Ballard and Kuether said.

The two lawmakers said the need for a women’s legislative caucus became more evident after a study was released last year that found Kansas ranked eighth in the nation in the percentage of women working — 65.7 percent — but 33rd for women in managerial positions at 29.8 percent.

Ballard and Kuether said the caucus was open to anyone, including men. At its first meeting, about 12 legislators, including Republicans and Democrats, showed an interest in forming the group.