Senate panel to vote next week on regulations for campaigns to oust, retain sitting judges

? A Kansas Senate committee expects to vote next week on a bill regulating campaigns to oust or retain members of the state’s appellate courts.

Chairwoman Vicki Schmidt, a Topeka Republican, says the Ethics and Elections Committee will debate the measure Wednesday.

Interest in the bill comes as abortion opponents wage a “Fire Beier” campaign against Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier.

Judges on the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals are appointed by the governor and stand for retention periodically. The state ethics commission said last month the retention votes aren’t covered by Kansas campaign finance laws.

The bill would limit contributions to appellate court members’ retention campaigns to $2,000.

Their campaigns and groups seeking to oust them would have to file reports on their activities.