Dick Bond (Kansas politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dick Bond
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Dick Bond in 1953
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| Member of the Kansas Board of Regents | |
| In office June 21, 2002 – 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Clay Blair III |
| President of the Kansas Senate | |
| In office January 13, 1997 – January 8, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Bud Burke |
| Succeeded by | David Kerr |
| Member of the Kansas Senate from the 8th district |
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| In office December 1, 1986 – January 8, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Jack D. Walker |
| Succeeded by | Barbara Allen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Richard Lee Bond
September 18, 1935 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 2020 (aged 84) Overland Park, Kansas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Suzanne Sedgwich |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Kansas (BA, JD) |
Richard Lee Bond (September 18, 1935 – July 23, 2020) was an American politician. He served in the Kansas Senate from 1986 to 2001. He was a member of the Republican Party. During his time in the Senate, Bond held important leadership roles. He was the Majority Whip and later the President of the Senate. Before working in the Kansas Senate, he helped members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Bond was born in Kansas and became a lawyer. He worked as a city attorney. He also served as an assistant to several U.S. Representatives. In 1986, he was chosen to join the Kansas Senate. He became the Majority Whip in 1992. In 1997, he was chosen to be the President of the Senate.
After leaving the Kansas Senate, he joined the Kansas Board of Regents. This board oversees public universities in Kansas. He served there until 2007. Later in his life, he supported Democratic candidates in some elections. He disagreed with some policies of Governor Sam Brownback. He also felt the Republican Party had become too conservative.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Lee Bond was born on September 18, 1935. His parents were Ivy and Florine Bond. He was born in Kansas City, Kansas. He went to Shawnee Mission High School.
He then attended the University of Kansas. In 1957, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science. He later earned a law degree (Juris Doctor) in 1960. In 1958, he married Suzanne Sedgwich. They had two children together.
After law school, he worked as a lawyer in Mission, Kansas. He later became the first city attorney for Overland Park, Kansas.
Political Career
Helping Congress Members
From 1961 to 1985, Bond worked as an assistant. He helped U.S. Representatives Robert Ellsworth, Larry Winn, and Jan Meyers. These jobs gave him experience in how the U.S. government works.
When Representative Winn decided to retire in 1983, some thought Bond might run for his seat. However, Bond chose not to run. He continued to work as an assistant for Representative Meyers. She was elected to take Winn's place.
Serving in the Kansas Senate
Becoming a Senator
In 1986, Mike Hayden and Jack D. Walker won the election for Kansas Governor and Lieutenant Governor. Jack D. Walker was a state senator. He had to leave his Senate seat.
Governor Hayden appointed Bond to fill Walker's empty seat. The Republican leaders in Johnson County chose Bond unanimously. He started serving in the Senate on December 1, 1986.
Winning Elections
In 1992, Bond ran for reelection. He won without anyone running against him. He also won reelection in 1996 without opposition.
Bond decided not to run for reelection in 2000. Barbara Allen was elected to take his place. She started her term on January 8, 2001.
Important Roles in the Senate
When Bond first joined the Kansas Senate, he served on several committees. These included the Transportation Committee and the Federal and State Affairs Committee. He also led the Public Health and Welfare sub-committee.
Later, he served on the Assessment and Taxation Committee. He was also the vice-chairman of the Judiciary Committee. He chaired the Financial Institutions and Insurance committees.
In December 1992, Bond was chosen to be the Senate Majority Whip. This meant he helped lead the Republican Party in the Senate. He started this role on January 11, 1993.
On April 18, 1996, the President of the Senate, Bud Burke, announced he would not seek reelection. On December 2, Bond was chosen to replace Burke. He became President of the Senate on January 13, 1997. This was a very important leadership position.
Later Life and Views
On June 21, 2002, Governor Graves appointed Bond to the Kansas Board of Regents. This board manages Kansas's public universities. Bond served a four-year term. He was also the vice-chairman and chairman of the board. His term ended in 2007.
Bond became concerned about the direction of the Kansas Republican Party. In 2005, he said the party had "taken a drastic turn to the right."
During the 2014 and 2018 elections for Kansas Governor, Bond supported the Democratic candidates. He disagreed with the policies of the Republican Governor Sam Brownback.
In 2016, Bond joined other former leaders to form the Save Kansas Coalition. This group worked to oppose some of Governor Brownback's policies. In 2020, Bond and other former Senate Presidents criticized Senate President Susan Wagle. They felt she was blocking a vote on expanding Medicaid.
Richard Lee Bond passed away on July 23, 2020, in Overland Park, Kansas. He was 84 years old.
What He Believed In
Capital Punishment
Bond was against the use of capital punishment (the death penalty). In 1987, a Senate committee voted on a bill to bring back capital punishment in Kansas. Bond voted for the bill to move forward, even though he was against it. He wanted the Senate to have a full debate on the issue.
Development
In 1987, Bond voted against a plan to build over 740 miles of new highways.
In 1992, he wanted to stop casino gambling in Kansas. This included gambling on Indian reservations. He proposed a law and a change to the state's constitution. His idea was to give half of the money from the state lottery to education. The Kansas Senate and House of Representatives both approved his bill. However, Governor Joan Finney vetoed it, so it did not become law.
Education
In 1996, Bond, along with other leaders, supported getting rid of the Kansas State Department of Education.
Elections
In 1989, Bond and other Republicans suggested changing how Kansas chose presidential candidates. They wanted to replace the caucus system with a primary election. Bond said the 1988 caucus was "a disaster" because people had to wait too long to vote. The Kansas Senate and House both approved this change. Governor Hayden signed it into law in 1990.
Bond also suggested making voter registration automatic for all eligible people. This idea came up when the state was trying to follow a new federal law about voter registration.
Health
In 1988, Bond supported a law about AIDS. This law said AIDS was a non-communicable disease. This meant schools could not stop children with HIV or AIDS from attending. He also sponsored a law requiring doctors to report names and addresses of people with AIDS to the Kansas Department of Health. Both the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives approved his law.
Taxation
In 1990, Bond proposed increasing the state tax on tobacco. He wanted to use this money to raise salaries for teachers and staff at state universities. The Kansas Senate approved his idea, but the House of Representatives did not.
In 1998, Governor Graves wanted to cut taxes. Bond supported tax cuts of at least $150 million. He led all 27 Republican senators in supporting the Governor's larger tax cut plan.
However, in 1999, Bond said taxes had been cut too much. He announced he would propose increasing taxes for education funding. In 2000, he introduced a bill to raise $100 million by increasing sales tax. His bill also suggested a longer school year, requiring Spanish for graduation, and ending teacher tenure.
