Robyn R. Essex
Republican · KS · Kansas State Representative, District 78
Robyn R. Essex has served in the Kansas House since 2023 and is vice chair of its Transportation Committee. She also sits on the Olathe City Council and was a casework aide to U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran; she focuses on property tax relief and supporting small businesses.
Where Robyn R. Essex stands, based on their records
Supports
Labor Rights (1 record), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Public Education Quality (2 records),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (5 support · 4 oppose), Housing Affordability (1 support · 2 oppose), Social Programs and Welfare (3 support · 1 oppose),
Campaign finance information not available
Track record
Track record — Labor Rights
Labor Rights · 1 support
Introduced HB 2659 with two co-sponsors, proposing to transfer teachers from the KPERS 3 retirement plan to KPERS 2; the bill died in House committee.
February 1, 2024Supports Labor Rights
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 5 support · 4 oppose
Voted against Olathe’s $657.6 million 2027 city budget, citing constituents’ concerns over rising property taxes.
September 15, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: aol.com · researched September 25, 2026
Voted against Olathe Resolution 26-1077 authorizing a 2027 property tax levy above the revenue neutral rate; she cited residents’ rising tax and inflation pressures.
September 8, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Voted for Olathe Ordinance 26-06 pledging sales and use tax revenue from a proposed development area to repay STAR bonds; she said bondholders bore the repayment risk.
February 3, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Voted against Olathe’s 2026 city budget after urging attention to local property taxes, and also voted against a large cold-storage warehouse rezoning after raising road concerns.
September 16, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Voted against Olathe’s 2025 city budget, citing its 7% property tax increase and saying some costs could have been reduced while retaining city staff and resources.
September 3, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Voted for the SB 438 conference report establishing a Kansas literacy blueprint and expanding several state scholarship awards.
April 4, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Introduced HB 2613 as its sole original sponsor, proposing a statewide D.A.R.E. educator position and a drug education fund financed by annual state transfers; the House passed it and the bill died in the Senate.
January 29, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted to adopt Olathe’s 2024 city budget, which included a one-mill property tax levy reduction and a relief program for qualified low-income homeowners; she spoke in favor of those provisions.
September 5, 2023Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Seconded and voted for an Olathe budget amendment to lower the property tax mill levy by an additional quarter mill, about $607,000; the amendment failed, and she voted against the final 2023 city budget.
September 6, 2022Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Introduced HB 2613 as its sole original sponsor, proposing a statewide D.A.R.E. educator position and a drug education fund financed by annual state transfers; the House passed it and the bill died in the Senate.
January 29, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 1 support · 2 oppose
Voted to override the veto of SB 391, which barred cities and counties from requiring landlords to accept housing vouchers or other rental assistance as a source of income.
April 10, 2026Opposes Housing Affordability
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted for SB 418, establishing a streamlined approval process for qualifying housing developments.
March 18, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted for HB 2119, a measure eliminating the Kansas affordable housing tax credit.
February 20, 2025Opposes Housing Affordability
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 3 support · 1 oppose
Voted to grant the Starfish Project a two-year special-use permit for food-pantry and clothing-distribution services, subject to neighborhood and review conditions.
August 18, 2026Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Introduced HB 2637 with four co-sponsors, proposing that eligible school boards consider the federal community eligibility provision for free school meals and receive administrative help from the state education department.
February 3, 2026Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted to adopt Olathe’s 2024 city budget, which included a one-mill property tax levy reduction and a relief program for qualified low-income homeowners; she spoke in favor of those provisions.
September 5, 2023Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Voted to override the veto of HB 2094, requiring food-assistance recipients ages 50–59 to complete employment and training and imposing child-care subsidy ineligibility rules.
April 26, 2023Opposes Social Programs and Welfare
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 2 support
Voted for the SB 438 conference report establishing a Kansas literacy blueprint and expanding several state scholarship awards.
April 4, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Introduced HB 2613 as its sole original sponsor, proposing a statewide D.A.R.E. educator position and a drug education fund financed by annual state transfers; the House passed it and the bill died in the Senate.
January 29, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Election Integrity
Election Integrity · 1 support
Filed a federal lawsuit seeking new Kansas election districts after population shifts made the existing districts unequal; a three-judge court later drew its own maps.
May 3, 2012Supports Election Integrity
Source: uscourts.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Personal Income Tax Reduction
Personal Income Tax Reduction · 2 support
Voted for House Substitute for SB 37, which lowered individual income tax rates, raised personal deductions, and accelerated elimination of state food sales tax.
March 27, 2024Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted for House Substitute for SB 169, a tax package that set a 5.25% individual income tax rate, increased the standard deduction, and cut food sales taxes.
March 29, 2023Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Data Privacy
Data Privacy · 1 support
Presented proponent testimony on HB 2460, which she had requested, to restrict public online access to certain people’s home address and ownership information.
January 21, 2025Supports Data Privacy
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support · 4 oppose
Voted to override the veto of SB 244, which restricted multi-occupancy spaces in public buildings by biological sex and required corrections to gender markers on state documents.
February 18, 2026Opposes Civil Rights
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted to override the veto of SB 63, which restricted gender-transition care for minors and state funding for that care.
February 18, 2025Opposes Civil Rights
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted for Substitute for HB 2460, restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in public postsecondary admissions and employment.
March 21, 2024Opposes Civil Rights
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Voted for the SB 26 conference report creating a civil action and physician-license penalty for providing gender-transition services to minors.
April 7, 2023Opposes Civil Rights
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Filed a federal lawsuit seeking new Kansas election districts after population shifts made the existing districts unequal; a three-judge court later drew its own maps.
May 3, 2012Supports Civil Rights
Source: uscourts.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Track record — General
General · 4 records
Co-sponsored HB 2634, proposing a default property-maintenance code for rental housing in places without a local code.
February 2, 2026
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Co-sponsored HB 2313, the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which became law after a veto override.
February 7, 2023
Source: kslegislature.gov · researched September 25, 2026
Was appointed to the vacant Olathe City Council Ward 1 seat by a unanimous council vote.
March 1, 2022
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
As an Olathe planning commissioner, voted to approve the Crestone final plat for a senior community development.
January 25, 2021
Source: olatheks.legistar1.com · researched September 25, 2026
Race Robyn R. Essex is in:
- State Representative, District 78 · November 3, 2026 · State House District 78; Kansas · incumbent
Profile last researched September 24, 2026.