Kansas former senator and Johnson County development figure, Dick Bond, dies

Bond died over the weekend at the age of 84, formerly serving as Kansas Senate president and filling several other roles in his lifetime that aided in the development of Johnson County.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Richard “Dick” Bond, a Republican former president of the Kansas Senate, has died at the age of 84.

Bond, of Overland Park, who was a banker and attorney, had been in failing health, The Kansas News Service reported.

He served in the Kansas Senate from 1986 to 2001 and was Senate president for the last four years. He was credited with securing the first $40 million for the renovation of the state Capitol building.

In later years, he sometimes broke with the GOP after it became more conservative. He endorsed Medicaid expansion and supported Democrat Laura Kelly in her 2018 gubernatorial campaign. In 2014, he joined more than 100 Republicans in backing House Democratic leader Paul Davis’ bid to unseat Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

Kelly, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and others remembered Bond on Friday for his ability to work with differing factions to achieve political goals.

Kelly called Bond a friend and said his ability to work with all parties “served as a model for every member of the Legislature.”