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Wichita Considers Ethics Code Updates After Complaints, Past Violations
Proposed revisions aim to strengthen expectations for elected officials and increase transparency.
Apr. 13, 2026 at 11:18pm
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The City of Wichita is preparing to vote on proposed updates to its code of ethics after the city's Ethics Board received 25 complaints since September 2024 and reviewed several months of potential changes. The proposed updates include more specific language and expanded definitions in several sections, such as anti-retaliation provisions, clarifying language around interference with personnel decisions, and making Ethics Board reports publicly available.
Why it matters
The proposed ethics code updates are intended to help prevent future issues and ensure elected leaders remain accountable to the public. The changes come after the Ethics Board found three violations in 11 cases it has considered since 2021, highlighting the need for clearer guidance and modernized language in the city's ethics policies.
The details
The City of Wichita updates its ethics code every few years, and the latest revisions are aimed at strengthening expectations for elected officials and clarifying language for enforcement. The proposed updates include more specific language and expanded definitions in several sections, including anti-retaliation language, updated wording on interfering with personnel decisions, and replacing broader statements about honor and integrity with more specific provisions. A new provision would also make Ethics Board reports publicly available on the city's website until the official's term is completed.
- The Ethics Board has held 12 meetings since September 2024 to consider and make decisions on 25 complaints involving four unique cases.
- Since 2021, the Ethics Board has found three violations in 11 cases it has considered.
- The Wichita City Council is scheduled to vote to put the changes on first reading on Tuesday, April 13, 2026.
The players
Dalton Glasscock
Wichita Vice Mayor who said the latest revisions are aimed at strengthening expectations for elected officials and clarifying language for enforcement.
Kathy Sexton
Wichita Ethics Officer who said some of the updates are meant to provide clearer guidance and modernize older phrasing in the city's ethics code.
What they’re saying
“I believe that this ethics policy, and the changes of strengthening the ethics policy do just that.”
— Dalton Glasscock, Wichita Vice Mayor
“It just needed to be clarified a little bit, give a little more clear direction to the board so it's able to make good decisions.”
— Kathy Sexton, Wichita Ethics Officer
What’s next
The Wichita City Council is scheduled to vote to put the changes on first reading on Tuesday, April 13, 2026.
The takeaway
The proposed ethics code updates in Wichita aim to strengthen accountability and transparency for elected officials, following a series of complaints and past violations that have highlighted the need for clearer guidance and modernized language in the city's ethics policies.
