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Leavenworth sues to keep CoreCivic from reopening Kansas prison as ICE detention facility
The city of Leavenworth and CoreCivic will take their fight to court June 9 to determine whether the company can reopen its prison facility as an ICE detention center without going through a permitting process.
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Civil rights • Voter rights • Anti-trans legislation • Abortion • Immigration • Municipalities’ local control • Kansas State Board of Education
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KU researcher says hostile policies impact well-being of LGBTQ youths
A researcher at the University of Kansas who studies mental health in transgender and LGBTQ youths said there is ample research showing how some legislation can have a negative mental health impact on trans kids.

Kansas measure creating penalties for infrastructure damage prompts questions of intention, necessity
A Kansas bill creating new crimes for damage of critical public or private infrastructure prompted inquiries into the need for more stringent protection of these sites and possible restriction of free speech.

Gov. Kelly denounces Kansas Senate’s budget plan as ‘sabotage’ of K-12 education system
Gov. Laura Kelly responded with contempt to a feeling of deja vu after the Kansas Senate voted to rely on federal COVID-19 funding rather than Kansas tax dollars to cover as much as $568 million in public education obligations in a proposed two-year state budget.

Kansas Senate passes transgender sports ban after ‘incredibly insulting’ debate
Originally published by Kansas Reflector on March 18, 2021: TOPEKA — As tensions boiled over […]

Children of exoneree Olin ‘Pete’ Coones plead for judicial reform to prevent similar tragedy
Melody Bitzer shared deeply personal appeals for judicial reform on behalf of her father, because the former prison inmate can no longer speak for himself.

Kansas lawmaker says Senate’s obsession with genitals warrants crime for outing LGBTQ kids
Rep. Brandon Woodard introduced legislation Wednesday that would make it a crime to disclose a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Kansas Senate majority leader hands off duties a day after drunk driving arrest
Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop said Wednesday he would transfer duties of his leadership position while resolving matters relating to his drunk driving arrest a day earlier.

Kansas Senate panel approves bill banning transgender girls from sports
The Republican chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee called a vote Tuesday on legislation to ban transgender girls from participating in K-12 or college sports after silencing a Democrat who wanted to tell a personal story in opposition to the bill.

Kansas Senate majority leader released from jail after judge faults arrest report
Originally published by the Kansas Reflector, March 16, 2021; story updated 11:18 a.m. TOPEKA — […]

Kansas poised to make COVID-19 vaccines available to another 600K residents
Gov. Laura Kelly announced Monday the state was a week away from advancing to the next phase in the rollout plan for COVID-19 vaccines, and expressed optimism that Kansans soon could resume their pre-pandemic lives.

Prosecutors, advocates seek to remove ‘misogynistic’ mental evaluations in sex crimes
The Kansas Legislature will decide whether to keep a decades-old law that allows courts to order victims of alleged sex crimes to undergo mental health evaluations.

Kobach teamed up with Wichita businessman to sell COVID-killing device. An investigation found no validity to their claims.
There is also no public evidence that Sarus Systems is “close” to bringing any jobs to Kansas, as the CEO claimed to legislators in September.

Kansas fire marshal asks lawmakers for more oversight of fire-related deaths
After several fire deaths that state officials say were incorrectly considered accidents, Kansas legislators are examining whether to give further law enforcement powers to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

House committee considers new barbering regulations, banning misuse of barber poles
Kansas barbers are again pushing for a bill creating the Kansas Barbering Act, an overhaul of state standards for cutting hair professionally.

House bill would limit drinking, nudity, touching at Kansas strip clubs
Supporters of legislation that would restrict drinking, nudity and touching at strip clubs say sweeping changes to the industry are necessary to crack down on illegal activities.
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