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Kansas House Speaker touts Republican supermajority’s ‘people-first agenda’
Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins underscored the force of the Republican supermajority and its 2025 policy wins in his response to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s final State of the State address.
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Civil rights • Voter rights • Anti-trans legislation • Abortion • Immigration • Municipalities’ local control • Kansas State Board of Education
MORe KANSAS NEWS
GOP, Democrats blast Legislature for failure to meaningfully lower property taxes in 2025 session
Promises were made by Republicans and Democrats to address property tax reform during this legislative session. The end of the annual session last week offered evidence the performance of lawmakers on property tax relief was underwhelming.
On reflection, Kansas House reverses course to override governor on 15 budget vetoes
Three Republicans and three Democrats in the House dropped their opposition Friday to overriding Gov. Laura Kelly on 15 budget vetoes to meet the Senate halfway toward restoration of spending earmarks on the verge of being deleted from the appropriations bill.
Senate rejects all of governor’s budget vetoes; House takes starkly different approach
It was all or nothing as the Senate and House considered the tidal wave of budget vetoes generated by Gov. Laura Kelly.
Kansas Legislature votes to remove county health officials’ power to ban public gatherings
The Kansas Legislature overturned the governor’s veto of a bill that opens state and county health officials to civil action for decisions about quarantines and takes away their authority to ban public gatherings in situations of infectious disease.
Kansas House overrides vetoes of fetal child support, mandatory school video bills
Kansas House lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s vetoes of two anti-abortion bills Thursday, sending the measures on to the Senate.
Gov. Laura Kelly signs budget bill, issues dozens of line-item vetoes, asks Legislature to try again
Gov. Laura Kelly made an end-of-session plea to the Kansas Legislature after signing a massive state budget bill investing in economic development, water resources and disability services while triggering more than 35 vetoes of provisions labeled as unwarranted earmarks, power grabs or financial gaffes.
Kelly signs popular bill to help law enforcement stock naloxone for opioid overdose cases
Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill unanimously approved by the Kansas Legislature repealing a statute inhibiting the ability of law enforcement to obtain naloxone, a medication to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.
Dozens of health organizations urge Kansas governor to veto Medicaid eligibility changes
Nearly 50 health organizations signed a letter urging the Kansas governor to veto a budget provision that would end continuous eligibility in the state’s Medicaid program, which allows public health insurance enrollees to consistently access health care.
Some Kansans may lose free help enrolling in insurance because of federal funding cuts
Navigators help people enroll in Medicaid and insurance on the federal marketplace. Federal funding cuts by the Trump administration mean Kansas will have fewer navigators.
‘Let Kansans live free’: Leaked emails to efficiency portal call for abortion rights, school funding
Top suggestions to Kansas’ Committee on Government Efficiency included maintaining abortion rights, leaving vouchers out of school funding, expanding Medicaid, focusing on substantial policy issues instead of laws targeting trans kids, and legalizing marijuana.
Property taxes are squeezing Kansans. Lawmakers can’t agree how to help
Lawmakers promised major property tax cuts this year, but they’re running out of time. The Kansas House and Senate are at odds on how to do it.
Kansas governor vetoes six bills, drawing GOP condemnation for Friday news dump
Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed six bills Friday afternoon, drawing the ire of Republican leadership who promised veto overrides when the Legislature reconvenes April 10.
Vaccination rates down in most Kansas counties where measles cases have been reported
Five of the six Southwest Kansas counties reporting measles cases have seen kindergarten vaccination rates drop, one showing a 24% dip over a four-year period.
Kansas Governor vetoes bill that would extend state budget if lawmakers fail to pass one
Gov. Laura Kelly on Monday vetoed a bill that would roll over the previous year’s state budget if the Legislature failed to pass one, pointing out that every legislative body since the state’s founding had managed to pass a budget and she expects nothing less.
Kansas Legislature’s Republican leadership hustling to end annual session in early April
Kansas House and Senate leadership want to quickly conclude their business for 2025. The goal of GOP leaders has been to tie the governor’s hands in terms of budget and tax policy, while avoiding a special session.
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