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Kansas House dramatically amends bill aimed at constraining local property tax increases
The Kansas House voted Wednesday to alter significant provisions of a bipartisan property tax reform bill granting the public a direct voice in decisions by local government to raise property taxes more than 3% annually.
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Civil rights • Voter rights • Anti-trans legislation • Abortion • Immigration • Municipalities’ local control • Kansas State Board of Education
MORe KANSAS NEWS
Kansas suicide and crisis hotline sees post-election spike
The state suicide and crisis hotline received a record number of calls a day following the election, with LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking lines seeing especially high traffic.
Topeka man who participated in Jan. 6 attack requests trial delay after Trump victory
A Topeka man who blocked officers on Jan. 6, 2021, during an attack on the U.S. Capitol building asked a federal court to delay his trial after Donald Trump won the presidency.
Kansas officials meet in secret to offer $150K settlement in Lansing prison death
Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership approved Thursday a $150,000 settlement in a lawsuit stemming from a 2023 killing in a state prison.
Kansas governor pardons five, commutes sentences for two in crimes involving drugs, sex, murder
Gov. Laura Kelly granted clemency to six men and a woman convicted of crimes that involve drugs, sex, and the second-degree murder of a newborn baby. The high-profile clemency request for Sarah Gonzales-McLinn is still under review.
Kansas GOP’s political muscle in general, primary elections strengthen legislative supermajorities
Senate Republicans could welcome a 31-9 majority when the 2025 Legislature convenes. The Senate GOP’s edge was 29-11. In the House, the GOP majority could expand to 88-37 from 85-40.
Kansas sees high voter turnout, smooth elections, two tight legislative races
As county officials across Kansas continue to submit final vote counts, the Kansas Secretary of State’s Office’s post mortem of the 2024 election indicated a smooth transition of power.
Incumbents win reelection in Kansas congressional races; Schmidt clenches open seat
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, a Democrat, and Republican Reps. Tracey Mann and Ron Estes will all serve another term. Former Kansas AG Derek Schmidt won the state’s only open seat in the 2nd District.
Schmidt handily defeats Boyda in race for Kansas’ 2nd District in Congress
Longtime Kansas Republican politician Derek Schmidt on Tuesday won the race for the 2nd U.S. Congressional District in Kansas.
Kansas State Board of Education election results favor conservative power
Far-right Republicans were poised to win two of five seats up for election on the Kansas State Board of Education, shifting the board’s power to a conservative bloc.
Election night results show Republicans preserving supermajorities in Kansas House, Senate
Kansas Republicans appear to have preserved the two-thirds edge in the House and Senate despite a costly effort by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly to diminish the supermajority and make it easier to veto legislation.
Kansas voting update: More than a half-million ballots cast, election chief predicts record turnout
Before early voting poll locations closed at noon Monday in Kansas, the state’s top election official already predicted record-breaking voter turnout.
Kansas Republican committees, Democratic governor’s PAC spend big on battleground races
Gov. Laura Kelly’s PAC and the Kansas Republican Senatorial Committee have poured around a half-million dollars each into competitive legislative races across Kansas. The Republican House Campaign Committee spent almost $1 million.
Kansans support marijuana legalization, but lawmakers won’t bite
A wide majority of Kansans support legalizing medical and recreational marijuana, but a group of legislators assigned to weigh medical marijuana legalization declined to push the issue in the 2025 session.
This election, thousands of new U.S. citizens will vote for the first time in Kansas
Kansas isn’t a battleground state nationally, but several key races are on the ballot, including the makeup of the entire state Legislature. Experts say the thousands of Kansans who become new citizens each year could play a decisive role.
Mothers in a Kansas prison are growing closer to their kids by recording books for them
A literacy program has helped mothers and grandmothers in prison improve their reading abilities while also giving them the chance to bond with their loved ones.
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