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Kansas Legislature overturns veto to pass free speech bill honoring Charlie Kirk
House and Senate Republicans overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto Thursday to preserve a bill they say will protect free speech in the name of Charlie Kirk, despite objections.
Kansas Legislature overturns veto to pass free speech bill honoring Charlie Kirk
House and Senate Republicans overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto Thursday to preserve a bill they say will protect free speech in the name of Charlie Kirk, despite objections.
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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 governor orders federal benefits go to foster kids savings accounts instead of state agency
A new mandate from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly requires federal cash benefits, like social security and disability, to go directly to foster children after decades of using them to pay for state agency operating costs.
Auditors urge Kansas agency to better document justification for tax credit awards
Auditors say a state program distributing $4M annually in income tax credits to incentivize donations for community service projects lacks transparency because the agency doesn’t fully document its rationale when selecting recipients.
Kansas’ death penalty under scrutiny in pretrial hearings in 2019 homicide case
A long-shot challenge to Kansas’ death penalty unfolding in court proceedings for a man charged in the deaths of 4 people at a Wyandotte County bar centers on claims the state’s process of jury selection is racially biased in favor of executions.
Kansas lawmakers will debate the taxes you pay and access to trans health care this session
Property tax cuts and access to care for young, transgender people are likely to be top issues in the Kansas Statehouse this year.
Scott Schwab runs for Kansas governor after two terms as state’s top election official
Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab announced Wednesday he will seek the Republican nomination for governor in next year’s election cycle.
Daylight saving time would end in Kansas under senator’s prefiled bill
A Kansas legislator renewed attempts to rid the state of daylight saving time under a bill filed ahead of the state’s 2025 legislative session, which begins later this month.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Kansas lawmakers throw up unique barrier to use of state’s alternative-fuel vehicle tax credit
A Kansas income tax credit created in 1995 to incentivize reliance on alternative-fueled cars and trucks was sabotaged by amendments to state law to exclude electric vehicles and forbid individuals from claiming the tax break.
Kansas attorney general blocks school bond funds in state’s smallest county
The Kansas Attorney General’s Office blocked millions in school bond funds to a district in the state’s smallest county based on a rigid interpretation of a 2023 elections law.
KDOT to modernize traffic accident reporting system with $2.6 million federal grant
A $2.69 million federal grant will allow KDOT to rebuild the state’s vehicle crash information system and expand use of driver’s license scanners by local law enforcement agencies to speed reporting of accidents.
Kansas Supreme Court: ‘Skill-gaming’ company lacks standing in lawsuit against state regulators
The Kansas Supreme Court deflected a legal squabble initiated five years ago by a company that sought an official declaration that its Dragon’s Ascent game available to players at truck stops or convenience stores was legal under state law.
Watchdog group sues to get disbarred Kansas prosecutor’s ‘shocking’ case records
A watchdog group has sued the U.S. Department of Justice, asking the government to release documents on a controversial former prosecutor from Kansas.
Reintroducing bison to Kansas tallgrass prairies promotes biodiversity and resilience, study finds
Reintroducing bison to tallgrass prairies can double biodiversity of native plants and increase drought resistance, a Kansas State University study found.
State sales tax on groceries drops to zero Jan. 1
On Jan. 1, 2025, Kansans will no longer pay state sales tax on groceries. They will still pay city- and county-imposed taxes, but the current state tax of 2% will be reduced to zero.
Kansas faces ‘constitutional crisis’ with rural attorney shortage, Supreme Court justice says
Kansas Supreme Court Justice K.J. Wall said Friday the state is “approaching a constitutional crisis” with a shortage of attorneys in rural areas, and that “equity and justice” are at stake.
Shuttered private jail in Kansas could become immigration detention center
The ACLU warns that CoreCivic’s shuttered Leavenworth jail could play a role in President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans as an immigration detention center.
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