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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.
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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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Kansans hold virtual town hall for an absent Sen. Jerry Moran to voice concerns about Trump and Musk
About 1,200 people (but not Sen. Jerry Moran) tuned in during a live, 2.5-hour virtual town hall, which featured 32 speakers — farmers, veterans, health care workers, cancer patients, special-needs parents — who voiced concerns over Trump and Musk.

Kansas advocates condemn U.S. House budget tied to Republicans’ proposed Medicaid cuts
Kansas organizations advocating for sustained funding for Medicaid services said hundreds of billions of dollars in proposed federal budget cuts to the national health program can be deadly to vulnerable people with disabilities as well as seniors and children.

Kansas has a housing shortage. One legislator is suggesting prison labor as a solution
A new bill in Topeka proposes legalizing the use of prison labor to address housing shortages while also providing inmates with job training, a proponent says.

‘Everyone needs to breathe’: Intense confrontation on Kansas House floor forces two-hour recess
An intense confrontation between a Republican and Democrat on the Kansas House floor Thursday during a gun debate forced the chamber into a two-hour recess as leadership worked to deescalate tensions.

Kansas pronoun bill sparks bipartisan concerns of turning ‘classrooms into courtrooms’
The Kansas Senate gave preliminary approval Wednesday to legislation that would ban school district employees from using names or pronouns other than a minor student’s corresponding biological sex or birth certificate without parental permission.

It’s illegal to own a pet raccoon in Kansas. One man is trying to change that
For the past four years, Lenexa resident Stephen Kaspar has been feeding and training wild raccoons that wander onto his property. He’s urging state lawmakers to pass a bill that would legalize pet ownership of raccoons.

Kansas Legislature votes to override governor’s veto of legislation that targets trans kids
Senate and House Republicans voted Tuesday to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation that bans gender-affirming care for minors, rejecting pleas from Democrats to turn attention instead to issues that concern Kansans.

Kansas Senate Democrats urge support for healthy food over ‘humiliating’ restrictions
Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau urged her colleagues Tuesday to make access to healthy food a priority instead of imposing “humiliating” restrictions on how low-income residents use government funds for food. But the Senate advanced the bill on a voice vote.

KBI director, Kansas attorney general allow agents to work with ICE on immigration cases
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation formally agreed to dedicate agents to enhance collaboration with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the search for people without documentation to legally be in the country.

Kansas protest march, Democratic governor sound alarm on federal DOGE operations
Sarah Melody, of Lawrence, joined dozens of people for a protest march Monday that circled the perimeter of the Kansas Capitol. She held a sign with the message ”No one elected Elon.”

Biotech company testing psilocybin pill requests preemptive change in Kansas law
A biotech company is attempting to persuade Kansas legislators to modify the state’s controlled substances act in advance of a possible new psychedelic treatment.

Kansas lawmakers consider expanding window for fireworks sales
A proposed Senate bill would permit year-round fireworks sales from permanent retailers and expand the window around the Fourth of July for pop-up vendors.

Lone Catholic nun stands before Kansas House to oppose immigration enforcement resolution
Sister Therese Bangert stood alone before a house committee to denounce a resolution urging Gov. Laura Kelly to do everything in her power to support the immigration enforcement agenda of President Donald Trump.

Kansas House bills would impose stricter penalties for domestic battery, fleeing police
Roberta Jackson was physically abused by a man who had an extensive history of hurting women in at least seven other states. She testified Monday about legislation that would strengthen penalties for repeat offenders of domestic violence.

Kansas university leaders condemn bill abolishing property rights of faculty tenure
Academic leaders of KU and K-State said legislation retroactively abolishing property rights inherent in tenure would run off distinguished educators, undercut faculty recruiting, destroy research programs, trigger an exodus of students and deliver a devastating blow to the state’s economy.
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