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Kansas Court of Appeals rules CoreCivic can’t house ICE detainees without Leavenworth permit
CoreCivic can’t house immigration detainees before reaching an agreement with the city of Leavenworth on reopening its private prison, the Kansas Court of Appeals ruled Friday when it upheld a lower court’s decision.
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Civil rights • Voter rights • Anti-trans legislation • Abortion • Immigration • Municipalities’ local control • Kansas State Board of Education
MORe KANSAS NEWS
Emporia State University, Kansas Board of Regents members ‘unfit to lead,’ investigation finds
An investigation into Emporia State University’s realignment plan, which included the firing of tenured professors, faults the university for “shifting and incoherent rationales” and concludes university administrators and Kansas Board of Regents members are “unfit to lead.”
New Kansas state budget delivers pay raises, generates consternation about rise in spending
An overwhelming majority of the Kansas Legislature approved a budget bill allocating more than $120 million to raise salaries of state employees and delivering $220 million to assist cities and counties eager to qualify for federal infrastructure aid during the next four years.
Kansas Legislature approves K-12 education budget with private school benefits
The Kansas Legislature passed a K-12 education package Friday that fully funds public schools but includes expansion of a tax credit for private school students and allows private school students to participate in public school sports and activities.
Muslim advocacy group asks Kansas senator for equal representation after offer to convert
A Muslim advocacy group on Friday asked Sen. Mark Steffen to commit to fair representation of all constituents following news reports of a conversation in which Steffen offered to convert a Muslim woman.
Kansas lawmakers adopt property tax break for restaurant, child care and fitness club businesses
The Kansas Legislature sent Gov. Laura Kelly a bill bundling elements from more than a dozen bills, including a property tax exemption for fitness, restaurant and child care businesses able to demonstrate they were in direct competition with operations of state or local government.
Kansas Senate’s attempt to override Kelly on tax cuts falls short again — GOP senator sanctioned
Senate President Ty Masterson responded to a second failure to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill collapsing the state’s three-rate individual income tax structure into a single 4.15% rate and speeding elimination of the state’s sales tax on groceries by stripping a dissident Republican of a committee chairmanship.
Trans Kansas women barred from women’s bathrooms, female-only spaces under new law
The Legislature resurrected a transgender bathroom ban that bars transgender and intersex women from restrooms, locker rooms, rape crisis centers and other female-specific spaces, making Kansas the first state to enact such a wide-ranging measure.
Kansas senator’s message to non-Christian constituents: ‘I would be happy to try and convert you’
A Republican senator told a Muslim woman that he would be happy to convert her to Christianity when she asked him how he planned to fairly represent all his constituents, not just those who shared his religion.
Kansas House rejects governor’s veto of bill further limiting access to food subsidies
The Kansas House gathered the two-thirds majority Wednesday to initiate an override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of legislation stripping federally funded food assistance from people 50 to 59 years of age not working at least 30 hours a week or taking part in employment training.
Kansas lawmakers polish plan to fully fund public schools, revive voucher program
Kansas lawmakers have restored language in the public school finance plan to ensure K-12 schools continue to be fully funded beyond the upcoming academic year and revived a voucher program.
Kansas House overrides governor’s vetoes of three anti-abortion bills
The GOP-dominated House overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of three anti-abortion laws Wednesday over objections about state-mandated misinformation, alienating OB-GYN workers and ignoring the will of voters.
Senate attempts to override slew of vetoed anti-transgender bills, but care ban fails
The Senate revived a wide-ranging transgender bathroom ban, despite concerns that the ban is overly intrusive, but narrowly allowed Kelly’s veto of a bill essentially banning gender-affirming care for Kansans under the age of 18 to stand.
Kansas Senate falls short in attempt to override governor’s veto of flat tax proposal
Senators failed to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a flat tax proposal that primarily benefits the state’s wealthiest residents.
Kansas teachers ask lawmakers to fully fund special education, support public schools
Kansas teachers of the year rallied at the Statehouse to push for a clean K-12 education funding bill, joined by Gov. Laura Kelly in an attempt to sway lawmakers before the veto override session begins.
With the legislative session drawing to a close, Kansas action on marijuana remains unlikely
Kansas has seen all smoke and no fire on the cannabis front, despite efforts from Democrats who say the state is losing business to neighbors where marijuana is legalized.
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