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Kansas Legislature jolts to life with newcomers and generation of new policy agendas
The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms and awaited Gov. Kelly’s final State of the State speech.
Kansas Legislature jolts to life with newcomers and generation of new policy agendas
The 2026 session of the Kansas Legislature burst to life Monday as Republicans and Democrats staked out public policy priorities, welcomed members to fill unexpired terms and awaited Gov. Kelly’s final State of the State speech.
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TOP TAGS
Civil rights • Voter rights • Anti-trans legislation • Abortion • Immigration • Municipalities’ local control • Kansas State Board of Education
MORe STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
Attorney General Kris Kobach seeks to profoundly limit filing of ineffective counsel motions
AG Kris Kobach is the driving force behind a Kansas Senate bill placing stringent limits on the ability of people convicted of a crime to file multiple petitions claiming ineffective legal representation.
Kansas legislation transfers certified school teachers to financially preferable retirement plan
A proposal examined by a House committee would shift certified teachers — but not all school employees — from the modest tier 3 plan in the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System to the more robust tier 2 plan in KPERS.
Kansas Democrats propose minimum wage hike in response to Republicans’ plan for no taxes on tips
Top Democrats, including the governor, proposed Wednesday raising Kansas’ hourly minimum wage to $15 in response to Republicans’ plan to eliminate taxes on tips.
Buying candy, soda with food stamps banned under proposed Kansas bill
Purchasing soda and candy with food stamps would no longer be permitted under a proposed Kansas bill, but whether the federal government would accept the move is unclear.
Kansas Democrats blast redundant constitutional amendment as an attempt to drive GOP voters to polls
Rep. Kirk Haskins questioned Tuesday the merits of altering the Kansas Constitution to “really, really, really, really” be sure that only U.S. citizens are voting in elections.
Kansas advocacy organizations offer strategy for curtailing waitlist for disability services
A Kansas House committee has been gathering testimony on a wide range of reform options for Kansans with disabilities. That includes a four-year plan endorsed by advocates to invest $13.6 million to help people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Kansas lawmakers want to cut property taxes and still fund schools. Can they do both?
Republicans and Democrats want to cut Kansas property taxes this year. But they can’t decide on the best way to do it — and some worry that core local services like schools, roads and law enforcement could suffer as a result.
Kansas GOP senators promoting bill to exempt tips from state income tax
State and federal lawmakers from Kansas convened Monday at the Celtic Fox pub in Topeka to celebrate legislation to exempt tipped earnings of service and hospitality workers from income taxation.
Kansas bill attempts to establish fetal personhood with child support from conception
Legislation that would cement child support payments for pregnancy-related costs before birth turned into a debate at a hearing Wednesday over whether the bill would establish “fetal personhood” in Kansas law.
Kansas House a step closer to sending anti-transgender bill to Democratic governor
House Republicans dispatched eight amendments proposed by Democrats on Thursday before granting first-round approval of a bill preventing Kansas health professionals from providing individuals under the age of 18 with gender-affirming care.
Kansas Senate easily adopts bill blocking gender-affirming health care for minors
The Kansas Senate approved with a bipartisan supermajority a bill prohibiting health professionals from providing gender-affirming care to minors and enforcing that statewide ban with civil, financial and regulatory sanctions for violators.
Kansas Statehouse’s newest art installation, first by woman artist, celebrates suffragists
A crowd clamored today at the Kansas Statehouse to see the state’s suffragist icons and family members memorialized in paint. Gov. Laura Kelly marked the day as an occasion to celebrate “bold, visionary, badass” women.
Transgender Kansans urge lawmakers to reject bill banning gender-affirming care for youth
In packed hearings Tuesday at the Kansas Statehouse, lawmakers heard testimony on legislation that would bar doctors from prescribing puberty blockers, hormone replacement therapy and other gender-affirming medical care to transgender minors.
‘Who are they going to target next?’ Kansas appeals court hears arguments on gender markers
”Today it’s our transgender population, but who’s next? … State-sponsored discrimination has no place in our democracy, and this is what this bill is all about,” an attorney for the Kansas Department of Revenue told Kansas Court of Appeals judges Monday.
Kansas House looks to cut property tax that funds public schools by $800M over five years
Public school advocates are asking lawmakers to proceed with caution as they consider slashing the statewide property tax that directly funds public education.
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