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Kansas Supreme Court chief justice pleads for investments in specialty courts, rural attorneys
Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen pressed the Legislature on Tuesday to expand funding for specialty courts and asked lawmakers to collaborate on solutions to the shortage of attorneys in rural Kansas.
Kansas Supreme Court chief justice pleads for investments in specialty courts, rural attorneys
Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Rosen pressed the Legislature on Tuesday to expand funding for specialty courts and asked lawmakers to collaborate on solutions to the shortage of attorneys in rural Kansas.
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MORe STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
KBI seeks $114.4 million for new headquarters and exit from ‘horrible’ neighborhood in Topeka
The director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation proposed construction of a $114.4 million headquarters to replace buildings that subjected employees to fire-safety dangers and security threats from “homeless people and drug addicts.”
Emerging blueprint spells out details of Kansas initiative to improve literacy instruction
Developers of the state’s new student literacy initiative are pushing ahead with plans to create university centers of excellence and a special credential tied to retraining teachers in a quest to have 90% of third- to eighth-grade students read at or above grade level.
Maya Hodison/Lawrence Times
Lawrence school board committee to recommend prohibiting cell phone use during school
A draft cell phone policy would prohibit Lawrence school district students from using their phones during school hours, but some exceptions are included and discipline is not a focus of the policy.
Mother returns to Kansas Statehouse with photo of boy who died in foster care, pleading for change
Sherry Lesher stood before lawmakers Thursday holding a photo of her son — who died seven years ago in state custody — pleading for reform.
Kansas tax revenue projected to decline by $72M after tax cut bill
Kansas is expected to take in about $72 million less in tax revenue next year than initial estimates projected, officials said.
About 1,500 Kansas students change school districts under new open enrollment policy
Kansas school districts showed caution in allowing transfers through a new open enrollment option that lets students attend school outside their home district, data presented Wednesday to the Kansas State Board of Education showed.
Kansas lawmakers want to crack down on homeless crime. Law enforcement says it won’t help
Law enforcement officials say arresting people who are unhoused for minor crimes like trespassing and vandalism will not help reduce homelessness. Experts say it will cost a lot of tax dollars and actually makes homelessness worse.
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.
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.
Nathan Kramer / Lawrence Times
Election results: Kansas Senate, House and State Board of Education seats representing Douglas County
Voters have elected candidates to four Kansas Senate and four Kansas House seats that represent parts of Douglas County. Democrat Marci Francisco will keep her Senate seat, and newcomer Democrat Patrick Schmidt won Senate District 19.
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.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
‘We are not going back’: Lawrence women rally ahead of historic election
Chants of “We are not going back” resounded in South Park, where hundreds showed up for a women’s rights rally Saturday morning despite the rain.
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.
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