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Kansas House Speaker touts Republican supermajority’s ‘people-first agenda’
Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins underscored the force of the Republican supermajority and its 2025 policy wins in his response to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s final State of the State address.
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Civil rights • Voter rights • Anti-trans legislation • Abortion • Immigration • Municipalities’ local control • Kansas State Board of Education
MORe STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
Meet a candidate for Kansas House District 117
Democrat Bill Hammond is running to represent portions of eastern and central Douglas County and parts of Johnson County that make up House District 117. He shared his views on Medicaid expansion, bodily autonomy and more.
Meet a candidate for Kansas Senate District 9
Norman Mallicoat, Democrat running to represent Baldwin City, Eudora and eastern Douglas County as part of Senate District 9, shared his views on health care, separation of church and state and more.
Molly Adams / Lawrence Times
Kansas State Board of Education candidates discuss building relationships, vouchers and more at Lawrence forum
Four candidates for the Kansas State Board of Education discussed the board’s relationship with the Legislature, student mental health, vouchers, school safety and more at a forum Sunday at the Lawrence Public Library.
November election could shift Kansas State Board of Education to the right
The race for five seats on the Kansas State Board of Education could dramatically shift the board’s political makeup, which could reshape academic standards or the way schools approach social-emotional learning.
Kansas audit examines impact of restricting access to cash assistance for low-income families
Spending on Kansas’ cash assistance program for low-income families has dwindled by nearly 40% in the past 14 years while lawmakers limited eligibility and inflation surged, according to a new audit.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
Lawrence school board president: ‘Stop making us ask’ for sensible gun laws
Lawrence school board members and the new interim superintendent took their commentary time on Monday to reflect on a Georgia school shooting last week and to call for the Kansas Legislature to pass sensible gun laws.
KU combining centers focused on diversity into one ‘Student Engagement Center’
Three KU centers focused on diversity and equity are being combined with each other and another campus center to create the “Student Engagement Center,” effective immediately, the university announced Monday.
Kansas abortion laws and taxes could hinge on whether Democrats break the GOP supermajority
Three major questions will determine Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto power in her last two years. Her ability to block Republican priorities will depend on a handful of key Statehouse races.
Senate Republican and House Democrat ousted by primary challengers in Kansas legislative races
Kansas voters on Tuesday ousted an incumbent Senate Republican and House Democrat who were seen […]
Molly Adams/Lawrence Times
Douglas County primary election results: Loomis wins with nearly two-thirds of vote in DA race; Francisco wins race for Senate 2
With almost all ballots counted, the incumbent Douglas County district attorney has lost her seat, a longtime incumbent state senator will hold on for the general election and a city commissioner could not unseat an incumbent county commissioner.
Election Day is today! Here’s our 2024 primary guide for Lawrence and Douglas County voters
Today’s primary election is a big one for Douglas County. Here’s where you can find our key need-to-know election info all in one place.
Two-year anniversary of historic Kansas abortion rights vote highlights lingering political gap
Advocacy organizations with opposing views on abortion rights Friday marked the 2-year anniversary of Kansas voters’ rejection of an anti-abortion amendment by offering distinct perspectives on the aftermath of that landslide decision.
Judge clears way for civic groups to resume voter registration drives
Kansas civic groups are resuming voter registration efforts after a three-year-pause due to a law that made it a felony to “represent oneself as an election official.”
2024 primary election guide for Lawrence and Douglas County voters
Five countywide elected offices and several state Legislature seats representing Lawrence are up for grabs this election year. Here’s where you can find all our key primary coverage in one place.
Meet the candidates for Kansas Senate District 2
Two sitting legislators are vying to represent most of Lawrence in the Kansas Senate. They went into depth in this questionnaire about their unique perspectives, the experience they would bring to the office if elected and more.
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