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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.
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
Kansas Legislature, fearful of dropping ball on tax reform, rushes to $1.57 billion compromise
The Kansas Legislature rebounded from dizzying defeat of a tax bill endorsed by Gov. Laura Kelly and Republican leadership by voting early Saturday for a three-year, $1.57 billion alternative that negotiators promised would deliver a state tax reduction to every Kansan.
Kansas senators shoot down ‘voodoo math’ public education bill
Kansas senators killed a school finance bill that would have guided state education funding for the next three years, heeding warnings from public schools advocates that the bill’s special education provision could have proven disastrous.
Kansas House derails governor-backed tax legislation overwhelmingly approved by Senate
The Kansas House on a voice vote decided Thursday to send a three-year, $1.4 billion tax cut package back to House and Senate negotiators, overriding a call from House Speaker Dan Hawkins to pass the bill and defying guidance of Gov. Laura Kelly.
Gov. Laura Kelly embraces not ‘perfect’ Kansas tax bill crafted by House, Senate negotiators
Gov. Laura Kelly endorsed the tax-relief bill negotiated Wednesday by a committee ending the food sales tax early, exempting from income tax all Social Security benefits, expanding the residential property tax exemption, increasing the standard deduction for income tax purposes and cutting the top income tax rate.
Education advocate: Kansas school finance bill would ‘permanently underfund’ special education
Kansas lawmakers are trying to overhaul special education funding for public schools in a move condemned by public school advocates.
House, Senate negotiators seeking income, sales and property tax bills capable of dodging vetoes
Legislators engaged Tuesday in opening rounds of conversation about using the state’s large revenue surplus to draft legislation delivering property, income and sales tax relief that Gov. Laura Kelly won’t veto.
Want more young Kansans to run for office? A coming pay raise in the Statehouse might help
Kansas lawmakers are set to receive a substantial pay raise next year. Some say that’s key to recruiting more young and working class people to run for office.
Lawrence school district superintendent denounces bill banning gender-affirming care for youths
The Lawrence school district superintendent has spoken out against state legislation that would block transgender youths’ access to gender-affirming health care in Kansas.
Kansas Legislature sends Democratic governor bill banning under-18 transgender health care
The Kansas Legislature voted to send an intensely divisive bill Wednesday to Gov. Laura Kelly forbidding gender transition surgery, prescribing of puberty blockers and delivery of other gender-affirming care by medical professionals in Kansas to people younger than 18.
Kansas senators vote on police dog bill, pass plastic bag ban that would nullify Lawrence order
Republican lawmakers in Topeka are trying to snuff out liberal Lawrence’s reign as a plastic bag-free city. If history is a guide, the GOP likely won’t have enough votes to overturn a veto from the governor.
Kansas bill limiting privacy advances as lawmakers opine on ‘regret and emptiness’ of abortion
Senate Republicans say 11 questions proposed to survey pregnant people in the state before they can receive an abortion will help lawmakers make better decisions. Critics say the proposed survey is overly invasive, offensive and a blatant attempt to push an anti-abortion agenda.
GOP lawmakers tie care for disabled Kansans to their opposition of Medicaid expansion
Several Republican lawmakers have sworn against expanding state health care coverage, arguing that they are “laser-focused” on fixing long wait times for thousands of the state’s disabled residents in need of health care first.
Despite overwhelming Kansas public support, Medicaid expansion bill shot down
Republican lawmakers on Thursday brought a Medicaid expansion bill to a halt, after one day of discussion, 900 testimonies in support of expansion and dozens of statewide rallies held by Kansans desperate for more health care coverage.
House bill imposes $10,000 fine on Kansas public colleges, universities for misuse of DEI policy
The Kansas House tentatively approved legislation Wednesday imposing a $10,000 fine for every instance in which a public university or college tied student admissions or faculty hiring to an ideological pledge or statement related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
First Medicaid expansion hearing held in years yields many Kansas supporters
Kansas lawmakers, health care advocates and lobbyists packed two committee rooms Wednesday, wearing buttons and slogan-emblazoned shirts to showcase public approval of Medicaid expansion.
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