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Kansas champions of administrative reform at public universities offer concessions to calm skeptics
The Republican majority leader of the Kansas House and the governor’s chief of staff worked Thursday to resolve objections to a bill designed to make the state’s three largest public universities more financially efficient by removing layers of administrative red tape.
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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
Public defender: Kansas faces crisis point on 60th anniversary of landmark U.S. Supreme Court case
A top public defender in Kansas says the state is at a crisis point on the 60th anniversary of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that guarantees legal representation for those who can’t afford to hire an attorney.
Court of Appeals reverses lower court on Kansas lawsuit challenging restraint on voting rights
A three-judge panel of the Kansas Court of Appeals issued an opinion Friday declaring voting a foundational constitutional right potentially undermined by state law mandating election volunteers verify signatures on advance ballots and restricting the number of advance ballots a person could deliver to an election office.
Kansas governor vetoes legislation banning transgender athletes from school sports
Gov. Laura Kelly for the third straight year has vetoed model legislation that would ban transgender girls from playing school sports with cisgender girls.
Medical marijuana advocate blames Kansas lawmakers for needless suffering
Alejandro Rangel-Lopez says lawmakers who refuse to legalize medical marijuana are responsible for the needless suffering of Kansans. After two days of Senate hearings on proposed legislation, there appears to be little hope for change this year.
Kansas lawmakers classify people with sexual development differences as disabled in revised bill
Intersex people and those born with sexual development differences would be classified as disabled and required to use separate bathrooms and locker rooms under legislation being considered by Kansas lawmakers.
Senate Republicans, Democrats plunge into weeds for rules scuffle on education funding bill
The dustup in the Senate over a bill delivering voucher-like funding to Kansas private schools featured zinger one-liners, rival interpretations of an obscure parliamentary rule and allegations Republican leadership engaged in abuse of power.
New legislation could allow hemp products to be used in Kansas animal feed
Industrial hemp could open up new pastures for Kansas, said industry professionals urging lawmakers to loosen regulatory measures they believe gave a chilling effect on the business.
House lawmakers advance proposal to study Kansas legislative salaries, potentially increase pay
House lawmakers advanced a legislative pay adjustment proposal in an attempt to remedy years of stagnant wages and make legislative careers more accessible.
Kansas House narrowly approves education proposal to fund unregulated private schools
The Kansas House passed a wide-ranging bill funneling state funding to unregulated private schools after holdups due to bipartisan concern about the proposal’s effects.
Kansas House advances education program giving state dollars to private schools
Public schools have become a monopoly, Republican lawmakers argued in an attempt to gain support for a far-reaching voucher-like program that would fund unregulated private schools with state dollars.
‘Really rotten bundle:’ Kansas lawmaker, education officials call bill bundling a bad practice
A bill that formerly dealt with naturopathy has been transformed into a wide-ranging public education budget and policy bill, the latest bundle of education bills and amendments rolled into one piece of legislation.
House panel endorses bill creating commission to update salary, benefits of state legislators
Legislators’ base salary of $88.66 per day hasn’t increased in decades. A House committee unanimously approved Monday a bill creating a bipartisan commission responsible for studying compensation of the state’s 165 legislators and potentially recommending increases for House and Senate members.
‘A little bit nerve-wracking’: Supporters of medical marijuana hold hope for Kansas law
The medical marijuana debate has been a hard-fought issue for years, heating up as surrounding states passed some form of legalization. But despite several forms of marijuana legislation currently under discussion, advocates aren’t sure of success.
Kansas proposal to regulate Evergy’s charges could save customers millions
With anger rising statewide about bigger electric bills, lawmakers advanced a proposal that would limit Evergy’s ability to recoup construction costs from customers’ wallets.
Proposed Kansas solution to child care shortage: Slash staff training, expand adult-to-child ratio
Three limited-government organizations, two child facility operators and one state senator Wednesday endorsed legislation crafted to alleviate a shortage of day care options in Kansas by reducing employee training requirements, lowering the minimum age of staff and increasing the ratio of adults-to-children in facilities.
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