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Kansas legislative leadership wobbly on redistricting as January session draws near
Kansas legislators’ messaging has teetered between confident and uncertain as they approach a possible attempt at drawing new Congressional lines in January.
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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 lawmakers award $50,000 in wrongful conviction case involving knife possession
The State Finance Council approved settlements Tuesday of a $50,000 wrongful conviction case and two other legal conflicts, but the council did not disclose information about those claims nor amounts of tax dollars spent to settle them.
Schmidt, college swimmer embrace restrictions on participation in sports by transgender athletes
Republican gubernatorial nominee Derek Schmidt pledged Thursday to sign legislation targeting transgender persons by mandating athletic teams sponsored by public schools and colleges in Kansas align participation with an individual’s gender at birth.
Western Kansas’ economy threatened by reliance on irrigating crops with Ogallala Aquifer
Consumption of groundwater from the Ogallala Aquifer continues to outstrip its natural replenishment.
Kansas women articulate unnecessary economic barriers in parental leave, pay gap, mentorship
Women in Kansas have more education than men but still only make 78 cents to the dollar that men make for the same work. Infant care in the state is 1.3 times more expensive than in-state college tuition. While more women vote than men, only 28% of legislative seats are held by women.
House Democrats offer package of state tax reforms to alleviate cost of college education
Under a proposal from Kansas Democrats, a $150 tax rebate would be available to parents of college-age children to help pay for college fees, books and supplies. The initiative also features a business tax credit and a savings account tweak.
Most Kansas voters want abortion access, but their legislators may further restrict it anyway
Kansans decisively rejected a state constitutional amendment that would have removed the right to an abortion. But many conservative lawmakers will go unchallenged at the ballot box this year, allowing them to continue the push to restrict abortion access in the legislature.
Kansas mental health hospitals are so overcrowded that patients have to wait in hallways
Hospital administrators told lawmakers at a hearing Tuesday that a lack of mental health services and overcrowding puts both patients and health care workers in danger at hospitals in south and central Kansas.
Kansas Rep. Gail Finney remembered as champion for Wichita, warrior for justice
Rep. Gail Finney’s colleagues mourned her death Saturday and remembered the Wichita Democrat as a fierce advocate for child welfare reform, a warrior for justice, a champion for her community, and a shining example of a public servant.
Kansas woman says effort to recount abortion vote depends on ‘God moving in people’s lives’
Melissa Leavitt says her ability to raise money to pay for a statewide hand recount of votes on the constitutional amendment on abortion rights will “have a lot to do with God moving in people’s lives.”
Conservatives opposing ‘woke’ culture win seats on the Kansas Board of Education
Two Republican members of the Kansas school board were ousted by more conservative challengers who have criticized lessons on racism, sexuality and gender identity.
Kansas voters receive text messages spouting lies about amendment vote
Voters across Kansas on Monday were receiving text messages containing inaccurate information about the constitutional amendment on Tuesday’s ballot.
Kansas voters diving into first statewide referendum on abortion since Roe overturned
Democratic voters are being targeted with an unsolicited text message that falsely claims a “yes” vote on the amendment would preserve reproductive rights in Kansas. The constitutional amendment vote is also drawing piles of cash, misleading ads, and church activism.
Secretary of state predicts surge in primary voting driven by abortion amendment
The Kansas secretary of state predicted Friday competitive races and the proposed abortion amendment to the Kansas Constitution could drive an extra 200,000 voters to the polls in the primary election.
ACLU of Kansas intervenes on behalf of voters in multiple counties ahead of primary election
The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas has helped resolve election-related concerns in counties around the state in advance of next week’s primary.
Kansas governor warns passage of constitutional amendment will invite wave of abortion restrictions
Gov. Laura Kelly warned passage of an amendment removing the right to abortion from the Kansas Constitution would prompt an emboldened Republican-led Legislature to pass new restraints on the right of women to control their reproductive health.
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