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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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Kansas legislative session closes with pair of overrides, calls for better drug policy
Kansas lawmakers wrapped the 2022 legislative session Monday by overturning a series of vetoes from the governor, tying up loose ends on remaining bills and debating a resolution taking issue with proposed Word Health Organization regulations.
Legislature sends governor tax bill with $50 million for small businesses hurt by COVID-19
The Legislature voted Monday to send tax-reform legislation to Gov. Laura Kelly, but not before a Senate Republican supporting the bill insisted the governor receive no credit for earmarking $50 million to reimburse small businesses that suffered in early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kansas Legislature’s final day of 2022 session may involve more than ceremonial activities
State lawmakers have urged action on fentanyl, taxes and automated vehicle issues during their return on Monday.
Want to run for office this year? Here are the filing deadlines
Some, but not all, election filing deadlines are different this year because of the delay caused by redistricting.
Kansas preservation group raises objections to Docking building reconfiguration
The historic preservation group Plains Modern wants to secure a court order requiring reconsideration of the partial demolition of Docking State Office Building and construction of three floors of office and meeting space costing no more than $120 million.
New state House, Senate maps receive Kansas Supreme Court approval
The Kansas Supreme Court affirmed the validity Wednesday of the newly drawn boundaries for state House and Senate districts.
Kelly signs education budget and policy bundle, asks Legislature to fully fund special education
Gov. Laura Kelly signed Monday a bill providing more than $6 billion for K-12 education and making several policy changes, including a controversial provision allowing students to openly transfer to districts around Kansas.
Supreme Court of Kansas explores constitutionality of revised congressional redistricting map
Justices of the Kansas Supreme Court stepped into an explosive legal and political drama Monday triggered by the Legislature’s decision to split the state’s most diverse county between two congressional districts and relegate Lawrence to the rural conservative 1st District reaching into western Kansas.
Arguments pit process vs. result in Kansas Supreme Court debate over legislative maps
Attorney General Derek Schmidt began proceedings Monday asserting to the Kansas Supreme Court that new boundaries for Kansas House and Senate districts violated no law.
Kelly vetoes infectious disease, Medicaid and election bills
Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill allowing autonomous vehicles to operate on Kansas roads and vetoed legislation restricting public health officials’ response to all infectious disease outbreaks, a mandate imposing a no-bid contract for Medicaid services and limitations on the executive branch’s enforcement of election law.
Kansas thinks maybe you’re accidentally buying vegetarian ‘meat,’ so it passed a law
The power of the Kansas cattle industry means grocery shoppers in the state won’t be buying anything called sausage or burger unless it’s made of animal parts.
Kansas saw the nation’s second-highest increase in drug deaths last year
Kansas is one of just a few states without a good Samaritan law that encourages people to call 911 when they witness a drug overdose, and it doesn’t permit syringe service programs that provide sterile injection equipment.
Kansas legislative leaders argue district court erred by ruling congressional map unconstitutional
The Republican-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council’s legal brief to the Kansas Supreme Court rejects a lower court decision that the 2022 congressional map was unconstitutional, arguing that judge’s ruling amounted to partisan overreach and parroted unproven claims by plaintiffs.
Analysis: How the Kansas Legislature avoids public scrutiny by hiding in darkness
The Kansas Legislature shields itself from public scrutiny through secrecy, confusing shell games and silenced opposition.
Kelly signs bipartisan legislation creating state tax incentive for housing construction
Gov. Laura Kelly signed bipartisan legislation Thursday creating incentives in the form of state income tax credits for investors in construction of residential housing that contributes to economic development in Kansas.
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