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GOP legislative leaders enlist former Emporia State president to slash Kansas university budgets
Republican legislative leaders agreed to pay former Emporia State University president Ken Hush $50,000 to spearhead their efforts to slash spending at public universities.
GOP legislative leaders enlist former Emporia State president to slash Kansas university budgets
Republican legislative leaders agreed to pay former Emporia State University president Ken Hush $50,000 to spearhead their efforts to slash spending at public universities.
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MORe STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS
Kansas efficiency panel wades through public input, creates plan to tackle transparency, access
The Kansas Senate Committee on Government Efficiency dug through hundreds of online submissions Tuesday and set an agenda for the coming months tackling issues from transparency to auditing.
Kansas Legislature’s auditors point to inconsistency in awarding economic relief funds
The Kansas Legislature’s auditors reported Monday the state Department of Commerce didn’t consistently adhere to internal evaluation processes and maintain transparency in selecting recipients of $99 million in federal funding.
Lawsuit challenges ‘unconstitutional’ Kansas law cutting grace period for mail-in ballots
Three advocacy organizations filed a lawsuit Monday in Douglas County District Court challenging the Kansas Legislature’s attempt to “arbitrarily” reject advance ballots of voters if the mail system fails to deliver them by Election Day.
Kansas governor pleads with congressional delegation to fight against Medicaid cuts
Gov. Laura Kelly sent letters to Kansas’ congressional delegation urging the federal lawmakers to resist pressure to vote for Medicaid cuts that would deny health care to the most vulnerable people in the state.
Kansas Legislature steps back from terminating popular affordable housing tax credit program
Instead of Kansas’ low-income housing tax credit being terminated in July, the program will survive, in a reduced capacity, until 2028.
August Rudisell/Lawrence Times
‘This isn’t our first rodeo’: Kansas, Lawrence Democrats rally, prep for vote against amendment in August 2026
Local Democrats urged community members during a rally Sunday to help people register and get out the vote — and in particular, to vote against a constitutional amendment coming to ballots in August 2026.
Kansas Legislature turns cold shoulder to child reading program after less than one year
The Kansas Legislature’s budget bill that eventually passed with bipartisan support contained no new funding of Blueprint for Literacy, which aims to intervene on behalf of 33% of Kansas students not meeting fundamental levels of reading.
Kansas will carve out religious vaccine exemptions as it eases some child care regulations
Gov. Laura Kelly says she will sign a bill aimed at improving access to child care and other early childhood services. But some health experts are concerned about a provision codifying religious exemptions for vaccines required at day cares.
Funding freeze could slam Kansas classrooms, but state officials have asked feds to reverse course
A directive from the U.S. Department of Education immediately froze more than $22 million in federal funding meant to help Kansas students recover from pandemic-era learning loss.
Kansas LGBTQ+ foster kids’ rights in jeopardy under new law protecting religious parents
The way Kansas LGBTQ+ youths in foster care are placed into homes could change after lawmakers forced a bill into law that permits foster children to be placed with families who don’t affirm a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity based on the parents’ religious or moral beliefs.
Kansas is getting controversial new laws for fetal tax exemptions and ultrasound videos in schools
New legislation concerning fetal tax exemptions and fetal development education are coming to Kansas this summer, garnering praise from anti-abortion advocates and criticism from abortion rights supporters.
Kansas families with SNAP can still buy soda, candy, but new law adds red tape to assistance
A bill barring Kansans who use food benefits from buying soda and candy failed to move forward last week, while another bill passed that opponents said would stall stage agencies’ ability to react to changes in assistance programs and disability services.
GOP, Democrats blast Legislature for failure to meaningfully lower property taxes in 2025 session
Promises were made by Republicans and Democrats to address property tax reform during this legislative session. The end of the annual session last week offered evidence the performance of lawmakers on property tax relief was underwhelming.
On reflection, Kansas House reverses course to override governor on 15 budget vetoes
Three Republicans and three Democrats in the House dropped their opposition Friday to overriding Gov. Laura Kelly on 15 budget vetoes to meet the Senate halfway toward restoration of spending earmarks on the verge of being deleted from the appropriations bill.
Senate rejects all of governor’s budget vetoes; House takes starkly different approach
It was all or nothing as the Senate and House considered the tidal wave of budget vetoes generated by Gov. Laura Kelly.
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