A leaked federal budget and the president’s budget forced Kansas advocates for people with disabilities to consider potential funding losses that could dramatically affect their services.
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.
A Kansas House committee has been gathering testimony on a wide range of reform options for Kansans with disabilities. That includes a four-year plan endorsed by advocates to invest $13.6 million to help people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
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Self-advocate Kathy Lobb’s decades-long quest has come to an end as a law to grant executive branch employment preferences for disabled Kansans is now on the books.
As the dust settles on the legislative maneuvering of the chaotic 2024 session, disability rights advocates applaud a budget provision meant to shorten wait times for disabled Kansans who need services.
Contributed
Gov. Laura Kelly’s signature is now all that’s missing for Kathy’s Bill to become law. It’s been a long time coming for the Lawrence self-advocate who brought it to life, Kathy Lobb.
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.
Two Kansas disability advocacy organizations condemned Thursday an assertion by Rep. Sean Tarwater that people with disabilities would “rot at home” because they “really can’t do anything” in terms of securing employment outside of sheltered workshops allowed to pay workers less than minimum wage.
Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector
A package of bills aimed at curbing elder abuse and creating more communication with various agencies that work with seniors was met with support by lawmakers on the final day of the regular session.
