Republican governor candidate Derek Schmidt’s new campaign commercials castigate Gov. Laura Kelly for creating in 2020 a Commission on Racial Equity and Justice to search for solutions to problems within Kansas law enforcement agencies, despite affirming in October 2020 that he believed racial bias was present within Kansas law enforcement.
“How our state government taxes, spends, and accesses funding demonstrates our values and our commitment to addressing racial equity in Kansas,” members of the Governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice write in this piece for Kansas Reflector.
“In the summer of 2020, amidst national calls for racial justice and criminal justice reform, Gov. Laura Kelly established the Governor’s Commission on Racial Equity and Justice. She brought together 15 Kansans with expertise in law enforcement, education, health advocacy, local and state government, policy, philanthropy, and community organizing.”
The final report of Gov. Laura Kelly’s racial equity and justice task force calls for repeal of state laws disproportionately affecting families of color, health care reform, increased law enforcement training and more.
A consumer finance expert is recommending Kansas make payday loan reforms that could save consumers more than $25 million per year while still maintaining credit access.
A Kansas racial equity panel report has pinpointed maternal and early childhood health, vaccine equity and Medicaid expansion among areas that could improve racial inequities in healthcare.
As Douglas County’s annual budget hearings began Monday, commissioners heard a funding request from a new nonprofit criminal defense office. Sam Allison-Natale, chair of Kansas Holistic Defenders, took questions about how the organization aims to improve outcomes and handling of misdemeanor cases in Douglas County.
A Kansas racial equity panel could issue recommendations for public schools and colleges to eliminate the use of American Indian mascots, nicknames or imagery.
As Kansas is set to receive about $1.6 billion in discretionary pandemic relief aid from the federal government, a state equity panel wants to ensure minority and at-risk communities have a seat at the table when deciding how to dole those funds out.
A panel focused on promoting racial equity in Kansas has homed in on childcare and early childhood education as keys to addressing economic and social disparities among marginalized communities in the state.
