The acting child advocate for Kansas recommended Wednesday that lawmakers mandate annual unannounced inspection of residential facilities serving children in the state’s welfare system.
Sen. Mike Thompson’s hearing on symbolic legislation about immigration laws featured one-sided testimony with dehumanizing language, unsupported speculation about a sex trafficking ring in Wichita, and a comparison between being in the country illegally and robbing a bank.
Kansas’ top election official urged the Legislature to increase the penalty for threatening a poll worker, impose a ban on political parties nominating candidates without their consent and to compel counties to securely deploy ballot drop boxes.
The Senate tax committee heard testimony today on a resolution that would cap the annual increases in appraised property values at 3%.
The proposed state budget crafted by Gov. Laura Kelly features a 2.5% pay raise for state employees, expands Medicaid eligibility for 150,000 lower-income Kansans and fully finances K-12 public education.
Gov. Laura Kelly’s seventh State of the State speech on Wednesday called for investments in water resources and public schools, streamlining early childhood regulation, pursuit of sustainable tax policy and expansion of Medicaid eligibility.
Senate President Ty Masterson promised to reduce property taxes, streamline government processes and enact anti-abortion and anti-trans legislation in his Wednesday rebuttal to Gov. Laura Kelly’s State of the State address.
Kansas Supreme Court Justice Marla Luckert told lawmakers Wednesday about her “grim” vision of a future where the rule of law is threatened by a lack of legal representation.
The start of the 2025 Kansas legislative session brings renewed efforts to restrict access to abortion in a state that voted overwhelmingly to protect abortion rights.
Public defenders in Kansas face borderline unethical caseloads, lower pay rates than peers and now the possibility of even less funding to address attorney shortages.
