If Lila and Margaret Bhattarai had their way, they would replace “incredibly misogynistic” legislation floating around the Statehouse with laws that protect people’s rights to do what they want with their own bodies. The sisters from Lawrence joined a coalition of people from across the state who gathered Monday at the Capitol to leverage their voices against a multitude of anti-abortion and anti-transgender proposals.
Adam Kellog says the transgender community in Kansas is terrified by bills advancing through the Legislature this session that include efforts to criminalize gender-affirming care, ban transgender athletes from competing with cisgender athletes, and narrowly define what it means to be a woman.
Advocates say a bill in the hands of the House Judiciary Committee would protect businesses unfairly targeted by “abusive” lawsuits alleging Americans with Disabilities Act compliance issues.
Kansas government officials clashed this week over education, with Gov. Laura Kelly promoting the full funding of special education and other politicians emphasizing private schools as a way to educate Kansas youths.
The Kansas Legislature is considering a bill that would strip powers from local public health officials to contain disease outbreaks.
Jared Wolsey / Contributed Photo
A bill that drew sharp opposition Thursday would let the Kansas AG penalize cities that don’t enforce no-camping rules and let the state deny non-compliant cities money to combat homelessness.
During a second round of testimony about medical marijuana, opponents spoke of cannabis-induced suicides, marijuana poisoning and spiking crime rates, in what some have called a blatant attempt at halting the legislation.
The Kansas House passed legislation Thursday to raise the legal age for tobacco products from 18 to 21.
The future of marijuana in Kansas is still dubious. Sen. Mike Thompson said he wasn’t willing to rush forward with any form of marijuana legislation.
Melissa Stiehler remembers her experience as the first girl to come out at her high school, back in 2006, at the height of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
“It was incredibly lonely,” Stiehler said. “I started LGBT activism at that point in time, basically, to make other gay friends, so I knew I wasn’t alone.”
