Author
Kansas Statehouse payroll worker has history of theft charges
TOPEKA — An employee in charge of payroll at the Kansas Statehouse recently agreed to a felony plea deal after stealing more than $40,000 from employee health savings accounts while working as a bookkeeper for Soldier Township. Pamela Buckhalter also faced a felony theft charge in 2008 after she was accused of stealing more than […]
Kansas Legislature overrides veto, extends Medicaid contracts past election
TOPEKA — Republicans in the Kansas Legislature on Monday blocked Gov. Laura Kelly from reworking contracts for the state-run Medicaid program, downplaying concerns from Democrats about political motivations and clandestine deal-making involved in extending the $3.9 billion deals. Republicans favored the no-bid contract extension so Derek Schmidt could install new deals if he wins the […]
Woman wants Kansas library to get rid of children’s book about boy who dresses in mom’s clothes
TOPEKA — An Oakley woman wants to ban a children’s book from the public library because it contains drawings of a naked boy who gets dressed in his mother’s clothes. The Oakley Public Library Board of Trustees could decide later this month whether to get rid of “Fred Gets Dressed,” by New York Times bestselling […]
Analysis: How the Kansas Legislature avoids public scrutiny by hiding in darkness
TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature shields itself from public scrutiny through secrecy, confusing shell games and silenced opposition. Republicans who control the legislative process conduct hearings with selective one-sided testimony and provide no advance notice of a committee’s plans to take action on significant legislation. They refuse to acknowledge the authors or special interests involved […]
Kansas Attorney General argues fairness of congressional map is off limits for state court
TOPEKA — Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office says the Kansas Supreme Court has no business evaluating the fairness of redrawn congressional districts, despite a district court’s ruling that the map is heavily biased toward Republicans and dilutes minority votes. In a written argument filed Monday, Schmidt’s office argues the state court system doesn’t have a […]
Kansas collects $176.3M more than expected in April taxes
TOPEKA — Kansas tax collections for April exceeded forecasts by $176.3 million, the state announced Monday. The surplus mostly came from high-than-expected individual income tax returns, which beat revenue projections. Those projections had just been adjusted April 20 by $178 million. The roughly $1 billion collected in individual income taxes was more than double the […]
Kansas governor, legislators offer support for Andover after ‘stunning and heartbreaking’ tornado
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly on Saturday surveyed damage in Andover and promised to help the town recover from the large and destructive tornado that tore through the town the night before. Legislators from the area offered prayers and assistance for the Butler County community. The National Weather Service in Wichita said the severity of […]
Kansas Democrat threatens to recruit parents to sue schools for lack of honest history lessons
TOPEKA — Rep. Valdenia Winn offered a proposal to House Republicans: If they were to override the governor’s veto of legislation installing a parental bill of rights, she would recruit parents to file lawsuits over the lack of honest history lessons in public schools. After all, Winn said, the parental bill of rights “essentially” gives […]
Legislature sends governor invitation for Kansas to join autonomous vehicle revolution
House and Senate approved controversial legislation allowing autonomous trucks and cars to operate in Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly may again use her veto pen.
Equality Kansas asks House leadership to discipline representative over hateful email
TOPEKA — Equality Kansas on Tuesday asked House leadership to take disciplinary action against Rep. Cheryl Helmer for “incendiary” comments about a transgender House member. Helmer, a Republican from Mulvane, said in an April 23 email from her legislator account to a transgender college graduate student that she didn’t appreciate sharing a restroom at the […]
Kansas senators push transgender athlete debate to new extremes in override of governor’s veto
TOPEKA — Kansas senators pushed debate over a proposed ban on transgender athletes to new extremes Tuesday involving the University of Kansas championship-winning men’s basketball team and child genital inspections. The Senate — which has repeatedly debated the issue over the past two sessions — then voted 28-10 to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of […]
Kansas Republican complains about sharing Statehouse restroom with ‘transgender female’
TOPEKA — Rep. Cheryl Helmer told a transgender college student she doesn’t appreciate sharing a restroom at the Statehouse with a “huge transgender female” and falsely claims transgender people are assaulting “wee little girls” in school restrooms. Helmer’s hate-filled remarks were made in an April 23 email from her legislator address to Brenan Riffel, a […]