Author

Tim Carpenter

Tim Carpenter

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.

Sen. Beverly Gossage, R-Eudora, said she was offended a colleague referred to people claiming election fraud were also likely fearful of alien invasion. She said those concerned about election security weren't likely to claim they saw UFOs. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas Senate committee moves to block use of fentanyl test strips to stem overdose deaths

By: - March 20, 2023

Senate committee deletes from a House bill a provision allowing people to legally use fentanyl test strips to reduce potential of overdose deaths in Kansas.

Brenden Wirth, right, and Joel Leftwich, both staff with Kansas Farm Bureau, are intrigued by creation of a coalition of Kansas organizations to recruit more candidates for city council, county commission and local school board races. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Coalition of Kansas organizations strives to entice candidates for city, county, school board

By: - March 20, 2023

A coalition of diverse Kansas organizations find common ground in quest to recruit candidates for school board, city council and county commission.

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican and candidate for state treasurer, warned colleagues not to let Gov. Laura Kelly take credit for signing into law tax reform bills offering property tax relief to businesses closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas Senate budget bill features 3.25% spending cut, imposes DEI ban at universities

By: - March 19, 2023

The Kansas Senate's budget debate hit on Medicaid, diversity and equity, conflicts of interest, concentrated political power and, of course, state spending.

Attorney General Kris Kobach denounced the election-law opinion issued by the Kansas Court of Appeals as "illogical" and the nation's most radical decision in an election rights case. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Court of Appeals reverses lower court on Kansas lawsuit challenging restraint of voting rights

By: - March 17, 2023

Kansas Court of Appeals issues election-law opinion reversing district court judge and irritating Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, Lenexa Democrat, said the process for awarding about $500 million to businesses impacted by COVID-19 government mandates lacks transparency and could promote back-room deals. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Senate Republicans, Democrats plunge into weeds for rules scuffle on education funding bill

By: - March 17, 2023

Kansas Senate plowed into a procedural fight over whether Democrats could force a quick vote on a bill creating a voucher-like program for private schools.

Havana Republican Sen. Virgil Peck, right, requested a House committee speed mandatory retrofitting of blinking red lights on thousands of Kansas wind turbines with a less-annoying alternative aviation warning system, but advocates of the pending bill indicated the change could undermine efforts to pass reform legislation. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas senator’s plea to speed conversion to new wind turbine lighting may threaten reform bill

By: - March 16, 2023

Kansas Legislature is debating how to reduce the problem of irritating flashing lights on top of wind turbines, starting with a mandate on new construction.

Gov. Laura Kelly and the four top Republican and Democratic leaders of the Kansas Legislature sent a joint letter to Congress requesting the federal government meet financial obligations to states in terms of funding special education programs. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kelly, bipartisan group of Kansas legislators urge Congress to boost aid for special education

By: - March 16, 2023

Gov. Laura Kelly and four top GOP and Democratic leaders in Kansas Legislature want Congress to comply with federal law on funding of special education.

Wichita teacher and writer Chandra Dickson said Wednesday during a rally at the Capitol that expansion of eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas could have led to an earlier diagnosis of her mother's cancer. Instead, her mother died shortly after told non-Hodgkin lymphoma was attacking her body. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

A daughter asserted Kansas’ failure to expand Medicaid cut her mother’s life short

By: - March 15, 2023

The governor, a cancer doctor, a Topeka business leader and people who lost uninsured loved ones rallied at the Capitol for expansion of Medicaid services.

Speaker of the House Rep. Dan Hawkins rallied Republican representatives to vote in favor of a controverisal education proposal during a House meeting. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas House narrowly approves education proposal to fund unregulated private schools

By: and - March 15, 2023

TOPEKA — The Kansas House passed a wide-ranging bill funneling state funding to unregulated private schools after holdups due to bipartisan concern about the proposal’s effects. The vote was initially divided, 60 for and 64 against, with Republicans breaking rank to vote with the 40-member Democratic bloc during the Wednesday House meeting. One Democrat voted […]

Steve Greene, a lobbyist with Florida-based Opportunity Solutions Project, said the Legislature shouldn't repeal a Kansas law mandating families receiving child-care subsidies cooperate with the state agency enforcing child support payment orders. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas statute determining access to child care subsidy conflicts with federal regulation

By: - March 15, 2023

Kansas House bill would repeal 2015 state statute restricting access to child care subsidy, which conflicts with federal mandate.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said presence over Kansas of a Chinese spy balloon was evidence of President Joe Biden's shortcomings in the national security realm. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from U.S. Senate YouTube channel)

Marshall irritated by regulators’ action in bank failure; Intrust, UMB facing downgrade

By: - March 14, 2023

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said he was disappointed President Joe Biden allowed a financial bailout of a failed California bank.

Jeff Zmunda, secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections, recommended the Legislature support expansion of hiring and retention bonuses to alleviate chronic employee shortages. The corrections department has more than 550 vacancies and six of nine facilities have uniform employee vacancies of more than 25%. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislative YouTube channel)

Kansas state agencies support raising retention, hiring bonus cap to $10,000 annually

By: - March 14, 2023

Cluster of Kansas state agencies urge House budget committee to support a bill expanding employee hiring, retention bonuses to maximum of $10,000 annually.