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. He has been recognized for investigative reporting on Kansas government and politics. He won the Kansas Press Association's Victor Murdock Award six times. The William Allen White Foundation honored him four times with its Burton Marvin News Enterprise Award. The Kansas City Press Club twice presented him its Journalist of the Year Award and more recently its Lifetime Achievement Award. He earned an agriculture degree at Kansas State University and grew up on a small dairy and beef cattle farm in Missouri. He is an amateur woodworker and drives Studebaker cars.

Topeka Rep. Jim Gartner, the ranking Democrat on the House Taxation Committee, offered an unusual motion to withdraw from a House committee the bill eliminating the state's 6.5% sales tax on groceries. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

On heels of $285 million income tax cut, Kansas faces $359 million loss from PPP loans
By: - April 2, 2021

Kansas Legislature, Gov. Laura Kelly grapple with bill slashing income taxes and projected $360 million state tax deduction from PPP loans.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican candidate for governor, issued a nonbinding legal opinion saying the Legislature had authority to delay preparations to rebid the $4 billion contracts with KanCare providers until 2024 rather than 2023.. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas attorney general joins lawsuit to break chilling effect on state tax cuts
By: - April 2, 2021

Kansas attorney general joins federal lawsuit challenging action by Congress to prohibit use of COVID-19 stimulus aid to cut state taxes.

Kansas GOP-controlled legislative council spikes Kelly’s refreshed mask mandate
By: and - April 1, 2021

Kansas Senate president considers Gov. Kelly's reissuance of mask mandate an April Fool's joke; Legislature intends to spike her order.

The administration of Gov. Laura Kelly signed a contract to create a 14-bed acute psychiatric hospital for youth in Hays to fill a service void in western Kansas. Admissions are to begin in 2023. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kelly signs speedy-trial suspension bill, three other measures
By: - March 31, 2021

Gov. Laura Kelly signs into law a two-year suspension of Kansas' speedy-trial statute given criminal case backlog tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rep. John Barker, R-Abilene, failed to persuade the Kansas House to accept an overhaul of the Senate's sports gambling bill and weakening the prospect of a deal being reaching in the 2021 legislative session. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

House declines to bet on sports gambling bill described as breach of contract
By: - March 30, 2021

Kansas House rejects sports gambling bill portrayed a potential breach of contract by state with casino managers.

Overland Park Democratic Rep. Brett Parker, at center in glasses, plans to resign from the Kansas House to serve as executive director of Prairie Roots, a nonprofit dedicated to progressive candidates and issues. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

House GOP kills off another Medicaid expansion attempt by Democrats
By: - March 30, 2021

The Kansas House rejects a fresh proposal to expand eligibility for Medicaid, but passed a 2% or $161 million budget cut.

Rep. Pat Proctor, R-Leavenworth, center wearing mask, questioned a new internet sales tax but voted for the House's tax bill because Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly damaged the economy through the pandemic. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas Legislature overwhelmingly approves tax reform package
By: - March 30, 2021

TOPEKA — The Kansas Legislature approved a tax overhaul bill Tuesday raising the standard deduction on Kansas income taxes, applying the state’s sales tax to relatively large out-of-state internet retailers and handing multinational corporations a tax exemption on income held overseas. Adjustments to state tax law passed 81-43 by the House were subsequently approved by […]

House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, center, D-Wichita, opposed a House resolution passed by the Republican majority urging rejection by the Legislature of any mask mandate issued by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

House rams through pre-emptive resolution to derail new Kelly mask order
By: - March 30, 2021

TOPEKA — The Kansas House worked to get in front of any effort to extend statewide COVID-19 mask mandates Tuesday by adopting a resolution urging legislators to reject a planned move by Gov. Laura Kelly to renew an executive order advising Kansans to wear a face covering. Kelly irritated some Kansans, especially Republican politicians, by […]

Rep. John Barker, an Abilene Republican and chairman of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee, said the panel would attempt next week to approve a compromise bill legalizing medical marijuana in Kansas. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

House committee plows into cultivation of fine-print amendments to medical marijuana bill
By: - March 25, 2021

Kansas House committee's tweaks to medical marijuana bill to feature county opt-out, ad bans, liquor-like regulation, licensing caps.

Gov. Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 40 that broadened the Legislature's oversight powers during the COVID-19 pandemic and indicated she would re-issue a dozen executive orders April 1, including guidance on wearing masks. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

House, Senate GOP leaders pledge to derail new Kansas mask order if re-issued by Kelly
By: - March 25, 2021

Gov. Kelly signs GOP's overhaul of Kansas' emergency management law and House and Senate leaders warn her not to issue a new mask mandate.

Rep. Trevor Jacobs, R-Fort Scott, voted against a bill extending the Sunday hours of liquor stores. The bill was passed by a bipartisan majority to allow sales from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays rather than noon to 8 p.m. under existing law. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Senate, House put seal of approval on liquor bills for state fair and Sunday sales
By: - March 24, 2021

House and Senate grapple with liquor bills that expand Sunday store hours and reform handling of DUI offenders.

Frustrated Republican Rep. Blake Carpenter, center, idles in the Kansas House chamber while Democratic Rep. Vic Miller makes good on a promise to engage in a presentation on a federal voting rights bill. Carpenter and GOP allies shut Miller down with an obscure rule that found Miller guilty of being tedious. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

GOP restraint of House member’s voting-rights speech hinges on meaning of ‘tediously’
By: - March 24, 2021

Kansas GOP relies on obscure rule on tedious conduct to cut off Democrat's filibuster on resolution denouncing federal election reform bill.

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