Author

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.
On heels of $285 million income tax cut, Kansas faces $359 million loss from PPP loans
By: Tim Carpenter - 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 joins lawsuit to break chilling effect on state tax cuts
By: Tim Carpenter - 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: Tim Carpenter and Sherman Smith - 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.
Kelly signs speedy-trial suspension bill, three other measures
By: Tim Carpenter - 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.
House declines to bet on sports gambling bill described as breach of contract
By: Tim Carpenter - March 30, 2021
Kansas House rejects sports gambling bill portrayed a potential breach of contract by state with casino managers.
House GOP kills off another Medicaid expansion attempt by Democrats
By: Tim Carpenter - March 30, 2021
The Kansas House rejects a fresh proposal to expand eligibility for Medicaid, but passed a 2% or $161 million budget cut.
Kansas Legislature overwhelmingly approves tax reform package
By: Tim Carpenter - 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 rams through pre-emptive resolution to derail new Kelly mask order
By: Tim Carpenter - 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 […]
House committee plows into cultivation of fine-print amendments to medical marijuana bill
By: Tim Carpenter - March 25, 2021
Kansas House committee's tweaks to medical marijuana bill to feature county opt-out, ad bans, liquor-like regulation, licensing caps.
House, Senate GOP leaders pledge to derail new Kansas mask order if re-issued by Kelly
By: Tim Carpenter - 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.
Senate, House put seal of approval on liquor bills for state fair and Sunday sales
By: Tim Carpenter - March 24, 2021
House and Senate grapple with liquor bills that expand Sunday store hours and reform handling of DUI offenders.
GOP restraint of House member’s voting-rights speech hinges on meaning of ‘tediously’
By: Tim Carpenter - 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.