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.

Rep. Fred Patton, a Topeka Republican, pleaded with House colleagues to support a bill suspending for three years the state law defining a speedy criminal trial because the district courts were overwhelmed by COVID-19 issues. The bill passed 117-17. (Pool photo by Evert Nelson/Topeka Capital-Journal)

Kansas House bill suspends speedy-trial law to avoid freeing accused murderers, rapists
By: - February 25, 2021

Kansas House passes bill suspending state law defining a speedy trial to keep judges from releasing accused murderers and rapists.

Gov. Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 15 during a bipartisan news conference Thursday in the Capitol to create a maximum $60 million loan program for businesses with less than 200 employees struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Democratic governor, GOP lawmakers unify to dedicate $60M for low-cost loan program
By: - February 25, 2021

Gov. Laura Kelly signs bipartisan bill creating $60 million low-interest loan program for small businesses struggling with the pandemic.

Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, opened work Wednesday in the Senate Judiciary Committee on a bill overhauling the state's disaster management law to restrain Gov. Laura Kelly and influence how counties, cities, schools respond to disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. (Noah Taborda/Kansas Reflector)

GOP senators eager to answer COVID-19 with explicit Kansas emergency management law
By: - February 24, 2021

Kansas Senate committee takes carving knife to state emergency management law to more specifically limit a governor's authority in disasters.

Gov. Laura Kelly said the Kansas Department of Labor paid out an estimated $290 million in fraudulent unemployment claims in the COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020, including $140 million from the state's trust fund and $150 million in temporary federal assistance. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Governor: Kansas pays out $290M in fraudulent jobless claims
By: - February 23, 2021

Kansas officials estimate $290 million in fraudulent state and federal unemployment benefits were issued in 2020 as COVID-19 raged.

Family Policy Alliance lobbyist Brittany Jones, former Yale University basketball player Jessica Steffen and former University of Kansas pole vaulter Callie Hicks, left to right, testified in favor of a Kansas Senate bill assigning transgender athletes to sports programs at public schools and colleges based on gender at birth. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas transgender sports bill: Epitome of fair play? Or, brazenly unconstitutional?
By: - February 23, 2021

TOPEKA — Former University of Kansas pole vaulter Callie Hicks offered assurances Tuesday that failure to impose a state law restricting transgender athletes to competitions based on biological gender at birth would destroy girls and women’s sports programs. She was among two dozen people drawn to the Senate Education Committee’s hearing on a bill requiring […]

Sen. Caryn Tyson, the Parker Republican who chairs the Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee, extended to another day the combative confirmation hearing for Robert Marx, a nominee to the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, who is opposed by the Kansas Chamber. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas Chamber leads charge to torpedo state Board of Tax Appeals nominee
By: - February 23, 2021

Allegations of conflict of interest flashed during the Kansas Senate confirmation hearing for a nominee to the state Board of Tax Appeals.

Amber Shultz, secretary of the Kansas Department of Labor, acknowledged huge challenges in delivering unemployment aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, but was convinced the state was in a better position in 2022. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kelly seeks state, federal funding to restore Kansas unemployment trust fund, fix IT system
By: - February 22, 2021

Kansas officials seek $37 million from the state and additional federal funding to upgrade and maintain the unemployment benefit computer system.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, left, joined with others in the Kansas congressional delegation to praise the sacrifice and courage of U.S. veterans as the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan and U.S. forces seek a hasty departure. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

U.S. Sen. Moran on mission to make certain Kansas vets get shot at COVID-19 vaccine
By: - February 22, 2021

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran and VA officials estimate 70% of veterans in the Kansas region can be vaccinated for COVID-19 by summer.

Kansas Senate bill forces all K-12 students back to in-school instruction in March
By: - February 22, 2021

Two major Kansas public education organizations wary of forcing K-12 students back to in-person instruction by March 26 during a pandemic.

The Kansas Senate is considering a bill endorsed by Evergy, owners of this Lawrence power plant, that would allow refinancing of debt on old coal-burning facilities to be paid through issuance of bonds backed by ratepayers. Questions remain about whether consumers would be guaranteed rate reductions. (Jill Hummels/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas consumer advocates flag lack of rate-cut pledge in Senate bill tied to coal plant retirement
By: - February 21, 2021

Kansas Senate exploring bill backed by Evergy to issue bonds to finance coal-plant retirements, but questions remain about benefits to ratepayers.

Retired U.S. Army Col. Lynn Rolf is convinced the state and federal governments should collaborate on construction of a $50 million nursing home for veterans in one of five northeast Kansas counties. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Retired Col. Lynn Rolf: Coordinated offensive needed to bring veterans home to northeast Kansas
By: - February 20, 2021

There is movement in the Kansas House on two bills that could lead to construction of a $50 million nursing home for veterans in northeast Kansas.

Robin Macy and Mike Mackay have worked for years to organize and finance a "quiet zone" for rail traffic at Belle Plaine in southcentral Kansas. New safety infrastructure will allow BNSF Railways to stop blowing of horns at traffic crossings in the town. (Screen capture/Kansas Reflector)

Small town Kansas takes on big problem of deafening railroad engine horns
By: - February 19, 2021

Mike Mackay and Robin Macy are closing in on a challenge, expensive project to transform Belle Plaine into a "quiet zone" for railroad traffic.

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