Briefs
Kansas collects $7M from $1.85B in sports bets in first year of legalized gambling
TOPEKA — The state’s first year of sports betting brought in $7 million in state revenue from $1.85 billion in wagers. In a Thursday update to committee lawmakers, Kansas Lottery finance director Matt Schwartz said revenue projections were basically on track with expectations. “Sports wagering revenues, we’re now a little more than 12 months in,” […]
Mental health advocates ask for legislative policy that treats unhoused Kansans with respect
TOPEKA — Mental health advocates are once again brainstorming ways to approach the Kansas Legislature about the state’s growing homelessness problem. Kansas cities and local governments have struggled to find solutions to the problem. While urban areas have higher unhoused populations — about 1,798 people are homeless on any given night in Kansas City, according […]
Topeka Rep. Fred Patton submits letter of resignation, stepping down Oct. 16
A Topeka member of the Kansas House plans to resign in October to give his replacement one year of experience before standing for election in 2024.
Marshall expresses irritation with possible change to temporary visa program for farm workers
GOP U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Senate agriculture committee member, objects to proposed reform of a temporary visa program for farm workers.
Gov. Kelly personally affirms Kansas’ economic development ties with Japan, South Korea
Gov. Laura Kelly visited Japan and South Korea to affirm international business alliances and make the case for wider corporate investments in Kansas jobs.
Kansas jobless rate stable at 2.7% in August, loses ground in private-sector employment
The unemployment rate in Kansas hovered at 2.7% in August, which was unchanged from July and a slight improvement over the 2.8% posted in August 2022.
Hospitals plead with Congress to avert $8 billion in cuts in Medicaid funding
WASHINGTON — Health care representatives from across the United States are urging Congress to halt cuts to funding that helps hospitals care for uninsured or low-income patients who rely on Medicaid. More than 250 hospitals and health systems appealed to House and Senate leadership in a letter Thursday asking the lawmakers to avert or delay […]
Kansas health care coverage lags behind national average for second year
TOPEKA — Kansas has fallen behind national health insurance trends for the second year in a row, with thousands of state residents falling into a health care coverage gap. Kansas had a higher uninsurance rate than the national average for two consecutive years now, according to recently-released U.S. Census Bureau health insurance estimates. In 2021, […]
Senate committee confirms former Democratic legislator to utility regulatory board
Former Kansas state Rep. Annie Kuether was confirmed as the newest member of the Kansas Corporation Commission Wednesday with a near-unanimous vote. Kuether, who served in the Kansas House of Representatives from 1997 to 2022, will be seated immediately. She replaces outgoing commission Chair Susan Duffy. Gov. Laura Kelly announced she had appointed Kuether, a […]
Food and Drug Administration approves COVID boosters for upcoming season
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the latest round of COVID-19 boosters, as public health officials brace for another cold and flu season. An advisory panel at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to vote on recommendations Tuesday, the final step in the process before people will […]
Gov. Kelly directs flags to be flown at half-staff in Kansas on Sept. 11 anniversary
Gov. Laura Kelly issues order directing Kansans to fly flags at half-staff Monday in tribute to lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Anonymous benefactor donates $50 million to University of Kansas’ business school
Anonymous donor commits $50 million to business school at University of Kansas in Lawrence — the largest gift to the school in KU history.