Politics + Government

Some states began disenrolling people from Medicaid earlier than others, with health policy researcher KFF finding nearly 500,000 in 11 states have lost their health insurance.

Half a million people in less than a dozen states have lost Medicaid coverage since April

BY: - June 4, 2023

More than 500,000 people across 11 states have lost their Medicaid coverage since the unwinding of a policy that allowed people to stay in the program throughout the pandemic. The data, reported by the states and tracked by health policy researcher KFF, shows that of the five states providing data on people who lost Medicaid […]

OPINION
Senate President Ty Masterson gathers with colleagues in the Senate chamber before walking to the House for Gov. Laura Kelly's State of the State speech

Where did Kansas state senators’ campaign funds come from? The answers might surprise you.

BY: - June 4, 2023

In the nonelection timeframe spanning Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2022, members of the Kansas Senate took more than $1 million from political action committees, special interest groups, large corporations or businesses, and out-of-state donors. Only 11% of all 40 senators’ campaign contributions came from individual citizens living in Kansas. As cited in legally […]

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, told Americans for Prosperity supporters at an Olathe picnic the GOP-controlled Legislature had success against Gov Laura Kelly in the 2023 session. He mistakenly said reporters didn't write stories about Kelly's veto of a tax bill that included quicker elimination of the state sales tax on groceries. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Hawkins, Kobach celebrate GOP’s political stand against Democrats at state, federal levels

BY: - June 3, 2023

Kansas' GOP attorney general, treasurer and House leaders assess 2023 legislative session in terms of grappling with Democrats at state and federal levels.

Former Sen. Jim Denning spoke with interviewer Alan Conroy about Medicaid legislation of 2019 and 2020.(Kansas Oral History Project)

Former Kansas Senate majority leader blames failure to expand Medicaid on Catholic Church

BY: - June 2, 2023

TOPEKA — A former Senate majority leader blamed the state’s failure to expand Medicaid in 2020 on religious anti-abortion lobbyists, with the pivotal bill “single-handedly torpedoed” by a Kansas City archbishop. Jim Denning, in an interview for the Kansas Oral History Project, said Archbishop Joseph Naumann “basically stopped Medicaid expansion.” “So if you were an […]

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican, said opening of a new laboratory and office building in the Innovation Park at University of Kansas will deliver return on public and private investment. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Marshall, Moran outline clash of perspective on federal debt-limit bill

BY: - June 2, 2023

Kansas' Republican U.S. senators split on the federal debt-ceiling bill with Jerry Moran backing the bipartisan legislation and Roger Marshall opposed.

Gov. Laura Kelly and U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, both Democrats, urged Kansans enrolled in Medicaid to take part in a renewal application process launched with lifting of a three-year pause in state eligibility assessments. Potentially 120,000 Kansans could lose KanCare coverage. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

Kelly, Davids urge 120,000 Kansans to take part in post-coronavirus Medicaid renewal process

BY: - June 2, 2023

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, Gov. Laura Kelly ask Kansas Medicaid participants to take part in renewal process with end of 3-year pause in eligibility reviews.

Two loons swim with their chick on Clear Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Decarbonization ambitions ignite debate over mining, permitting

BY: - June 2, 2023

The decarbonized, electrified future envisioned by the Biden administration, state governments, automakers, utility companies and corporate sustainability goals depends to a huge degree on minerals and metals. Lots more lithium will be needed for car and truck batteries, as well as the big banks of batteries that are increasingly popping onto the electric grid to […]

OPINION
A voter fills out an advanced ballot on July 29, 2022, at the Shawnee County Elections Office. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Kansas primaries will select a GOP favorite again in 2024. Who will it be?

BY: - June 2, 2023

Recent presidential campaign rollouts have ranged from incompetent to lackluster. They included Twitter tech meltdowns, misleading speeches and lukewarm receptions for the candidates. Nevertheless, all of this political commotion got me interested in answering this question: Which Republican presidential candidate will Kansans vote for in the state’s 2024 primary? Lucky for you, my work in […]

The U.S. Capitol Building on June 01, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Senate sends Biden debt limit legislation ahead of Monday default deadline

BY: - June 1, 2023

WASHINGTON — The bipartisan debt limit bill is on its way to President Joe Biden after the U.S. Senate voted Thursday to clear the measure for his signature. The 63-36 vote followed several amendment votes, all of which were rejected. Biden is expected to quickly sign the package, preventing a default on the debt that […]

People demonstrate with signs in front of white house

U.S. Senate votes to block student loan relief, White House will veto

BY: - June 1, 2023

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to overturn the Biden administration’s one-time student debt relief plan that is on hold due to a pending Supreme Court decision. President Joe Biden has vowed to veto the resolution, but the 52-46 vote forced vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2024 to take a public […]

Davids, Estes and LaTurner help carry debt ceiling bill, leave Mann alone in opposition

BY: - June 1, 2023

Three of four U.S. House members from Kansas endorsed the bipartisan compromise debt-ceiling bill sent the U.S. Senate — only Rep. Tracey Mann voted "no."

Paige Olson, southeast Kansas advocate for Kansas Appleseed, opens the Topeka Hunger Action Summit with an introduction about food insecurities in Kansas on Wednesday at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library

Kansas Appleseed highlights food insecurities at Topeka summit

BY: - June 1, 2023

TOPEKA — When the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe, Paige Olson was struggling to provide for her Iola family of five, unsure when their next meal would come. Olson talked about her struggles as part of a Kansas Appleseed summit Wednesday at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Olson, southeast Kansas advocate for Kansas […]