News
Kansas lawmaker tells concerned Augusta community, educators: ‘Some kids do need Jesus first’
TOPEKA — Kansas children don’t generally find a “spiritual perspective” in public schools, Rep. Kristey Williams said, defending a voucher-like program that would funnel state tax dollars to unregulated private schools to her Augusta constituents. “There are some kids that do need Jesus first, before they care about science and math,” said Williams, speaking with […]
Virginia senator defends rollback of U.S. banking rules, blames managers for bank failures
WASHINGTON — The recent bank failures that shocked the markets and caused a speedy government bailout were “basic prudential regulation failure” by management, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said Monday. The Democratic senator, who sits on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, told reporters he stands by his position that 2018 […]
Biden administration details potential cuts in education, food aid and more under GOP plan
WASHINGTON — Federal departments and agencies say U.S. House Republicans’ plans to cut federal spending would result in reductions to key programs like food aid, education assistance and wildfire management. The series of letters from across the federal government released Monday detail exactly how plans to cut at least $130 billion in domestic spending during […]
Kansas Senate committee moves to block use of fentanyl test strips to stem overdose deaths
Senate committee deletes from a House bill a provision allowing people to legally use fentanyl test strips to reduce potential of overdose deaths in Kansas.
Missouri, Kansas utilities back bills to reestablish monopoly on transmission projects
Missouri’s largest electric utility believes a bill aimed at reducing competition and giving monopoly providers an advantage in building transmission lines will avoid cost overruns and deliver better results for customers. In its home state, where it stands to benefit, Ameren Missouri has offered its full-throated support to legislation aimed at giving the company the […]
Coalition of Kansas organizations strives to entice candidates for city, county, school board
A coalition of diverse Kansas organizations find common ground in quest to recruit candidates for school board, city council and county commission.
Kansas Senate budget bill features 3.25% spending cut, imposes DEI ban at universities
The Kansas Senate's budget debate hit on Medicaid, diversity and equity, conflicts of interest, concentrated political power and, of course, state spending.
Limits on foreign ownership of U.S. farmland gain support in Congress, despite skepticism
WASHINGTON — Bipartisan momentum is building in Congress to restrict China and other foreign adversaries from purchasing U.S. farmland, a reflection of a similar push by some states as well as apprehension over Chinese spy balloons, rising land prices and growing international competition. “Foreign ownership of agricultural land threatens small family farms and the overall […]
Public defender: Kansas faces crisis point on 60th anniversary of landmark U.S. Supreme Court case
TOPEKA — A top public defender in Kansas says the state is at a crisis point on the 60th anniversary of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that guarantees legal representation for those who can’t afford to hire an attorney. Heather Cessna, executive director of the Kansas State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services, described the […]
Regulators end week like they started — tamping down fears, rescuing a bank
Financial regulators, policymakers, and bank executives spent the week trying to abate fears that a banking crisis will spread across the U.S. financial system. On Friday, President Joe Biden released a statement calling on Congress to take action to make it easier for regulators to hold senior bank executives accountable for their mismanagement. “It should […]
Court of Appeals reverses lower court on Kansas lawsuit challenging restraint of voting rights
Kansas Court of Appeals issues election-law opinion reversing district court judge and irritating Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach.
Kansas governor vetoes legislation banning transgender athletes from school sports
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly for the third straight year has vetoed model legislation that would ban transgender girls from playing school sports with cisgender girls. The Democratic governor said Friday the annual attack on transgender students sends “a signal to prospective companies that Kansas is more focused on unnecessary and divisive legislation than becoming […]