The 2026 budget projection for Kansas isn’t great. The state is about $480 million short of funding all of its expenses. There’s no need to panic, though, said Rep. Troy Waymaster, a Bunker Hill Republican. “There are many things that could change the projections,” he said. The state is not guaranteed to face a fiscal […]
Kansas
Posted inState Government
Kansas Republicans close to banning gender-affirming care for minors
Kansas Republicans are poised to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The bill bans puberty blockers, hormone treatment and gender-affirming surgeries until 18 years old. The proposal also prevents state employees who work with children from supporting someone’s transition, which Democrats say prevents teachers or social workers from even using a transgender child’s preferred name. […]
Posted inState Government
Kansas joins effort to stop counting noncitizens in census, but communities fear damage
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach wants to stop counting noncitizens in the U.S. census. Counting unauthorized immigrants hurts states like Kansas, argues a lawsuit that Kobach joined. States like Texas and California have larger noncitizen populations. When counted, that means Texas and California get more Electoral College votes, more representation in Congress and a larger […]
Posted inState Government
Kansas is trying again to ban gender-affirming care for minors
Kansas lawmakers are trying to ban gender-affirming care for minors after several failed attempts. The proposal would ban puberty blockers, hormone treatments and gender-affirming surgeries, which are rare. State funds couldn’t be used for these operations and state agencies or employees couldn’t promote gender-affirming care for minors. Republicans keep reviving the proposal because they say […]
Posted inState Government
Kansas doesn’t pay every teacher for some work they have to do. That could change
Mentoring young teachers in Kansas is supposed to come with additional compensation, up to $1,000. The state runs a mentoring program where mentors are paid $1,000 for helping a first-year teacher, $500 for a second-year teacher and $250 for a third-year teacher. But Kansas regularly runs out of money for the program. And despite promises […]
Posted inState Government
Time for a change? Kansas considers ending daylight saving time
Kansas lawmakers may end daylight saving time, meaning no more changing clocks twice a year. Ending daylight saving time and sticking with standard time year-round would still mean it gets dark at about 5 p.m. in the winter. Under proposed legislation, Kansans would fall back an hour in November 2025 and never again shift them […]
Posted inState Government
Young inmates could get second chance with resentencing proposal
Ariana Cook was in a bad place in 2020. She was hooked on hard drugs and in love with a “master manipulator.” “I just knew I was gonna marry him and be a hood-rich junkie for the rest of my life,” she said. “I had no care in the world of regaining contact with anyone […]
Posted inKansas
Kansas lawmakers consider medical weed again. Is the fifth time the charm?
Kansas lawmakers are likely going to act on medical marijuana in the 2025 session. Maybe. Medical marijuana is becoming a perennial debate in Topeka, and it’s annually unclear how likely it is for a bill to pass. “I have sat through, I don’t know, three interim committee meetings,” said Sen. Cindy Holscher, an Overland Park […]
Posted inBehind the Beacon
The multifaceted work behind the 2024 KC Voter Guide
The 2024 Kansas City Voter Guide was an ambitious, collaborative effort that rallied local media and community organizations under the banner of strengthening civic engagement. Powered by the Kansas City Media Collective (KCMC) in partnership with The Kansas City Star, RevEd, the League of Women Voters Kansas City, and over 200 community partners, the guide […]
Posted inKansas
Kansas Legislature prepares for another round of property tax cuts
Kansas lawmakers started debating tax plans in early 2024 and didn’t agree to a cut until the summer sun shone all across Kansas. The governor vetoed three tax cut bills, and lawmakers returned for a special session where they came to terms on $1.2 billion in cuts over three years. But lawmakers still left disappointed. […]