Kansas Legislature Considering Bill to Address Misleading Use of Artificial Intelligence in Political Ads
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – A bill in the Kansas Statehouse would bar using artificial intelligence to create false political attack ads. The Kansas News Service reports that the bill prohibits using images, audio or video manipulated by AI to create a realistic but false depiction of a Kansas candidate or public official. A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the plan out of fear that someone could use false, AI-generated media to influence the results of an election. The bill would not bar basic photo editing already used in campaign ads, like modifying images to make a person appear in a different setting. Any AI use must be disclosed within the ad.
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State of Kansas Poised to Expand Tax Credit for Helping Disabled Workers
UNDATED (AP) – Kansas is poised to expand an income tax credit for goods and services purchased from companies and nonprofits employing disabled workers, a year after a debate over how much the state should buck a national trend against paying those workers below the minimum wage.
A bill approved by the Legislature this week with broad bipartisan support would increase the total tax credits available from $5 million a year to $8 million. It also would create a new, $1 million program for nonprofit groups running vocational programs known as sheltered workshops to help them start paying workers at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
The tax credit had previously only covered purchases from employers paying at least the minimum wage, and lawmakers reviewed it last year because it was set to expire at the start of this year.
It's the Legislature's latest attempt to expand the tax credit.
Their first proposal would have allowed nonprofit groups with sheltered workshops to form separate divisions paying at least the minimum wage so that people or businesses buying from those divisions could claim the tax credit. Backers saw it as an opportunity to expand the reach of the tax credit and therefore employment opportunities for disabled workers.
But it drew strong opposition from disabled rights groups arguing that it would encourage wages below the minimum wage — a vestige of decades-old views of disabled people as incapable of doing jobs outside such programs.
The compromise last year was to start the grant program instead. However, the Republican-controlled Legislature folded it into an omnibus tax-cut bill with provisions opposed by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, and she vetoed it.
The tax credit then expired at the start of this year, but this year's bill is written so that people can still claim the tax credit when they file their 2023 returns.
“It's a good compromise,” said Neil Romano, a member of the National Council on Disability, and former head of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. “It moves us towards where we want to be.”
Kelly hasn't said publicly whether she will sign the bill, but she typically has when a measure has near-universal support.
Employers nationally are increasingly moving away from paying below the minimum wage, U.S. government data shows. Paying below the minimum wage requires a Department of Labor certificate, and a U.S. Government Accountability Office report last year said there were 2,750 American employers with certificates in 2014, while an online database listed 834 as of Jan. 1, a drop of 70%. In Kansas, 17 groups have them.
Fourteen states ban below-minimum-wage jobs for disabled workers, with Virginia enacting a law last year, according to the Association of People Supporting Employment First, which promotes inclusive job policies.
In Kansas, there remains “considerable work to be done” to move away from below-minimum-wage jobs, said Sara Hart Weir, executive director of the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities.
But, she added, “This is a step in the right direction.”
Rocky Nichols, executive director of the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, said it's good that the tax credit is back and the state is signaling that it wants to move away from sheltered workshops through the grant program.
But he also said he worries the measure isn't specific enough about how and when groups must transition away from paying below the minimum wage.
“We don't want to see it turn into just kind of a slush fund for sheltered workshops,” he said.
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Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran Expresses Support for Bipartisan Border & Foreign Funding Agreement
UNDATED (KCUR) – Kansas Republican Senator Jerry Moran supports a bi-partisan agreement in Congress designed to secure the southern U.S. border and provide money to Ukraine and Israel. KCUR Radio reports that Republican senators in Washington are split on a compromise with Democrats that would tighten border security and provide billions to war-torn allies Ukraine and Israel. If passed, the agreement could be seen as a win for President Joe Biden. Former President Donald Trump doesn't like the bill and says it does nothing to solve the border crisis. But Senator Moran says he’s for the agreement, as long as it actually stems the torrent of illegal immigration. "I'm very much interested in supporting a package that protects our country at the same time as securing our border," he said. The bill faces stiff opposition from many GOP members of congress, including Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall. Marshall says Biden already has all the power he needs to reverse his open borders policies that led to millions of migrants crossing the border.
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Kansas Tax Collections Come in Short of Estimates for Fourth Consecutive Month
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas tax collections came in under estimates in January, marking the fourth month in a row that the state missed the target. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas brought in $928 million in tax revenue last month. That’s about 6.5 percent lower than state estimates. Sales and income taxes missing the forecast were the biggest drivers. The state has a revenue surplus built up in recent years but has fallen short of monthly estimates since October. Lawmakers want to pass tax cuts this session to return some of the state’s surplus to taxpayers. But with Kansas recently on a downward trend, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly says she will only approve tax cuts that are fiscally responsible.
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Honeywell Aerospace Expanding Factory in Olathe
JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. (KCUR) – Honeywell Aerospace is expanding its aviation electronics factory in Olathe. The company is installing $84 million worth of high-tech manufacturing machinery, to churn out and test high-tech circuit boards — work that was previously done in Asia. It plans to hire more than 150 technicians to run the equipment. Kansas Lieutenant Governor David Toland says the state is providing about $16 million in incentives, adding that "Honeywell can invest anywhere. Everybody wants a brand like Honeywell, but we got 'em." Toland credits the county’s skilled work force, and healthy cooperation between Republican Senator Jerry Moran, and Third District Representative Sharice Davids, a Democrat.
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State of Kansas Officials Resume Review of Medicaid Enrollees' Eligibility
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Less than half of Kansans who’ve received Medicaid renewal paperwork in the last year have been re-enrolled in the program. The Kansas News Service reports that Kansas officials resumed reviewing Medicaid enrollees’ eligibility for the health care program last spring after a three-year pandemic pause. That process, known as “unwinding,” has led to some residents losing coverage because of paperwork issues. 46% of the nearly 470,000 Kansans sent renewal notices have been reapproved, and 11% were found to be ineligible. But health officials say 17% have lost coverage because they didn’t return their paperwork correctly or in time.
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LMH Health Posts Operating Loss of $5 Million+, Gives CEO a Raise
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — The hospital that serves Lawrence, LMH Health, has posted an operating loss of more than $5 million. Despite that loss, the hospital's board of trustees gave the CEO a raise and additional bonus compensation. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that CEO Russ Johnson's new salary has been boosted to more than $572,000 a year. Board Chair Pat Miller defended the compendation, saying Johnson's new salary package puts him in the mid salary range for CEOs at similar sized hospitals. Last year, the board gave Johnson a five-year contract extention. One item that didn't come up at Wednesday's LMH board meeting was the search for a new Chief Financial Officer. The last CFO was fired after hospital staff members discovered he was a convicted felon. (Read more.)
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Transgender Woman Sues State of Kansas Department of Corrections
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (KNS) – A transgender woman who worked for the Kansas Department of Corrections says the state agency would not acknowledge her transition or stop coworkers and inmates from harassing her. The Kansas News Service reports that the woman has now filed a lawsuit. Shelly Lamb is a former counselor and supervisor for the Kansas Department of Corrections prison facility in Hutchinson. She says in addition to harassment, the state agency also retaliated by taking away her workload and moving her office. Madeline Johnson of Missouri Kansas Queer Law is Lamb’s attorney. Johnson says the agency would not let Lamb publicly transition in the workplace and that violates federal law. “Prohibiting her from wearing even professional women’s clothing or wearing any makeup or hair pieces to present female.” Kansas Department of Corrections officials declined to comment on the lawsuit. Lamb says she resigned from her position because of the hostile workplace. She wants the department to pay her for lost wages and benefits. (Read more.)
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Recently Discharged Patient Shoots, Wounds Security Officer at Kansas City Hospital
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A patient shot and wounded a security officer Friday morning at a Kansas City hospital after disarming him, authorities say. The patient had just been discharged from University Health Truman Medical Center, Police Sgt. Phil DiMartino said in a news release. While the guard was escorting the patient, there was a confrontation, and the patient grabbed the guard's gun, DiMartino said. The patient then managed to fire one round, striking the guard. DiMartino described the guard's injuries as non-life threatening. Other security officers took the suspect into custody immediately. Police were called around 8:40 a.m. to help. No information about what happened or potential charges was immediately released.
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Jury Awards $158 Million to Family of Man Slain on Amtrak Train in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) — A federal jury has returned a $158 million verdict for the family of a passenger who was shot and killed on a Kansas City-bound Amtrak train two years ago. After an eight-day trial, the jury sided with the family of the 30-year-old man who was killed. The Kansas City Star reports that the award includes both compensatory and punitive damages. Attorneys for his family declined to comment and asked that the victim’s name be omitted because of safety concerns. The family alleged in its lawsuit that Amtrak failed to stop after the shooting, instead letting the victim bleed to death. The suspect in the shooting, Marquise L. Webb, of Kansas City, exited the train at the Lee’s Summit station. Authorities say Webb carjacked a vehicle and then drove to Kansas City as the Amtrak train departed.
The train continued on to its next destination in Independence, roughly 35 minutes away, before the gunshot victim was pronounced dead by emergency medical personnel. About two weeks after the shooting, Webb was arrested in Kansas City after a standoff with police. Prosecutors initially charged the 23-year-old Webb with second-degree murder. He pleaded guilty in September to the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 28 years in prison.
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COVID Case Numbers Falling in Kansas Following Winter Spike
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) — COVID-19 case numbers in Kansas have been falling since they spiked late last year when temperatures turned colder. The University of Kansas Health System says it has just 23 patients with serious cases of COVID. Last year at this time, KU Health reported 51. Wastewater testing also shows decreased COVID levels right now, although still higher than last summer, according to the CDC. Kelly Rhodes Stark is the chief medical officer for the health system’s Olathe location. “I do think that we celebrate what has happened in the communities that we see," Stark said. "But that we also have to continue to educate particularly about vaccines and masking.” Sheryl Beard, chief medical officer at Ascension Via Christi in Wichita, says the virus is no longer impacting their staffing levels. “We have less than 10 hospitalizations of COVID patients and we have no real effect on our supplies and no differences in staffing," she said.
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Two in Topeka Accused of Animal Cruelty, Abandonment After Dozens of Animals Found Dead or Malnourished
TOPEKA, Kan. (KC Star) — Two people in Topeka stand accused of animal cruelty and abandonment after authorities discovered 18 dead animals in their home. Another 73 dogs and cats had to be rescued because they were lacking food and water. The Kansas City Star reports that criminal charges are pending against 28-year-old Charles Solomon and 30-year-old Desiree Therrien. Both were booked into the Shawnee County Jail.
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Testimony Continues into Public University Hiring Practices in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas lawmakers have taken testimony on a bill that would prevent public universities from asking job candidates about diversity, equity and inclusion. Proponents of the legislation say it limits job candidates’ freedom of speech to ask whether they support a particular ideology. Opponents say colleges don’t ask about ideology, but rather someone’s commitment to working with diverse populations… at a time when campuses are becoming more diverse. Nathan Madden with the Health Forward Foundation said the bill could make it harder for colleges to hire the best candidates: “Most working adults in the U.S. agree that DEI is is a good thing. It's good to have these open conversations. With legislation like this, those conversations can be closed.” Lawmakers narrowly failed to pass a similar proposal last year after Democratic Governor Laura Kelly vetoed it.
Representative Stephen Howe discussed a job posting from the University of Kansas that asks candidates to describe their experiences working with people from diverse backgrounds. Howe, a Republican who introduced the bill, opposes universities asking those types of questions. "(They) can limit academic freedom and can limit our intellectual diversity or diversity of thought on our campuses," he said. Opponents say asking candidates about diversity is important as college campuses become more diverse. A similar proposal narrowly failed last year after lawmakers could not override a veto from Democratic Governor Laura Kelly.
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Kansas Lawmaker Wants to Change the Way Vacant U.S. Senate Seats Are Filled
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas lawmakers are considering changing how the state fills vacancies in the U.S. Senate. Under current law, if one of the two Republican U.S. senators from Kansas were to step down, Democratic Governor Laura Kelly would choose their replacement until the next election. But a proposal in the Kansas legislature would require the state to host a special election whenever there’s a vacancy in the U.S. Senate. That’s currently law in 13 other states. Proponents say special elections are more democratic than appointments, while critics say the change could make it more difficult to fill vacancies in a timely fashion.
Republican state Senator Caryn Tyson wants Kansas to host a special election whenever there’s such a vacancy. “We are founded on a government of elected representatives," she said. "Therefore, we should improve this process to have those election cycles and allow the people to be the voice.” Senator Tyson initially proposed giving state political parties the authority to fill U.S. Senate vacancies in Kansas, but state officials expressed concerns that it could violate the U.S. Constitution.
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Expansion of Kansas Good Samaritan Law Advanced by Kansas House Committee
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) — A bill to include drug overdoses in the state's Good Samaritan law has passed unanimously out of a Kansas House committee. The bill would protect most people from prosecution if they call 911 to get medical attention for someone who’s experiencing an overdose. An amendment was also added to protect people on parole or probation who call. Advocates like Sapphire Garcia-Lies from Wichita say the bill can save lives. She says she lost her brother-in-law to an overdose two years ago. "Too many of our citizens in Kansas are dying of preventable causes, namely fentanyl addiction," she said "And we need to do something about this. The time to act is now. We’re running out of time.” Kansas is one of two states without the law. The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.
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Sunflower Foundation, KU Launch Substance Abuse Assessment
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Kansans will soon be able to provide input on a new statewide needs assessment about substance use disorders. KMUW reports that the Sunflower Foundation and the University of Kansas Center for Public Partnerships and Research are preparing to launch their year-long assessment. Feedback will help guide the board that distributes the state’s opioid settlement funds. Alyssa Nava, with the Sunflower Foundation, says the groups will host in-person events and several webinars to gather feedback. “If right now we can start looking at the system differently. And maybe if investments are made in certain areas, 10 years from now, how different could it be in a positive way?" Nava explained. The state board has already distributed about $10 million dollars in opioid settlement funds. Providers can go to unitedtotransform.com to learn more about the survey.
Editorial note: The Sunflower Foundation and the University of Kansas are both financial supporters of Kansas Public Radio.
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Mother Charged in Death of 5-Year-Old Boy Who Fell from KC Apartment Building
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — Prosecutors in Kansas City have charged a mother in connection with the death of her 5-year-old son, after he fell 17 stories from an apartment building window. Corrinne O'Connor is charged with endangering the welfare of a child in connection with her son's death in November. Investigators say the mother's apartment was filthy - with feces, food debris and trash piled inside. In the area near the window where Grayson fell, investigators found a "copious" amount of chocolate on the sill and exterior ledge of the window. The chocolate was smeared with what appeared to be child imprints. Chocolate was also found on the exterior ledge of the window.
Detectives say Corrinne didn't report the fall to police. Instead, that information came from passersby. KSHB TV reports that neighbors contacted the Missouri Department of Social Services on Grayson’s behalf two years before his death, citing neglect and other problems. Corrinne O'Connor is due in court Monday.
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Donations Continue to Pour in to Replace Destroyed Jackie Robinson Statue in Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Donations to replace the Jackie Robinson statue at McAdams Park in Wichita continue to pour in. The statue was stolen last week from the League 42 baseball facility at the park. Fire crews found burned remnants of the statue this week while responding to a trash fire. An online fundraiser to replace the statue using the sculptor's original mold has surpassed $180,000 dollars. The league says it will use any remaining funds for the education programs it runs and for field improvements. More than 600 children play in the low-cost baseball league, which is named for the number Robinson wore.
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Royals Foundation Sponsors Free Admission to Negro Leagues Baseball Museum During Black History Month
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – Entry to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is free this month, courtesy of the Kansas City Royals. KCUR reports that the Royals’ charitable campaign celebrates Black History Month … and highlights the contributions Black players made to baseball. Kiona Sinks is a director at the museum. She says a visit can be another way to learn about civil rights, and race relations in America. “We pride ourselves in being a cultural institution … so we're a social justice museum, that's seen through the lens of baseball and the Negro Leagues were such a big part of that,” she added. Sinks says last year's free-entry February brought in more than 14,000 people.
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The Chiefs Have Built One of the NFL's Best Defenses in Part Because They Traded Away Tyreek Hill
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It has taken two full years to accurately evaluate one of the most important deals that the Kansas City Chiefs have ever made, when they traded game-breaking wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins for a package of draft picks.
The Chiefs knew that if they gave Hill a long-term contract, it would be in the neighborhood of the four-year, $120 million deal he later signed with the Dolphins. And while that would have ensured one of the league's most dynamic weapons for Patrick Mahomes for the near future, it would have saddled Kansas City with a mountain of long-term financial commitments.
Turns out the deal made by Chiefs general manager Brett Veach played out well beyond anyone's wildest dreams.
Two of the draft picks they acquired turned into All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and rookie safety Chamarri Conner, who played big roles in shutting down Hill and the Dolphins along with the Bills and the Ravens in the postseason. Some of the other selections they received they used to move around the draft board and add other players to the mix.
The cash savings likewise allowed them to make a series of savvy free agent signings: safety Justin Reid to orchestrate the back end, and this past offseason, linebacker Drue Tranquill, safety Mike Edwards and defensive end Charles Omenihu.
That influx of talent helped Kansas City become the league's No. 2-ranked defense this season, and that in turn helped to keep Mahomes and Co. in games when the Chiefs offense was struggling to find its footing early on.
“I think it speaks to this organization and the quest they're on bringing in good players, whether it's through the draft or free agency,” said Tranquill, who arrived in Kansas City from the AFC West rival Chargers. “Veach is one of the best doing that, and you know, Charles and Mike and myself, and the other free agent acquisitions that were brought on, everybody kind of bought into the championship culture here, and that's what coach (Andy) Reid sets forth.”
The trade of Hill actually turned out to be a win-win. He led the NFL in yards receiving and tied for the most touchdown catches for Miami this past year, and he remains one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the game.
But it's hard to believe the Chiefs would not do it over.
After all, it helped them build one of the most dangerous defenses in the game.
OFFENSE
The Chiefs offense has been built around Mahomes since the moment he was drafted in 2017, and while his numbers this season took a dip — partly thanks to a league-leading 44 dropped passes — his postseason play has been superb.
While the Chiefs spent in free agency to add bookend tackles Donovan Smith and Jawaan Taylor, most of Mahomes' supporting cast arrived through the draft. That includes standout center Creed Humphrey and right tackle Trey Smith, who along with left guard Joe Thuney, have given Kansas City one of the best interior offensive lines in the league.
Isiah Pacheco, one of the league's bright young running backs, was a seventh-round pick two years ago.
The biggest reason for the late-season success of the Chiefs' offense, though, has been the emergence of Rashee Rice, the wide receiver they took in the second round last April. Veach largely whiffed using a second-round pick the previous year on Skyy Moore, who is on injured reserve, but he tried again with Rice and hit a home run. Rice had 79 catches for 938 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season, and he has 20 catches for 223 yards and a score in three playoff games.
“We're always trying to get Patrick offensive help, no matter what people think or say,” Veach said. “We tried to get a receiver earlier in the draft. It didn't work out. But we were patient and that's what you need to do.”
DEFENSE
The Chiefs tried to sign defensive tackle Chris Jones to an extension last offseason, but the sides never were close. He held out through Week 1 but returned on a revised one-year deal and remained an imposing presence on the defensive line.
The arrival of Tranquill, Edwards and Omenihu — who will miss the Super Bowl with a torn ACL — also were important.
“It was a unique free agency in that there wasn’t much to pick from, and we drafted last,” Veach explained, “so we took what we had and we invested in some veteran defensive players.”
The biggest improvement, though, has been in the secondary, where a group of wide-eyed youngsters began playing like veterans. McDuffie has become a bonafide No. 1 cornerback, L'Jarius Sneed may have been the biggest Pro Bowl snub in years, and former fourth-round pick Josh Williams and seventh-rounder Jaylen Watson made big plays at crucial moments. Conner has been excellent as a rookie when pressed into service due to injuries.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Harrison Butker is almost automatic, going 33 of 35 on field-goal attempts and hitting all 38 of his extra points this season, and he has impressive range. He hit a 62-yard field goal in 2022 and a 60-yarder earlier this season.
The Chiefs' punter, Tommy Townsend, has become more important as they leaned more heavily on their defense to play the field-position game. Townsend punted six times against the Ravens alone in the AFC championship.
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