Kansas House Advances Bill to Ban Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Teens
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - The Kansas House of Representatives advanced a bill Tuesday that would prevent transgender youth from receiving gender-affirming health care. Transgender Kansans under 18 would lose access to puberty blockers, hormone therapy and some other care if the bill becomes law. Proponents say teenagers might regret the treatments later. But LGBTQ advocates say banning them could exacerbate already-high depression and suicide rates among transgender youth. The bill is now headed to the state Senate. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has said she would be likely to veto such a bill. Lawmakers fell one vote short of overriding her veto of a similar proposal last year.
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Kansas Judge Says Barring Driver's License Changes Doesn't Violate Trans People's Rights
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has ruled that the state isn’t violating transgender residents' rights under the state constitution by refusing to change their driver’s licenses to reflect their gender identities. State District Judge Teresa Watson on Monday kept in place indefinitely an order she first issued in July 2023 to prevent the state from changing the listing for “sex” on transgender people’s licenses. Attorney General Kris Kobach sued Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's administration to prevent it from making such changes after a 2023 law ended the legal recognition of transgender identities. Watson rejected arguments from transgender Kansans that such a policy violates a constitutionally protected right to bodily autonomy.
District Judge Teresa Watson kept in place indefinitely an order she first issued in July 2023 to prevent the Kansas Department of Revenue from changing the listing for “sex” on transgender people's driver's licenses. Attorney General Kris Kobach, a conservative Republican, sued Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's administration to stop such changes in line with a 2023 law that ended legal recognition of transgender people's identities.
Watson allowed transgender Kansas residents to intervene in Kobach's lawsuit, and the American Civil Liberties Union argued on their behalf that the no-changes policy violated rights protected by the Kansas Constitution. The Kansas Supreme Court declared in 2019 that the state constitution grants a right to bodily autonomy, though the decision dealt with abortion rights, not LGBTQ+ rights.
Watson said invoking the right to bodily autonomy to require the state to change driver's licenses would be “an unreasonable stretch.” She said Kansas residents do not have a fundamental right under the state constitution to "control what information is displayed on a state-issued driver’s license.”
"Information recorded on a driver’s license does not interfere with transgender persons’ ability to control their own bodies or assert bodily integrity or self-determination," Watson wrote in her 31-page order, issued in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka.
Kelly supports LGBTQ+ rights. After she took office in 2019, her administration allowed transgender people to change their driver’s licenses and birth certificates to reflect their gender identities. The Republican-controlled Legislature overrode her veto to enact the 2023 law, and transgender people can no longer change either identity document, thanks to Kobach's efforts.
It's not clear whether Kelly's administration or transgender Kansas residents will appeal Watson's ruling. D.C. Hiegert, an ACLU of Kansas LGBGQ+ legal fellow who is trans, predicted that Watson's ruling will lead to transgender people being harassed and denied services. “What possible reason can we articulate to deny our transgender population peace of mind?” added Pedro Irigonegaray, a Topeka attorney representing the Kelly administration. “Why this vindictive attitude towards this class of individuals?”
The Kansas law was part of a wave of measures from GOP-controlled Legislatures across the U.S. to roll back transgender rights. Montana, North Dakota and Tennessee also enacted laws defining man and woman, and Republican governors issued executive orders in Nebraska and Oklahoma, where nonbinary teenager Nex Benedict was bullied and died after a fight in a girls bathroom at a school. Similar measures have been proposed in at least 13 other states.
The Kansas law doesn't mention driver's licenses or birth certificates but says for the purposes of any state law or regulation, a person's sex is “either male or female,” based on their “biological reproductive system” identified at birth. Watson ruled that the law's language is clear and “there are no exceptions."
Kobach said in a statement: “This decision is a victory for the rule of law and common sense."
Watson's ruling came the day before the Kansas House planned to debate a proposed ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors, something at least 23 other states have done. A final House vote was expected Wednesday. “We will continue working toward a vision of our state that allows all of us to live in peace, free from government persecution and impositions on our core identities,” Hiegert said in a statement.
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Kansas Turnpike Authority Closing Highway Storm Shelters
WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Along the 236 miles of the Kansas Turnpike are tornado shelters that can be found at most toll plazas. But now, as the Kansas Turnpike Authority moves towards cashless tolling starting in July, a majority of those shelters will be closing. KWCH TV reports that the Turnpike Authority will no longer have employees at those toll plaza areas, and the toll plazas will be completely reconfigured over the next 18 months. While the shelters were intended to be used by the workers at the toll plazas, they also provided a safe option for commuters on the road caught in the middle of a storm. As the KTA begins the process of closing and removing the storm shelters, weather experts are reminding drivers how to react if they find themselves on the turnpike when a tornado warning is issued and shelters are not available. Meteorologists with the National Weather Service say drivers need to know where they are at all times and how close they are to the nearest exit or service station. If commuters cannot reach an exit or shelter in time during severe weather, meteorologists say people should get to the lowest available point like a ditch and to avoid overpasses. The KTA says the storm shelters at the toll plazas will close in July, but the shelters at the six service areas along the roadway will remain available.
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Big 12 Men's and Women's Tournaments to Remain in Kansas City Through 2031
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Big 12 men's and women's basketball tournaments will remain at T-Mobile Center through 2031, commissioner Brett Yormark said. He made the announcement shortly before Texas and Iowa State played for the women's championship there for the first time Tuesday night. The women had long played down the street at smaller, antiquated Municipal Auditorium. Yormark also said that the women's Big 12 soccer championship would be played at CPKC Stadium. The home of National Women's Soccer League club Kansas City Current is scheduled to open Saturday with a game against Portland.
One of Yormark's priorities after taking over leadership of the Big 12 was to raise the profile of the women's tournament, and that meant moving it to the T-Mobile Center. That also required moving the dates of the championship, with early-round games occurring last week and the title game Tuesday night following the first two games of the men's tournament. "I think I said to many last year, when I came here the first time to the community, met with many of the leaders, it was a real easy decision when I went back to Dallas that we needed to double down on this community," Yormark said. "It feels like a Super Bowl each time we're here. The fan support is tremendous. The community is tremendous."
The men's and women's tournaments were scheduled to be played in Kansas City through 2027, so the extension amounts to four years. But it also comes as the league expands its footprint west with Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah replacing Oklahoma and Texas in the league, and that gave the Big 12 other hosting options such as Las Vegas and Phoenix.
In fact, the Big 12 will be holding its football media days in Las Vegas later this year. "We are a national conference now. We're in 10 states, four time zones," Yormark said. "When it comes to men's and women's basketball, and women's soccer, this needed to be our home. We're going to football media day in Vegas, which we are excited about, and there will be other opportunities to move closer to that footprint, but we needed to be in Kansas City."
Along with the basketball tournaments, Yormark announced that the Big 12 women's soccer championship was moving to CPKC Stadium. The first stadium facility built for a women's professional soccer club in the U.S. — in this case, the Kansas City Current of the National Women's Soccer League — is scheduled to open Saturday when the Current plays Portland. "It's an amazing time to be in Kansas City, and it's an amazing time to invest in Kansas City," said Mayor Quinton Lucas, who has been supportive of an April ballot issue to renew a sales tax that would help fund renovations to Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the Super Bowl champion Chiefs, along with a new downtown ballpark for the Royals. "The Big 12 Conference is part of Kansas City's DNA. We all have stories about the Big 12, or if we're old enough, the Big Eight here in Kansas City," Lucas said. "We're excited to continue to share the story in Kansas City."
In other news, Yormark said the lame-duck status of Oklahoma and Texas, which are departing for the SEC after this season, has not created any challenges even as the Big 12 looks toward the future as a revamped 16-team league. "Texas and Oklahoma, great contributors to the conference. Been here since Day 1," Yormark said. "They're finishing strong, obviously, and when the time comes, we'll wish them well. But there's never been a better time to be part of this conference."
Yormark also indicated that he would be in favor of expanding the NCAA Tournament. "I read what you read, and from what I've been told, and what I'm reading, there could be modest expansion. I think 76 is the number that has been out there," he said. "The data shows if you expand to 76, the power-four conferences will benefit mostly, and that includes the Big 12. I'm all about access. We have the deepest conference in America."
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Survey: Kansas Teachers Say their Opinions Not Valued by School District Leaders, Lawmakers
EMPORIA, Kan. (KNS) - Most teachers in Kansas say their opinions are not being valued by district leaders or lawmakers. A new survey by Emporia State University shows that Kansas teachers are concerned about low pay, student behavior and their own emotional health. They’re also worried about society’s view of the teaching profession. Many say policymakers don’t listen to their input on education issues. Emporia State researcher Bret Church says teacher turnover remains a concern, and districts should focus on keeping teachers in the classroom. Church told the Kansas State Board of Education that districts should start shifting their focus from recruiting new teachers to retaining the teachers they already have.
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Kansas School Tries to Address Problem Behavior, Absenteeism in the Classroom
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS/KMUW) - Teachers are still struggling with post-pandemic behavior problems and absenteeism in their classrooms. One Kansas elementary school is trying to combat negative behavior by pairing kids with mentors and putting them to work. Teachers at Woodman Elementary School have started a new program called Meaningful Work, which aims to pair students with a mentor, in this case a teacher, counselor or other school employee. The adult mentors then offer students something constructive to do on a regular schedule — a simple task like feeding fish or making copies. Essentially, they give the kids a job. (Read more.)
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Federal Labor Department Recovers Back Wages for KCK Supermarket Employees
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (WIBW) - The U.S. Labor Department said Tuesday that it has recovered more than $155,000 in back wages from a Kansas City supermarket for overtime violations. The fine was levied against Supermart El Torito, in Kansas City, Kansas. An investigation by the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recovered $155,990 representing $77,995 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages for 158 employees of the store. WIBW TV reports that the division also assessed Supermart El Torito with $187,546 in civil penalties for repeated violations of Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime provisions.
Labor Department investigators found that the store paid employees overtime at time-and-a-half the employee’s rate of pay as required when they worked between 41 and 58 hours a week. However, officials said, when an employee worked more than 58 hours per week, the employer paid the additional time at the worker’s straight-time hourly rate in cash.
By law, Supermart El Torito should have paid workers time-and-a-half their hourly rate for all hours over 40 in a workweek. Additionally, Department of Labor officials said, Supermart El Torito failed to record and retain accurate employee time records. The Department of Labor cited Supermart El Torito for violations found at its Kansas City, Kansas location. The company also has a store in Topeka which was not cited in the investigation.
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Handgun Found in Kansas City Student’s Backpack
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — A handgun was found in a student's backpack at Park Hill South High School in Kansas City Tuesday morning, KSHB TV reports that the discovery came as the school was conducting regular safety protocols in an unrelated incident. School officials say there was no immediate threat and that all students and staff are safe. The handgun was secured and local law enforcement was made aware of the incident immediately. The school worked with local police to remove the student from the school. Park Hill South administrators said they will be guided by law enforcement as the investigation continues. School officials say counselors and social workers will be available throughout this week to help support students.
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Release Denied for Suspected KC Parade Shooter
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) - A judge in Jackson County, Missouri, has denied the release and a bond reduction for one of the accused men in Kansas City's Super Bowl Parade shooting. Judge Travis Willingham refused to lower the $1 million bond set for Lyndell Mays. The 23-year-old is one of two adults charged in the shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs parade on February 14th. Two juveniles are also charged. Mays’ lawyer, John Reed, asked for his release, saying his client is indigent and can’t post bail, so shouldn’t be held. Reed said Mays was shot nine times, once in the face, had to have his jaw wired shut and is in pain. The prosecutor’s office fought the release, saying Mays has previous firearms violations and is a danger to the community. His next hearing is in mid-April.
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Kansas Attorney General Files Suit Against Tik Tok
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) - Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is suing TikTok, the popular video-sharing social app, saying that the app is damaging the mental health of Kansas young people. The lawsuit claims TikTok is intentionally designed to be addictive to minors, and that its addictive features have intensified a mental health crisis among Kansas youth. Isaac Johnson is with the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Kansas. He says although social media apps like TikTok can be damaging to a child’s mental health, it’s impossible for parents and caregivers to completely safeguard them. Inappropriate content, he says, can be found almost anywhere. Johnson says it’s up to parents to set boundaries and check on their kids.“You just have to make sure you have an open line of communication with your teen or even younger children," he said. Several lawsuits similar to Kobach’s are pending in places like New York City and Utah.
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K-State Gets $500,000 Grant to Study Ag Sustainability During Changing Climate
MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) - A Kansas State University engineer has received a $500,000 award to prepare Kansas farmers for future changes in climate. The research aims to ensure the sustainability of Kansas water resources in crop production by creating a tool that can generate future climate scenarios and give food producers the knowledge and insight needed to adjust toward climate-smart practices. WIBW TV reports that Vaishali Sharda, assistant professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, has received a more than $500,000 National Science Foundation Early Career Development Program award to develop and refine sustainability models. Kansas State officials indicated the five-year project intends to create an all-in-one system that can help crop producers better sustain water resources, as well as manage nutrients and soils, by combining inputs from on-the-ground sensors and satellite and remotely sensed data.
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Experimental K-State Program to Address Sustainable Irrigation
LIBERAL, Kan. (KPR) - One challenge facing Kansas farmers is balancing profits with water conservation. And... there's often hesitancy to embrace new technology that could help. A new program started by Kansas State University hopes to address that. The program will be held in Colby as an experimental competition encouraging farmers to test new technology, and find more sustainable farming practices. Daran Rudnick, director of sustainable irrigation at K-State, says this program can show farmers methods they might feel are too risky to try on their own land. “We also can simulate. We could do a competition where we restrict water use," he said. This year, the program is focusing on irrigated corn, a crop that threatens the Ogallala aquifer because it requires so much water. Rudnick has helped start this program in states like Nebraska and Colorado. He says it could be beneficial to western Kansas farmers looking to update their farming practices and conserve water.
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Controversy Erupts over Biden Effigy at Kansas GOP Event
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Some Kansas Republicans are calling for resignations in their own party after guests at a GOP event were encouraged to beat an effigy of President Joe Biden. Guests at the Republican Party event in Johnson County could pay a donation to hit or kick a mannequin wearing a mask of Biden. A video of guests hitting the effigy circulated on social media over the weekend. After seeing the video, some Republicans like former Kansas GOP chairman Mike Kuckelman called for current chairman Mike Brown to resign. Brown has since condemned the incident, saying the state party had nothing to do with the booth that hosted the Biden mannequin.
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Kansas Police Groups Oppose Bill Restricting Ability to Enforce Federal Gun Laws
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Police groups in Kansas are pushing back on a bill that would restrict the ability of law enforcement officials to implement federal gun laws. The bill would prevent state and local law enforcement from working with the federal government to enforce any law that “restricts the rights of law-abiding citizens to own or use firearms, accessories, or ammunition.” Proponents say the bill would prevent federal overreach on the rights of gun owners. But some police groups say the bill is too vague and could impede their ability to investigate crimes involving guns. Darrell Atteberry, with the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, says the bill is worrying. “This isn’t, to us, a red issue or a blue issue. It’s just, there are parts of this that we find objectionable," he said. The bill would fine agencies up to $50,000 per offense.
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Children’s Literature Museum Opens in North Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR/KNS) — Visitors got a peek inside The Rabbit Hole Tuesday. The new museum in North Kansas City is dedicated to children’s literature. The Rabbit Hole museum has been under wraps for the past 6 years as artists and fabricators built immersive exhibits based on characters and scenes in books like “Goodnight Moon,” “Madeline,” and “Caps for Sale.” Now it’s open and artist Grant Kelso says he enjoyed his first chance to see how children and parents react. “Finally, we’re getting to see everybody really enjoy it,” Kelso said. “Seeing all the kids, just watching the monkeys in the trees and playing. It really makes us all proud of the work that we've done.” The 45 featured exhibits represent more than a century of children’s literature in America.
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Broadcast News Journalist Bill Kurtis to Deliver 2024 Dole Lecture
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — Journalist and native Kansan Bill Kurtis will deliver the annual Dole Lecture at the KU Dole Institute of Politics on April 16. Kurtis is a KU alumnus who worked as a student announcer at KANU early in his career, and went on to establish himself as a network news anchor, producer, and narrator. and producer. Kurtis worked at WIBW television in Topeka, and went on to serve as a national co-host of CBS Morning News in the 1980s. He is the recipient of two Peabody Awards, numerous Emmy Awards, a DuPont award, and the William Allen White Citation from the University of Kansas School of Journalism.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Kurtis will also participate in an interview with Dole Institute Director Audrey Coleman, focusing on Kurtis’s Kansas roots and the various news events that “have shaped the nation over the course of his seven decades in journalism.”
Kurtis will participate in the event in person at the Dole Institute of Politics. The event is free and open to the public, but also can be viewed on the Dole Institute’s YouTube channel. The institute hosts the Dole Lecture each spring to commemorate the date on which Senator Bob Dole was critically wounded in Italy while serving in World War II.
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