2025 Kansas Legislative Session Begins
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas lawmakers return to work Monday for the start of the 2025 legislative session. Tax cuts will be top of mind for many lawmakers. But proposals to legalize medical marijuana and put an end to Daylight Saving Time could also get consideration in the coming weeks.
GOP lawmakers are also expected to address gender-affirming healthcare. They are promising to ban puberty blockers and sex change surgeries for minor children. Governor Laura Kelly vetoed such legislation last year and lawmakers failed to override her veto. But this year, the GOP supermajority has grown, making veto overrides more likely to succeed.
On Wednesday, the governor will lay out her plans for the new year. She'll deliver her annual State of the State Address Wednesday at 6:30 pm. KPR-1 will provide live coverage of the address, as well as the GOP response. Governor Kelly is likely to push again for Medicaid expansion. She also wants to put a new, long-term water plan in place.
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New Rules Will Change Journalist Access During Legislative Session
UNDATED (KNS) – New rules in the Kansas House of Representatives will put journalists farther away from the legislative process. Reporters usually have a spot on the chamber floor to see and hear lawmakers in action. But the Kansas News Service reports that this year, Republican House Speaker Dan Hawkins issued rules that limit reporters to an upstairs gallery. A spokesperson for Hawkins says the change is intended to make the floor less crowded for lawmakers and staffers. But Emily Bradbury, executive director of the Kansas Press Association, says press access should be a priority. “I feel that there's really no better use of space than on the very people who are reporting on the public's work that is being done in the public's house,” Bradbury added. Reporters can still take photos from the chamber floor.
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Former Professor Sues KU, Claiming Civil Rights Violation
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCUR) – A former University of Kansas professor is suing KU, alleging the school provided false information to the Department of Justice during a criminal investigation. Feng "Franklin" Tao is Chinese and taught chemical engineering at KU from 2014 until he was charged by the government in 2019 under what was called the China Initiative. That was a Trump administration program aimed at countering Chinese theft of American intellectual property. KCUR reports that Tao was never charged with espionage but several counts of wire fraud and making false statements. He was acquitted of wire fraud at trial. The false statement conviction was overturned on appeal. Now Tao is suing KU saying his civil rights were violated. The suit says Tao’s, quote, career and finances are in shambles because of KU’s baseless and humiliating investigation.
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Byron Roberson Sworn In as Johnson County Sheriff
UNDATED (KCUR) – History was made in Johnson County Monday when the first Black sheriff and first female undersheriff took office. KCUR reports that Byron Roberson spent 30 years in the Prairie Village Police Department and was chief when elected sheriff in November. At his swearing-in, Roberson didn’t talk about auto theft or fentanyl, but rather the importance of diversity in law enforcement. “Sometimes we have to be reminded that we need to treat everyone as human beings. And that is key. You can’t go wrong if you do that,” Roberson added. Cindy Henson became the county’s first female undersheriff. Henson was chief of the Spring Hill Police Department.
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Livestock Workers Vulnerable in Bird Flu Outbreak
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) - Bird flu continues to spread among livestock and has even killed one person in the U.S. In southwest Kansas, where there are many large dairies, workers can be the most vulnerable. Louisiana recently reported the country’s first bird flu-related death in a human, and while risk to the public remains low, there is a heightened level of concern among health care officials. Most people have felt the effects of bird flu in the economy, through disrupted egg and milk production, but some officials are concerned about the health of agriculture workers. Jim Keen is a veterinary expert and animal welfare advocate. He says citizenship status among dairy workers can affect proper health measures in western Kansas, which relies heavily on immigrant labor. “A lot of the workers in agriculture are undocumented," he said. "So, there's a lot of fear that if they get tested and are positive, they will get deported.” Kansas has seen bird flu cases in livestock, but no human infections have been reported.
It’s been three years and bird flu is still affecting poultry and dairy cattle in Kansas and across the country. And officials say that’s longer than outbreaks normally last. Jim Keen is a veterinary epidemiologist for the Center for a Humane Economy, a non-profit animal welfare organization. He says the risk to the public remains low, and most human cases have come - NOT from birds - but from dairy cattle which are very prevalent in southwest Kansas. This outbreak could potentially disrupt that industry. "The risk is not zero in terms of their economic livelihood, either from the point of view of the workers or the farmers," he said. The Department of Agriculture is currently collecting milk samples to better monitor the spread of the virus. The USDA says it will give dairies financial support for any fall in milk production.
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Livestock Need Special Care in Winter Weather
UNDATED (HPM) - Much of the Midwest has faced varying levels of snow, ice and rain. Harvest Public Media reports that livestock also need special attention during these cold winter conditions. When temperatures drop to around 20 degrees, cattle and especially young calves, become susceptible to frostbite, specifically on vulnerable areas like their ears, tails and utters. Elizabeth Picking is a Livestock Field Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension and says cows in winter weather states are often physically more prepared to withstand cold conditions. “Those animals are also going to grow a decent hair coat and so that helps the more northern farmers out. But I would expect to see more issues for the folks that are hit with this further south," she said. This month, heavy snow and ice have impacted livestock-producing states including Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
As temperatures fall and winter storms roll across the Midwest, ranchers worry about potential threats to livestock. Chloe Collins is a Dairy Field Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension Service. She says dairy cows are more susceptible to the cold than beef cattle, but temperatures below 20 degrees can be hard on both. “When we start adding in wind and different elements like precipitation, snow, they definitely start feeling that stress," she said. Herds kept outdoors are susceptible to frostbite. And... sustained cold weather can stress dairy cows, making them lose their appetite - ultimately reducing milk production and growth.
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Campaigns Launched on Both Sides of Proposed Wichita School Bond Issue
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Groups on both sides of a proposed bond issue for Wichita schools have launched campaigns ahead of the February election. Ben Davis is a Republican strategist and spokesman for a new group opposing the bond. He told the Kansas News Service that the Wichita district should focus on basic maintenance and student test scores rather than building new schools. “There’s no evidence to suggest that a brand new building is somehow going to increase teacher morale, fix student disciplinary issues or increase scores. That needs to be the primary focus,” Davis said. A new Vote Yes group is being led by Bradley Dyer, Jr., with Credit Union of America. He says the measure would strengthen the district by repairing old schools and reducing the district’s overall footprint. The special election on the $450 million bond issue is scheduled for February 25.
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Kansas Recorded More Tornadoes Last Year than the Year Before
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) - Last year was an active one for tornadoes in Kansas. Scientists at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, say the state recorded 89 tornadoes in 2024. That's more than double the 39 tornadoes recorded in Kansas the year before. The Kansas Reflector reports that the most powerful tornado in Kansas last year came on April 30th, when an EF-3 tornado hit Westmoreland, in Pottawatomie County. One woman was killed in that storm - 58-year-old Ann Miller, who was killed when her home was destroyed. She was the only storm-related fatality recorded in Kansas in 2024.
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Feds Could Put Money Into Grassland Conservation
UNDATED (HPM) - Federal legislation with bipartisan support would put money into saving the nation’s rapidly disappearing grasslands. The North American Grasslands Conservation Act would help tribes, states and ranchers carry out controlled fires - which can mitigate wildfires. Shaun Grassel is CEO of the Buffalo Nations Grasslands Alliance. The group works with 16 tribes conserving land on the northern Great Plains. “We need to start focusing more attention on prescribed fire and using controlled burns - not only to protect communities and infrastructure, but to keep our grasslands vibrant," Grassel said. More than 50 hunting, farming and conservation groups have endorsed the bill. Members of Congress from six states, including Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids, are sponsoring the legislation.
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Senator Questions Pentagon About Hospital Proposal Affecting Kansas Army Bases
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas Senator Roger Marshall is calling on the Defense Department to reconsider a proposal to downgrade military hospitals at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth. Marshall sent a letter to the Pentagon questioning the proposal and its impact on military readiness. The proposal would affect Irwin Army Hospital at Fort Riley and the Munson Army Health Center at Fort Leavenworth, which together provide care to more than 75,000 people.
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Kansas Governor Signs Order to Give Federal Benefits to Foster Kids
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has signed an executive order meant to ensure foster kids have access to federal benefits. The U.S. government gives the state money to provide eligible foster kids with federal benefits like social security and disability. But Kansas uses millions of those dollars each year to cover its own foster care services. Kelly’s executive order stops that practice. Money from federal benefits will now be sent directly to foster children’s bank accounts. Advocates say the change will improve the lives of foster kids, especially those with disabilities. Lawmakers will now have to find a way to cover the gap in state foster care funding.
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Former Kickapoo Chair Banished
HORTON, Kan. (WIBW) - A former chair of the Kickapoo Tribal Council has been sentenced to banishment after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted homicide. WIBW TV reports that Lester Randall also pleaded guilty Friday to attempted arson, embezzlement, and conspiracy to commit larceny; he was ordered to repay more than $150,000 and forfeit three houses and several motor vehicles. After the sentencing, Randall was immediately taken into custody by federal law enforcement officers; he is under two federal indictments for sexual exploitation of a minor, producing and receiving child pornography, aggravated domestic battery, and enticement for prostitution.
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Project Works to Emulate Natural River Flow on Dammed Rivers
UNDATED (KNS) – Engineers have released water at two dams in Kansas and Missouri to mimic summer storms and help river wildlife. The Kansas News Service reports that while dams help prevent flooding, disrupting natural river flow takes a toll on habitat and wildlife. So last year the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a summer pulse of water from Tuttle Creek and Pomme de Terre lakes meant to help. They worked with The Nature Conservancy to do it. Jim Howe, with the Conservancy, says the goal is to help native fish spawning, and to move silt in the Kansas and Osage river systems. “We want to use a pulse flow to flush that out. So that mussels can better attach to the stream bed,” Howe explained. The Conservancy hopes this approach could ultimately help other dammed up rivers, as well.
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Washburn University Men's Basketball Team Remains Undefeated at 15-0
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - The Washburn University men's basketball team is now 15-0. On Saturday, the Ichadods defeated Northwest Missouri State by 30 points, winning the game 96-66. The victory also means that the second-ranked Ichabods will now be elevated to the No. 1 spot in NCAA Division 2 rankings.
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Chiefs to Take on Texans in AFC Divisional Round
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KPR) — The Kansas City Chiefs now know their opponent for the Divisional Round. The Chiefs will play the fourth-seed Houston Texans at 3:30 pm Saturday. This will be the Chiefs second time playing the Texans this season. The two teams met less than a month ago and Kansas City came away the winner, 27-19. The winner will face the winner of the game between the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens.
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