Advocates Say Federal Cuts to Medicaid Could Affect Health Care Access for Some Kansans
UNDATED (KNS) – Advocates in Kansas say potential federal cuts to Medicaid could impact access to health care for low-income Kansans. The Kansas News Service reports that Republicans in the U.S. House passed a bill mandating nearly $900 billion in cuts to the committee that oversees Medicare and Medicaid. April Holman with Alliance for a Healthy Kansas says that could mean significant cuts to services for children, pregnant women and low-income Kansans. She says it could also affect people with disabilities who receive in-home care, adding that “...it could mean that people have fewer choices to receive those services at home.” Republicans who voted for the bill, including U.S. Representative Ron Estes of Kansas, say they can pay for the cuts by targeting Medicaid fraud.
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Kansas Republicans Hope to Change System for Selecting State Supreme Court Justices
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – Kansas Republicans are renewing efforts to make state Supreme Court justices elected officials. The Kansas News Service reports that as it stands, Kansas Supreme Court justices are nominated by an independent commission and appointed by the Governor. Republicans have wanted to change the process for years, especially since recent decisions that established abortion rights and school funding mandates. A who’s who of the state legal establishment shared their views in a hearing. Supporters like state Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican, said a judge’s political bias is always a factor in how they decide controversial cases. “Since the decisions are inevitably in that gray area going to reflect the ideology of the judge, they should be held accountable,” Kobach argues. Opponents of the proposal say merit-based selection helps keep the courts independent from partisan politics.
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Kansas House Passes Bill Eliminating Mail-in Ballot Grace Period
TOPEKA, Kan. (KNS) – The Kansas House on Thursday passed a bill that would eliminate the three-day grace period for mail-in ballots. The Kansas News Service reports that under the bill passed by the House, mailed ballots would not be counted if they arrive after 7 p.m. on Election Day. Proponents say the change would eliminate any appearance that results are changing after the day of an election. But critics say it could disenfranchise voters, especially those who live out of the state for school or military service. Republican Representative Pat Proctor says the change would take effect in 2026 to give voters time to adjust, adding that he thinks “...Kansas voters are smart, and if we tell them what the rules are, they will adjust their behaviors to follow the rules.” The bill already passed the Senate. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is likely to veto it.
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Kansas Senate Approves School Board Transparency Bill
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – The Kansas Senate has narrowly approved a bill requiring school boards to be more transparent. But opponents say it goes too far. The Kansas News Service reports that the measure would require districts to list the names and email addresses of school board members online. It would also give board members wider access to school property, and it would let them add items to an agenda without a vote of the board. Democratic Sen. Dinah Sykes opposes the bill. She says the Legislature has rules to keep meetings safe and efficient, just like school boards. “If this passes, we are saying that we are not holding other groups to the same standard that we hold ourselves to,” Sykes added. Supporters say the bill would make school boards more responsive to the public.
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Federal Prosecutor Facing Discipline on Ethics Charges
UNDATED (KCUR) – A former federal prosecutor faces discipline from a Kansas board of legal ethics for her role in a long-running recording scandal at a private Leavenworth prison. KCUR reports that the Office of Disciplinary Administrator is accusing Erin Tomasic of improperly viewing surveillance tape of privileged defense attorney meetings with their clients. She was a federal prosecutor in the Kansas City, Kansas, office. Officials say Tomasic didn’t tell the truth when called out on the ethical breach back in 2016. But during a hearing in Topeka this week, Tomasic defended herself as a young attorney who was unfairly made the face of the scandal and that she’s been honest about her role. A three-attorney panel will issue a ruling in several months. (Read more.)
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USDA Releases Some Promised Funding for Kansas, Missouri and Other Farming States
UNDATED (HPM) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released some funding for environmental and agricultural projects in Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. But the freeze is still in place for many others. Harvest Public Media reports that the back-and-forth has caused a lot of uncertainty. Jason Grimm runs a family poultry farm in Williamsburg, Iowa. He was awarded a fifty thousand dollar grant to buy a refrigerated truck to sell his chicken and turkey further from his farm. But that grant is funded with federal dollars. Grimm is not making any purchases because he’s worried he won’t be reimbursed. Grimm says the Trump administration’s policies are hurting common farmers. “Unless you are a wealthy, well connected person in rural America, you are going to be very negatively impacted by these policies,” he said. The USDA says it will be releasing more money soon as it continues to review federal grants.
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KC Families Forced to Vacate Apartments Due to Safety Concerns
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) - Seventy-five families in Kansas City were given just 48 hours to find a new place to live. KMBC TV reports that the families were ordered to leave the Cloverleaf Apartments after fire inspectors deemed the units unsafe. The Kansas City Fire Department cited multiple safety hazards for the evacuation order, including broken pipes, flooding, mold and collapsed drywall ceilings.
One fire official said that the property owner is currently incarcerated and stopped paying the property manager, leading to widespread neglect. The Red Cross and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development are now working to assist displaced families in securing temporary or permanent housing. Residents have until the weekend to gather their belongings. Starting Monday, no one will be allowed on the property.
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KU Students Protest Changes in Gender-Inclusive Scholarship Hall Accommodations
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) – Some University of Kansas students are protesting the school’s plan to eliminate gender-inclusive housing options in one co-ed student living facility. KU also proposes to enforce the use of separate bathrooms in that scholarship hall based on students’ legal gender identity. KU student Anthony Alvarez has lived at Grace Pearson Scholarship Hall for three years. He says he and others worked hard to make the dormitory an inclusive, welcoming space for people who are transgender, like himself, or non-binary. “I know a lot of people are in the position where GP is their home and over the summer they feel as though they’re waiting to come back home. And I’m really upset that that’s not gonna be there anymore,” he explained. Alvarez says the new rules are harmful to trans or non-binary students. In an emailed statement, a KU spokesperson said the change was made to comply with building codes that require separate facilities.
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New Law Could Help Kansans with Suspended or Revoked Driver's Licenses
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) — More than 120 thousand Kansans started the year unable to drive legally because of a suspended or revoked license. KMUW reports that Kansas used to automatically suspended the licenses of drivers who failed to comply with a traffic citation. That could be because they failed to pay fines or appear in court. Suspended drivers can't drive legally until they deal with these issues, although many still do. This can lead to their license being revoked for three years or more. Sheila Officer is with Wichita’s Racial Profiling Advisory Board. She advocated for a new law, which took effect last month to help those drivers, saying that “... it gives some relief to the thousands of Kansas that have a revoked driver’s license. They can now apply for what we call the restricted driver’s license.” That license allows people to legally drive to school, work, the grocery store or religious services while working on their case.
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Final Results of Wichita School Bond Issue Still Pending
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – Leaders in the Wichita school district say they’re waiting for final results of Tuesday's bond issue election before deciding next steps. The Kansas News Service reports that the district is seeking a $450 million bond issue to build and renovate schools. Unofficial results show bond opponents leading by fewer than 300 votes, with more than 4,000 potential votes still to be counted. School board president Diane Albert isn’t saying whether the district will force a recount, or if they’ll ask for a smaller bond issue if this one fails. “We still have things to solve and needs to address. And so it’s all hands on-deck, and we’re going to look for creative solutions to solve the problems that we face,” she said. Mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day can be counted through Friday. Results won’t be final until a vote canvass next week (March 6).
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People in Western Kansas Anxious Following Trump's Crackdown on Illegal Immigration
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) — In the wake of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration, some residents in southwest Kansas are feeling anxious. The Kansas News Service reports that those living in the state without legal status fear deportation. Promises of mass deportations have caused anxiety for many, particularly those living in the southwest part of the state. (Read more.)
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Kansas Golfer Gary Woodland Receives PGA Tour Courage Award
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - Former Kansas Jayhawks golfer and Topeka native Gary Woodland, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, has been named the winner of the PGA Tour Courage Award. The award…which was started in 2012…goes to Gary Woodland after his comeback story on the Tour last year. Woodland underwent surgery in September of 2023 after a lesion was discovered in his brain. He recovered at his home in Florida, for several months, then made 26 starts on the PGA Tour last year. Woodland had one top-ten finish and two other times placed in the top 25. This year, he has made four starts and already has three top-25 finishes.
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