Kansas ACA Enrollment Drops, but Not as Much as Experts Feared
UNDATED (KNS) — The number of Kansans enrolled in the Affordable Care Act marketplace this year decreased, but not as much as experts thought it would following the expiration of tax credits. According to data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, Kansas marketplace enrollment decreased by more than 3.5% in 2026. Missouri saw a more than 10% decrease. Linda Sheppard is with the Kansas Health Institute, a non-partisan research organization. She says while the drop isn’t as big as projected, the data doesn’t include how many people had to choose a cheaper insurance plan. “That potentially could create some problems for them. I mean, if they're not if they're not prepared for having to pay extra out of pocket now throughout the year with that plan that has less rich benefits,” she explained. Sheppard says the data also doesn’t account for people who may drop coverage after realizing their premiums increased. She says CMS should release more data next month.
==========
New Kansas Law Increases Penalties for Soliciting Prostitution
TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) — Kansas governor Laura Kelly has signed into law a bill that increases the penalties for soliciting prostitution in the state. The new law classifies that crime as a felony, even on first offense. Previously, it was a misdemeanor in most cases. The Kansas Reflector reports the new law also makes it a crime to use a laser pointer to interfere with law enforcement or aircraft operations. The bill was introduced in the 2025 legislative session but required finishing touches in the current session before it could be sent to the governor.
==========
Kansas Bill Would Require Schools to Stock Naloxone
UNDATED (KNS) — Public schools in Kansas would be required to keep a supply of naloxone under a bill being considered by the state House education committee. The Kansas News Service reports that schools would have to keep at least one dose of naloxone nasal spray on hand at all times. The medicine can be used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Stacy Rogers lost her son to an overdose in 2022. She spoke in support of the bill at a recent hearing, saying “...students need to know that fentanyl is now commonly found in counterfeit pills and other substances they may believe are safe.” The measure would establish a grant program to help districts buy naloxone. School districts would also have to educate high school students on preventing opioid abuse. Many school districts in Kansas already keep naloxone on hand.
==========
Five Arrested in Cherokee County for Soliciting Minors
COLUMBUS, Kan. (KPR) — Five people have been arrested and charged with soliciting minors in Cherokee County in southeast Kansas. The investigation was conducted by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with local and federal law enforcement agencies. The suspects face various charges including, commercial sexual exploitation of a child, unlawful use of a communication facility, and aggravated human trafficking. The suspects were booked into the Cherokee County Jail. Police say the investigation was a “collaborative effort to identify and apprehend predators who utilize digital platforms to prey upon underage victims.”
==========
Parents of KU Student Killed in Hit-and-Run Sue DoorDash for Wrongful Death
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KC Star) — The parents of a University of Kansas student who was killed in a hit-and-run are suing the man accused of hitting her, as well as the company that employed him. William Klinger is charged in connection with the death of 20-year-old Elsa McGrain, who was struck by a vehicle while she was out jogging last November. In the wrongful death lawsuit, McGrain’s parents allege Klinger was working for the meal-delivery company DoorDash when he struck their daughter. The parents say DoorDash never should have hired Klinger due to his criminal past. The Kansas City Star reports Klinger was charged with driving under the influence at least four times between 2018 and 2023.
==========
Suspect Arrested in Connection with Multiple Lawrence Arsons and Burglaries
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - Police and fire investigators in Lawrence say a suspect has been arrested in connection with a series of suspected arsons and burglaries. Detectives say the suspect was taken into custody over the weekend. Though authorities have not yet identified the suspect, they say this person is charged with multiple aggravated arsons and burglaries that took place between December 2025 and this month.
==========
Topeka Man Pleads No Contest to Charges Related to 2024 Emporia Shooting
EMPORIA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — A Topeka man charged in connection with a 2024 shooting in Emporia that left one person injured has pleaded no contest to one count of criminal threat and another of aggravated assault. 40-year-old Tyler Seifert initially faced nine charges, but agreed to plead no contest to two of the charges. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the remaining charges. WIBW-TV reports Seifert was sentenced to time served but is already serving a sentence in federal prison on gun charges.
==========
Unified Government Mulls Ban on Immigrant Detention Centers
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KC Star) — The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, is considering a ban on immigrant detention centers. The U.G. planning commission is expected to take up the proposal Monday night. It would impose a moratorium on new correctional facilities, which would effectively prohibit ICE from opening a detention center in the county. The Kansas City Star reports the proposal comes at a time when Immigration and Customs Enforcement is rapidly expanding enforcement efforts nationwide. Kansas City, Missouri, has already passed a similar ban.
(–Additional reporting–)
Unified Government to Consider ICE Facility Moratorium Monday Night
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCUR) — The Unified Government may try to head off any potential ICE detention facility in Wyandotte County or Kansas City, Kansas. KCUR reports that
UG Commissioner Christian Ramirez says Wyandotte County is home to generations of immigrant families who are essential to the economy and civic life. Ramirez, who represents south KCK, says the county should not be used "for detention expansion." His ordinance is scheduled to be considered by the UG Planning Commission Monday night and would place a two-year moratorium on any special use permits for detention centers. Right now, Kansas City is fighting an ICE facility in a warehouse near the old Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base and Leavenworth is battling the reopening of a CoreCivic facility.
==========
Bill Would Force KU Med School to Give Letter Grades
TOPEKA, Kan. (LJW) — Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that would require the University of Kansas to give medical students letter grades. Currently the grading system is pass-fail. The bill was introduced by Rep. Megan Steele, a Republican from Manhattan. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the bill is modeled on legislation proposed by an out-of-state group called Do No Harm, which says it is dedicated to fighting “identity politics” in medicine. The KU med school opposes the change, saying the pass-fail system is the best way to evaluate competency. The med school says it has had a 100% match rate for residency programs the last three years, above the national average of 93.5%.
==========
Kansas County Wants to Prosecute People for Trespassing on Public Rivers
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (HPM) — Finney County in western Kansas wants to be able to prosecute people for trespassing on public rivers. County leaders say homeless people have been camping on the dry bed of the Arkansas River. So they're asking state lawmakers to make it possible for counties to control activities on public rivers. Hunters, anglers and boaters oppose giving counties this power. “Someone can float, fish, or hunt through multiple counties in a single day,” Jeff Hancock of the Kansas Outdoor Heritage Alliance told Harvest Public Media. “Different local rules along the same stretch of these corridors would be confusing for the public and difficult to enforce." Kansas has three public rivers: the Kansas, the Missouri and the Arkansas.
==========
Unified Government OKs STAR Bond District for Chiefs Stadium
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KSHB) — The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, has approved a new STAR bond district for the Kansas City Chiefs’ proposed stadium. The U.G. commission voted 7-3 in favor of the proposal Thursday night. That means the U.G. will use tax revenue from the district to help repay the state-financed bonds that will partly finance the $3 billion project. The new development will include a domed stadium as well as an “entertainment district” on 236 acres near State Avenue between 118th and 126th streets. KSHB reports most residents who spoke at Thursday night’s meeting opposed the approval of the new STAR bond district. In a statement, the Chiefs said they were “grateful for the process and remain very excited for the collaboration with Wyandotte County.”
==========
Advocacy Group Calls for New Gun Safety Regulations in Kansas
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW-TV) — A gun safety group held a rally at the Kansas statehouse on Thursday to call for new regulations on the way guns and ammunition are stored. Moms Demand Action wants lawmakers to pass legislation that would require gun owners to store guns unloaded and locked, with ammunition stored separately. Supporters of the measure say it’s an easy way to reduce gun-related deaths in Kansas. WIBW-TV reports Democratic governor Laura Kelly spoke at the event.
==========
EPA Proposal Would Limit Federal Waterway and Wetland Protections Under Clean Water Act
UNDATED (HPM) — A proposed ruling from the Environmental Protection Agency would limit which waterways and wetlands are protected under the Clean Water Act. Harvest Public Media reports that the proposed change has drawn concern from environmental advocates, who say it rejects watershed science and leaves the vast majority of wetlands vulnerable to development. But farm advocacy groups like the American Farm Bureau Federation say the new definition would give farmers more clarity about whether parts of their fields classify as protected wetlands. Courtney Briggs, a senior director of government affairs at the Farm Bureau, says the revision could lift some pressure off farmers. “We at the Farm Bureau have been advocating for a bright line of jurisdiction, so that landowners clearly know what can be regulated by the federal government, what is going to be regulated by state governments,” she explained. Briggs expects more guidance to come about how farmers can implement the outlined changes.
==========
This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers. Our headlines are generally published by 10 am weekdays and are updated through 7 pm. This ad-free news summary is made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on X (formerly Twitter).