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Latest Stories
Legislature passes K-12 education funding bill
The Legislature on Friday approved the K-12 education funding bill, which now goes to Gov. Laura Kelly’s desk for the final OK. Senate Bill 387 passed the House 115-2 and the Senate 35-2. The votes represented a significant turnaround from early April, when the House passed SB 387 with a 65-58 vote, but the Senate …
Flash
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View MoreGovernor signs K-12 funding/policy bill
Gov. Laura Kelly Thursday signed into law – with some line-item vetoes — the $6.3 billion K-12 budget bill that is the last bill sent to her by the 2023 Legislature. Kelly said the bill fully and constitutionally funds K-12 education as described by the Kansas Supreme Court and criticized lawmakers for refusing to include …
Kelly to veto tax-cut bill today
Gov. Laura Kelly said this morning she will veto the massive legislative-passed tax cut bill today. She said the flat tax proposed by GOP leadership is regressive and would see tax cuts of about $8 per month for Kansans. She has proposed a $450 rebate for single Kansans and a $900 rebate for married couples …
Former lawmaker Brady dies
Former House and Senate member, and since 2000 lobbyist, Bill Brady, D-Parsons, died Sunday night after suffering a stroke Friday. Brady, 66, who lived in Lawrence, served five terms in the House from 1981-1991 and then one and a half terms in the Senate to succeed former Sen. Mike Johnston, D-Parsons, before being elected to …
Weekender
View MoreLegislature ready to address cybersecurity in veto session
The Legislature is close to passing a bill that would overhaul Kansas’ cybersecurity policies, one lawmaker told State Affairs. Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, leads the House Committee on Legislative Modernization, which has developed Senate Bill 291. She and Speaker Pro Tem Blake Carpenter, R-Derby, recognized the need to update the state’s statutes and began working on the issue 10 months ago. But the October 2023 cyberattack — which Chief Justice Marla Luckert later identified as the work of Russian hackers …
Legislature to tackle K-12 education, early childhood in return
When the Legislature returns on April 25, lawmakers will have numerous bills to tackle, including measures related to K-12 education, early childhood services and health care. The veto session will be to handle omnibus funding measures and address vetoed bills, but lawmakers also will look to address some unfinished business from when they left the Statehouse in the early-morning hours of April 6. K-12 education funding Legislation: Senate Bill 387 Status: Awaiting House and Senate votes. A conference committee on …
Will House, Senate leaders agree on tax plan?
This session’s level of success hinges on the Legislature’s ability to reach a tax plan agreement next week. The major point they must reconcile in a conference committee: The Senate’s package includes a single-rate income tax, and the House’s plan has a two-tier income tax. Last session, House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, rode their flat tax package to the very end, with the Senate unable to overcome a Gov. Laura Kelly veto. This session, …
Legislature enters stretch run of ‘24 session
The Kansas Legislature is entering the hectic final days of the 2024 legislative session, with just two weeks remaining before the end of the regular session. The next major deadline comes on Thursday, the last day for non-exempt bills to be considered in either chamber. Because of that, no committees are scheduled to meet this week and both chambers will be on the floor all day. Bills referred to or sponsored by exempt committees have an extra week, until the …
Big week for Kelly proposals: Medicaid hearings, Office of Early Childhood work
Next week represents a big one for Gov. Laura Kelly’s top priorities this session, although one proposal will likely include provisions she’s vetoed in the past. Senate and House committees on Wednesday will have Medicaid expansion hearings for the first time since 2020. On Thursday, the House Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee plans to work on an Office of Early Childhood proposal. Medicaid The Senate Ways and Means and Public Health and Welfare committees will have a joint hearing …