By Morgan Chilson TOPEKA — CoreCivic can’t house immigration detainees before reaching an agreement with the city of Leavenworth on reopening its private prison, the Kansas Court of Appeals ruled Friday when it upheld a lower court’s decision. “There is nothing to suggest that CoreCivic is being singled out here,” the Court of Appeals decision said. “The City is merely attempting to enforce its zoning regulations that impose requirements on every entity regardless of its status as a contractor with the federal government.” Nashville-based CoreCivic appealed an injunction by Leavenworth County District Court that banned it from beginning to take detainees to…
Author: Kansas Reflector
House cuts $60M in revenue sharing, makes it easy for dissenters to stop increases By Tim Carpenter TOPEKA — The Kansas House voted Wednesday to alter significant provisions of a bipartisan property tax reform bill granting the public a direct voice in decisions by local government to raise property taxes more than 3% annually. The House agreed to an amendment lowering by half the signature threshold on protest petitions used to block a city or county from exceeding the cap. The House also passed an amendment deleting a $60 million state fund to compensate local units of government that held…
By Grace Hills TOPEKA — Kansas drivers could be required to use their turn signals when navigating roundabouts under a proposed Senate bill — because, to the confusion of some legislators, that isn’t already law. Sen. Brad Starnes, a Republican from Riley — or “the roundabout guy” as he introduced himself Wednesday before the Senate Transportation Committee — introduced Senate Bill 318, which calls for drivers to use their turn signals when changing lanes or exiting a roundabout. A few legislators asked the same question: Isn’t this already a law? Adam Siebers from the Office of Revisor of Statutes said drivers…
TOPEKA — The 2026 North American FIFA World Cup prompted Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly to declare a state of disaster emergency in three counties, anticipating effects from four base camps in the Kansas City-area. The influx of an estimated 650,000 visitors to the region is expected to place strain on public safety, emergency and transportation services, said House Majority Leader Chris Croft, an Overland Park Republican. The governor declared a state of emergency Feb. 9 for Johnson, Wyandotte and Douglas counties, but her authority is limited to a 15-day declaration.The Legislature must approve a longer timespan. Without a disaster declaration,…
Opponents raise concerns about victims finding justice in Kansas courts By Morgan Chilson TOPEKA — The Senate approved legislation Wednesday that would make Kansas the first state in the nation to stop attorneys from recommending to juries a dollar amount for noneconomic damages, such as pain and suffering, in civil lawsuits. Senate Bill 413 limits a process called “anchoring,” which refers to proposing an amount for damages early in a trial that then sticks with jurors, causing them to sometimes give “exorbitant” amounts in civil cases, said Sen. Kellie Warren, a Leawood Republican who is an attorney. “We had heard that…
By Morgan Chilson TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate overrode Gov Laura Kelly’s veto on Tuesday, putting the state one step closer to forcing people to use bathrooms in government buildings that match their biological sex at birth. Senate Substitute for House Bill 244 was overturned by the Senate, with votes falling along party lines. As the vote was finalized in the Senate, Rabbi Moti Rieber shouted in anger from the gallery. “First they came for the trans people, and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t trans,” he yelled. Rieber was referring to a well-known writing by a German minister after the Holocaust.…
Group makes case by drawing upon dystopian horror of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ By Tim Carpenter TOPEKA — Five people walked through the Kansas Capitol on Monday shrouded in long, red cloaks and with faces concealed from view by wing-like white bonnets. The intent was to catch the attention of legislators and lobbyists, who complied with puzzled looks as they tried to comprehend the scene. Why the outfits? Were they part of a cult? Might they be nuns? What do they want? Could they be dangerous? Christy Allen, among the women dressed as characters from the dystopian novel and TV series…
By Morgan Chilson TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a controversial bill that forces transgender people to use bathrooms that match their biological sex at birth, saying the poorly drafted legislation would have far-reaching consequences. The Democratic governor now hands House Substitute for Senate Bill 244 back to a Legislature that has enough Republican votes to override her veto and put the bill into law. The bill requires government entities to police bathrooms and other private spaces in their buildings, and levies fines against the governing body for failing to comply. It also sets up escalating penalties for individuals who use a…
By Grace Hills TOPEKA — Inspired by the corporate world, a Kansas state senator wants to provide a monetary incentive for state employees to report fraud, waste or abuse. Sen. Michael Murphy, a Republican from Sylvia who introduced Senate Bill 450, was the sole person to testify Thursday before the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency. He said he was inspired by his former employer, United Airlines, which had a similar program that gave an employee 10% of the savings if they identified a way for the company to save money. Sen. Larry Alley, a Republican from Winfield, said there was a…
By Grace Hills TOPEKA — More money could be flowing to the Kansas Water Plan under a new House bill, expanding the impact of a popular 2023 law aimed at addressing the growing water crisis. Republicans, Democrats and proponents pointed to Kansas’ lack of funding for water projects and asked lawmakers to pass the bill Tuesday before the House Water Committee. There were no opponents. The 2023 law established the Water Projects Grant Fund and the Water Technical Assistance Fund, two funds that help municipalities build and maintain water infrastructure. House Bill 2558 would expand annual funding for the Kansas Water Plan from $35…