TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Legislation intended to give Kansas prosecutors a new tool for curbing criminal gang activity has cleared the state Senate on a vote of 37-0. The vote Thursday sent the measure to the House. Attorney General Derek Schmidt has described the proposal as an anti-racketeering law that would let prosecutors go after gangs for alleged patterns of criminal activity as well as single criminal acts. The bill defines racketeering as an activity to collect unlawful debts, such as loans or gambling losses. It also includes activities to gain control of property or illegal businesses such as human trafficking…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Senate has approved legislation increasing the penalties child sex trafficking and providing help for victims of human trafficking. Attorney General Derek Schmidt had sought the legislation. Thursday’s 38-0 vote in the Senate sends the bill to the House. The bill creates the crime of felony commercial sexual exploitation of a child, punishable by a minimum sentence of 25 years if the victim is less than 14 years old. It also establishes programs to help victims of human trafficking through the attorney general, Department of Children and Families and the Department of Labor. The bill also…
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) The student government association at another public university in Kansas has gone on record opposing concealed carry of firearms on campus. The Student Senate at Pittsburg State University adopted that position on a vote of 22-16 Wednesday night. The university’s administration had already stated its opposition to concealed carry. The Pittsburg Morning Sun reports the vote followed an informal survey that showed 53 percent of students at the southeastern Kansas university in favor of allowing concealed carry, with 44 percent opposed. All other student government organizations at Kansas regents institutions have approved resolutions opposing concealed weapons on…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback is meeting resistance to his tax plan because it promises to reduce individual income taxes in the future while raising new revenues over the next few years to plug holes in the state budget. And the resistance is coming from Brownback’s fellow Republicans. Some GOP lawmakers worried Thursday about getting tagged as tax increasers a year after Kansas enacted massive income tax cuts to stimulate the economy. Brownback says he’s trying to position Kansas to phase out individual income taxes. But to stabilize the budget, Brownback is pushing changes in sales and income tax…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Two granddaughters of the founder of a Topeka anti-gay church have left the group and apologized for any hurt they caused others. Megan Phelps-Roper and her sister, Grace Phelps-Roper, are the granddaughters of Fred Phelps, whose Westboro Baptist Church is known for protesting at funerals for service members and gay people and at other events. They are the daughters of Shirley Phelps-Roper, a prominent spokeswoman for the group. The Kansas City Star reports the two left the church last November but posted a statement on social media Wednesday explaining their decision. They say they still love their…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A proposal in the Kansas House would allow University of Kansas medical students to receive privately funded abortion training. The provision is part of a bill introduced Wednesday that would more strictly regulate abortions in Kansas. A similar bill died in the Senate last session because of concerns that it would jeopardize accreditation of the medical school’s obstetrics and gynecology program. Rep. Lance Kinzer of Olathe says the new bill would require the medical center to use private dollars to pay medical residents for abortion training. That would mean no state dollars are used for abortion training.…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Emergency medical responders are asking Kansas lawmakers to require testing for more communicable diseases and improve notification of first responders. Current state law on accidental exposure requires first responders to be notified if they are exposed to AIDs or HIV. In testimony Wednesday before a Kansas House committee, emergency supervisors supported a proposal to require testing and notification for about 52 communicable diseases, including hepatitis, rabies, rubella, measles and mumps. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the measure likely will be amended to allow for testing at hospitals, clinics and other health facilities. Positive tests would be reported promptly…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas health officials say the state is being hit hard by the flu in the current flu season. The state health department says Kansas recorded 699 deaths from September through Monday in which flu and/or pneumonia was a direct or contributing factor. Department spokeswoman Miranda Steele says the rate of people being treated for influenza-like illness in Kansas is about 5 percent. She says that rate never reached 5 percent in the 2011-2012 and 2010-2011 flu seasons. The highest rate during those two seasons was 3.5 percent. State epidemiologist Charles Hunt told The Topeka Capital-Journal that the flu…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) A 33-year-old Overland Park man pleaded guilty to helping to distribute nearly $17 million in marijuana and cocaine in Kansas. Federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that Samuel Villeareal III, 33, pleaded guilty to one drug conspiracy count. After his arrest last June, federal prosecutors suggested that Villeareal sold marijuana to some University of Kansas basketball players. The Kansas City Star reports that neither the prosecutor nor Villeareal mentioned anything about Kansas sports during Wednesday’s hearing. Villeareal was one of 44 people indicted last year with conspiring to distribute the drugs over four years in Johnson and Douglas…
EL DORADO, Kan. (AP) A 24-year-old El Dorado man has died from gunshot wounds he suffered at his home. El Dorado police Chief Tom Boren says Trevor Wakefield died Wednesday after being shot on Monday. Boren says a Wichita couple charged in the shooting is likely to face amended charges after Wakefield’s death. Montee Ray Iverson, 34, and Mandy Renee Crandall, 29, made first appearances in Butler County court Wednesday on the original charges. A third person arrested in the shooting has been released without charges. The Wichita Eagle reports Iverson has an extensive criminal history, including being sent back…