Posts by Kansas News Service:


Kansas House passes school choice bill tied to special ed funding and teacher pay

Rep. Kristey Willliams of Augusta, one of the leading proponents of a new school choice bill.

By Suzanne Perez  The Kansas House narrowly passed a bill Wednesday that would raise teacher pay and increase funding for special education while also establishing a far-reaching school choice program.

By Suzanne Perez  The Kansas House narrowly passed a bill Wednesday that would raise teacher pay and increase funding for special education while also establishing a far-reaching school choice program.



Kansas Republicans vote to bar transgender women from women’s bathrooms

By Rose Conlon Kansas lawmakers have advanced legislation that would bar transgender women from women’s bathrooms, women’s prisons, women’s locker rooms and domestic violence shelters. Critics see the bill as a political

By Rose Conlon Kansas lawmakers have advanced legislation that would bar transgender women from women’s bathrooms, women’s prisons, women’s locker rooms and domestic violence shelters. Critics see the bill as a political


JoCo health leader fears Kansas bill would undercut work to contain diseases

By Samantha Horton  Kansas Republican lawmakers want to take over powers from state and local public health officials to fight the spread of contagious diseases. The Kansas Senate passed a bill to

By Samantha Horton  Kansas Republican lawmakers want to take over powers from state and local public health officials to fight the spread of contagious diseases. The Kansas Senate passed a bill to


From school choice to parents’ rights — The big education bills up for debate in Topeka

A number of big education bills are being debated in the Kansas Statehouse this session.

By Suzanne Perez  Dozens of education bills making their way through the Kansas Legislature this session could have a profound effect on public schools. Conservatives want to make it easier

By Suzanne Perez  Dozens of education bills making their way through the Kansas Legislature this session could have a profound effect on public schools. Conservatives want to make it easier


Kansas bill would punish doctors for gender-affirming care

A packed committee room in the Kansas Legislature to hear a bill regarding gender affirming care.

By Blaise Mesa  Puberty blockers, mastectomies, surgeries that remove “any body part or tissue” and prescribing estrogen to males or testosterone to females to treat gender dysphoria could be essentially

By Blaise Mesa  Puberty blockers, mastectomies, surgeries that remove “any body part or tissue” and prescribing estrogen to males or testosterone to females to treat gender dysphoria could be essentially


Kansas GOP taps former JoCo commissioner Mike Brown to lead party

By Dylan Lysen  Spurred on by frustrations over losing high-profile races to Democrats, Kansas Republicans on Saturday picked an aggressive conservative to lead the party into the 2024 election cycle. Party

By Dylan Lysen  Spurred on by frustrations over losing high-profile races to Democrats, Kansas Republicans on Saturday picked an aggressive conservative to lead the party into the 2024 election cycle. Party


Anti-abortion lawmakers propose complete ban in Kansas

An anti-abortion protest in Topeka.

By Rose Conlon  Republican lawmakers in Kansas have introduced legislation that would outlaw abortion beginning at fertilization — without exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life or health

By Rose Conlon  Republican lawmakers in Kansas have introduced legislation that would outlaw abortion beginning at fertilization — without exceptions for rape, incest or to save the life or health



Local governments could limit abortion under Kansas bill

Kansas health care clinic that provides abortions.

By Rose Conlon  Kansas joins a handful of states debating the power of local governments to restrict abortion. Legislation proposed earlier this month seeks to give local governments the authority

By Rose Conlon  Kansas joins a handful of states debating the power of local governments to restrict abortion. Legislation proposed earlier this month seeks to give local governments the authority


How Kansas lawmakers could try to restrict abortion this year

By Rose Conlon A resounding statewide vote in Kansas to protect abortion rights last summer won’t stop the Republican-controlled Legislature from attempting to make it harder to get an abortion

By Rose Conlon A resounding statewide vote in Kansas to protect abortion rights last summer won’t stop the Republican-controlled Legislature from attempting to make it harder to get an abortion



JoCo lawmaker co-sponsors bill banning gender-affirming care until age 21

By Rose Conlon  Legislation introduced in the Kansas Senate this week would make it a crime for doctors to provide gender-affirming health care to transgender teens and adults under the

By Rose Conlon  Legislation introduced in the Kansas Senate this week would make it a crime for doctors to provide gender-affirming health care to transgender teens and adults under the


These issues could define 2023 Kansas legislative session

A number of big education bills are being debated in the Kansas Statehouse this session.

By Dylan Lysen  Kansas lawmakers returned to the statehouse this week with more than $2 billion in loose change to fight over. How the Legislature’s Republican leaders and Democratic Gov.

By Dylan Lysen  Kansas lawmakers returned to the statehouse this week with more than $2 billion in loose change to fight over. How the Legislature’s Republican leaders and Democratic Gov.