Legislative veterans to lead both parties in Kansas House

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas House Republicans on Monday promoted their No. 2 leader into the top job of speaker, while Democrats picked a veteran of state and local politics to lead them over a much younger relative newcomer. State Rep. Dan Hawkins, of Wichita, faced no opposition...

Kansas Bureau of Investigation director to retire in January

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Bureau of Investigation Director Kirk Thompson said Thursday he plans to retire in January after more than a decade of leading the state's largest criminal investigation agency. Newly elected Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican, will name...

Ex-majority leader jailed for DUI is leaving Kansas Senate

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas lawmaker who was forced out of one of the state Senate's most powerful jobs following an arrest for drunken driving and speeding the wrong way on two interstate highways is planning to leave the Legislature in early January. Former Senate Majority...

Rift in Kansas GOP boils over after loss in governor's race

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A push by top Republicans in Kansas to punish party officials who backed an independent candidate for governor is shining a spotlight on an internal rift that could hinder GOP leaders' efforts to steer the state to the right over Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's objections. ...

Lawmaker: Kansas should cut ties with foster care contractor

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — The head of a Kansas legislative panel wants to end the state's contract with its largest foster care contractor, after two former executives were accused of scheming to defraud the organization out of at least $4.7 million. The federal indictments this month...

Kansas refuses to increase Legislature’s power over agencies

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas voters have narrowly rejected a proposal to curb the power of the governor and other officials to regulate businesses and set environmental and public health rules, rebuking the state's Republican-controlled Legislature again after affirming abortion rights this summer....

Editorial Roundup: Kansas

Kansas City Star. November 9, 2022. Editorial: Divided Missouri, Kansas election shows one way voters are united: They want compromise Republicans inched closer to gaining control of the U.S. House Wednesday morning, while party control of the Senate remained...

Too early to call measure to boost Kansas lawmakers' power

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — It’s too early to call a winning side in the effort to give the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature a bigger say over how the state regulates businesses, protects people’s health and preserves the environment. The proposed amendment to the Kansas...

Democratic Rep. Davids reelected in redrawn Kansas district

MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Democrat Sharice Davids held on to her Kansas City-area congressional seat in Tuesday’s election, overcoming Republican attacks over crime and the economy and new GOP-drawn boundaries designed to make her district harder for her to win. Davids, the...

Republican Jake LaTurner wins reelection to U.S. House in Kansas' 2nd Congressional District