Connect with us

Kansas

Kansas Legislature opens 2024 session amid tax policy salvo, dash of winter weather – Kansas Reflector

Published

2 years ago

on

Kansas Legislature opens 2024 session amid tax policy salvo, dash of winter weather – Kansas Reflector


TOPEKA — The House and Senate launched the 2024 legislative session Monday amid anticipated criticism of Gov. Laura Kelly’s attempt at bipartisanship on tax reform and substantial enthusiasm for a nonbinding resolution delving into Middle East foreign policy.

While the threat of six inches of snow by Tuesday led the Democratic governor to release early executive branch employees and close state office buildings in Shawnee County, both chambers passed the measure condemning Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Hours earlier, GOP lawmakers gave a chilly reception to Kelly’s comprehensive tax reform plan endorsed by Republicans, Democrats and an independent legislator.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said snowfall meant the House would convene Tuesday “proforma,” which meant members didn’t have to be present. He said one House committee, a panel devoted to water policy, would meet Tuesday. A collection of other committees were postponed. The Senate was expected to have a more robust committee schedule despite the storm.

Hawkins said the 2024 Legislature would engage during the next few months in rigorous debate on tax reform, especially a proposal to establish a single, flat individual income tax rate. He said lawmakers also would work to find solutions to the Kansas child care crisis. He didn’t expect the Legislature to dive deeply into private or home school vouchers, abortion restrictions or Medicaid expansion.

Advertisement

“Taxes, taxes, taxes — that’s my top priority in this session and that’s what I’m working towards,” Hawkins said.

What about abortion rights?

“I doubt it,” he said. “We are going to do some ‘life’ issues, but not abortion issues.”

The House and Senate convened at 2 p.m. Monday for what could be a 90-day session in an election year with the entire House and Senate up for grabs.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said she would advocate on behalf of state funding to K-12 public education, including additional spending on special education programs.

Advertisement

“I want to see some improvement there and continue to protect our public schools,” Sykes said.

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said she would work for passage of K-12 public education funding and key on a proposed increase in state aid for special education programs. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)

Sykes said she anticipated Republicans would soon introduce a bill creating a flat individual income tax rate in Kansas. In 2023, the GOP sought a 5.15% rate for all Kansans, but it was vetoed by the governor. Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, vowed to bring the flat tax back.

“I think it will probably come up fairly quickly, the flat tax and hopefully we are able to sustain a veto on that again,” Sykes said.

Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, said he would concentrate on advancing the $1 billion, three-year tax reform bill made public by the governor. It contained property, sales and income tax reforms.

“If this were my decision, this is the kind of tax cut I would make for every Kansan,” he said.

Advertisement

Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, said the opening of the Senate was a departure from the tradition of dealing primarily with ceremonial activities. The Hamas resolution altered that dynamic, he said.

“It’s quite an interesting way to start a session,” Haley said. “Normally, the opening day is an opportunity to rekindle our ties and to start our agenda, but it was the choice of leadership today to begin with a spirited discussion about an issue that is of national concern, but doesn’t really necessarily affect the state.”

Meanwhile, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee announced their intention to break the Republican supermajority in the House and Senate during the 2024 elections.

“It’s essential we elect Democrats to the Kansas Legislature to return veto power to Gov. Kelly as an important check on Republican power,” said Heather Williams, president of the national group. “The 2024 legislative session will put on sharp display how out of step Republicans are with Kansas families, as Democrats combat GOP attacks on fundamental rights like abortion access.”

Kelly is scheduled to deliver the annual State of the State speech at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to a joint session of the Legislature inside the House chamber.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert will give the 2024 State of the Kansas Judiciary address to the Legislature at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday also in the House chamber.



Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Kansas

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography

Published

8 hours ago

on

March 5, 2026

By

Former Kansas high school wrestling coach charged with producing child pornography


WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – A former Kansas wrestling coach was charged with creating child sexual abuse materials by secretly recording minors showering during an athletic competition.

According to court documents, 37-year-old Ryan Brungardt of Salina is charged with two counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.

Brungardt is a former employee at Lakewood Middle School and former wrestling coach for Salina Central High School.

Brungardt is accused of using a cellphone to record three minors while they showered in a locker room during the Tournament of Champions, a wrestling tournament was held at Newton High in January 2024.

Advertisement

Brungardt made his initial court appearance for the criminal complaint on Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brooks G. Severson.

A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday

Investigators are in the process of reviewing additional seized cellphone videos in this case that are suspected to have been recorded at wrestling meets in Newton, Hays, Garden City and Salina during the 2023-2024 wrestling season.

Anyone who believes they witnessed crimes or any suspicious activity at these events is asked to contact the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (785) 600-8790 or report at www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

Copyright 2026 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com

Advertisement



Source link

Continue Reading

Kansas

RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins

Published

20 hours ago

on

March 5, 2026

By

RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Saturday after Wednesday sub-state wins


TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Wednesday night’s high school basketball sub-state semifinals in Northeast Kansas.

Editor’s Note: This story will be updated with what schools are hosting when that information becomes readily available.

WIBW Scoreboard

BOYS

6A Boys West Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

Advertisement
  • Topeka High 57, Washburn Rural 50 (will play Maize Saturday)
  • Junction City 70, Dodge City 56 (will play Derby Saturday)
  • Manhattan 58, Wichita-Northwest 56 (will play Wichita-East Saturday)

4A Boys East Sub-State: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rock Creek 62, Louisberg 57 (will play Bishop Miege Saturday)
  • Atchison 74, Wamego 43
  • Hayden 72, Independence 56 (will play Atchison Saturday)
  • Eudora 76, Santa Fe Trail 68

GIRLS

5A West Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Hays 80, Topeka West 18
  • Eisenhower 55, Seaman 41
  • Kapaun Mt. Carmel 71, Emporia 41

5A East Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Shawnee Heights 89, Sumner 15 (will play Pittsburg Saturday)
  • Basehor-Linwood 74, Highland Park 28 (will play Piper Saturday)

3A Pomona-West Franklin Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Osage City 75, Columbus 31 (will play Frontenac Saturday)

3A Sabetha Girls: Wednesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Silver Lake 48, Nemaha Central 26 (will play Riley County Saturday)
  • Riley County 51, Jeff West 40 (will play Silver Lake)

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

Kansas

RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins

Published

2 days ago

on

March 4, 2026

By

RESULTS: NE Kansas high schools to play Friday after Tuesday sub-state wins


TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Below is a look at the results from Tuesday night’s high school basketball sub-state semifinals in Northeast Kansas.

Editor’s Note: This story will be updated with what schools are hosting when that information becomes readily available.

WIBW Scoreboard

BOYS

5A East Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

Advertisement
  • KC Washington 68, Highland Park 38
  • Shawnee Heights 49, De Soto 37 (will play Leavenworth Friday)

5A West Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Topeka West 55, Hutchinson 32 (will play Bishop Carroll Friday)
  • Emporia 61, Great Bend 41 (will play Maize South Friday)
  • Seaman 73, Valley Center 51 (will play Hays Friday)

3A West Franklin Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Burlington 60, Osage City 35 (will play Baxter Springs Friday)

3A Sabetha Boys: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Hiawatha 73, Oskaloosa 48 (will play Heritage Christian Friday)
  • Silver Lake 58, Sabetha 39 (will play Perry-Lecompton Friday 7:30 p.m.)

GIRLS

6A West Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Washburn Rural 60, Wichita South 32 (will play Derby)
  • Topeka High 69, Maize 45 (will play Liberal)
  • Manhattan 67, Free State 21 (will play Wichita East)

4A East Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rock Creek 71, Parsons 23 (will play Tonganoxie)
  • Wamego 54, Labette County 33 (will play Bishop Miege)
  • Hayden 2, Athison 0 (will play Baldwin)

2A Eskridge/Mission Valley Girls: Tuesday’s sub-state semifinal results

  • Rossville 71, KC Christian 49 (will play Maur Hill-Mount Academy)
  • Lyndon 61, Jeff. Co. North 31 (will play Valley Heights)
  • Valley Heights 65, Doniphan West 41 (will play Lyndon)

Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending