Kansas
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.
“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.
“I want to see some improvement there and continue to protect our public schools,” Sykes said.
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.
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.
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.
One of the top prospects in the 2027 boys’ high school basketball recruiting class recently trimmed his list of suitors, and the Kansas Jayhawks find themselves firmly in the mix.
KU is one of eight schools to make the cut for 2027 five-star small forward Demarcus Henry, according to On3 National Basketball Reporter Joe Tipton. His list of eight includes some of the best programs in the country: Kansas, Ohio State, Kentucky, North Carolina, BYU, Arkansas, UConn, and Louisville.
The 6-foot-7 Charlotte, North Carolina, native is one of the best players in the 2027 class. He’s currently ranked as the No. 5 player overall and the No. 1 player at his position, according to the most recent On3.com 2027 player rankings.
As a junior this past year at Compass Prep High School in Chandler, Arizona, Henry averaged 15.5 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game as he helped lead his team to a 25-3 record.
He followed that up with an impressive performance at the NBPA Top 100 camp this summer, leading all attendees in scoring (20.0 points per game) and rebounding (9.3 rebounds per game). He was also a member of the 2026 USA Men’s U18 National Team that earned a silver medal at the FIBA U18 AmeriCup earlier this summer in León, Mexico.
When speaking about his game, Henry mentions his versatility and how he’s developed over the past year.
“I’m just very versatile,” Henry told Rivals in a previous interview. “I can play one through four and just help my teammates and hit shots and play defense. I watch a lot of KD (Kevin Durant) and Paul George. How they score it, and how they could shoot off the dribble, shoot off the catch. I’ve gotten tougher and just more aggressive when I transferred AZ Compass and just being able to get downhill, I feel like that’s really developed for me.”
When asked about what he’s looking for in a potential home at the college level, Henry says he wants to be challenged and grow his game for the NBA.
“What I’m looking for in school is someone that just pushes me to be better,” Henry said. “Help me grow into the person I know I can be and someone who will help me reach my potential. I want to play for a coach that will hold me accountable and help me make me uncomfortable and keep growing and keep getting better and just help me reach the NBA, which is my ultimate goal.”
Early Contenders
Right now the early favorite to land Henry may be the basketball program with the least amount of notoriety of the final eight schools – and that is Ohio State.
Henry has a lot of familial ties to the university as his older brother Chris Henry Jr. is a five-star incoming freshman wide receiver for the Buckeyes football team this year, and his older sister Seini Henry is a talented women’s basketball player at Ohio State.
He’s already taken an unofficial visit to the school and has also taken an unofficial visit to BYU. Thus far, they are the only schools to have received a visit.
Follow
The Royals have been linked to shortstop Jacob Lombard out of Gulliver Prep (Fla.) — if he makes it that far — left-hander Gio Rojas out of Stoneman Douglas (Fla.) HS, outfielder Eric Booth Jr. out of Oak Grove (Fla.) HS, UC Santa Barbara right-hander Jackson Flora and Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, among others. Maybe they shake up the board and go with Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS left-hander/outfielder Jacob Grindlinger, who is just 17 years old after reclassifying for this year’s Draft and has legitimate upside as a two-way player. Grindlinger is No. 16 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 250 Draft prospects list and is rising on boards as Draft day nears.
Prep players usually mean a lot of upside but with more risk, while college players bring a higher floor and more experience — often with a chance to move quickly. Over the full Draft, the Royals are going to value both.
“There’s a good mix of high school and college,” Bridges said. “To tell you the truth, our range is pretty broad. There’s a clear-cut four players, five players in this Draft, and then believe it or not, where we’re picking, you can go a number of different directions. So we have a pretty good balance of what we’re looking at, both high school and college.”
The Kansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 7, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 7 drawing
02-31-35-36-63, Mega Ball: 12
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from July 7 drawing
Midday: 4-2-9
Evening: 2-7-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning 2 By 2 numbers from July 7 drawing
Red Balls: 07-26, White Balls: 12-18
Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 7 drawing
27-43-48-49-50, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Kansas Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599. For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at select Kansas Lottery offices.
By mail, send a winner claim form and your signed lottery ticket to:
Kansas Lottery Headquarters
128 N Kansas Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603-3638
(785) 296-5700
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a claim form, and deliver the form along with your signed lottery ticket to Kansas Lottery headquarters. 128 N Kansas Avenue, Topeka, KS 66603-3638, (785) 296-5700. Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Kansas Lottery.
When are the Kansas Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3 Midday/Evening: 1:10 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. CT daily.
- 2 By 2: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Super Kansas Cash: 9:10 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Kansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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