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Politics

Senate Democratic leader asks attorney general whether Supreme Court’s voter decision affects Kansas
June 18, 2013
A legislative leader on Tuesday asked Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt to issue a legal opinion on whether the state’s proof of citizenship requirement to register to vote is valid now that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar law in another state. By Scott Rothschild
Kansas Board of Regents to vote on proposed tuition, fee increases
June 18, 2013
Students attending Kansas University, and other state public universities, will find out how much they will have to pay after the Kansas Board of Regents votes Wednesday on tuition and fee proposals. By Scott Rothschild
Report says schools underfunded $657 million in FY 2015
June 17, 2013
The two-year budget that Gov. Sam Brownback signed into law Saturday under-funds Kansas public schools by an estimated $657 million in the second year, according to an analysis by the Kansas State Department of Education. That’s the difference between how much the legislature approved in various categories of K-12 education spending for fiscal year 2015 and how much is supposed to be spent according to formulas outlined in current law. By Peter Hancock
U.S. Supreme Court strikes down voter registration law similar to the one in Kansas
10:39 a.m., June 17, 2013 Updated 05:19 p.m.
The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected an Arizona law that requires proof of citizenship to register to vote. The case has implications for Kansas, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, which have similar laws. By Scott Rothschild
Newton company to benefit from state budget proviso after ‘Read to Succeed’ initiative not approved
June 17, 2013
Kansas lawmakers did not pass Gov. Sam Brownback’s ‘Read to Succeed’ initiative this year. Instead, they directed the $12 million for it to a reading program offered through one Kansas business. By Peter Hancock
Brownback announces new press secretary: Lawrence resident Eileen Hawley
11:07 a.m., June 12, 2013 Updated 11:56 p.m.
Eileen Hawley, recently the vice president of operations at the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, will be the new director of communications and press secretary for the office of Gov. Sam Brownback, it was announced Wednesday.
Medicaid expansion would cover thousands in Douglas County
June 10, 2013
Thousands of Douglas County residents will continue to go without health insurance once the Affordable Care Act goes into effect next year unless Kansas decides to expand Medicaid as called for in the law. Local hospitals and other medical providers could face big revenue cuts, as well. By Giles Bruce
Regents, Legislature going in opposite directions on higher education funding
June 9, 2013
Robba Moran — a member of the Kansas Board of Regents and wife of U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan. — says that when her husband comes home to Hays on the weekend, the two of them have a whinefest. He whines about federal agencies. Her whine? “I have a Legislature that doesn’t seem to value education,” she says. Robba Moran, a Republican, and other Republicans and Democrats on the regents last week blasted the Legislature for cutting the higher education budget. By Scott Rothschild
Mock funeral crowd mourns ‘death’ of Kansas
June 8, 2013
About 150 people, most wearing black and carrying signs, lined up two-by-two and marched south on Massachusetts Street on Saturday in a mock funeral procession for the state of Kansas. By Nicole Wentling
Brownback weighs decision on higher ed cuts
June 8, 2013
Gov. Sam Brownback said Friday that he’s reviewing “all options” for lessening cuts in higher education spending approved by Kansas legislators, but his choices appear to be limited.
Amid budget cuts to higher education, KU gets funding for adult stem cell center
June 7, 2013
As Kansas University officials bemoaned legislative budget cuts, Kansas Board of Regents member Ed McKechnie wondered if those cuts could be alleviated somewhat by diverting funds that KU received in another area but didn’t request. McKechnie, of Arcadia, was talking about the $2 million allocated over two years to start and run the Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center at the KU Medical Center. By Scott Rothschild
KU, all regents schools seek tuition, fee increases
June 6, 2013
The cost of going to Kansas University next year will likely go up again. In the wake of budget cuts to higher education, approved by the Kansas Legislature, officials on Thursday unveiled tuition increase proposals. By Scott Rothschild
Dole Institute sets Gettysburg event for June 20
June 6, 2013
The Dole Institute of Politics at Kansas University has released the schedule and details for its Gettysburg 150 event, set for June 20. The daylong conference featuring historians and military experts will examine the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg, to mark its 150th anniversary.
Budget cuts to higher education lead to request for higher tuition
June 6, 2013
College students at public universities in Kansas will pay more in tuition because of budget cuts to higher education that were approved by the Legislature, officials said Thursday. In considering proposed tuition increases at Kansas University and other universities, Kansas Board of Regents members roundly criticized the budget cuts approved this weekend by Republican legislators. Short-sighted, vindictive, hypocritical, and irresponsible were just some of the adjectives used by regents to describe the $66 million, or 5.7 percent cut to higher education over the next 2 years. By Scott Rothschild
NRA-backed Kansas gun-lobbying law raises tough speech issues
June 6, 2013
Fresh off a series of legislative victories across the nation, the National Rifle Association has launched a new effort starting in gun-friendly Kansas seeking to clamp down on the use of government money to lobby on gun-control issues.

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