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Kansas daily brief

Kansas and US news for busy people - Jan 13, 2026 edition

Greg Loving

13 Jan 2026 • 2 min read

Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, convenes the Kansas Senate at outset of the 2026 Kansas legislative session Monday Jan. 12. Masterson, who has served in the Kansas Legislature since 2005, is seeking the GOP nomination for governor in a crowded primary. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)

🌾Kansas

Kansas Legislature Opens: Senate Republicans introduced a constitutional amendment (SCR 1616) to cap annual property tax value increases at 3%, rolling back to 2022 levels, requiring two-thirds approval before an August 2026 voter referendum.
School Start Date: HB 2409 would require Kansas school districts to begin classes after Labor Day starting in 2026-27, making Kansas the second state after Minnesota with this mandate.
State of the State: Governor Laura Kelly will deliver her 2026 State of the State address tonight, Tuesday, January 13 at 6:30 p.m. CT, outlining her legislative priorities.
AG Race Fundraising: Democratic challenger Chris Mann outraised AG Kris Kobach in 2025 ($536K vs. $337K), though Kobach maintains nearly double the cash on hand heading into their 2026 rematch.
Avian Flu Crisis: Kansas reports the nation's worst avian flu outbreak with nearly 414,000 birds affected, primarily from a single Pottawatomie County commercial operation.

🇺🇸 US

Trump threatens 25% tariffs on 100+ nations trading with Iran as regime's crackdown on protesters kills ~3,000 people, with forces firing automatic weapons on unarmed demonstrators amid communication blackout.
Trump proposes credit card rate cap, ban on large investors buying single-family homes, and $200B mortgage bond program to lower housing costs as part of affordability push.
AI data centers threaten Northeast grid with potential blackouts while driving 2.4% U.S. emissions increase in 2025; tech giants resist rules requiring self-powered facilities.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette closes after 240 years following Supreme Court denial of labor dispute appeal, joining decline from 7,300 U.S. newspapers in 2005 to under 4,500 today.
New York welfare program fraud may cost $1.2B, ten times Minnesota's daycare scandal, with caregivers requiring zero qualifications as program costs quadrupled to $9.1B since 2019.

Weather

January 13 1999 Michael Jordan retires for a second time