Top 5 Kansas news stories
January 27 2026
Kansas Lawmakers Propose Constitutional Amendment to Slash Residential Property Taxes
Second Fatal Federal Shooting Prompts Moran to Demand Full Investigation
Marshall Forges Partnership to Expand Cybersecurity Workforce Across Kansas
Blueprint for Literacy Chief Urges Legislature to Merge Separate K-12 and Higher Education Initiatives
Legislation Mandating Clergy as Mandatory Reporters Enters Fourth Year After Three House Failures
Kansas Lawmakers Propose Constitutional Amendment to Slash Residential Property Taxes
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas lawmakers introduced a proposed constitutional amendment Monday that would reduce property taxes for homeowners by lowering the residential assessment rate from 11.5% to 9%, a move that would require approval by two-thirds of both legislative chambers and Kansas voters in November. Senate Concurrent Resolution 1619, introduced by Sen. Cindy Holscher, D-Overland Park, who represents District 8, would mark the first change to residential property assessment rates since 1993, when lawmakers raised the rate from 11.5% after voters rejected a previous constitutional amendment. The measure comes as property tax relief has emerged as a top priority this legislative session, with homeowners across the state facing increased valuations and tax bills. Both chambers also advanced education-related legislation Monday, including Senate Bill 381, which would require Kansas high school students to pass an American civics examination and mandate instruction on communist and socialist regimes before graduation.
Greg Loving
Second Fatal Federal Shooting Prompts Moran to Demand Full Investigation
WICHITA, Kan. — U.S. Senator Jerry Moran called for a comprehensive investigation Monday after Border Patrol agents shot and killed a second person during an altercation in Minneapolis over the weekend, raising concerns about federal immigration enforcement tactics. Alex Pretti, 37, was killed Saturday by Border Patrol agents, marking the second fatal shooting by federal immigration officers this month. In a statement posted to social media, Moran acknowledged the tension between constitutional protections and law enforcement needs, saying enforcement of immigration laws requires cooperation among local, state and federal officials while maintaining accountability and reflecting the nation's values. The Kansas Republican emphasized that the tragic circumstances should be investigated to ensure transparency and accountability to the public.
KWCH
Marshall Forges Partnership to Expand Cybersecurity Workforce Across Kansas
ANDOVER, Kan. — U.S. Senator Roger Marshall announced a new partnership Monday between Kansas community colleges and the Kansas National Guard designed to develop more cybersecurity professionals statewide as demand for skilled cyber talent reaches unprecedented levels. The collaboration, formalized through a proclamation signed at Butler Community College, will create clear pathways for Kansans to enter the high-demand cybersecurity field and strengthen the Air National Guard's mission defending the nation. Marshall toured the Butler Community College cybersecurity program to observe training efforts that prepare the next generation of professionals, citing the Guard's national leadership in producing world-class cybersecurity talent.
Marshall Senate
Blueprint for Literacy Chief Urges Legislature to Merge Separate K-12 and Higher Education Initiatives
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas should consolidate two separate literacy initiatives into a comprehensive plan to improve reading outcomes for students statewide, according to Cynthia Lane, director of the Blueprint for Literacy program, who cited confusion and lack of coordination between existing efforts. The state currently operates under two laws—the 2022 Every Child Can Read Act managed by the State Board of Education and the 2024 Blueprint for Literacy overseen by the Board of Regents—both responding to data showing 55% of Kansas students in third through 10th grades read at limited or basic levels. Lane, the former Kansas City, Kansas, superintendent who learned to read in seventh grade, advocates merging the programs to establish common goals and accountability, noting that Blueprint for Literacy has trained nearly 2,000 future teachers in phonics-based instruction while providing graduate courses and coaching to 500 current educators. The state aims to have 90% of third- through eighth-grade students reading at basic level and 50% at proficient level by 2033, with both programs emphasizing evidence-based phonics instruction over discredited methods that relied on memorization.
Kansas Reflector
Legislation Mandating Clergy as Mandatory Reporters Enters Fourth Year After Three House Failures
WICHITA, Kan. — A bill requiring ordained ministers and clergy to report suspected child abuse to authorities returned to the Kansas Legislature Monday for its fourth year of consideration after failing to pass the House in three consecutive sessions. Joe Cheray, who testified before the House Judiciary Committee in support of the legislation, told lawmakers she was sexually abused by her grandfather between 1982 and 1987 and informed her Catholic priest, but no action was taken because clergy were not mandated reporters at the time. Representative Tobias Schlingensiepen introduced the measure in 2023 following conversations with abuse survivors.
KWCH
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