Top 5 Kansas news stories
January 30 2026
Kansas House Approves Federal Pesticide Label Standards Despite Consumer Protection Concerns
Kansas House Bill Proposes Wastewater-to-Tap-Water Recycling Amid Aquifer Depletion
Kansas Democrats Demand ICE Training and Warrant Requirements Following Agency Enforcement Concerns
Amendment to Kansas Bathroom Bill Adds Age Restrictions for Parents Accompanying Opposite-Sex Children
Frigid Temperatures Grip Kansas as Dangerous Wind Chills Create Frostbite Risk Through Weekend
Kansas House Approves Federal Pesticide Label Standards Despite Consumer Protection Concerns
The Kansas House passed legislation Thursday that would allow federal pesticide warning labels to satisfy state requirements, advancing House Bill 2476 by an 81-36 vote amid sharp partisan debate. Supporters from the Modern Ag Alliance, a lobbying organization founded by Bayer, argue the measure aligns state and federal standards, while dozens of lawmakers warned the bill eliminates consumer protections for Kansas farmers and ranchers. Democratic representatives characterized the legislation as protection for chemical companies facing billions in Roundup-related cancer lawsuits, with Rep. John Carmichael of Wichita stating the bill helps manufacturers avoid duty-to-inform claims when products pose health risks. Rep. Dan Osman of Overland Park added that the measure could prevent Kansans from seeking redress if companies fail to disclose known cancer risks on product labels. The bill now moves forward as opponents await a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the issue expected this summer.
citizen journal, Kansas Reflector
Kansas House Bill Proposes Wastewater-to-Tap-Water Recycling Amid Aquifer Depletion
House Bill 2462 would require Kansas' health secretary to establish guidelines for recycling treated wastewater into drinking water as the state confronts the rapid depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer in western Kansas. Water resource personnel testified Thursday before the House Water Committee in unanimous support of the legislation, which received no opposition, though concerns emerged about the July 1, 2028 implementation deadline and limited state funding of $600,000. Proponents described the measure as a necessary step for Kansas' water future, noting that extensively treated wastewater from toilets and showers could eventually flow through residential taps under the proposed framework.
Kansas Reflector
Kansas Democrats Demand ICE Training and Warrant Requirements Following Agency Enforcement Concerns
A coalition of Kansas House Democrats introduced legislation Thursday requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to obtain warrants before conducting raids, complete training equivalent to the state's 14-week law enforcement program, and clearly identify themselves when operating in Kansas. The bill and accompanying resolution respond to what legislators described as ICE's "violent and hostile presence" and seeks to hold the agency accountable for injuries or deaths occurring in custody while ensuring constitutional protections for both citizens and immigrants. "They're f___ing with our constitutional rights. That's my on-the-record statement," said Rep. Alexis Simmons, D-Topeka. "ICE has been — How should I put this? — abusive. They've been incredibly abusive towards citizens and immigrants and the undocumented." The measure would subject ICE to the same conduct standards required of Kansas law enforcement personnel.
Kansas Reflector
Amendment to Kansas Bathroom Bill Adds Age Restrictions for Parents Accompanying Opposite-Sex Children
Kansas lawmakers added a provision to Senate Bill 244 that would prohibit parents and guardians from bringing children ages 9 or older into opposite-sex public restrooms in government buildings, potentially subjecting violators and children to fines and criminal charges. Republicans introduced the age-specific restriction through an amendment in a House committee meeting January 26 without a public hearing, adding the parent-child bathroom limitation to the broader bathroom legislation that passed both chambers this week. The amendment establishes state-mandated age cutoffs determining when mothers can no longer take sons into women's restrooms and when fathers must stop accompanying daughters into men's bathrooms in government facilities.
Topeka Capital-Journal
Frigid Temperatures Grip Kansas as Dangerous Wind Chills Create Frostbite Risk Through Weekend
Subfreezing temperatures and dangerous wind chills settled across Kansas Friday, with feels-like temperatures in the single digits both above and below zero expected to plunge to 15 degrees below zero Saturday morning, creating frostbite conditions on exposed skin within 30 to 45 minutes. High temperatures will struggle to reach the 20s Friday before dropping into the teens Saturday afternoon, though relief arrives Sunday as western Kansas warms into the 50s and Wichita-area temperatures climb into the 40s. Scattered snow showers and flurries are possible statewide Friday with additional activity expected over north central Kansas Saturday, though accumulation will remain light at trace amounts to a fraction of an inch with minimal impact beyond isolated slick spots. Meteorologists forecast a pattern change heading into next week bringing above-average temperatures in the 40s and 50s for the Wichita area and 50s and 60s across western Kansas.
KWCH
Sources
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