Top 5 Kansas news stories
February 20 2026
Kansas House Repeals Mail Ballot Election Act on Party-Line 72-50 Vote
Kansas Invests $3 Million in Drone Technology to Advance Precision Agriculture
Kansas House Passes SNAP Junk Food Ban on Party-Line Vote as Democrats Decry Hypocrisy
Kansas House Expands Pharmacist Prescribing Authority in 95-27 Vote Despite Physician Opposition
Cold Front Eases Kansas Fire Danger as Winter Temperatures Return Statewide
Kansas House Repeals Mail Ballot Election Act, Centralizes Election Lawsuits in Party-Line Votes
The Kansas House passed HB 2503 on Thursday, repealing the state's Mail Ballot Election Act on a 72-50 party-line vote, with all 72 yes votes coming from Republicans and all House Democrats joined by a handful of moderate Republicans in opposition. The measure eliminates the framework that allowed certain local elections — including those for school boards, water districts and municipal special elections — to be conducted entirely by mail. The House also passed HB 2569 on a 74-48 vote, requiring all state court challenges to the constitutionality of Kansas election laws to be filed in Shawnee County District Court in Topeka; Democrats and some rural Republicans opposed the venue restriction, arguing it would make it harder for voters outside the capital to challenge election laws. Taken together, the two bills reflect the Kansas GOP's continued push to tighten election administration — a priority driven by national Republican concerns about ballot integrity, though critics say the measures address problems that do not exist in the state. Both bills now head to the Senate.
Greg Loving
Kansas Awards $3 Million Drone Grant to Advance Precision Agriculture Statewide
Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Agriculture announced that Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems has been awarded a $3 million grant — approved by the Kansas Legislature during the 2025 session — to develop Beyond Visual Line of Sight unmanned aerial systems technology for agricultural use, giving farmers, ranchers and agricultural retailers new tools to improve crop yields, reduce input costs, manage livestock and expand precision agriculture across the state. The grant builds on Kansas' deep-rooted legacy in both agriculture and aviation, with the state home to a globally recognized aviation manufacturing base centered in Wichita and ranking among the nation's top agricultural producers. Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems, established in 2024 by Seneca-based Heinen Brothers Agra Services, works with leading UAV manufacturers and collaborates with the FAA, the Kansas Department of Transportation and the University of Alaska at Fairbanks on safety and regulatory standards, and in 2024 earned an FAA license to operate a 49,000-square-mile UAV test range spanning partial airspace across Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa. The announcement drew bipartisan support from lawmakers including Rep. Avery Anderson (R-Newton), Sen. Craig Bowser (R-Holton) and Rep. Jo Ella Hoye (D-Lenexa), while Kelly Hills CEO Lukas Koch called the investment a critical step toward establishing Kansas as a national leader in unmanned aviation.
Greg Loving
Kansas House Passes SNAP Junk Food Restriction on 72-50 Vote, Drawing Sharp Democratic Opposition
The Kansas House passed HB 2738 on a 72-50 vote Thursday, directing the secretary for children and families to seek a federal waiver from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to prohibit the purchase of candy and soft drinks with SNAP benefits. The vote split almost entirely along party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed; several Democrats filed pointed explanations of vote, including Rep. Nikki McDonald (D-Topeka), who called the measure hypocritical, noting reports that legislators had recently requested a snack bar closer to the House chamber, and Rep. Brooklynne Mosley (D-Wichita), who said her father grew up poor on government rations and that telling low-income families they cannot buy their children a candy bar amounts to punishing people for their poverty. The bill reflects a conservative priority around public benefit oversight that has gained traction in several Republican-led statehouses and requires federal approval to take effect.
Greg Loving
Kansas House Votes 95-27 to Expand Pharmacist Prescribing Authority Over Physician Objections
The Kansas House voted 95-27 on Thursday to pass HB 2676, expanding pharmacists' scope of practice to allow them to initiate therapy for certain conditions consistent with their education and training and to fill a 90-day emergency supply of noncontrolled prescription drugs when no refills remain. The bill drew notable opposition from Rep. Ron Bryce (R-Coffeyville), a physician, who said the measure would let pharmacists diagnose and treat patients without medical school, residency, board exams or a medical license, while supporters argued the bill addresses critical gaps in healthcare access, particularly in rural communities where physicians are scarce. The measure passed with broad bipartisan support and now heads to the Senate, sitting at the center of a long-running national debate pitting physician groups against pharmacy organizations over scope of practice as Kansas, like many states, faces a persistent provider shortage in rural areas.
Greg Loving
Cold Front Sweeps Kansas, Easing Fire Danger as Snow and Winter Temperatures Return
A cold front swept through Kansas on Thursday, raising humidity to 20 percent and higher and significantly reducing the fire threat that had menaced the state, though wind gusts of 30 to 45 mph were expected to continue through sunset and Fire Weather Warnings remained in effect for parts of southern Kansas into the evening. Temperatures reset sharply behind the front, ranging from the teens in the northwest to the 50s in the southeast Thursday morning, with Friday morning lows expected in the single digits in the northwest and teens to lower twenties statewide; highs Friday will reach the 30s and 40s with a few 50s near the Oklahoma line. Fire concerns remain elevated Friday near Liberal and Elkhart into the Oklahoma Panhandle, where lower humidity will prompt a return of the Fire Weather Warning for Texas County and points south and west. A fast-moving system Friday into Friday night will bring rain and snow showers to western Kansas starting Friday morning, with a more pronounced wave of snow focusing across northern counties into Friday evening before exiting by Saturday dawn; accumulations are expected to be generally light, though a few locations in northwest Kansas could see up to 2 inches.
KSN
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