Top 5 Kansas news stories
March 17 2026
Kansas Lawmakers Face Ballooning Budget Deficits
Marion County Bans Wind Energy in Southwest Townships
House Panels Advance Property Tax, Newborn Investment Bills
Committees Push Bills on University Contracts, Agritourism Rules
Chiefs Acquire Justin Fields in Trade With Jets
Kansas Lawmakers Face Ballooning Budget Deficits
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas legislators are in the final stretch of the regular session with no clear path to closing a widening gap between state spending and tax revenues. Both the Republican-led House and Senate have passed leaner budgets than previously approved, but all proposals — including Gov. Laura Kelly's — still project deficit spending through at least fiscal year 2027. November forecasts pegged the FY 2026 shortfall at $626 million, and budget profiles for the House and Senate bills project deficits of $705 million and $701 million, respectively, for the same year. Both chambers passed their budget bills by slim margins, with the Senate approving SB 315 on a 21-19 vote and the House passing HB 2434 at 68-53, as Republicans split and nearly all Democrats opposed the measures. A conference committee will now negotiate a final bill before sending it to Kelly, who holds line-item veto power; the state's $2.9 billion ending balance and $1.9 billion rainy day fund provide a short-term cushion but do not resolve the structural imbalance.
CJ Online
Marion County Bans Wind Energy in Southwest Townships
MARION COUNTY, Kan. — The Marion County Commission voted 3-1 to approve a resolution banning large-scale commercial wind energy systems in several townships in the southwest part of the county, covering unincorporated areas around Goessel and south of Hillsboro. Commissioners then directed County Counselor Michael Smith to draft a separate resolution banning large-scale solar energy projects in the same area, with a vote expected next week. The board chose to keep the wind and solar bans in separate resolutions so that a legal challenge to one would not endanger the other. The planning and zoning department also announced a March 24 work session at the county courthouse to develop permanent regulations for data centers and battery energy storage systems, as the county operates under a development moratorium while those rules are drafted. During public comment, a resident warned that AI data centers could strain local groundwater, raise rural electric rates and generate excess noise, though proponents of such development have disputed those claims.
Greg Loving
House Panels Advance Property Tax, Newborn Investment Bills
TOPEKA, Kan. — Two bills aimed at the financial well-being of Kansans at different life stages cleared House committee hurdles on Monday. The House Taxation Committee recommended passage of SB 402, which would modify household income definitions for homestead property tax refunds, create a single refund claim form and protect eligibility for claimants who must live away from their homes due to health or hardship. The bill would also ensure homeowners do not lose SAFESR tax credit eligibility if their home's appraised value later exceeds $350,000 after qualifying in a prior year. Separately, the Committee on Federal and State Affairs advanced SB 260, the "born to invest act," which would require the office of vital statistics to share data with the state treasurer's office so informational materials on government-administered savings accounts can be sent to families of newborns. Both bills now head to the full House for consideration.
Greg Loving
Committees Push Bills on University Contracts, Agritourism Rules
TOPEKA, Kan. — Legislative committees in both chambers advanced bills Monday aimed at streamlining government operations for public institutions and private businesses. The House Higher Education Budget Committee recommended a substitute version of HB 2798, which would grant state universities greater authority over their own contracts and procurement by exempting them from certain state oversight statutes. In the Senate, the Local Government Committee recommended a substitute for HB 2571, which would raise the cost threshold at which counties must seek public bids for construction contracts. The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee also recommended a substitute for HB 2111, which would exempt certain registered agritourism operations from enforcement of local codes and regulations. The university procurement measure is part of an ongoing debate over the balance between state control and institutional autonomy at Kansas universities.
Greg Loving
Chiefs Acquire Justin Fields in Trade With Jets
KANSAS CITY — The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to trade a 2027 sixth-round pick to the New York Jets for quarterback Justin Fields, picking up $3 million of his 2026 salary to fill a critical backup role behind Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes had surgery in mid-December to repair his ACL and LCL and said in January that his rehab was going well, with a goal of being ready for Week 1 in September. Even under that best-case timeline, Fields would serve as the team's primary signal caller through organized team activities in May and June and potentially into training camp. Fields, the 11th overall pick in the 2021 draft, has started 53 games across five NFL seasons, including nine with the Jets in 2025. Kansas City is looking to revamp its offense — particularly its running game — after a 6-11 campaign last season and wants to be back among Super Bowl contenders.
The Athletic
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