Top 5 Kansas news stories
March 19 2026
House Passes Two Housing Bills on Split Votes
Kansas Communities Diverge on Data Centers
Election Committee Advances Voting Reform Package
Water Control Bill Awaits Governor's Signature
Wichita Airport Hosts Food Drive for TSA Workers
House Passes Two Housing Bills on Split Votes
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas House on Wednesday passed two housing bills with sharply different levels of support, underscoring an ideological divide over the state's housing crisis. SB 418, the "by-right housing development act," passed 97-27, creating a streamlined permit process for new housing projects that meet existing zoning rules. SB 391, which prohibits cities and counties from requiring landlords to inquire about or consider a tenant's federal housing assistance status, passed on a narrower 75-49 vote largely along party lines. Supporters framed the bill as a defense of private property rights, arguing landlords should not be compelled to participate in federal housing programs, while opponents warned it would make housing harder to find for low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities who rely on housing choice vouchers. Both bills now return to the Senate for consideration of House amendments.
Greg Loving
Kansas Communities Diverge on Data Centers
WELLINGTON, Kan. — Kansas local governments are responding to growing data center interest with sharply different strategies. The Wellington City Council voted 6-0 on Tuesday to approve a letter of intent with CORMOR for a proposed Tier IV data center, marking the city's first formal step toward attracting the industry. The Saline County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 the same day to enact a three-year moratorium on data centers, nuclear power and hydrogen energy plants in unincorporated areas, citing concerns over water usage, grid capacity and agricultural land preservation. Harvey County is taking a middle path, with commissioners directing staff to research how energy demands and property tax exemptions could affect local taxpayers before taking formal action. The three cases illustrate a broader tension across rural Kansas between the promise of investment and the strain large-scale industrial development can place on communities with limited utility capacity.
Greg Loving
Greg Loving
Greg Loving
Election Committee Advances Voting Reform Package
TOPEKA, Kan. — The House Elections Committee on Wednesday advanced new versions of three Republican-backed Senate bills, setting the stage for a contentious floor debate over voting access. A substitute for SB 65 would remove cities, counties, school districts and community colleges from the mail ballot election law used by several jurisdictions for local elections. A new version of SB 392 would require Kansas driver's licenses to explicitly state whether the holder is a U.S. citizen. A third substitute, for SB 394, would modify rules for verifying signatures on advance voting ballots and establish venue in Shawnee County district court for constitutional challenges to election laws. The proposals reflect a continued Republican push to tighten election rules; Democrats and voting rights advocates argue the measures create unnecessary barriers for eligible voters, and the bills could face a veto from Gov. Laura Kelly.
Greg Loving
Water Control Bill Awaits Governor's Signature
TOPEKA, Kan. — House Bill 2433, which solidifies state control over water appropriations and transfers, has passed both chambers and awaits Gov. Laura Kelly's signature. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, was prompted by a dispute with Edwards County, which in April 2024 adopted zoning regulations that effectively duplicated state water authority to block Hays and Russell from accessing water rights they purchased with the R9 Ranch in 1995. Hays has completed the design phase for a 90-mile pipeline from the ranch that would carry a 75-year water supply for both cities. Under HB 2433, counties would be prohibited from requiring permits to transfer water through their rights-of-way or imposing restrictions or fees on water transfers, with the law applying retroactively. The Kansas Supreme Court is also expected to rule in coming months on a related legal challenge over whether Hays and Russell can transfer their water rights in Edwards County.
Hays Post
Wichita Airport Hosts Food Drive for TSA Workers
WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita's Eisenhower National Airport announced Tuesday it will host a food drive to support Transportation Security Administration employees working without pay during the partial government shutdown. TSA officers have been working without paychecks since the shutdown began on Feb. 14, as lawmakers remain without an agreement on the Department of Homeland Security's annual funding. The airport is joining a growing number of facilities nationwide taking similar steps, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which opened a food pantry, and Denver International Airport, which launched a gift card drive. ICT is accepting donations of non-perishable foods and paper goods, with canned vegetables, soups, pasta, rice, peanut butter and shelf-stable milk especially appreciated. Donations can be dropped off at the lounge across from the Information Desk.
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