Top 5 Kansas news stories
March 25 2026
Dozen-Plus Bills Head to Governor's Desk in Late-Session Push
Senate Passes Benefits Ban for Undocumented Immigrants, 22-18
Moran, Bennet Introduce Zero-Interest Loans for Rural Hospitals
House Votes 119-3 to Create Rural Attorney Pipeline
Shockers Fall to Tulsa in NIT Quarterfinals
Dozen-Plus Bills Head to Governor's Desk in Late-Session Push
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas lawmakers formally enrolled and sent more than a dozen bills and resolutions to the governor following a marathon day of conference committee negotiations as the legislative session nears its end. Among the notable measures is House Bill 2212, which would authorize the governor to declare a need for enhanced public safety during "extraordinary events" and grant specific emergency powers. House Bill 2702 would require mandatory criminal background checks for physician assistant applicants and clarify their collaboration requirements with licensed physicians. Senate Bill 334 eases nursing instructor qualifications to address the state's workforce shortage, while House Bill 2511 would allow revenue from agricultural production on state-owned land to be reinvested into managing those properties. The batch also includes resolutions honoring local organizations, including measures commemorating the 100th anniversary of Topeka's Jayhawk Theatre and recognizing the youth mentorship work of Real Men Real Leaders and SparkWheel.
Greg Loving
Senate Passes Benefits Ban for Undocumented Immigrants, 22-18
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas Senate on a 22-18 vote passed Senate Bill 254, a measure that would bar undocumented immigrants from receiving state or local public benefits. The bill, advanced by the Committee on Federal and State Affairs, prohibits individuals unlawfully present in the United States from accessing taxpayer-funded benefits, aligning state statute with certain federal laws. The tight margin reflected opposition not only from Democrats but also from a handful of moderate Republicans who have expressed concerns about the administrative burden the measure could place on municipalities, schools and health departments tasked with verifying immigration status. Conservative lawmakers described the vote as a demonstration of a hardline stance on border security and taxpayer spending. The House must still adopt the conference committee report before the bill can be enrolled and sent to the governor.
Greg Loving
Moran, Bennet Introduce Zero-Interest Loans for Rural Hospitals
WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at strengthening rural hospitals by providing zero-interest loans for new construction and renovation of existing facilities. The Rural Health Revitalization Act would deliver funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. Moran, a member of the Senate Rural Health Caucus, said rural hospitals are critical to the well-being of the communities they serve in Kansas and across the country. The legislation would provide a pathway for qualifying rural hospitals to make needed upgrades, promoting the long-term viability of rural health care infrastructure. The bill targets facility improvements intended to help hospitals continue providing essential services to underserved communities. The legislation builds on Moran's efforts last year to establish the Rural Health Transformation Program, which directs the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services to work with states to identify root challenges facing rural health providers and invest in solutions. Kansas rural health providers received $222 million in the first year of the five-year program, one of the highest amounts awarded and exceeded by only five other states.
Office of Sen. Jerry Moran
House Votes 119-3 to Create Rural Attorney Pipeline
TOPEKA, Kan. — The Kansas House voted 119-3 on March 24 to concur in Senate amendments to House Bill 2595, creating a program aimed at easing the shortage of attorneys in rural Kansas. The bill, which originated in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, would provide stipends to law students who agree to practice in rural areas after graduation and offer loan forgiveness to attorneys who fulfill commitments to work in underserved communities. A newly established rural Kansas attorney training program fund would finance the effort. Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Phillips County, moved concurrence; only Reps. Brian Bergkamp, R-Sedgwick County, Brett Fairchild, R-Stafford County, and Samantha Poetter Parshall, R-Miami County, voted against. Rural Kansas communities have struggled for years to attract and retain legal professionals, leaving residents in some counties without local access to attorneys for basic needs such as estate planning, real estate transactions and court representation.
Greg Loving
Shockers Fall to Tulsa in NIT Quarterfinals
WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita State rallied in the second half against Tulsa on Tuesday night but could not complete the comeback, falling 83-79 on the road in the NIT quarterfinals. The loss ends the Shockers' season. The difference was made behind the arc, where Tulsa shot 41% from three-point range. Wichita State, meanwhile, made just two of 19 three-point attempts on the night. The Shockers' second-half surge was not enough to overcome the deficit created by that disparity from deep.
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