Kelly Vetoes Eight Bills on Immigration, Abortion, Schools

Kelly Signs 12 Laws Boosting State Workers, Property Rights

New Law Offers Stipends to Lure Lawyers to Rural Kansas

Kansas Enacts Caleb's Law Targeting Online Sextortion

NASA Chief Visits Cosmosphere as Artemis II Orbits Moon

Kelly Vetoes Eight Bills on Immigration, Abortion, Schools

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed eight bills Monday sent by the Republican-led Legislature, setting up potential override fights during the veto session scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Among the most prominent was Senate Bill 254, which Kelly called "cruel" for targeting undocumented Kansans brought to the country as children, arguing it would harm the state's workforce and economy. Kelly also rejected House Bill 2468, which would have expanded private school tax credits, saying lawmakers must prioritize special education funding over private school incentives. Two abortion-related measures fell to Kelly's pen as well: House Bill 2727, which she said would intimidate health care providers, and House Bill 2729, which she argued would mandate distribution of medically unsupported information. The remaining vetoes targeted House Bill 2603 on local security fence policies, Senate Bill 30 and House Bill 2719 on state agency oversight, and Senate Bill 375, which Kelly criticized as a product of political gamesmanship that bypassed full House debate.

Kelly vetoes eight bills, clashing with GOP on immigration, abortion and schools

The Democratic governor pushed back against Republican-backed initiatives she argued targeted vulnerable Kansans and undermined public education.

citizen journalGreg Loving

Kelly Signs 12 Laws Boosting State Workers, Property Rights

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly signed 12 bipartisan bills into law Monday, enacting measures that offer up to $10,000 bonuses to retain critical state workers, create new legal avenues to remove squatters and keep foster families intact. House Bill 2237, which cleared the House 122-1 and the Senate 29-11, authorizes state agencies to offer hiring, recruitment and retention bonuses of up to $10,000 to combat high turnover, particularly among frontline social workers. Kelly also approved House Bill 2524, which prevents families from losing foster care licenses if a young adult resident has a prior prohibited offense, provided the state finds no safety concerns, and House Bill 2320, which allows children in state custody to attend school in any district with timely records transfers. The newly established Removal of Squatters Act, under House Bill 2378, lets property owners file a sworn affidavit with their county sheriff to rapidly remove unauthorized occupants from a residential dwelling. Other signed bills create a specialty medical student loan repayment program to attract obstetricians, gynecologists and psychiatrists to Kansas, grant legal immunity to motorsports venues facing nuisance lawsuits, and establish discounted lifetime hunting and fishing licenses for residents 65 and older.

Kelly signs 12 bills

Bipartisan package tackles state workforce shortages, foster care stability and property rights

citizen journalGreg Loving

New Law Offers Stipends to Lure Lawyers to Rural Kansas

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bipartisan bill addressing workforce challenges in rural legal services, with supporters warning the state is nearing a constitutional crisis over attorney shortages in less-populated counties. Substitute for House Bill 2595 creates the Attorney Training Program for Rural Kansas Act, providing law students at the University of Kansas and Washburn University with a $3,000 annual stipend for up to three years if they commit to practicing in rural areas. Licensed attorneys who practice in qualifying counties can receive up to $20,000 annually in loan repayment for up to five years. Rep. Linda Featherston, D-Johnson County, said the shortage of rural attorneys has put the state on the verge of a constitutional crisis, while Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Phillips County, said the program takes meaningful, long-term steps to replace a retiring generation of rural lawyers.

Kelly signs bipartisan bill targeting rural attorney shortages

A new law aims to build up the rural legal workforce.

citizen journalGreg Loving

Kansas Enacts Caleb's Law Targeting Online Sextortion

TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly signed House Bill 2537, known as Caleb's Law, enhancing criminal penalties for online sexual extortion and expanding the state's legal framework to address evolving digital threats against children. The legislation honors Caleb Moore, a 14-year-old from El Dorado who died by suicide after falling victim to an online sextortion scheme. The law expands the definition of sexual extortion to include threats involving explicit images and increases penalties for adult offenders targeting victims under 18 or dependent adults. It also mandates that the attorney general collaborate with the Kansas State Board of Education and law enforcement agencies to distribute educational materials aimed at preventing exploitation. The bill passed with widespread bipartisan support, and Rep. Bob Lewis, R-Finney County, praised the unanimous backing it received, while Rep. Dan Osman, D-Johnson County, credited the Moore family for championing the legislation.

Governor signs ‘Caleb’s Law’ to crack down on online sexual extortion

A bipartisan measure is named after a 14-year-old Kansas boy who died by suicide after being targeted by sextortion scammers.

citizen journalGreg Loving

NASA Chief Visits Cosmosphere as Artemis II Orbits Moon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman visited the Kansas Cosmosphere on Monday as the Artemis II crew orbited the far side of the moon, using the trip to cut the ribbon on a renovated Hall of Space Museum inside the Hutchinson attraction. U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who joined Isaacman for a tour, said the Cosmosphere earned praise from the Artemis II commander as the best space museum in the world. Isaacman said the Cosmosphere tells the story of the last time NASA competed against a great rival and urged the next generation to believe that the nation can take on near-impossible missions. Isaacman and Moran also stopped at the National Center for Aviation Training in east Wichita for tours and conversations with local aerospace manufacturers who contributed to the Artemis II rocket and capsule. There, Isaacman said NASA hopes to launch lunar missions annually rather than every three years, calling it a challenge the industry appears ready to accept. Moran noted the visit underscored the public-private partnerships driving space work in Kansas.

KAKE

Sources

1. KAKE

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