Top 5 Kansas news stories
January 12 2026
Kansas Lawmakers Convene for 2026 Session
Protest Petition Forces Ellis County Solar Farm to Secure Unanimous Commissioner Approval
House Republicans' Redistricting Push Fails as Speaker Hawkins Lacks Two-Thirds Majority
Wild Turkey Population Decline Prompts Kansas Conservation Groups to Fund Habitat Projects
Winter Storm Dumped Nearly Foot of Snow Across Southwest Kansas, Creating Hazardous Highway Conditions
Kansas Lawmakers Convene for 2026 Session
Kansas lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday for the 2026 legislative session, facing continued pressure to deliver meaningful property tax relief after last year's minimal cuts disappointed voters and politicians alike. The Legislature eliminated 1.5 mills of state property tax starting this year, saving homeowners roughly $17 annually on a $100,000 property, but substantive proposals including a constitutional amendment capping valuation growth remain stalled amid bipartisan disagreement. House Speaker Dan Hawkins acknowledged lawmakers "don't have that solution yet" on property taxes, while gubernatorial candidates including Secretary of State Scott Schwab and former Governor Jeff Colyer have promised relief if elected in 2026. The budget process could take on more political overtones this year as lawmakers consider breaking from decades of tradition in which the governor develops a budget proposal that the Legislature uses as a starting point for negotiations. Legislative leadership created a Special Committee on Legislative Budget that met before the session to review agency budget requests and develop its own budget bill for introduction on opening day, shifting control of the initial budget framework from the governor's office to Republican-controlled legislative committees. The session runs through March 27, with a veto session scheduled for April 9. Governor Laura Kelly will deliver her State of the State address Tuesday at 630p CT, where she is expected to outline her budget priorities and legislative agenda. Citizen Journal will provide original reporting throughout the 2026 session.
Citizen Journal, Capital-Journal
Protest Petition Forces Ellis County Solar Farm to Secure Unanimous Commissioner Approval
Ellis County commissioners must vote unanimously to approve a 175-megawatt solar farm after neighboring landowners filed a valid protest petition requiring a 3-0 vote under Kansas statute, County Counselor Bill Jeter confirmed Tuesday. Developer IBV Energy's Tallgrass Solar Farm project spans roughly 1,150 acres and targets construction in the first half of 2027, with full operation expected by 2028, though the single dissenting vote would kill the conditional use permit application. County Administrator Darin Myers said negotiations continue on a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement to offset revenue losses during a 10-year tax abatement period allowed under state law, with the county seeking fixed payments per megawatt to fund road improvements or supplement the general fund.
Greg Loving
House Republicans' Redistricting Push Fails as Speaker Hawkins Lacks Two-Thirds Majority
Kansas Republicans' effort to redraw congressional districts and target U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids collapsed after House Speaker Dan Hawkins failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed to call a special session, despite Senate President Ty Masterson gathering sufficient signatures in the upper chamber. Hawkins acknowledged at a January 5 press conference that he remains approximately 20 votes short of the necessary supermajority to overcome a gubernatorial veto, stating "I do not have the votes" for mid-decade redistricting. About 10 Kansas House representatives were demoted from committee leadership positions after declining to sign the petition seeking the special session for congressional gerrymandering.
Capital-Journal
Wild Turkey Population Decline Prompts Kansas Conservation Groups to Fund Habitat Projects
The Kansas chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation approved over $856,000 in funding for habitat enhancement and research projects aimed at reversing the state's dramatic wild turkey population decline that prompted Kansas to ban fall hunting in 2023. The federation allocated $126,000 immediately for invasive species removal, Kansas State University turkey ecology and toxicology research, scholarships, and a habitat specialist position, with an additional $730,000 promised for conservation efforts statewide. The funding comes from volunteers who organize banquets and fundraisers to support turkey population recovery across Kansas.
Kansas Reflector
Winter Storm Dumped Nearly Foot of Snow Across Southwest Kansas, Creating Hazardous Highway Conditions
Nearly a foot of snow blanketed southwest Kansas last Friday, leaving highways snow-packed and icy as emergency responders handled multiple slide-offs and accidents primarily in rural areas. Garden City police described the snowfall as making the town "look like a snow globe" while city crews worked to clear main streets and sidewalks, and first responders managed numerous motorist assists throughout the county. The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the majority of highways across southwest Kansas remained snow-packed and icy following the winter storm.
KWCH
Sources
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