Clay Wirestone, Kansas Reflector opinion editor

SB 244 is just one of a string of discriminatory laws meant to harass and intimidate those Kansans not infected with the parasitic brainworms endemic among legislators. #ksleg

Kansas House member ridicules Legislature's building committee as rubber stamp operation • Kansas Reflector State Rep. Avery Anderson says the Kansas Legislature's committee on state building construction can't be trusted to provide meaningful recommendations on which state agency capital improvement projec...

Kansas House member ridicules Legislature’s building committee as rubber stamp operation | via @kansascarpenter.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas SNAP data won’t be shared with foreign governments; no state funding lost  • Kansas Reflector Kansas SNAP data shared with the federal government won’t be given to foreign governments in an agreement reached this week.

Kansas SNAP data won’t be shared with foreign governments; no state funding lost | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas Court of Appeals rules CoreCivic can’t house ICE detainees without Leavenworth permit • Kansas Reflector CoreCivic can’t house immigration detainees before reaching an agreement with the city of Leavenworth on reopening its private prison

Kansas Court of Appeals rules CoreCivic can’t house ICE detainees without Leavenworth permit | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Trans men file lawsuit over Kansas law that restricts bathroom use and invalidates driver's licenses • Kansas Reflector Two transgender men from Lawrence are suing the state over a new law that invalidates driver's licenses and restricts bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth, citing numerous constitutional rights...

Trans men file lawsuit over Kansas law that restricts bathroom use and invalidates driver’s licenses | via @journalist-sherman.bsky.social #ksleg

By whitewashing American history, Trump vows to erase today’s misdeeds • Kansas Reflector I have been tracking the Trump administration’s attempts to change what visitors learn at places managed by the National Parks service.

Opinion from @ericthomasphoto.bsky.social: By whitewashing American history, Trump vows to erase today’s misdeeds #ksleg

Trans Kansans struggle with reality of Legislature’s cruelty as driver’s licenses are invalidated • Kansas Reflector The Kansas Department of Revenue this week sent a letter to Kansans affected by a new law, which took effect Thursday, that requires the gender marker on a driver’s license to match a person’s sex at ...

Trans Kansans struggle with reality of Legislature’s cruelty as driver’s licenses are invalidated | via @journalist-sherman.bsky.social and @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas Senate approves cap on property valuations, despite questions on real tax savings • Kansas Reflector The Kansas Senate passed a resolution Wednesday to cap property valuation increases at 3%, the first step toward achieving a constitutional change.

Kansas Senate approves cap on property valuations, despite questions on real tax savings | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Essential thread of articles.

🧵 from our colleagues in Kansas, who were covering their Legislature’s anti-trans moves long before national outlets noticed and will keep covering it long after the national news cycle moves on.

If you've seen the news today about transgender Kansans having their drivers licenses suddenly revoked, check out the deep reporting our colleagues in Kansas have been doing on the subject for months

🧵 👇 👇 👇

If you're watching what's happening to the transgender community in Kansas today, be sure to catch up with the monthslong coverage by our @kansasreflector.com journalists.

Senate bill would uncork round-the-clock drinking in Kansas during FIFA World Cup • Kansas Reflector The bill would authorize bars, restaurants and liquor stores to sell liquor from 6 a.m. to 5 a.m. for the duration of the World Cup.

Senate bill would uncork round-the-clock drinking in Kansas during FIFA World Cup | via @gracefromkansas.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas House advancing new state budget amid concerns about spending • Kansas Reflector Kansas House is working on a new state government budget void of employee raises that might be too generous given annual state spending exceeds tax revenue.

Kansas House advancing new state budget amid concerns about spending | via @kansascarpenter.bsky.social #ksleg

Sisyphus in Kansas: Republican’s efforts to restore confidence in voting system appear ill-fated • Kansas Reflector While Sisyphus was cursed with an impossible task, Rep. Pat Proctor seems to have taken one up voluntarily.

Opinion from Sam Foglesong: Sisyphus in Kansas: Republican’s efforts to restore confidence in voting system appear ill-fated #ksleg

Kansas House dramatically amends bill aimed at constraining local property tax increases • Kansas Reflector Kansas House moves closer to adopting bill increasing the public's ability to block cities and counties from raising property taxes more than 3% annually.

Kansas House dramatically amends bill aimed at constraining local property tax increases | via @kansascarpenter.bsky.social #ksleg

Bill demands Kansas drivers use turn signals in roundabouts. No, that’s not already on the books. • Kansas Reflector Kansas drivers could be required to use their turn signals when navigating roundabouts under a proposed senate bill.

Bill demands Kansas drivers use turn signals in roundabouts. No, that’s not already on the books.| via @gracefromkansas.bsky.social #ksleg

After marathon meeting, CoreCivic moves closer to reopening Leavenworth prison • Kansas Reflector Leavenworth city officials moved CoreCivic closer to reopening their private prison after a 4-1 vote in favor of a special use permit.

After marathon meeting, CoreCivic moves closer to reopening Leavenworth prison | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann lone Kansas vote against federal aviation safety bill tied to D.C. crash • Kansas Reflector All but one member of Kansas' congressional delegation votes for Senate-passed aviation safety bill falling a single vote short of moving through the House.

U.S. Rep. Tracey Mann lone Kansas vote against federal aviation safety bill tied to D.C. crash | via @kansascarpenter.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas homeowners carry bigger tax burden than commercial property owners • Kansas Reflector A yawning gap between surging home values and stagnant commercial assessments has fueled a significant shift in the Kansas property tax burden, forcing homeowners to shoulder a larger share of governm...

Kansas homeowners carry bigger tax burden than commercial property owners | via Dale Hogg #ksleg

We need a backbone to live, to stand or sit upright when the moment demands it. Instead, your average Kansas lawmaker flops around the floor of the Statehouse like a deboned yet sentient fish. #ksleg

Kansas advocates push again for more affordable period products • Kansas Reflector Young people gathered Tuesday in the Kansas Statehouse to show their support for bills that would make it easier to obtain period products. But they were in the same place last year. And the year befo...

Kansas advocates push again for more affordable period products | via @gracefromkansas.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas congresswoman, farm leader emphasize agriculture's importance to State of the Union • Kansas Reflector U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids said ahead of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address Tuesday she was concerned about his promises of lower costs, stability and support for American families.

Kansas congresswoman, farm leader emphasize agriculture’s importance to State of the Union | via @anna-writes.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas Court of Appeals examines arguments on constitutionality of state ban on 'fusion voting' • Kansas Reflector Kansas Court of Appeals judges skeptical challenge of state's ban on fusion voting is properly under review by judicial branch rather than the Legislature.

Kansas Court of Appeals examines arguments on constitutionality of state ban on ‘fusion voting’ | via @kansascarpenter.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas House passes bill regulating for-profit veterans claims consultants, despite legal concerns • Kansas Reflector The Kansas House passed a bill backed by unaccredited for-profit claims consultants that places restrictions on how much they can charge.

Kansas House passes bill regulating for-profit veterans claims consultants, despite legal concerns | via @gracefromkansas.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas cannot fund a bigger mental health workforce and then let plans shrink the network • Kansas Reflector Kansas keeps saying the quiet part out loud: We have a behavioral health crisis, and we need more providers, urgently.

Opinion from Tara Wallace: Kansas cannot fund a bigger mental health workforce and then let plans shrink the network #ksleg

Kansas House passes election bills targeting noncitizens, advanced voting • Kansas Reflector Kansas lawmakers could transform elections with a series of bills that squeeze advanced voting timelines, stamp out rare instances of noncitizen voting and tinker with some candidate filing and advoca...

Kansas House passes election bills targeting noncitizens, advanced voting | via @anna-writes.bsky.social #ksleg

Republican candidate for Kansas governor offering voters a prescription for change • Kansas Reflector Former Gov. Jeff Colyer, a GOP candidate for governor, offers a vision for transforming state government and praise for President Donald Trump.

Republican candidate for Kansas governor offering voters a prescription for change | via @kansascarpenter.bsky.social #ksleg

How an anti-trans bathroom law similar to the one in Kansas forced sweeping changes in Texas • Kansas Reflector TOPEKA — Two months after a Texas bathroom law went into effect for government buildings, public officials there are still working through how to comply with the law’s vague language.  Just this week,...

How an anti-trans bathroom law similar to the one in Kansas forced sweeping changes in Texas | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Leaders gamble on extracting a toll from their members to advance an ideological agenda. So if you see your representative or senator around town and they complain about the onerous schedule, ask them who sets that schedule. #ksleg