In the News

Agreement may be near on primary seat belt bill

May 6, 2010 Written by Jim McClean KHI News Service Legislators working on last-minute transportation issues are near an agreement on a measure to strengthen the state’s seat belt law. Sen. Dwayne Umbarger, R-Thayer, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee, met Wednesday...
KS House budget coup successful, so far

May 7, 2010 Written by David Klepper Kansas City Star TOPEKA | A coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans hijacked the Kansas House this morning, successfully gutting the budget favored by House GOP leaders and replacing it with their own plan. The new proposal spends more than...
2010 Legislative Winners and Losers

May 17, 2010 Written by Burdette Loomis Insight Kansas Columnist Any legislative session leaves in its wake some clear winners and losers, as well some prospective gifts and time bombs for campaigns and policy decisions to come. The historic (and it was) 2010 session did not disappoint in...
Rep. Tony Brown files for re-election

May 26, 2010 Baldwin City Signal As expected, State Rep. Tony Brown, D-Baldwin City, filed for re-election Wednesday morning in Topeka. Brown has represented the 10th district, which covers Baldwin City, Wellsville, north Ottawa and south Lawrence, for the past two years....
Palmer seeks third term in Kansas House

June 10, 2010 Fort Scott Tribune Rep. Shirley Palmer, Fort Scott, announced Tuesday that she has filed by petition for re-election to the Kansas House of Representatives. Palmer represents the 4th House District, which includes all of Linn County and most of Bourbon County. She was first...
Democrats say GOP not focused on economy

Written by Scott Rothschild Lawrence Journal World Republicans, who hold a significant majority in the state House of Representatives, are pushing issues that have little to do with improving the economy. At least that’s what Democrats in the Legislature say. His party outnumbered...
GOP jobs promise in the back seat

Written by Bob Sigman Johnson County Sun The Kansas wrecking crew – better known as Gov. Sam Brownback and his ultraconservative allies in the Kansas House – would, if not restrained, wreak havoc across the landscape of state government. Nothing seems immune....
GOP leaders' budget refused

May 4, 2010 Written by Tim Carpenter Topeka Capital Journal Stark division in the House on formulation of a balanced budget became crystal clear Tuesday night when a coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats soundly defeated a $13 billion plan offered by the conservative GOP...
House Democratic Leader discusses budget crisis

April 20, 2010 Filmed by Matthew Fowler Emporia Gazette Click here to watch House Democratic Leader answer questions about the FY 2011 budget crisis.
Svaty's father appointed to fill his House seat

August 3, 2009 Written by David Clouston Salina Journal ELLSWORTH -- Don Svaty hates to see any more deep cuts made in local education and service programs that have already seen their state aid shrivel due to the decline in the economy. "I would like to have us look at...