May 1, 2017

Kansas Lawmakers Prepare for Budget and Tax Work Next Week

Some Kansas legislative committees have been working on budget issues in advance of the full Legislature returning to Topeka next week. Senators have approved spending plans that avoid cuts to state services and include targeted spending increases, but there will still need to be a tax increase to balance that budget.

Republican Carolyn McGinn, the Senate’s top budget writer, says she hopes they approve enough taxes to fund the budget they built without trimming it back.

“I feel like we did a very thoughtful job on the budget. I felt like it was something that we did that was frugal, but at the same time it started down the road of fixing some of the structural problems that we have within our state,” said McGinn.

Lawmakers are considering how to eliminate budget shortfalls totaling nearly $900 million by the middle of 2019.

Read more: http://kansaspublicradio.org/kpr-news/kansas-lawmakers-prepare-budget-and-tax-work-next-week

May 1, 2017

Kansas judges back off effort to keep jurors' names secret

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas judges are backing off an effort to shield jurors' names in a compromise with transparency advocates who hope to avoid court secrecy.

The Kansas District Judges Association will still seek to keep jurors' addresses secret under its compromise with the Kansas Press Association, District Judge James Fleetwood and state Rep. Blaine Finch said.

Transparency advocates had warned that the original effort was part of what they see as a growing trend across the U.S. toward anonymous juries. Kansas judges said they want to protect jurors from harassment and stop a "chilling effect" potential jurors' feel when they have to disclose their information for the public record.

States where courts don't have to release jurors' names include California, Indiana and Oklahoma. Lawmakers in Virginia also tried to shield jurors' identities this year, according to Daniel Bevarly, executive director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition, but the bill was amended so names and addresses would still be available, while other information could be secret.

Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/KSMAN/b6381e64325e4486a31510c04f946e09/Article_2017-04-30-US-XGR--Jury%20Lists-Kansas/id-469322c0412e46a2a722de82d1b9fb09

May 1, 2017

Kansas governor seeks $24M to ban guns at state hospitals

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback proposed Thursday spending an additional $24 million over two years on armed guards and other security measures that would allow Kansas to continue banning concealed guns at state hospitals for the mentally ill and developmentally disabled.

The proposal immediately renewed a debate over allowing concealed weapons in public hospitals, mental health centers, state universities and colleges. A state law will require such facilities to allow concealed guns inside starting July 1 if the buildings don't have extra security measures such as guards and metal detectors.

Brownback submitted his proposal to the GOP-controlled Legislature, even though administration officials have worked with lawmakers on revising the gun-rights law. While many legislators want to change the law, gun-rights groups have strongly resisted. Brownback signed the 2013 concealed carry measure into law and is a strong gun-rights supporter.

House and Senate budget committee members who reviewed the proposal criticized Brownback's administration for submitting it only this week, with lawmakers returning Monday from a spring break to wrap up the year's business.

Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/KSMAN/b6381e64325e4486a31510c04f946e09/Article_2017-04-27-US-XGR-Concealed-Guns-Hospitals/id-6085411dd8eb45dfae07a719e6fff196

May 1, 2017

Woman who defrauded victims of over $300,000 going to prison

It was a mail theft scam that left victims with more than $300,000 in losses.

Now one woman responsible is headed to federal prison for just under three years.

U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said Lateasha Linthicum, 36, of Wichita, used personal information enclosed in stolen mail to make fake checks and credit cards, which she then used.

Linthicum wasn't sure when she started accepting the mail -- knowing it had been taken by others from homes, mailboxes and U.S. Postal Service collection boxes -- to create the counterfeit financial documents, according to her plea agreement.

Read more: http://www.hdnews.net/mcclatchy/state/woman-who-defrauded-victims-of-over-going-to-prison/article_bf8da151-ab26-5cb6-b29d-ab6da2f585a8.html

May 1, 2017

Iowa Democrats call 2017 extraordinarily horrible legislative session

DES MOINES — Democrats on Thursday rehashed an “extraordinarily horrible” legislative session that Senate Minority Leader Rob Hogg called “far and away the worst” in his career.

That is because the Republican majority enacted policies that will “hurt workers, hurt women, hurt families and hurt our economy,” the 14-year Cedar Rapids Democratic lawmaker said during an event at the Cedar Rapids Public Library.

Iowa lawmakers wrapped up their 104-day 2017 session last Saturday, approving a $7.269 billion budget that Rep. Liz Bennett, D-Cedar Rapids, said does “nothing to help regular Iowans.” The “ideological-driven agenda” underfunds health care, education and mental health, she said.

“When Republicans fail to fund the priorities that we should fund in our state, we all suffer,” Bennett said.

Read more: http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/iowa-democrats-call-extraordinarily-horrible-legislative-session/article_4c260bff-0758-5f0f-92af-69768669e550.html

May 1, 2017

Missouri governor to pay fee for using nonprofit donor list

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Republican Gov. Eric Greitens has agreed to pay a penalty to the state Ethics Commission for failing to report that his gubernatorial campaign got a donor list from a charity he had founded to help military veterans.

The settlement ends an investigation that began shortly before the 2016 election, after The Associated Press reported that Gretiens' campaign had access to The Mission Continues donor list and had raised about $2 million from people and entities that had previously given significant amounts to his charity.

After that AP report, Missouri Democratic Party Chairman Roy Temple filed an Ethics Commission complaint contending the charity donor list should have been reported as an in-kind contribution by Greitens' campaign under Missouri law. A consent order dated Friday between the Ethics Commission and Greitens said the commission found probable cause to believe a violation of law occurred.

"This isn't a major ethics violation," Greitens campaign adviser Austin Chambers said Saturday. "This is a clerical error where a minor contribution wasn't reported on a campaign finance report."

Read more: http://www.salina.com/news/politics/missouri-governor-to-pay-fee-for-using-nonprofit-donor-list/article_884a6d1e-d526-52a9-9fd8-c4164d820fb9.html

May 1, 2017

Western Kansas crippled by storm

OAKLEY — “Mother Nature’s winning,” said Jesse Vincent, a former Abilene resident now living north of Levant.

A late April winter snowstorm aided by as strong as 30 mph winds crippled western Kansas on Sunday.

Interstate Highway 70 was closed at Salina late Sunday afternoon.

Power went out early Sunday to parts of western Kansas and it could be a couple of days before it returns, residents were told.

The Kansas National Guard reported that multiple roads and highways were closed Sunday in western Kansas because of heavy snowfall and blizzard-like conditions that made them impassable. That included I-70, which was closed before noon to all traffic from Hays west to Colorado. It was closed at Russell at 4 p.m.

Read more: http://www.salina.com/news/local/western-kansas-crippled-by-storm/article_a797213f-0121-5171-b0d2-438ed7027bdb.html

May 1, 2017

Topeka PD: 4 dead, 1 injured after shooting at special needs home; shooter among the deceased

Four males are dead and another male was injured after a shooting on Sunday afternoon at a southwest Topeka residence where in-home care was provided for individuals with special needs, and the believed shooter is among the deceased, Topeka police Lt. Colleen Stuart said.

The shooting was reported to Shawnee County dispatchers at 3:52 p.m. from a call from the home. It was reported as a multiple-victim shooting at 4100 S.W. 28th. Crime scene tape surrounded the residence into the evening Sunday.

Police aren’t looking for any persons of interest at this time, Stuart said at a media briefing at 6:40 p.m. Sunday, adding later that the believed shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“This is a very sad situation,” Stuart said. “We want to make sure we do this right the first time, and we can provide that closure for the families.”

Read more: http://cjonline.com/news/local/crime-courts/2017-04-30/tpd-4-dead-1-injured-after-shooting-4100-sw-28th-shooter-among

May 1, 2017

Fallin declares a storm emergency

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin declared a state of emergency for all 77 counties in Oklahoma as severe storms continue to bring flooding, straight-line winds, tornadoes and snow to the state.

A large storm has created widespread rain and high winds throughout the state since Friday. Power lines and power poles, trees, roofs and structures have been damaged. Some areas of the Oklahoma panhandle have received more than 4 inches of snow, Fallin said.

The state of emergency allows agencies to make emergency purchases related to disaster relief and preparedness. It is the first step toward seeking federal aid, if necessary.

The state of emergency will last 30 days, Fallin said.

Read more: http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/news/20170429/fallin-declares-storm-emergency

May 1, 2017

House Democrats oppose GOP plan to raise tax on gasoline

Republicans need several House Democrats to get the necessary three-fourths majority

OKLAHOMA CITY — House Democrats on Wednesday said a Republican plan to increase the gasoline and diesel tax by 6 cents would cost Oklahoma families about $150 a year.

The proposal comes as lawmakers are struggling to come up with a way to reduce the $878 million state budget hole.

House Minority Leader Scott Inman, D-Del City, said his caucus will not supply the needed votes to pass the increase.

Republicans hold 72 seats in the House, but they need some Democrats to join them in the vote because tax increases require a three-fourths majority in both chambers.

Read more: http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/house-democrats-oppose-gop-plan-to-raise-tax-on-gasoline/article_c171ea12-6526-5ddb-9016-c0e9f4853c61.html