Latest news with #KansasHouseofRepresentatives
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Blue Valley schools approve new policy after sex offender attends school dance
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Blue Valley School Board unanimously approved a new sex offender policy Monday night after parents discovered a registered back in February. The policy states: 'No person 18 or older who is registered on the Kansas Public Offender Registry ('Offender Registry') shall be allowed on any school district property or to attend any school-sponsored activity, event or program except for those adults who are current Blue Valley students. Any Blue Valley student who is on the Offender Registry with a legal right to attend school will require a safety plan that has been approved by the Director of Safety and Security and the Superintendent before beginning. Nothing in this policy is intended to impose a duty upon any district administrator or employee to review the Kansas Public Offender Registry to determine the presence of offenders in the community. This policy shall apply when district or school administrators have direct knowledge that a person in question is on the Registry.' KC woman says she's a victim of tow company under criminal investigation Blue Valley's new policy comes after a registered sex offender, who once admitted to having child pornography, was seen at a . The man, who lives with a , was seen taking pictures of students at the dance. According to , in 2011, the man pleaded guilty to having and sharing child pornography. The man went to prison before getting supervised release, but he will remain on the sex offender registry for the next 17 years. Despite the man's record, he got permission to be at the dance, according to . This caused outrage amongst parents and families who reached out to the school board for change. But in response to the incident, the school board president reiterated that there was 'no violation of Kansas law, district policy, or administrative guidelines.' However, after Monday night's unanimous vote, that will no longer be the case. In addition to a new policy change, Kansas lawmakers had considered a bill, , that would have made it a to attend school events or enter school property if their underlying offense involved a child. Two men charged in connection with 'major' drug bust in Kansas City Even though many were in favor of the bill, others said it would of sex offenders who are trying to put the past behind them. Senate Bill 288 passed in the senate but did not pass in the Kansas House of Representatives. Currently, Kansas still has no restrictions, but just across the state line, Missouri has laws prohibiting sex offenders from residing within 1,000 feet of daycare centers or schools. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Kansas House passes childcare licensing, training requirement bill
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas House of Representatives passed house bill 2294 on Thursday, with an overwhelming vote of 103-15. The bill addresses childcare licensing and training requirements, and for the most part, is highly agreed upon. 'There are lot of good things in this bill,' said Dr. Brandan Kennedy, a certified pediatrician and board chair of the Immunize Kansas Coalition. 'There are some things that will streamline childcare in the state of Kansas. And so, I think that there's things that are favorable that everybody agrees on.' Whistleblower sues Children's Hospital after controversial firing Dr. Kennedy says that there is a part of the bill that 'the majority of the medical community is really concerned' about. The immunization requirements listed in the bill include an exemption for 'religious beliefs' of the parent or guardian. The authors of the bill use the definition of 'religious beliefs' found in a 2021 statute regarding employer COVID-19 vaccine requirements. According to K.S.A. 44-663, ''religious beliefs' includes, but is not limited to, theistic and non-theistic moral and ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong that are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views.' Dr. Kennedy thinks that the definition 'widens the gap for what people can say in order to try to sidestep any vaccine requirements.' Kennedy used recent measles cases in Kansas as an example. 'We're already in an uphill battle in Kansas because we don't have sufficient vaccination rates against measles in order to maintain herd immunity,' he said. 'It put us at a risk for an outbreak and we're seeing the consequences of that. Anything, I think, that weakens requirements and potentially lowered those rates only increases our risks.' Kennedy and the coalition are asking that lawmakers give experts a chance to review the impact of that definition. 'All we're asking is that those amendments are removed and that they're vetted appropriately through the appropriate committees so that there are opportunities to discuss the potential implications on the health of all Kansans.' As a pediatrician for nearly 30 years, Kennedy says he's seeing sick children. 'We've already seen consequences in doing what I do. I've had to take already take care of some children with vaccine-preventable diseases who are seriously and critically ill.' Kennedy also said that he understands the situation that parents have been put in regarding vaccine choice. 'I am never going to tell you that a vaccine has a 0% risk. There's not a 0% risk with anything. And in medicine, we always have to weigh risk versus benefit. I totally validate people's fear and anxiety are around the entire situation. They hear a lot of things, and they see a lot of things. And unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation.' By and large, the coalition says the bill is a positive for Kansans, and that reviewing the definition of 'religious beliefs' would keep the vast majority of the legislation surrounding other topics. 'This would not change the effectiveness of the bill,' Kennedy said. 'The remaining part of the bill? I think everybody is in favor of.' Kennedy says the only job he has is to protect children. KC Farm School brings back annual spring sale on plants, seeds 'We're just trying to do our best and to be the most effective at protecting children against these illnesses,' he said. 'And all you'd have to do is be in my shoes and see one or two of these kids and how sick they are to understand. Many of those kids don't have a voice. And we as pediatricians, we, many times have to be their voice. And like I said, you know what we want to try to do is what's best for them and lowers their risk for health problems and harm.' The bill heads to the Kansas Senate for discussion. Fox4 reached out to several local lawmakers who voted to approve HB2294, none of them returned our requests in time for this story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
She was just ousted as JoCo Commissioner. Now, Republican will run for Kansas governor
Former Johnson County Commissioner Charlotte O'Hara has filed to run for governor in 2026. O'Hara, an Olathe Republican who served the 3rd District, lost by seven percentage points to Democrat Julie Brewer in November, making her the only incumbent in a contested County Commission race not to win re-election. O'Hara previously served one term in the Kansas House of Representatives from 2011-2013 and ran unsuccessfully for Overland Park mayor and Johnson County Commission Chair. She joins Secretary of State Scott Schwab in a Republican primary field where voters will select their challenger after two gubernatorial losses at the hands of term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Democratic candidates have yet to step forward 17 months ahead of the primary. O'Hara told The Star she's undeterred by her recent loss and focused on spreading her message about discontinuing 'corporate welfare' tax incentives and overhauling public school curriculum. 'Because I've been involved in politics for so long, my name recognition, especially in Johnson County, is well-known,' said O'Hara, who owns a casino chip manufacturing business and recently returned from a nine-day listening tour with stops along the way from Frankfort to Garden City. As a member of the County Commission from 2021 until January, she was fiercely opposed to COVID-19 masking and vaccine mandates. She's still critical of Schwab's directive to Johnson County to destroy 2020 mail ballots last spring in accordance with state law over the objection of former Sheriff Calvin Hayden. On issues of election security, tax incentives and public education, O'Hara said she sees herself as more conservative than Schwab and other gubernatorial hopefuls who have yet to announce their bids. 'The status quo in the Republican Party, they have long been controlled by the Koch brothers, Koch Industries, and the Chamber,' O'Hara said. A former general contractor who dabbled in development, O'Hara said it was her own experience receiving a tax incentive in 2004 that turned her against industrial revenue bonds, tax increment financing and state STAR bond subsidies. 'This is handing out candy to the well-connected,' O'Hara said. She said as governor, she would take it upon herself to lead the charge against common incentive programs, which have been enshrined in state statute and would require legislative action to be undone. 'I would be in front of the Legislature demanding that they take a look at these statutes and at least start rolling them back,' O'Hara said. She said high property taxes are 'crushing small businesses' and admonished state and local officials for their 'cruel indifference' toward soaring tax bills for homeowners. Tax policy has also featured in O'Hara's political newsletter poetry, including a nine-stanza composition that begins: 'Oh, how do we, the BOCC Raise the tax on YOUR property? With cruel indifference, Maniacal glee!!' O'Hara supports President Trump's call to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and wants to minimize the Kansas state school board's role in determining classroom curriculum. 'In my opinion, the closer to the local level, the better,' she told The Star. 'We've got to get away from DEI. We've got to get away from this woke agenda and we've got to get back to basics — phonics, just regular core math — stop all this ridiculous confusing the kids with drawing boxes and all that stuff,' O'Hara said. 'Six plus six equals twelve, period.' She declined to offer specific examples of diversity initiatives in Kansas schools she wants to see eliminated but issued a blanket appraisal of diversity, equity and inclusion as 'discriminatory.' However, O'Hara said she's wary of school vouchers because she believes they would come with strings attached to what can and can't be taught in private schools and homeschools. Newly elected Kansas Republican Party Chair Danedri Herbert did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Neither did Johnson County Republican Party Chair Sue Huff. Johnson County Commission Chair Mike Kelly, who defeated O'Hara in 2022, declined to comment on her entrance into the race. The Star's Taylor O'Connor contributed reporting
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kansas ‘Move Over' law heads to governor's desk
TOPEKA (KSNT) – On Monday, the Kansas House of Representatives passed a bill that would add and increase penalties on drivers for certain infractions. The bill now goes to Governor Laura Kelly's desk. On Monday, the Kansas House of Representatives passed SB 8, a bill that adds requirements for drivers when approaching stopped, standing or parked vehicles that display hazard lights. The bill includes a $75 fine for violations. Under the bill, drivers will need to approach stationary vehicles with hazard lights with caution, on multi-lane highways drivers must change lanes away from the stationary vehicle and on single-lane roads if one lane is unsafe drivers must slow down and proceed with caution. Under the bill, drivers who are convicted of a traffic infraction will have their fines doubled. Drivers will also face increased fines for committing a second violation within two years of a prior conviction. Cats with bird flu reported in Manhattan In a fiscal note on the bill, the Office of Judicial Administration said the bill could increase the number of cases filed in the district court and result in more processing time for court employees and judges. The Office of Judicial Administration said the financial impact of the bill can't be estimated. The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) said the agency's Traffic Record Enhancement Fund currently receives 2.23% of all district court fines, penalties, and forfeitures, while the agency's Seat Belt Safety Fund receives 2.20 %. KDOT said it was unable to estimate the fiscal impact of the bill. Crash causes highway traffic jam in north Topeka AAA Kansas commended the bill's passing in the House. AAA Kansas said 994 empty vehicles were struck on the side of the road from 2018 to 2023 in Kansas. The crashes resulted in 8 deaths and 25 suspected serious injuries. In that same time period, 82 crashes happened while someone was inside the vehicle on the side of the road. 'AAA Kansas thanks Senate Transportation Committee chair Sen. Mike Peterson, House Transportation Committee chair Rep. Shannon Francis, members of both committees, and ultimately the full Senate and House membership for passing this important road safety bill on to the final step toward it becoming law. Adding motorists dealing with disabled vehicles to Kansas' 'Move Over' law will provide drivers, as well as emergency personnel, who may be aiding them with additional protections when they are on the side of the road.' Shawn Steward, Public and Government Affairs Manager for AAA Kansas For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
