Kansas Reflector: Morning eNewsletter, Jan. 22, 2021

 

Morning newsletter of the Kansas Reflector

Sherman Smith | Editor in chief Good morning. "Before she passed away, my mother, Estelle, revealed to me that I was supposed to be aborted. I was slated for death and brutal dismemberment in accordance with every excuse promoted by the pro death forces. She had too many kids. I was sickly. I was born into a single income household with marital problems and financial insecurity. My life was dependent on my mother’s mental health and convenience." — Rep. Patrick Penn, a Republican from Wichita, during Friday's debate on the abortion amendment.

Kansas House votes to put abortion amendment on statewide ballot The Kansas House on Friday approved a constitutional amendment declaring women have no right to an abortion, setting up a vote in the Senate to place the amendment on the ballot in the August 2022 primary. The Republican supermajority in the House refused to break ranks, resisting an onslaught of bitter complaints from Democrats about politically charged elements of the bill and claims of hypocrisy. The Value Them Both amendment passed by an 86-38 party-line vote, on the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. “Unlimited abortions hurts women and babies,” said Rep. Tory Arnberger, R-Great Bend. “Value Them Both preserve safeguards for those involved within this industry. Value Them Both lets the people continue to regulate abortion through their elected officials. Kansas feel very passionate about this issue. So why not let them vote?” Democrats unsuccessfully argued for moving the date of when the amendment will appear on the ballot, and to secure protections for women whose lives are in danger or are the victims of sexual assault. “Human rights should not be put to a popular vote,” said Rep. Lindsay Vaughn, D-Overland Park. “That is why they are called rights.” Read more.

Kansas House committee opts against formal consequences for maligned representative Members of a House special committee charged with investigating a complaint filed against Rep. Aaron Coleman decided Friday to dismiss the case against the heavily criticized freshman legislator. Read more.

What one Black man wants Kansans to know about watching the insurrection Opinion: Weeks after the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Matthew L. Kane struggles with what White Americans need to hear. Read more.

Moran, Marshall support bill to restart Keystone XL pipeline project U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall declared support Friday for legislation authorizing continuation of construction on the Keystone XL pipeline after President Joe Biden revoked a federal permit for a project designed to speed movement of crude oil from Canada to a key hub in Nebraska. Read more.

Buttigieg puts greenhouse gas reduction at center of Biden transportation policy Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg offered an unapologetic defense of President Joe Biden’s vision for improved transportation and greenhouse gas reductions during a Senate hearing to consider Buttigieg’s nomination for U.S. transportation secretary on Thursday. Read more.

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KANSAS INSIDER, eNewsletter, Jan. 15, 2021

 

FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2021 A dose of history Protection, Kansas — chosen during the Eisenhower years because of what its name might symbolize in a public health campaign — was championed for how virtually everyone in town bore their arms for shots of the polio vaccine in 1957. Today, amid a killer pandemic, the southwest Kansas town of about 500 people represents a different attitude. The county has ditched the governor’s mask orders. And, at times, the area has been a hotspot of COVID-19 infections and deaths. Some people there see conspiracies in vaccines. Jim McLean of the Kansas News Service explored the history and the present. "I'm pretty savvy and I was like, 'Jesus, this is hard.'" — Niall Brennan, CEO of the Health Care Cost Institute, on making sense of newly published hospital prices. Blinded with transparency The Trump administration has forced hospitals to publish what they charge for different services. It reveals how the cost of childbirth or a skin biopsy or thousands of things can vary wildly. You might save money paying cash, or get charged three times more on one insurance plan versus another. The price lists are complicated, beyond the ability of most people to use for comparison shopping. But big employers and others will now be able to analyze the prices and bargain for better rates. Celia Llopis-Jepsen of the Kansas News Service explains. Gov. Hopeful The State of the State speech from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly this week mourned the loss of 3,000-plus Kansans to COVID-19 and pined for cooperation from the conservative Republicans who run the Legislature. But she’s unlikely to get through Medicaid expansion or maybe even her proposal to tax more online sales — a move she says could help Kansas retailers. Stephen Koranda of the Kansas News Service breaks down the annual address. Trump Country The 45th president of the United States got impeached this week. For the second time. One member of the Kansas delegation to the U.S. House, a Democrat, cast a vote to put Donald Trump on trial in the Senate. All the Republicans voted against impeachment. Aviva Okeson-Haberman of KCUR has the story. COVID Crush Hospitals are so overwhelmed in parts of Kansas that ambulances are getting turned away. Kaiser Health News shares some unsettling stories. Truth and killing Coyote hunters like to compete for prize money by challenging each other to weekend contests. The team that bags the most kills wins. But some hunters have been known to cheat by saving up carcasses ahead of contests. So last weekend in Kismet, Kansas, a competition lined up lie detector tests to keep things honest. David Condos of the Kansas News Service explains more about the world of competitive coyote hunting. Enjoying The Insider? Share with a friend. Have comments or questions for the editor? Let us know what you think. Not an Insider subscriber? Sign up now. Subscribe

Kansas Reflector: READ & REFLECT Morning eNewsletter, Jan. 15 2021

 

Morning newsletter of the Kansas Reflector

Sherman Smith | Editor in chief Good morning. "My polling is 80% are ready for it to end. I’ve asked waitresses. I’ve asked health care workers. I’ve asked farmers. I’ve asked business entities. They want the freedom to continue practicing health care based on their education and the sources they go to and trust. I want freedom put back in place so we can freely go about our lives." — Sen. Dennis Pyle, R-Hiawatha, urging senators to let the state's disaster declaration for COVID-19 expire

Kansas legislators weigh security risk as police gear up for threat of violence TOPEKA — Kansas legislators and Capitol Police are bracing for the potential of violence in the days leading up to and including the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Gov. Laura Kelly told legislative leadership in a security briefing Thursday morning that she plans to close the Statehouse to the public for one week, starting at 5 p.m. Friday. Legislators will still be allowed to invite individuals into the building, but only through the north door. All other entrances will be shut off. “It’s gonna be a little awkward,” Senate President Ty Masterson told Senate Republicans during a caucus meeting. “I don’t share the same concern, but I’m also not going to fault them for being overly cautious as we are in some weird times.” There are no specific threats to attack the Kansas Statehouse, but federal authorities have warned about general plans to attack all 50 state capitols following last week’s invasion of the U.S. Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters, fueled by lies about the integrity of the November election and other conspiracy theories. Read more.

What the ‘culture of life’ looked like during the Kansas Legislature’s first week At the end of the Kansas Legislature’s first week, writes opinion editor C.J. Janovy, let's take a moment to appreciate the soaring success of Ty Masterson’s debut as Senate president. He's so powerful he doesn't even have to pretend he’s not a hypocrite. Read more.

Kansas Senate rejects attempt to force expiration of state’s COVID-19 disaster declaration Republican Sen. Dennis Pyle failed to gain traction for an amendment Thursday allowing the state’s COVID-19 emergency disaster declaration to expire Jan. 26 rather than extend it through March while lawmakers worked on an overhaul of the governor’s authority in the crisis. Read more.

Kansas Senate embraces new restrictions on local property taxes The Kansas Senate on Thursday passed legislation to require local governments to notify residents by mail and hold public hearings before increasing property tax collections. Read more. Republican frustrated after Kansas health department opts out of hearings A Republican legislator voiced frustration with the state health department for ditching a planned presentation to the Senate health committee amid distrust with the governor’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy. Read more.

Kansas nursing homes working to address staffing and safety problems, agency official says A Kansas senator says federal pandemic aid has not been enough to alleviate ongoing issues with staffing and funding at Kansas nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the state. Read more.

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