 | Morning newsletter of the Kansas Reflector |
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Sherman Smith | Editor in chief |
| Good morning. "What matters is the effect of this law, and the effect is that this law is point blank a voter suppression law." — Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Prairie Village, during debate over legislation to narrow the window in which voters can cast their ballots by mail |
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House advances $284M tax cut in response to Senate’s $470M behemoth |
|  | TOPEKA — The Kansas House gave initial approval Monday for a tax reform plan responding to the behemoth tax bill passed by the Senate last month. The House proposal incorporates elements of the $470 million Senate plan with a tax increase on out-of-state retailers who sell products online in Kansas. The measure would cost the state an estimated $284 million from 2022 to 2024, with a sizable chunk devoted to allowing Kansans to take the standard deduction on federal income tax returns and claim the benefits of itemized ductions on state income tax returns. Another component would provide tax breaks for multinational corporations. The change would decouple federal and state law, which currently forces individual taxpayers to pick the standard deduction or itemization on both federal and state income tax forms. Some of these costs would be offset by the marketplace facilitator tax — requiring online, out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax for sales above $100,000 annually — but opponents of the bill raised questions about who this bill would benefit. Supporters touted the bill as a reasonable alternative to the plan brought forth by the Senate. Read more. |
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| Kansas leaders who blame poor people for their poverty are promoting a false moral narrative |
| Opinion from Kathy Downing, who serves on the state coordinating committee for the Kansas Poor People's Campaign: Poor and low-wealth people are organizing and leading change, countering the false moral narrative that they are to blame for their poverty. Read more. |
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| Election reform bills bring fiery debate for their impact on voters |
| Proposed changes to Kansas elections, such as limiting the window for mail-in ballots and making it a crime to help others turn in advance ballots, invite scrutiny from Democrats and an election rights activist. Read more. |
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| More than 250 arrested in Shawnee County as joint police operation targets violent crime |
| A 10-day operation by federal, state and local law enforcement to target violent fugitives and gang members in Topeka led to more than 250 arrests and the seizure of 24 firearms, nearly 19 kilograms of illegal drugs and $25,000 in cash. Read more. |
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| Senate panel advances plan to install child advocate under Kansas attorney general |
| Republicans in the Senate advance plan to install a child advocate in the Kansas Attorney General’s Office to investigate and report on problems in the foster care system. Read more. |
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| Derek Chauvin trial begins with opening statements focused on cause of death, police training |
| Opening statements in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin indicate the trial will hinge on police training and the cause of George Floyd's death. Read more. |
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