Derek Schmidt

Judge asks Kansas attorney general to review pandemic law

By Heather Hollingsworth Jun. 10, 2021 06:38 PM EDT
MISSION, Kansas (AP) — A judge has asked the Kansas attorney general to weigh in on “significant constitutional problems” raised by a state law that gives...

Editorial Roundup: Kansas

By The Associated Press May. 25, 2021 07:00 AM EDT
Kansas City Star. May 24, 2021. Editorial: Derek Schmidt and Eric Schmitt want to cancel ‘critical race theory,’ aka ‘history’ ...

Rep. John Carmichael, right, D-Wichita, confers with Rep. Fred Patton, R-Topeka, during talks between House members and senators on a bill providing up to $500 million in compensation to small businesses harmed by coronavirus pandemic restrictions, Friday, May 7, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Patton is the House Judiciary Committee chair and backs the bill, while Carmichael considers it unnecessary. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Kansas governor vetoes GOP COVID relief plan for businesses

By John Hanna May. 21, 2021 03:06 PM EDT

Kansas state Rep. Rui Xu, D-Westwood, holds his 18-month-old daughter, Astra, during a break in the House's work, Friday, May 7, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Lawmakers are working late as they tried to finish their business for the year. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Kansas plan could give $500M in COVID relief to businesses

By John Hanna May. 08, 2021 05:00 AM EDT

Kansas state Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, talks to reporters about COVID-19 legislation during a break in the Senate's session, Friday, May 7, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Warren is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is pushing for a ban on COVID-19 vaccine passports and limits on tracing the contacts of people with the coronavirus. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Kansas legislators approve COVID-19 relief for businesses

By John Hanna May. 07, 2021 03:38 PM EDT

FILE - In this Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020, file photo, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly receives a COVID-19 vaccine injection in Topeka, Kan. In March 2021, Kelly enacted a law giving legislative leaders power to revoke her emergency orders. Top Republican lawmakers immediately used it to scuttle a Kelly order meant to encourage counties to keep mask mandates in place. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Kansas seeks 9% of allowed vaccine doses, ponders COVID laws

By John Hanna May. 06, 2021 04:38 PM EDT

Kansas state Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, speaks during a Senate debate on legislation dealing with COVID-19, Tuesday, May 4, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Warren is the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and is pushing a proposal to set aside up to $2 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funds to compensate businesses hurt by the pandemic. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

GOP lawmakers in Kansas push COVID-19 relief for businesses

By John Hanna May. 04, 2021 04:10 PM EDT

In this photo from Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt answers questions at a news conference with Republican legislative leaders, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Legislators in 2020 imposed special rules for tracing the contacts of people exposed to COVID-19 to protect their privacy at the GOP attorney general's urging, and they're now considering making them permanent. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

GOP says pandemic justifies special tracing rules in Kansas

By John Hanna Mar. 31, 2021 01:56 PM EDT

In this photo from Friday, March 26, 2021, Kansas attorney Ryan Kriegshauser follows a state Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on a bill that would set up a fund to compensate businesses harmed by COVID-19 restrictions, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Kriegshauser represents the owner of a Wichita fitness studio and the bill would settle that owner's pending lawsuit against the state. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Kansas mulls paying businesses hit by COVID-19 restrictions

By John Hanna Mar. 29, 2021 07:53 AM EDT

GOP lawmakers push to keep COVID contact-tracing rules

By John Hanna Mar. 27, 2021 09:50 AM EDT
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators are pushing to keep in place specific rules for tracing the close contacts of people exposed to COVID-19 despite...

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly speaks to reporters, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, during a Statehouse news conference in Topeka, Kan. The Republican-controlled Legislature is pursuing multiple proposals to curb the Democratic governor's power. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

GOP Kansas attorney general launches campaign for governor

By John Hanna Mar. 09, 2021 08:30 AM EST

In this Dec. 20, 2018 file photo, then-Gov. Jeff Colyer answers questions during an Associated Press interview in his Statehouse office in Topeka, Kan. Colyer, who lost his 2018 Republican primary race, has signaled that he's planning to run for governor again in 2022 by appointing a campaign treasurer, a step required by law to raise money. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Ex-Kansas Gov. Colyer signals he'll make 2022 governor bid

By John Hanna Mar. 05, 2021 01:18 PM EST

Kansas state Rep. Stephanie Clayton, D-Overland Park, makes a point during a House committee meeting on a bill aimed at overhauling the state's unemployment system, Friday, Feb. 26, 2021, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Clayton is wary of a Republican proposal to put $450 million in COVID-19 relief funds into unemployment system. (AP Photo/John Hanna)

Kansas plan puts $450M in COVID funds in unemployment system

By John Hanna Feb. 26, 2021 06:52 PM EST

GOP officials launch new effort to rein in Kansas governor

By John Hanna Feb. 23, 2021 02:13 PM EST

Kansas bill to recognize other states' gun permits advances

By Andy Tsubasa Field Feb. 10, 2021 03:04 PM EST
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A House committee has advanced a bill to expand Kansas' recognition of other states' concealed carry permits. The bill...