Author: Patrick Richardson

Kansas is 12th in the nation for Medicaid expense increase since start of ACA
According to a recent report from the Paragon Health Institute, Kansas has experienced the 12th highest growth in Medicaid spending…

KSDE, State Board of Education violate open records law, AG finds
Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach’s office has found that the Kansas State Board of Education (KSBE) and the Kansas State…

Wabaunsee becomes first ‘Public Innovative District’ under new state law
USD 329 Wabaunsee has become the first district to be certified as a “Public Innovative District” under HB2402, which was…

Attorney Mike O’Neal refutes notion that legislature can’t set education curriculum
In mid-May, Governor Laura Kelly vetoed a pair of education bills, which she claimed would violate the state constitution. One…

Embattled Bourbon County Clerk Susan Walker sues county attorney, recall committee
Embattled Bourbon County Clerk Susan Walker is turning to the courts to try to defeat a recall effort aimed at…

Constitutional amendment would provide for direct election of Kansas Supreme Court justices
Kansas is the only state in the Union in which an attorney-dominated nominating commission — composed of 5 attorneys and…

Large Kansas cities see slight increase in population Census Bureau says, but state still has net out-migration
The most recent United States Census Bureau figures show a slight uptick in population in the state’s largest cities, but…

Bourbon County Clerk facing recall after ballot mistakes, possible intimidation attempts
Some Bourbon County residents say they are concerned by what they perceive as intimidation efforts by Bourbon County Clerk Susan…

LPA audit unable to determine if TANF funds being distributed properly
In a recent report, the Kansas Division of Legislative Post Audit said it was unable to determine if Temporary Assistance…

Kansas, Missouri pony up big for World Cup, but hotel bookings are running below projections
The 2026 World Cup — the “world series” of soccer — kicks off in just about a month with the…

KPI’s 2026 Green Book shows Kansas continues to fail competitiveness test
Kansas Policy Institute’s 2026 “Green Book” shows the Sunflower State continually becoming less competitive by spending and taxing too much.…

Judge refuses to release justification for charges against volunteer firefighter Cody Royer
A young volunteer firefighter named Cody Royer is facing felony aggravated assault charges after he said he was attempting to…

There’s more to economic freedom than just regulatory environment, says Cato Institute
A Fox Business story recently referenced a Cato Institute study showing Kansas as having one of the most business-friendly regulatory…

Sentinel staff wins four awards in Kansas Press Association annual contest
The Sentinel is pleased to announce it has won four awards in the 2026 Kansas Press Association’s “Awards of Excellence”…

Legislature passes last-minute mill rate limit, veto possibility looms
A mill rate limit passed at the last minute by the Kansas Legislature would allow voters a say in how…

Legislature overrides Kelly veto of informed consent bills
Late last week the Kansas Legislature voted to override Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a pair of informed consent bills…

Legislature overrides veto of federal tax credit scholarship program
Kansas is joining 28 other states in the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program after the Kansas Legislature overrode Governor Laura…

Kelly vetoes two informed-consent bills for women’s health care
Governor Laura Kelly this week vetoed a pair of bills relating to women’s health care. The first, House Bill 2727, would…

Kelly vetoes property tax mill rate limit
As expected, Kansas Democrat Governor Laura Kelly vetoed a mill rate limit property tax relief bill late Wednesday afternoon. Senate…

Kelly vetoes additional funding for tax credit scholarship program
Governor Laura Kelly recently vetoed a bill that would have expanded the Kansas Low Income Students Tax Credit Scholarship program…

Bill would require districts to check eligibility for school-wide free lunch
In addition to changes to the “Innovative School District” program in the recently passed HB 2402, there were also changes to Kansas’s…

HB 2402 would make it easier for schools to be designated an ‘Innovative District’
In late March, the Kansas Legislature passed a bill that would shorten the time schools have to apply for waivers…

Kansas lost $8 billion in adjusted gross income from domestic migration over the last 30 years
New IRS domestic migration data for the State of Kansas demonstrates something the late Milton Friedman said: “If you ever…

No basis for KSBOE claim that homeschool kids are behind public school students
At the March 10, 2026 Kansas State Board of Education meeting, Board Member Betty Arnold said homeschool students who return…
