JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/maps/Map.5799H.02T.pdf">new U.S. House districts</a>&nbsp;into law Wednesday that are expected to shore up Republican strength in the state's most competitive congressional district ahead of this year's elections.

The new voting districts took effect immediately, meaning they will be place for the Aug. 2 primary. But local election authorities will have to scramble to make the behind-the-scenes changes necessary for absentee ballots to be available by next month.

Parson's signature on the redistricting legislation capped a rocky process that revealed deep schisms between Republican leaders in the state House and Senate and some conservative GOP lawmakers, who had pushed to more aggressively gerrymander districts to the GOP's favor. That map that ultimately passed is expected to continue Republicans' decade-long 6-2 advantage over Democrats in the state's congressional delegation.

“I think a 6-2 map is fair to the people of Missouri," said Parson, a Republican. “I think a majority of legislators feel that way, and that's the way democracy works.”

Parson had generally stayed out of the redistricting fray,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-florida-tallahassee-ron-desantis-33315cc80b3c407fcbc1f40236b4bada">unlike Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>&nbsp;and some other chief executives who took a more active role in the once-a-decade process.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-legislature-census-2020-redistricting-99961f80e752ad995206a64b92b13b95">Missouri is one of the final few states to enact a congressional redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;based on the 2020 census. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has yet to sign a redistricting plan, and court challenges have upended maps originally adopted in Florida and New York.

Redistricting could have significant political implications as Republicans attempt to wrest control of the U.S. House from Democrats in the midterm elections. In many states, parties in charge have tried to draw districts that maximize their voting strength while limiting their opponents' opportunities for victories.

In Missouri, some conservative Republicans had wanted to split Kansas City's Democratic-leaning voters among multiple districts to give the GOP a shot at winning seven seats. But GOP legislative leaders feared that could backfire both at the ballot box and in court — spreading Republican voters too thin and opening the state to lawsuits alleging violations of constitutional voting rights.

The map that became law is expected to continue the current political representation while boosting Republican support in the 2nd District in suburban St. Louis, held by Republican Rep. Ann Wagner. The plan strengthens the Republican vote share there by 3 percentage points over the former districts, according to an analysis by legislative staff that focused on top-of-the-ticket election results from 2016-2020.

Republican voting strength is expected to be reduced by a similar margin in the nearby 3rd District, which wraps around the St. Louis area and extends westward to central Missouri. But the GOP still holds a sizable advantage there.

Because Missouri took so long to adopt a new congressional map, Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-legislature-census-2020-e6244aaa12a4dc355609148bd2374341">Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft had warned</a>&nbsp;that some local election officials may not have enough time to accurately adjust everyone’s voting addresses before primary ballots must be ready for military and overseas voters on June 17. As a result, he said it’s possible that some voters could be given the wrong ballots.

Assuming that Parson would sign the redistricting legislation, Ashcroft's office provided access last Friday to geographical shape files for the new districts so that election officials could get started on their work.

One of the areas having to make adjustments is Boone County, home of the University of Missouri and the state's fourth largest city of Columbia. Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said she already was working Wednesday on reassigning street addresses to the new districts. She expects that task to be completed by a May 24 deadline.

But “we don’t have adequate time to go through and do as much inspection work as we would like to,” Lennon said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652439738992.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/maps/Map.5799H.02T.pdf">new U.S. House districts</a>&nbsp;into law Wednesday that are expected to shore up Republican strength in the state's most competitive congressional district ahead of this year's elections.The new voting districts took effect immediately, meaning they will be place for the Aug. 2 primary. But local election authorities will have to scramble to make the behind-the-scenes changes necessary for absentee ballots to be available by next month.Parson's signature on the redistricting legislation capped a rocky process that revealed deep schisms between Republican leaders in the state House and Senate and some conservative GOP lawmakers, who had pushed to more aggressively gerrymander districts to the GOP's favor. That map that ultimately passed is expected to continue Republicans' decade-long 6-2 advantage over Democrats in the state's congressional delegation.“I think a 6-2 map is fair to the people of Missouri," said Parson, a Republican. “I think a majority of legislators feel that way, and that's the way democracy works.”Parson had generally stayed out of the redistricting fray,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-florida-tallahassee-ron-desantis-33315cc80b3c407fcbc1f40236b4bada">unlike Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>&nbsp;and some other chief executives who took a more active role in the once-a-decade process.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-legislature-census-2020-redistricting-99961f80e752ad995206a64b92b13b95">Missouri is one of the final few states to enact a congressional redistricting plan</a>&nbsp;based on the 2020 census. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has yet to sign a redistricting plan, and court challenges have upended maps originally adopted in Florida and New York.Redistricting could have significant political implications as Republicans attempt to wrest control of the U.S. House from Democrats in the midterm elections. In many states, parties in charge have tried to draw districts that maximize their voting strength while limiting their opponents' opportunities for victories.In Missouri, some conservative Republicans had wanted to split Kansas City's Democratic-leaning voters among multiple districts to give the GOP a shot at winning seven seats. But GOP legislative leaders feared that could backfire both at the ballot box and in court — spreading Republican voters too thin and opening the state to lawsuits alleging violations of constitutional voting rights.The map that became law is expected to continue the current political representation while boosting Republican support in the 2nd District in suburban St. Louis, held by Republican Rep. Ann Wagner. The plan strengthens the Republican vote share there by 3 percentage points over the former districts, according to an analysis by legislative staff that focused on top-of-the-ticket election results from 2016-2020.Republican voting strength is expected to be reduced by a similar margin in the nearby 3rd District, which wraps around the St. Louis area and extends westward to central Missouri. But the GOP still holds a sizable advantage there.Because Missouri took so long to adopt a new congressional map, Republican&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-voting-legislature-census-2020-e6244aaa12a4dc355609148bd2374341">Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft had warned</a>&nbsp;that some local election officials may not have enough time to accurately adjust everyone’s voting addresses before primary ballots must be ready for military and overseas voters on June 17. As a result, he said it’s possible that some voters could be given the wrong ballots.Assuming that Parson would sign the redistricting legislation, Ashcroft's office provided access last Friday to geographical shape files for the new districts so that election officials could get started on their work.One of the areas having to make adjustments is Boone County, home of the University of Missouri and the state's fourth largest city of Columbia. Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said she already was working Wednesday on reassigning street addresses to the new districts. She expects that task to be completed by a May 24 deadline.But “we don’t have adequate time to go through and do as much inspection work as we would like to,” Lennon said.

Missouri Governor Oks new U.S. House map favoring republicans

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run accident reported Monday they have located a vehicle in the Kansas City area they suspect to be the transit van involved in the crash, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

Investigators are working to identify the driver of the vehicle and asking anyone who might have information to contact law enforcement. The vehicle would have been eastbound on Kansas 10 highway just after 5p.m. on Saturday.

Brooklyn Brouhard, 9, of Eudora died from injuries suffered in the crash. She was passenger on a motorcycle driven by her grandfather 54-year-old Barry Larson who was also injured.

Larson was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with Brooklyn as a passenger. As the motorcycle approached the overpass, the transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection and struck the motorcycle.

Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;

EMS transported Larson and his granddaughter to an area hospital.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.

Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.

According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.

The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652731134056.png" alt="Image Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend hit and run accident reported Monday they have located a vehicle in the Kansas City area they suspect to be the transit van involved in the crash, according to a media release from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.Investigators are working to identify the driver of the vehicle and asking anyone who might have information to contact law enforcement. The vehicle would have been eastbound on Kansas 10 highway just after 5p.m. on Saturday.Brooklyn Brouhard, 9, of Eudora died from injuries suffered in the crash. She was passenger on a motorcycle driven by her grandfather 54-year-old Barry Larson who was also injured.Larson was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with Brooklyn as a passenger. As the motorcycle approached the overpass, the transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection and struck the motorcycle.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;EMS transported Larson and his granddaughter to an area hospital.-------------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal hit and run accident and asking the public for help to locate a van and driver that fled the scene.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">EAST 1900 Road Fatality Accident After further investigation, Sheriff&#39;s Office detectives now believe the vehicle that left the scene yesterday was a Ford Transit Connect XL Model 2013-2019, more likely a 2018-19. Anyone with info is asked to call the DGSO, 785-843-0250. <a href="https://t.co/NazzZWkS2O">pic.twitter.com/NazzZWkS2O</a>&mdash; Douglas Co. Sheriff (@DGSOSheriff) <a href="https://twitter.com/DGSOSheriff/status/1525963802629505037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just after 5p.m. Saturday, police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the 1300 Block of East 1900 Road on the ramp over Kansas 10 Highway between Lawrence and Eudora, according to the Douglas County Sheriff.According to a preliminary investigation, a 54-year-old man was driving a motorcycle northbound on East 1900 Road with a 9-year-old girl as passenger. As the approached the overpass, an unknown possibly a 2013-19 white Ford Transit van moved forward from the stop sign and the top of the eastbound off ramp from K-10 and into the intersection.The van struck the motorcycle which overturned. EMS transported the man and the girl to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. He had serious but non life threatening injuries. The girl, who was wearing a helmet suffered critical injuries and died Sunday morning, according the sheriff's department.Witnesses reported that after the collision, the driver of the white van proceeded down the ramp leaving its black front bumper cover behind and returned to eastbound K-10.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked to contact the Douglas Co. Sheriff.

Sheriff still working to ID driver in crash that killed 9-year-old Kan. girl

TANEY COUNTY—A Missouri man died in an accident just before 4p.m. Wednesday in Taney County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. a 2022 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Matthew R. Culp, 48, Kimberling City, was westbound on MO 76 five miles north of Branson.

The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The motorcycle traveled off the left side of the road and overturned. EMS transported Culp to Cox Hospital South where he was pronounced dead.&nbsp; He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

TANEY COUNTY—A Missouri man died in an accident just before 4p.m. Wednesday in Taney County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported. a 2022 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Matthew R. Culp, 48, Kimberling City, was westbound on MO 76 five miles north of Branson.The driver failed to negotiate a curve. The motorcycle traveled off the left side of the road and overturned. EMS transported Culp to Cox Hospital South where he was pronounced dead.&nbsp; He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies after motorcycle crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after an arrest.

On Tuesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 3600 Block of SW 9th Street in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia

As a result, officers arrested Jamie Cook, 33, of Topeka on requested charges that include&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652881131069.png" alt="Cook-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cook-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after an arrest.On Tuesday, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 3600 Block of SW 9th Street in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernaliaAs a result, officers arrested Jamie Cook, 33, of Topeka on requested charges that include&nbsp;Aggravated endangering a child; reckless situation, Possession of methamphetamine with the intent of distribution, Possession of marijuana and Possession of drug paraphernalia with the intent of distribution.

Police: Mother was selling meth near kids in her Kan. home

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Police say a former University of Kansas soccer goalie has been killed and her husband has been charged with first-degree murder in her death. Police say officers found 25-year-old Regan Noelle Gibbs Marek fatally wounded Monday night at her apartment in Lawrence. 

Police say her husband, 26-year-old Chad Joseph Marek, was arrested at the scene. Investigators believe Gibbs death was likely the result of domestic violence, but police have not said how she was killed.

Gibbs was a goalkeeper for the Jayhawks’ soccer program from 2015 to 2018. The Kansas City Star reports that Marek appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday. His bond is set at $1 million.

Friends of the family <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/regan-noelle-gibbs-and-family-memorial-fund?qid=9b67de1a21d85765ce555670556381f5">established a fundraiser </a>to assist them following the murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652810277064.png" alt="Marek-photo Douglas County" />
 <figcaption>Marek-photo Douglas County</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Police say a former University of Kansas soccer goalie has been killed and her husband has been charged with first-degree murder in her death. Police say officers found 25-year-old Regan Noelle Gibbs Marek fatally wounded Monday night at her apartment in Lawrence. Police say her husband, 26-year-old Chad Joseph Marek, was arrested at the scene. Investigators believe Gibbs death was likely the result of domestic violence, but police have not said how she was killed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652907922881.png" alt="Gibbs photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Gibbs photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Gibbs was a goalkeeper for the Jayhawks’ soccer program from 2015 to 2018. The Kansas City Star reports that Marek appeared in Douglas County District Court on Tuesday. His bond is set at $1 million.Friends of the family <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/regan-noelle-gibbs-and-family-memorial-fund?qid=9b67de1a21d85765ce555670556381f5">established a fundraiser </a>to assist them following the murder.

Husband held on $1M bond for murder of former KU soccer goalie 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant.

The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”

Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.

The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation's largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues. The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.

After getting the FDA’s OK, Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores. The company didn’t set a timeline to restart manufacturing.

By ZEKE MILLER, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday invoked the Defense Production Act to speed production of infant formula and authorized flights to import supply from overseas, as he faces mounting political pressure over a domestic shortage caused by the safety-related closure of the country's largest formula manufacturing plant.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m taking two new steps to increase baby formula supply: - Invoking the Defense Production Act to increase domestic production - Launching Operation Fly Formula to use federal planes to fly formula in from abroad We&#39;re making sure safe formula gets to all who need it. <a href="https://t.co/lnkxsaCY6T">pic.twitter.com/lnkxsaCY6T</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1527047326476410880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Defense Production Act order requires suppliers of formula manufacturers to fulfill those orders before other customers. Biden is also authorizing the Defense Department to use commercial aircraft to fly overseas formula supplies that meet federal standards to the U.S., in what the White House is calling “Operation Fly Formula.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just now, President Biden announced two additional actions – invoking the Defense Production Act and launching Operation Fly Formula – to speed up the import of infant formula and get more formula to stores as soon as possible. <a href="https://t.co/4Ss9H2T7BO">pic.twitter.com/4Ss9H2T7BO</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1527047301537079301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Supplies of baby formula across the country have been severely curtailed in recent weeks after a February recall by Abbott Nutrition exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on store shelves and increasingly anxious parents struggling to find nutrition for their children.The announcement comes two days after the Food and Drug Administration said it was streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S. Regulators also said Monday that they’d reached a deal to allow Abbott Nutrition to restart its Sturgis, Michigan, plant, the nation's largest formula plant, which has been closed since February due to contamination issues. The company must overhaul its safety protocols and procedures before resuming production.After getting the FDA’s OK, Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores. The company didn’t set a timeline to restart manufacturing.

🎥Biden invokes Defense Production Act for baby formula shortage

&nbsp;TOPEKA —Kansas Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Republican redistricting law that improves the GOP's chances of flipping the state's only congressional seat held by a Democrat. 

&nbsp;Democrats argued that the map was drawn to help Republicans unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District in the Kansas City area, while Republicans called it a fair map.

In a statement from her office Davids said,&nbsp;“From rushed hearings to backroom deals for votes, the redistricting process did not instill a sense of transparency or confidence in the people of Kansas. I hope that although many feel their voice was not heard, they do not feel as though their voice does not matter.

I look forward to introducing myself to the new voters in the Third District, continuing my work to find common ground and tackle the everyday issues facing our community, and showing all Kansans that to me, their voice matters."

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt who is also running for governor,&nbsp; praised the court for quick action on the case. "I am grateful for the expeditious manner in which the court announced the outcome of the cases, and this year’s candidate filings and election preparations can now proceed.”

 “The decisions confirm that the legislative and congressional reapportionments of Kansas enacted by the Legislature this year are constitutionally sound. We have successfully defended every Kansan’s right to equal protection of the law in exercising their right to vote, as well as the public’s right to establish new districts through their elected representatives. 

"It is regrettable that Kansas taxpayers have had to bear the unnecessary cost of successfully defending the duly enacted congressional reapportionment against multiple lawsuits backed by out-of-state activists."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1602270876929.png" alt="U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;TOPEKA —Kansas Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Republican redistricting law that improves the GOP's chances of flipping the state's only congressional seat held by a Democrat. <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">RELEASE: House Democratic Leader Tom Sawyer on Kansas Supreme Court Redistricting Decisions <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/G0a2zyRuiR">pic.twitter.com/G0a2zyRuiR</a>&mdash; Kansas House Democrats (@KSHouseDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/KSHouseDems/status/1526957614000644098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 18, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Democrats argued that the map was drawn to help Republicans unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District in the Kansas City area, while Republicans called it a fair map.In a statement from her office Davids said,&nbsp;“From rushed hearings to backroom deals for votes, the redistricting process did not instill a sense of transparency or confidence in the people of Kansas. I hope that although many feel their voice was not heard, they do not feel as though their voice does not matter.I look forward to introducing myself to the new voters in the Third District, continuing my work to find common ground and tackle the everyday issues facing our community, and showing all Kansans that to me, their voice matters."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652719984286.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt argued the case before the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp; -photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt argued the case before the Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp; -photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt who is also running for governor,&nbsp; praised the court for quick action on the case. "I am grateful for the expeditious manner in which the court announced the outcome of the cases, and this year’s candidate filings and election preparations can now proceed.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure> “The decisions confirm that the legislative and congressional reapportionments of Kansas enacted by the Legislature this year are constitutionally sound. We have successfully defended every Kansan’s right to equal protection of the law in exercising their right to vote, as well as the public’s right to establish new districts through their elected representatives. "It is regrettable that Kansas taxpayers have had to bear the unnecessary cost of successfully defending the duly enacted congressional reapportionment against multiple lawsuits backed by out-of-state activists."

Leaders respond to Kan. court decision to uphold congressional map

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating the fatal gunfight in a store parking lot in Lawrence have identified the men who died as 22-year-old Zachary Michael Sutton and 53-year-old Monty Ray Amick, both of Lawrence, according to police department spokesperson&nbsp;Kim L. Murphree.

Investigators believe the initial interaction between the occupants of two vehicles occurred near 23rd and Harper. The vehicles then travelled west on 23rd street where a confrontation occurred near 23rd and Iowa Street. 

After the confrontation, the vehicles continued west on Clinton Parkway where the incident culminated in the shooting at the Hy-Vee parking lot, 3504 Clinton Parkway. 

&nbsp;Sutton was reportedly a passenger in a 2006 White Ford F-150 Pickup truck and Amick was the driver and sole occupant of a 2007 Blue Nissan XTerra SUV, according to Murphree.

 Police are asking anyone who observed the altercation at 23rd and Iowa Street or the shooting at the HyVee parking lot to call Lawrence Police Department Investigations at (785)830-7430.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating fatal shooting in a store parking lot in Lawrence.

Just after 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway in Lawrence, according to Police&nbsp;Lt. David Ernst.

 One man was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported a second man to an area hospital with critical injuries and he was later pronounced deceased.

Investigators were speaking with 4 individuals who were present at the scene.&nbsp; Police released no additional details including names of the victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652870936372.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting - photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting - photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating the fatal gunfight in a store parking lot in Lawrence have identified the men who died as 22-year-old Zachary Michael Sutton and 53-year-old Monty Ray Amick, both of Lawrence, according to police department spokesperson&nbsp;Kim L. Murphree.Investigators believe the initial interaction between the occupants of two vehicles occurred near 23rd and Harper. The vehicles then travelled west on 23rd street where a confrontation occurred near 23rd and Iowa Street. After the confrontation, the vehicles continued west on Clinton Parkway where the incident culminated in the shooting at the Hy-Vee parking lot, 3504 Clinton Parkway. &nbsp;Sutton was reportedly a passenger in a 2006 White Ford F-150 Pickup truck and Amick was the driver and sole occupant of a 2007 Blue Nissan XTerra SUV, according to Murphree. Police are asking anyone who observed the altercation at 23rd and Iowa Street or the shooting at the HyVee parking lot to call Lawrence Police Department Investigations at (785)830-7430.---------DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating fatal shooting in a store parking lot in Lawrence.Just after 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Hy-Vee, 3504 Clinton Parkway in Lawrence, according to Police&nbsp;Lt. David Ernst. One man was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported a second man to an area hospital with critical injuries and he was later pronounced deceased.Investigators were speaking with 4 individuals who were present at the scene.&nbsp; Police released no additional details including names of the victims.

Road rage led to fatal Kan. grocery store parking lot gunfight

Board member invokes Bible verse to seek ouster of ‘Hate U Give’

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/17/shawnee-heights-school-board-votes-against-banning-five-challenged-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Shawnee Heights 
school board voted to accept recommendations of a district review 
committee and continue making available to students five books targeted 
for removal by community members.

The books about racism, gender and personal relationships were 
brought into question because individuals outside the district, 
including a Republican state senator from Topeka, thought the content 
was inappropriate for students in the public school. Some of the books 
were on Shawnee Heights’ library shelves, while others were part of the 
district’s classroom curriculum.

Three of the five books challenged in Shawnee Heights were among the 
top 10 censored school books in the United States in 2021, according to 
the American Library Association’s office of intellectual freedom.

Shawnee Heights board member Christina Flaming took exception to “The
 Hate U Give,” the 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas inspired by 
the Black Lives Matter movement. The narrator is Starr Carter, a 
16-year-old Black girl from a poor neighborhood who attended a 
predominantly white private school. The story involved Carter’s reaction
 to shooting of her childhood friend by a white police officer.

During the school board meeting Tuesday night, Flaming questioned 
legitimacy of the book’s depiction of a white officer shooting a Black 
boy. She said statistics proved there was more Black-on-Black violence 
than white-on-Black violence in the United States.

She also registered opposition to the book because the central 
character’s father failed as a role model. She said he didn’t possess 
family leadership skills necessary to move his wife and children to a 
more affluent neighborhood.

“I’m a biblical person. There’s a verse that talks about the dog 
returns to its vomit,” Flaming said. “To me, the overall theme was that 
dad could not leave the negative culture that he had in that 
neighborhood to get his family off to a better culture.”

The school board voted 6-1 to retain “Hate U Give” on the high school
 library’s shelf and to keep it as a reading option in a ninth-grade 
class.

Board member Jason Schulz defended retention of the book despite his 
personal challenge with the subject matter and a writing style that he 
viewed as harsh.

“It’s meant to make you think,” he said. “It’s meant to challenge what you think you know.”

In other action, the school board accepted the review committee’s 
recommendation to continue use in the district of “Not My Idea: A Book 
About Whiteness.” The novel by Anastasia Higginbotham is about white 
supremacy in the United States.

The board unanimously agreed to keep on school shelves “Beyond the 
Gender Binary” written by Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender-nonconforming artist
 who defined gender as a malleable form of expression.

Board members likewise retained for student consumption “All Boys 
Aren’t Blue” by journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George Johnson. This 
young-adult memoir weaved together disappointments and triumphs faced by
 Black queer boys.

Rocky Busenitz, the school board’s president, said he was convinced 
the district ought to place “All Boys Aren’t Blue” beyond reach of 
Shawnee Heights students. He lost the vote 5-2.

Busenitz said the initial 200 pages of Johnson’s book was 
well-written, but subsequent sections undermined the book by 
inappropriately addressing explicit touching, oral sex and pornography 
He was particularly disturbed by an example of sexting.

“That’s not an activity or behavior we want to model or encourage,” Busenitz said. “We have an issue with that already.”

The school board voted 4-3 to continue making available the 
autobiography “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” It’s a 2019 book by Maia Kobabe.
 The district’s review committee split three ways, with two members 
voting to retain it, two urging it be restricted to students in 11th 
grade or higher and two members proposing it be removed.

Only four students in the district have checked out Kobabe’s book since it was acquired by the district in November 2019.

In April, Kansas state Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Topeka, insisted the 
Shawnee Heights superintendent unilaterally block access to “Gender 
Queer.” Kloos, who operates a Topeka thrift store and church known as 
God’s Storehouse, said he prayed the district would promptly withdraw 
the book chronicling a journey of self-identity, adolescent crushes, 
coming out to family and bonding with friends over erotic fiction.

Flaming, a board member opposed to retention of “Gender Queer,” said 
exploration of intercourse, sodomy, masturbation and other behaviors 
could be a violation of state law given Shawnee Heights’ community 
standards of what defined as patently offensive. Busenitz, the school 
board’s president, agreed with her, because he considered graphic 
illustrations in the book were obscene.

“It just seems to me this pushes even our Kansas state law. With that in mind, I will say remove the book,” Flaming said.

School board member Lauren Tice Miller, a graduate of Shawnee Heights
 High School, said she was convinced the book had educational merit and 
would offer valuable information to students interested in the subject. 
She said it would be wrong to restrict access to students in 11th or 
12th grades.

In the book, she said, the characters went to a library to seek 
answers to their questions. The Shawnee Heights library ought to be such
 a reservoir of insight, she said.

“I found it to be a very emotional read. This young woman went 
through a lot in trying to find herself,” Tice Miller said. “All I could
 think about was, I’m sure there’s at least one student who is having 
this struggle. If this becomes the first one that we move to the side 
and restrict to 11th and 12th graders only, where does it stop?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652892406788.png" alt="The Shawnee Heights school board voted against requests to block student access to “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and three other books subject to formal challenges on Tuesday. (Clay Wirestone/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>The Shawnee Heights school board voted against requests to block student access to “The Hate U Give” by Angie Thomas, “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe and three other books subject to formal challenges on Tuesday. (Clay Wirestone/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Board member invokes Bible verse to seek ouster of ‘Hate U Give’</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/17/shawnee-heights-school-board-votes-against-banning-five-challenged-books/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Shawnee Heights 
school board voted to accept recommendations of a district review 
committee and continue making available to students five books targeted 
for removal by community members.The books about racism, gender and personal relationships were 
brought into question because individuals outside the district, 
including a Republican state senator from Topeka, thought the content 
was inappropriate for students in the public school. Some of the books 
were on Shawnee Heights’ library shelves, while others were part of the 
district’s classroom curriculum.Three of the five books challenged in Shawnee Heights were among the 
top 10 censored school books in the United States in 2021, according to 
the American Library Association’s office of intellectual freedom.Shawnee Heights board member Christina Flaming took exception to “The
 Hate U Give,” the 2017 young adult novel by Angie Thomas inspired by 
the Black Lives Matter movement. The narrator is Starr Carter, a 
16-year-old Black girl from a poor neighborhood who attended a 
predominantly white private school. The story involved Carter’s reaction
 to shooting of her childhood friend by a white police officer.During the school board meeting Tuesday night, Flaming questioned 
legitimacy of the book’s depiction of a white officer shooting a Black 
boy. She said statistics proved there was more Black-on-Black violence 
than white-on-Black violence in the United States.She also registered opposition to the book because the central 
character’s father failed as a role model. She said he didn’t possess 
family leadership skills necessary to move his wife and children to a 
more affluent neighborhood.“I’m a biblical person. There’s a verse that talks about the dog 
returns to its vomit,” Flaming said. “To me, the overall theme was that 
dad could not leave the negative culture that he had in that 
neighborhood to get his family off to a better culture.”The school board voted 6-1 to retain “Hate U Give” on the high school
 library’s shelf and to keep it as a reading option in a ninth-grade 
class.Board member Jason Schulz defended retention of the book despite his 
personal challenge with the subject matter and a writing style that he 
viewed as harsh.“It’s meant to make you think,” he said. “It’s meant to challenge what you think you know.”In other action, the school board accepted the review committee’s 
recommendation to continue use in the district of “Not My Idea: A Book 
About Whiteness.” The novel by Anastasia Higginbotham is about white 
supremacy in the United States.The board unanimously agreed to keep on school shelves “Beyond the 
Gender Binary” written by Alok Vaid-Menon, a gender-nonconforming artist
 who defined gender as a malleable form of expression.Board members likewise retained for student consumption “All Boys 
Aren’t Blue” by journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George Johnson. This 
young-adult memoir weaved together disappointments and triumphs faced by
 Black queer boys.Rocky Busenitz, the school board’s president, said he was convinced 
the district ought to place “All Boys Aren’t Blue” beyond reach of 
Shawnee Heights students. He lost the vote 5-2.Busenitz said the initial 200 pages of Johnson’s book was 
well-written, but subsequent sections undermined the book by 
inappropriately addressing explicit touching, oral sex and pornography 
He was particularly disturbed by an example of sexting.“That’s not an activity or behavior we want to model or encourage,” Busenitz said. “We have an issue with that already.”The school board voted 4-3 to continue making available the 
autobiography “Gender Queer: A Memoir.” It’s a 2019 book by Maia Kobabe.
 The district’s review committee split three ways, with two members 
voting to retain it, two urging it be restricted to students in 11th 
grade or higher and two members proposing it be removed.Only four students in the district have checked out Kobabe’s book since it was acquired by the district in November 2019.In April, Kansas state Sen. Rick Kloos, R-Topeka, insisted the 
Shawnee Heights superintendent unilaterally block access to “Gender 
Queer.” Kloos, who operates a Topeka thrift store and church known as 
God’s Storehouse, said he prayed the district would promptly withdraw 
the book chronicling a journey of self-identity, adolescent crushes, 
coming out to family and bonding with friends over erotic fiction.Flaming, a board member opposed to retention of “Gender Queer,” said 
exploration of intercourse, sodomy, masturbation and other behaviors 
could be a violation of state law given Shawnee Heights’ community 
standards of what defined as patently offensive. Busenitz, the school 
board’s president, agreed with her, because he considered graphic 
illustrations in the book were obscene.“It just seems to me this pushes even our Kansas state law. With that in mind, I will say remove the book,” Flaming said.School board member Lauren Tice Miller, a graduate of Shawnee Heights
 High School, said she was convinced the book had educational merit and 
would offer valuable information to students interested in the subject. 
She said it would be wrong to restrict access to students in 11th or 
12th grades.In the book, she said, the characters went to a library to seek 
answers to their questions. The Shawnee Heights library ought to be such
 a reservoir of insight, she said.“I found it to be a very emotional read. This young woman went 
through a lot in trying to find herself,” Tice Miller said. “All I could
 think about was, I’m sure there’s at least one student who is having 
this struggle. If this becomes the first one that we move to the side 
and restrict to 11th and 12th graders only, where does it stop?”

Kan. school board votes against banning five challenged books

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/18/consulting-company-sets-26-month-timeline-for-kansas-unemployment-insurance-modernization/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The company brought in 
to direct modernization of the beleaguered Kansas unemployment insurance
 system is plotting an ambitious course with a timeline of 26 months.

Tata Consultancy Services, an 
information technology consulting company, was brought on to address a 
mainframe relied upon by the Department of Labor since the 1980s. A 
flood of unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent
 fraudulent claims pushed the system to the limit, prompting legislators
 to seek immediate updates.

Jai Siani, the unemployment 
insurance program executive for TCS, laid out the timeline, a one-phase 
approach, to the Unemployment Compensation, Modernization and 
Improvement Council on Tuesday.

Some members of the panel were skeptical.

“I started doing this when you 
still had to mail and fax stuff and faxing was rare, so I’ve seen all 
these systems come up and I’ve yet to see one that comes up in 26 
months,” said Jeff Oswald, a member of the council. “Have you met that 
goal yet?”

“We have not done any of the 
previous implementations in 26 months, but based on what we have learned
 from those implementations and the specific understanding that we had 
for Kansas, we are confident 26 months is what it will take for us,” 
Siani responded.

The IT consultant and services 
company contracted has worked with several other states — Maine, 
Massachusetts, Mississippi, Mississippi, New York and Wyoming — to 
modernize systems.&nbsp;

John Griffin, director of Americas
 business development for TCS, noted Wyoming had a turnaround time of 31
 months. Griffin told the council its input would be key in representing
 not only what the state is looking for but what the people of Kansas 
may want.

“Big projects fail because of a 
lack of visibility and a lack of governance,” Griffin said. “This 
council is part of that governance process, so that there’s a regular 
routine, reporting on schedule on risks and on issues.”

TCS’s parent company and 
headquarters are in Mumbai, which raised questions from legislators like
 Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, about who would be working on the project. 
Griffin assured legislators the intent was to keep work on the project 
within the country.

Other legislators had questions about the specifics of the forthcoming system.

“I think one of the highest 
priorities is that this platform has job search capabilities and resumes
 and tracking individuals as far as job search requirements,” Tarwater 
said.

Tarwater’s desire falls in line with a recent legislative effort to push Kansans back into the workforce. The veto override of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2448/">House Bill 2448</a>
 will require people ages 18 to 49 without a disability to enroll in a 
job training program to qualify for federal food assistance.

“In (Mississippi, Maine, Missouri,
 and Wyoming) we do interface with the workforce system,” Griffin said. 
“We usually interface with the job search to be able to, so we can bring
 some of that data together to view it. But it’s not natively part of 
our system currently.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652892524623.png" alt="Jai Saini, left, and John Griffin of Tata Consultancy Services told members of the state panel overseeing unemployment modernization they expect the one-phase approach to modernization will take 26 months in Kansas. (Screen capture of Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)" />
 <figcaption>Jai Saini, left, and John Griffin of Tata Consultancy Services told members of the state panel overseeing unemployment modernization they expect the one-phase approach to modernization will take 26 months in Kansas. (Screen capture of Kansas Legislature YouTube channel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/18/consulting-company-sets-26-month-timeline-for-kansas-unemployment-insurance-modernization/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The company brought in 
to direct modernization of the beleaguered Kansas unemployment insurance
 system is plotting an ambitious course with a timeline of 26 months.Tata Consultancy Services, an 
information technology consulting company, was brought on to address a 
mainframe relied upon by the Department of Labor since the 1980s. A 
flood of unemployment claims during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent
 fraudulent claims pushed the system to the limit, prompting legislators
 to seek immediate updates.Jai Siani, the unemployment 
insurance program executive for TCS, laid out the timeline, a one-phase 
approach, to the Unemployment Compensation, Modernization and 
Improvement Council on Tuesday.Some members of the panel were skeptical.“I started doing this when you 
still had to mail and fax stuff and faxing was rare, so I’ve seen all 
these systems come up and I’ve yet to see one that comes up in 26 
months,” said Jeff Oswald, a member of the council. “Have you met that 
goal yet?”“We have not done any of the 
previous implementations in 26 months, but based on what we have learned
 from those implementations and the specific understanding that we had 
for Kansas, we are confident 26 months is what it will take for us,” 
Siani responded.The IT consultant and services 
company contracted has worked with several other states — Maine, 
Massachusetts, Mississippi, Mississippi, New York and Wyoming — to 
modernize systems.&nbsp;John Griffin, director of Americas
 business development for TCS, noted Wyoming had a turnaround time of 31
 months. Griffin told the council its input would be key in representing
 not only what the state is looking for but what the people of Kansas 
may want.“Big projects fail because of a 
lack of visibility and a lack of governance,” Griffin said. “This 
council is part of that governance process, so that there’s a regular 
routine, reporting on schedule on risks and on issues.”TCS’s parent company and 
headquarters are in Mumbai, which raised questions from legislators like
 Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, about who would be working on the project. 
Griffin assured legislators the intent was to keep work on the project 
within the country.Other legislators had questions about the specifics of the forthcoming system.“I think one of the highest 
priorities is that this platform has job search capabilities and resumes
 and tracking individuals as far as job search requirements,” Tarwater 
said.Tarwater’s desire falls in line with a recent legislative effort to push Kansans back into the workforce. The veto override of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2448/">House Bill 2448</a>
 will require people ages 18 to 49 without a disability to enroll in a 
job training program to qualify for federal food assistance.“In (Mississippi, Maine, Missouri,
 and Wyoming) we do interface with the workforce system,” Griffin said. 
“We usually interface with the job search to be able to, so we can bring
 some of that data together to view it. But it’s not natively part of 
our system currently.”

Consultant sets timeline for Kan. unemployment insurance upgrade

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats unveiled a $28 million emergency spending bill Tuesday to address the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">shortage of infant formula</a>&nbsp;in the United States.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said the money would increase Food and Drug Administration staffing to boost inspections of domestic and international suppliers, prevent fraudulent products from getting onto store shelves and acquire better data on the marketplace.

(Click below to watch the press conference)

The shortage stems from a February recall by Abbott Nutrition that exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on stores shelves across much of the country. DeLauro has also been critical of the FDA for a failure to address “with any sense of urgency” the safety concerns at Abbott’s plant in Michigan that prompted the shortage.

The legislation gives Democrats a chance to show they are trying to address a frightening scenario for young families across the country scrambling to ensure they have an adequate supply of food for their babies. Some Republicans have placed responsibility for the shortage squarely on President Joe Biden’s administration while Democrats Tuesday blamed “corporate greed and consolidation.”

“Mothers across the country are looking to us for help and we will not force them to face this crisis on their own,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. “We’re on their side. We’ll see who is on their side when we vote on this legislation.”

Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market. Federal regulators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">reached a deal</a>&nbsp;this week to allow the company to restart the Michigan plant, but Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores.

The House Appropriations Committee will hear from FDA Commissioner Robert Califf on Thursday to discuss the agency’s budget. Lawmakers are expected to focus much of the discussion on the formula shortage. A panel is also expected to have a second hearing featuring experts who will discuss the recall of infant formula produced at the Abbott facility and the FDA’s handling of the recall.

The House is expected to take up the emergency spending measure later this week before lawmakers head back to their congressional districts for the next two weeks. It’s unclear where Republicans stand on the bill. Rep. Kay Granger, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, said they need more details.

“We want to do something,” Granger said. “We want to put more meat on the bone, more specifics on what needs to be done.”

“Too little too late,” added Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. “They should have seen this coming months ago.”

The bill would also need approval in an evenly divided Senate, where it will need support from at least 10 Republicans before it could be signed into law. GOP senators panned the effort but didn’t dismiss it outright.

“Obviously it’s a big problem. We need to help families solve it,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of GOP leadership.

Blunt said the administration should have months ago considered eliminating tariffs on baby formula made in Europe that meets U.S. standards.

“Whether it’s $28 million or $228 million, it won’t make any difference tomorrow. It probably won’t make any difference a week from tomorrow,” Blunt said.

DeLauro said much of the money would go to inspections of facilities making baby formula.

“FDA does not have the adequate inspection force to be able to do that, and to do it in a timely way,” she said.

She said speed was of the essence, and then lawmakers would focus on accountability for the shortage.

“And I’m talking about accountability at the FDA as well, because they dragged their feet for several months before there was a recall,” DeLauro said.

Democrats introduced a second bill Tuesday that the House is also expected to vote on this week. That bill, sponsored by Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., would in extenuating circumstances give participants in an assistance program commonly known as WIC the ability to use vouchers to purchase formula from any producer rather than be limited to one brand that may be unavailable.

Meanwhile, the FDA is looking to boost imports by streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S.

Swiss conglomerate Nestlé said Tuesday it had already increased production and moved up planned shipments to the U.S. to alleviate the shortages. Nestlé is also rushing the shipments via air.

Nestlé said it prioritized the shipment of two products that it was already importing — Gerber Good Start Extensive HA from the Netherlands and Alfamino from Switzerland — because they serve a critical need. The products are made for babies who are allergic to cow’s milk.

Nestlé said it is reviewing the new guidance from the FDA, which temporarily relaxes import restrictions on baby formula, and it might start importing more varieties.

“We are reviewing the guidance and assessing where we may be able to tap into the Nestlé global nutrition network to help,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652882702059.png" alt="Rep. Rosa DeLauro during Tuesday's news conference" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Rosa DeLauro during Tuesday's news conference</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats unveiled a $28 million emergency spending bill Tuesday to address the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/baby-formula-shortage-what-to-know-735cef06e68ed9c5a46233bdfcf0573d">shortage of infant formula</a>&nbsp;in the United States.Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said the money would increase Food and Drug Administration staffing to boost inspections of domestic and international suppliers, prevent fraudulent products from getting onto store shelves and acquire better data on the marketplace.(Click below to watch the press conference)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l6S4JjLl3mE?start=1213" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The shortage stems from a February recall by Abbott Nutrition that exacerbated ongoing supply chain disruptions among formula makers, leaving fewer options on stores shelves across much of the country. DeLauro has also been critical of the FDA for a failure to address “with any sense of urgency” the safety concerns at Abbott’s plant in Michigan that prompted the shortage.The legislation gives Democrats a chance to show they are trying to address a frightening scenario for young families across the country scrambling to ensure they have an adequate supply of food for their babies. Some Republicans have placed responsibility for the shortage squarely on President Joe Biden’s administration while Democrats Tuesday blamed “corporate greed and consolidation.”“Mothers across the country are looking to us for help and we will not force them to face this crisis on their own,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md. “We’re on their side. We’ll see who is on their side when we vote on this legislation.”Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market. Federal regulators&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-health-government-and-politics-53857b4ba1006a8bf85caad251517f4c">reached a deal</a>&nbsp;this week to allow the company to restart the Michigan plant, but Abbott said it will take eight to ten weeks before new products begin arriving in stores.The House Appropriations Committee will hear from FDA Commissioner Robert Califf on Thursday to discuss the agency’s budget. Lawmakers are expected to focus much of the discussion on the formula shortage. A panel is also expected to have a second hearing featuring experts who will discuss the recall of infant formula produced at the Abbott facility and the FDA’s handling of the recall.The House is expected to take up the emergency spending measure later this week before lawmakers head back to their congressional districts for the next two weeks. It’s unclear where Republicans stand on the bill. Rep. Kay Granger, the ranking Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, said they need more details.“We want to do something,” Granger said. “We want to put more meat on the bone, more specifics on what needs to be done.”“Too little too late,” added Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. “They should have seen this coming months ago.”The bill would also need approval in an evenly divided Senate, where it will need support from at least 10 Republicans before it could be signed into law. GOP senators panned the effort but didn’t dismiss it outright.“Obviously it’s a big problem. We need to help families solve it,” said Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., a member of GOP leadership.Blunt said the administration should have months ago considered eliminating tariffs on baby formula made in Europe that meets U.S. standards.“Whether it’s $28 million or $228 million, it won’t make any difference tomorrow. It probably won’t make any difference a week from tomorrow,” Blunt said.DeLauro said much of the money would go to inspections of facilities making baby formula.“FDA does not have the adequate inspection force to be able to do that, and to do it in a timely way,” she said.She said speed was of the essence, and then lawmakers would focus on accountability for the shortage.“And I’m talking about accountability at the FDA as well, because they dragged their feet for several months before there was a recall,” DeLauro said.Democrats introduced a second bill Tuesday that the House is also expected to vote on this week. That bill, sponsored by Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., would in extenuating circumstances give participants in an assistance program commonly known as WIC the ability to use vouchers to purchase formula from any producer rather than be limited to one brand that may be unavailable.Meanwhile, the FDA is looking to boost imports by streamlining its review process to make it easier for foreign manufacturers to begin shipping more formula into the U.S.Swiss conglomerate Nestlé said Tuesday it had already increased production and moved up planned shipments to the U.S. to alleviate the shortages. Nestlé is also rushing the shipments via air.Nestlé said it prioritized the shipment of two products that it was already importing — Gerber Good Start Extensive HA from the Netherlands and Alfamino from Switzerland — because they serve a critical need. The products are made for babies who are allergic to cow’s milk.Nestlé said it is reviewing the new guidance from the FDA, which temporarily relaxes import restrictions on baby formula, and it might start importing more varieties.“We are reviewing the guidance and assessing where we may be able to tap into the Nestlé global nutrition network to help,” a company spokesperson said in a statement.

🎥Congress divided on $28M to address baby formula shortage

By RUDI KELLER <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/18/attorney-general-eric-schmitt-preparing-new-round-of-school-mask-lawsuits/">Missouri Independent</a>

Attorney General Eric Schmitt is preparing for a <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/02/few-mask-lawsuits-remain-as-missouri-ag-asks-legislature-to-clarify-law-behind-legal-blitz/">new round of lawsuits</a> challenging school mask rules if districts reinstate orders in the face of an uptick in COVID-19 cases.

During a hearing Tuesday in Boone 
County Circuit Court, assistant attorney general James Atkins said the 
new cases would involve districts that have policies triggered by the 
number of students who are ill or by the prevalence of cases in their 
communities.

Schmitt’s office is <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/07/missouri-attorney-general-tells-schools-health-departments-to-end-covid-orders/">again sending letters</a>
 to districts seeking justification for the policies and warning them 
that local agencies have no authority to issue public health orders.&nbsp;

“Every time a mask goes on a kid, the
 attorney general is going to look at filing another lawsuit,” Atkins 
told Circuit Judge Josh Devine, who was hearing arguments over the 
ongoing case <a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchDockets.do?inputVO.caseNumber=22BA-CV00219&amp;inputVO.courtId=CT13">against Columbia Public Schools</a>.

Classes will end in a few weeks in 
most districts across the state. In January, classwork resumed after the
 Christmas break as daily COVID-19 cases were peaking at 12,000 cases 
per day. That month, Schmitt filed 47 cases <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/01/21/military-medical-team-heads-to-st-louis-to-support-covid-care-at-christian-hospital/">accusing districts of overstepping their authority</a> with mask mandates.

Cases fell to their lowest levels 
since June 2020 in the second week of April, and most of the lawsuits 
have been dismissed as the district mask mandates were removed. Many 
cases have been dismissed at Schmitt’s request and critics have accused 
him of filing them to generate headlines in the competitive <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/22/missouri-gop-senate-hopefuls-trade-jabs-as-candidate-filing-opens/">Republican U.S. Senate primary</a>.&nbsp;

The lawsuits cost Schmitt a 
House-approved increase of $500,000 for his office’s budget, stripped 
out in the Senate Appropriations Committee, by Sen. Lincoln Hough, 
R-Springfield, who complained Schmitt had sued “most of the citizens of 
this state.”

Some schools are re-imposing mask 
mandates because COVID-19 cases have increased to about four times the 
level of mid-April. In the most recent data, reported last week by the 
state Department of Health and Senior Services, cases were <a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/data/public-health/">averaging about 800 per day</a>.

The Columbia district <a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2022/02/10/columbia-public-schools-mask-mandate-lifted-covid-coronavirus/6736819001/">dropped its mask requirement</a>
 Feb. 10 and is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit. Schmitt opposes 
dismissal because the district policy, Atkins said, would allow the mask
 rule to be reinstated without a new vote from the Columbia Board of 
Education.

Devine heard arguments for more than 
2½ hours Tuesday. He gave the attorneys two weeks to file post-hearing 
briefs and said he would likely take as much as 15 additional days to 
reach a decision.

The case is scheduled for a trial in October but that date could be pushed back, Devine said.&nbsp;

The Columbia schools attorneys, 
Natalie Hoernschemeyer and Grant Wiens, argued two separate reasons for 
seeking dismissal — that the case is moot because the district is not 
currently requiring masks and that the case should be dismissed because 
Schmitt is misapplying the law.

“If there is no live controversy, the court has no authority,” Hoernschemeyer said.&nbsp;

Devine questioned Hoernschemeyer 
about whether masks could be required in the future and if the 
requirement was dropped to avoid a court reckoning.&nbsp;

All of the decisions about whether 
the district students must wear masks have been based on the advice of 
health authorities and the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, 
Hoernschemeyer replied.

“To say there will be masking in the future is purely speculative,” Hoernschemeyer said.

Of the 47 lawsuits, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/02/few-mask-lawsuits-remain-as-missouri-ag-asks-legislature-to-clarify-law-behind-legal-blitz/">all but three have been dismissed</a>.
 Along with the Columbia case, the other active cases are against Lee’s 
Summit School District, which has filed a counterclaim asking a judge to
 declare the attorney general overstepped the limits of his authority, 
and University City Public Schools, which requires masks in classrooms.

A case against St. Charles Public Schools was dismissed May 5 by Circuit Judge Daniel Pelikan, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/07/judge-dismisses-missouri-ags-mask-lawsuit-against-st-charles-school-district/">who ruled it was moot</a> because the district was not requiring masks.

Columbia Public Schools was the first to be <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/08/24/missouri-attorney-general-seeks-court-order-blocking-school-mask-mandates/">sued by Schmitt in August</a> over its mask rules. In September a Boone County Circuit Court judge declined to allow Schmitt to use the <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/09/28/judge-rules-against-ag-challenge-to-masks-in-missouri-schools-columbia-case-continues/">case as a class action lawsuit</a>
 against all districts with mask requirements, and it was later 
dismissed by Schmitt when the district allowed its mask mandate to 
expire.

If Schmitt was serious about testing 
whether the law allows districts to require masks, he could have 
continued the original case against Columbia schools, Hoernschemeyer 
said.&nbsp;

“If they truly wanted this case litigated, they have had a year,” she said.

Devine asked Atkins why it wouldn’t 
be better to wait for a decision in the University City case, where the 
mask issue “is more of a live controversy.”

A decision in St. Louis County would 
not be binding on Columbia schools, Atkins replied. He also argued that 
districts were dropping masks to get cases dismissed.

“Every time we get into the courthouse these mask mandates drop and the case is mooted and dismissed,” he said.

The other argument for dismissing the
 case — that Schmitt lacks the authority for his lawsuits — hinges on 
whether school mask mandates are public health orders as defined in 
state law and whether the law governing health orders includes school 
districts in the definition of political subdivisions.

Schmitt asked lawmakers to change state law this year to <a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/amendpdf/3225H05.13H.pdf">ensure rules limiting health orders pertained to school districts</a>, but it failed in the legislative session that concluded last week.&nbsp;The legislation was noted in Tuesday’s court hearings but not discussed extensively.

The orders have no impact outside school buildings and are an “internal safety protocol,” Wiens said.

Michael Talent, an assistant attorney
 general who argued on the issue of health orders, said the orders 
clearly address health issues. They also exceed the powers granted to 
districts to prevent sick children from attending school, he said.

Masks do not work to prevent the 
spread of disease and wearing them causes “psychological harm to 
students,” Talent argued Tuesday.

COVID-19 for most children is no worse than seasonal flu, Talent told Devine.&nbsp;

“For most people, except for the old and very frail,” he said, “it is not really a disease to be scared of.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652892746445.png" alt="Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, shown in April 2021 speaking Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers, is considering a new round of lawsuits over school mask mandates. (photo courtesy of the Attorney General's office)" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt, shown in April 2021 speaking Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers, is considering a new round of lawsuits over school mask mandates. (photo courtesy of the Attorney General's office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/18/attorney-general-eric-schmitt-preparing-new-round-of-school-mask-lawsuits/">Missouri Independent</a>Attorney General Eric Schmitt is preparing for a <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/02/few-mask-lawsuits-remain-as-missouri-ag-asks-legislature-to-clarify-law-behind-legal-blitz/">new round of lawsuits</a> challenging school mask rules if districts reinstate orders in the face of an uptick in COVID-19 cases.During a hearing Tuesday in Boone 
County Circuit Court, assistant attorney general James Atkins said the 
new cases would involve districts that have policies triggered by the 
number of students who are ill or by the prevalence of cases in their 
communities.Schmitt’s office is <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/12/07/missouri-attorney-general-tells-schools-health-departments-to-end-covid-orders/">again sending letters</a>
 to districts seeking justification for the policies and warning them 
that local agencies have no authority to issue public health orders.&nbsp;“Every time a mask goes on a kid, the
 attorney general is going to look at filing another lawsuit,” Atkins 
told Circuit Judge Josh Devine, who was hearing arguments over the 
ongoing case <a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/cases/searchDockets.do?inputVO.caseNumber=22BA-CV00219&amp;inputVO.courtId=CT13">against Columbia Public Schools</a>.Classes will end in a few weeks in 
most districts across the state. In January, classwork resumed after the
 Christmas break as daily COVID-19 cases were peaking at 12,000 cases 
per day. That month, Schmitt filed 47 cases <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/01/21/military-medical-team-heads-to-st-louis-to-support-covid-care-at-christian-hospital/">accusing districts of overstepping their authority</a> with mask mandates.Cases fell to their lowest levels 
since June 2020 in the second week of April, and most of the lawsuits 
have been dismissed as the district mask mandates were removed. Many 
cases have been dismissed at Schmitt’s request and critics have accused 
him of filing them to generate headlines in the competitive <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/02/22/missouri-gop-senate-hopefuls-trade-jabs-as-candidate-filing-opens/">Republican U.S. Senate primary</a>.&nbsp;The lawsuits cost Schmitt a 
House-approved increase of $500,000 for his office’s budget, stripped 
out in the Senate Appropriations Committee, by Sen. Lincoln Hough, 
R-Springfield, who complained Schmitt had sued “most of the citizens of 
this state.”Some schools are re-imposing mask 
mandates because COVID-19 cases have increased to about four times the 
level of mid-April. In the most recent data, reported last week by the 
state Department of Health and Senior Services, cases were <a target="_blank" href="https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/data/public-health/">averaging about 800 per day</a>.The Columbia district <a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2022/02/10/columbia-public-schools-mask-mandate-lifted-covid-coronavirus/6736819001/">dropped its mask requirement</a>
 Feb. 10 and is seeking to dismiss the lawsuit. Schmitt opposes 
dismissal because the district policy, Atkins said, would allow the mask
 rule to be reinstated without a new vote from the Columbia Board of 
Education.Devine heard arguments for more than 
2½ hours Tuesday. He gave the attorneys two weeks to file post-hearing 
briefs and said he would likely take as much as 15 additional days to 
reach a decision.The case is scheduled for a trial in October but that date could be pushed back, Devine said.&nbsp;The Columbia schools attorneys, 
Natalie Hoernschemeyer and Grant Wiens, argued two separate reasons for 
seeking dismissal — that the case is moot because the district is not 
currently requiring masks and that the case should be dismissed because 
Schmitt is misapplying the law.“If there is no live controversy, the court has no authority,” Hoernschemeyer said.&nbsp;Devine questioned Hoernschemeyer 
about whether masks could be required in the future and if the 
requirement was dropped to avoid a court reckoning.&nbsp;All of the decisions about whether 
the district students must wear masks have been based on the advice of 
health authorities and the prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, 
Hoernschemeyer replied.“To say there will be masking in the future is purely speculative,” Hoernschemeyer said.Of the 47 lawsuits, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/02/few-mask-lawsuits-remain-as-missouri-ag-asks-legislature-to-clarify-law-behind-legal-blitz/">all but three have been dismissed</a>.
 Along with the Columbia case, the other active cases are against Lee’s 
Summit School District, which has filed a counterclaim asking a judge to
 declare the attorney general overstepped the limits of his authority, 
and University City Public Schools, which requires masks in classrooms.A case against St. Charles Public Schools was dismissed May 5 by Circuit Judge Daniel Pelikan, <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/07/judge-dismisses-missouri-ags-mask-lawsuit-against-st-charles-school-district/">who ruled it was moot</a> because the district was not requiring masks.Columbia Public Schools was the first to be <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/08/24/missouri-attorney-general-seeks-court-order-blocking-school-mask-mandates/">sued by Schmitt in August</a> over its mask rules. In September a Boone County Circuit Court judge declined to allow Schmitt to use the <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2021/09/28/judge-rules-against-ag-challenge-to-masks-in-missouri-schools-columbia-case-continues/">case as a class action lawsuit</a>
 against all districts with mask requirements, and it was later 
dismissed by Schmitt when the district allowed its mask mandate to 
expire.If Schmitt was serious about testing 
whether the law allows districts to require masks, he could have 
continued the original case against Columbia schools, Hoernschemeyer 
said.&nbsp;“If they truly wanted this case litigated, they have had a year,” she said.Devine asked Atkins why it wouldn’t 
be better to wait for a decision in the University City case, where the 
mask issue “is more of a live controversy.”A decision in St. Louis County would 
not be binding on Columbia schools, Atkins replied. He also argued that 
districts were dropping masks to get cases dismissed.“Every time we get into the courthouse these mask mandates drop and the case is mooted and dismissed,” he said.The other argument for dismissing the
 case — that Schmitt lacks the authority for his lawsuits — hinges on 
whether school mask mandates are public health orders as defined in 
state law and whether the law governing health orders includes school 
districts in the definition of political subdivisions.Schmitt asked lawmakers to change state law this year to <a target="_blank" href="https://house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills221/amendpdf/3225H05.13H.pdf">ensure rules limiting health orders pertained to school districts</a>, but it failed in the legislative session that concluded last week.&nbsp;The legislation was noted in Tuesday’s court hearings but not discussed extensively.The orders have no impact outside school buildings and are an “internal safety protocol,” Wiens said.Michael Talent, an assistant attorney
 general who argued on the issue of health orders, said the orders 
clearly address health issues. They also exceed the powers granted to 
districts to prevent sick children from attending school, he said.Masks do not work to prevent the 
spread of disease and wearing them causes “psychological harm to 
students,” Talent argued Tuesday.COVID-19 for most children is no worse than seasonal flu, Talent told Devine.&nbsp;“For most people, except for the old and very frail,” he said, “it is not really a disease to be scared of.”

Missouri AG preparing new round of school mask lawsuits

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ highest court on Wednesday upheld a Republican redistricting law that makes it harder for the only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation to win reelection in a big victory for the GOP.

The state Supreme Court declined to declare that overly partisan gerrymandering violates the Kansas Constitution. The ruling sets district boundaries less than a month before the state’s June 10 filing deadline for congressional candidates.

Lawsuits over new congressional district lines&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-biden-us-supreme-court-legislature-redistricting-2dc22ffc8559f43401c9f116b4e7f8ad">have proliferated</a>&nbsp;across the U.S., with Republicans looking to recapture a U.S. House majority in this year’s midterm elections. Congressional maps in at least 17 states have inspired lawsuits, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice.

In the past, congressional district lines have been reviewed by federal judges and not the state Supreme Court. The conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wi-state-wire-nc-state-wire-donald-trump-ap-top-news-courts-54daa625511445969fee66696f7979c2">ruled in a 5-4 decision in 2019</a>&nbsp;that complaints about partisan gerrymandering are political issues and not for the federal courts to resolve.

The state’s Republican-appointed solicitor general argued in defending the GOP-drawn map that because the state constitution doesn’t specifically mention gerrymandering or congressional redistricting, the Kansas Supreme Court should reject the legal challenges. He and other state officials said that the justices had no guidance on how to define improper political gerrymandering.

“It’s elected legislators who are best positioned to determine how to balance out the competing interests,” Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican, told reporters after the state Supreme Court heard arguments Monday.

Democrats argued that the map was drawn to help Republicans unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District, in the Kansas City area, and that it diluted the political clout of Black and Latino voters. Twenty voters and a voting rights group, Loud Light, filed three lawsuits that were consolidated into one, and a lower court sided with them.

“It’s about equal treatment,” Stephen McAllister, one of the attorneys representing the voters, argued before the state’s highest court. “You’re looking for targeting of groups that were in a position where they had a meaningful opportunity to participate, and that is being taken away.”

State courts have issued decisions favoring Democrats in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kathy-hochul-legislature-primary-f2178f502490fa94d20800f76420bc21">New York’s highest court&nbsp;</a>recently declared that that state’s new districts were gerrymandered to favor Democrats.

The Kansas lawsuits argued that&nbsp;<a href="https://kslib.info/826/Kansas-Bill-of-Rights" target="_blank">the state’s bill of rights</a>&nbsp;prohibits partisan gerrymandering by declaring that “free governments” are formed for the people’s “equal protection and benefits” and that the state’s residents have “equal and inalienable natural rights” including, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The state Supreme Court also cited that latter provision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">in 2019</a>&nbsp;in declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right in Kansas.

Republican legislative leaders argued that based on 2020 election results, Davids still could win her new district. They said their map was a fair way to rebalance the population in each of the state’s congressional districts to make them as equal as possible after 10 years of demographic shifts.

The map moves the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, out of the 3rd District represented by Davids and into the larger 2nd District of eastern Kansas represented by Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner. Kansas City, Kansas, is among the few Democratic strongholds in the GOP-leaning state. Davids lost territory where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-kansas-kansas-city-lawrence-topeka-7e616acdf227d7ce8356a821fda8ea76">she performs well,</a>&nbsp;while the new map added several rural, heavily Republican counties to her district.

The map also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-donald-trump-85844d07388c25e71440059be29b7a6e">moved the liberal northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence</a>&nbsp;— a Democratic stronghold that is home to the main University of Kansas campus and is only about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Kansas City — out of the 2nd District. Instead, the city of 95,000 has been added to the already sprawling 1st District, which is dominated by small conservative communities in central and western Kansas.

The lower court’s ruling relied heavily on the testimony of a University of Michigan political scientist who used a computer algorithm to produce 1,000 alternative redistricting plans to conclude that the new districts “are extreme pro-Republican partisan outliers.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652720087757.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Justice Dan Biles asks Attorney General Derek Schmidt a question during arguments on Monday morning. Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Justice Dan Biles asks Attorney General Derek Schmidt a question during arguments on Monday morning. Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ highest court on Wednesday upheld a Republican redistricting law that makes it harder for the only Democrat in the state’s congressional delegation to win reelection in a big victory for the GOP.The state Supreme Court declined to declare that overly partisan gerrymandering violates the Kansas Constitution. The ruling sets district boundaries less than a month before the state’s June 10 filing deadline for congressional candidates.Lawsuits over new congressional district lines&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-biden-us-supreme-court-legislature-redistricting-2dc22ffc8559f43401c9f116b4e7f8ad">have proliferated</a>&nbsp;across the U.S., with Republicans looking to recapture a U.S. House majority in this year’s midterm elections. Congressional maps in at least 17 states have inspired lawsuits, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652719984286.png" alt="Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt argues before the Kansas Supreme Court on Monday that the state House and Senate redistricting maps should be affirmed. -photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt argues before the Kansas Supreme Court on Monday that the state House and Senate redistricting maps should be affirmed. -photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>In the past, congressional district lines have been reviewed by federal judges and not the state Supreme Court. The conservative-leaning U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wi-state-wire-nc-state-wire-donald-trump-ap-top-news-courts-54daa625511445969fee66696f7979c2">ruled in a 5-4 decision in 2019</a>&nbsp;that complaints about partisan gerrymandering are political issues and not for the federal courts to resolve.The state’s Republican-appointed solicitor general argued in defending the GOP-drawn map that because the state constitution doesn’t specifically mention gerrymandering or congressional redistricting, the Kansas Supreme Court should reject the legal challenges. He and other state officials said that the justices had no guidance on how to define improper political gerrymandering.“It’s elected legislators who are best positioned to determine how to balance out the competing interests,” Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican, told reporters after the state Supreme Court heard arguments Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643147273216.png" alt="The map moves the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, out of the 3rd District represented by Sharice Davids and into the larger 2nd District of eastern Kansas represented by Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner." />
 <figcaption>The map moves the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, out of the 3rd District represented by Sharice Davids and into the larger 2nd District of eastern Kansas represented by Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner.</figcaption>
 </figure>Democrats argued that the map was drawn to help Republicans unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids in the 3rd District, in the Kansas City area, and that it diluted the political clout of Black and Latino voters. Twenty voters and a voting rights group, Loud Light, filed three lawsuits that were consolidated into one, and a lower court sided with them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652888917975.png" alt="&nbsp;“It’s about equal treatment,” Stephen McAllister, one of the attorneys representing the voters, argued before the state’s highest court.- photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;“It’s about equal treatment,” Stephen McAllister, one of the attorneys representing the voters, argued before the state’s highest court.- photo by Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“It’s about equal treatment,” Stephen McAllister, one of the attorneys representing the voters, argued before the state’s highest court. “You’re looking for targeting of groups that were in a position where they had a meaningful opportunity to participate, and that is being taken away.”State courts have issued decisions favoring Democrats in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kathy-hochul-legislature-primary-f2178f502490fa94d20800f76420bc21">New York’s highest court&nbsp;</a>recently declared that that state’s new districts were gerrymandered to favor Democrats.The Kansas lawsuits argued that&nbsp;<a href="https://kslib.info/826/Kansas-Bill-of-Rights" target="_blank">the state’s bill of rights</a>&nbsp;prohibits partisan gerrymandering by declaring that “free governments” are formed for the people’s “equal protection and benefits” and that the state’s residents have “equal and inalienable natural rights” including, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The state Supreme Court also cited that latter provision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">in 2019</a>&nbsp;in declaring access to abortion a “fundamental” right in Kansas.Republican legislative leaders argued that based on 2020 election results, Davids still could win her new district. They said their map was a fair way to rebalance the population in each of the state’s congressional districts to make them as equal as possible after 10 years of demographic shifts.The map moves the northern part of Kansas City, Kansas, out of the 3rd District represented by Davids and into the larger 2nd District of eastern Kansas represented by Republican Rep. Jake LaTurner. Kansas City, Kansas, is among the few Democratic strongholds in the GOP-leaning state. Davids lost territory where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-kansas-kansas-city-lawrence-topeka-7e616acdf227d7ce8356a821fda8ea76">she performs well,</a>&nbsp;while the new map added several rural, heavily Republican counties to her district.The map also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-election-2020-kansas-city-kansas-donald-trump-85844d07388c25e71440059be29b7a6e">moved the liberal northeastern Kansas city of Lawrence</a>&nbsp;— a Democratic stronghold that is home to the main University of Kansas campus and is only about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Kansas City — out of the 2nd District. Instead, the city of 95,000 has been added to the already sprawling 1st District, which is dominated by small conservative communities in central and western Kansas.The lower court’s ruling relied heavily on the testimony of a University of Michigan political scientist who used a computer algorithm to produce 1,000 alternative redistricting plans to conclude that the new districts “are extreme pro-Republican partisan outliers.”

Kan. Supreme Court approves controversial congressional map

GOODLAND, Kan. (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed a series of weak tornadoes across rural parts of northwestern Kansas and a county in southwestern Nebraska along the Kansas line. 

The tornadoes hit Tuesday afternoon as a line of storms moved across the Plains. National Weather Service meteorologist Ed Holicky out of Goodland, Kansas, says spotters and video confirmed separate tornadoes in Decatur, Norton and Gove counties in Kansas and an one in Red Willow County in Nebraska. 

Holicky says there were no reports of injuries or damage from the tornadoes. The system brought gusty winds, heavy rain and some hail, leading to downed tree limbs some roof damage across the region.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652885436586.png" alt="National Weather Service Goodland" />
 <figcaption>National Weather Service Goodland</figcaption>
 </figure>GOODLAND, Kan. (AP) — The National Weather Service has confirmed a series of weak tornadoes across rural parts of northwestern Kansas and a county in southwestern Nebraska along the Kansas line. The tornadoes hit Tuesday afternoon as a line of storms moved across the Plains. National Weather Service meteorologist Ed Holicky out of Goodland, Kansas, says spotters and video confirmed separate tornadoes in Decatur, Norton and Gove counties in Kansas and an one in Red Willow County in Nebraska. Holicky says there were no reports of injuries or damage from the tornadoes. The system brought gusty winds, heavy rain and some hail, leading to downed tree limbs some roof damage across the region.

Weather service confirms weak tornadoes in Kansas, Nebraska

Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and five Kansas Sheriffs will travel to the Southern Border on Thursday for briefings, tours, and meetings with border patrol officials, within DHS and the state of Texas, according to a statement from the Senator's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652819279525.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Washington, D.C.– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and five Kansas Sheriffs will travel to the Southern Border on Thursday for briefings, tours, and meetings with border patrol officials, within DHS and the state of Texas, according to a statement from the Senator's office. The trip comes amid the pending expiration of Title 42 and the growing fentanyl crisis that is wreaking havoc in Kansas and across the nation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617909066947.png" alt="Migrants attempting to cross the U.S., Mexico border-photo Senator Marshall's office." />
 <figcaption>Migrants attempting to cross the U.S., Mexico border-photo Senator Marshall's office.</figcaption>
 </figure>In the past 14 months, more than&nbsp;<a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenMarshall&amp;crop=15814.13059524.5588806.7259168&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https*3a*2f*2fwww.cbp.gov*2fnewsroom*2fstats*2fdrug-seizure-statistics&amp;redir_log=968300232547417__;JSUlJSUl!!Ivohdkk!mJlC32iyj395PvzieNtmc0mhYKGWXyJlTL9HWHoTBsGvhZ1dGdRYXkGvioObEGet1oInRX_nLnlxHhGmLPZcupvIpk7k-g$">12,000lbs of fentanyl-related substances</a>&nbsp;were seized from criminals at the southern border – much more made it over the border undetected. Additionally, overdose deaths from&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/02/as-opioid-overdoses-spike-in-kansas-senators-block-fentanyl-test-strip-provision/">fentanyl-related substances topped</a>&nbsp;all other drug-related overdose deaths in Kansas in 2021. Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden, Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill, Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan, Franklin County Sheriff Jeff Richards, and Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse will travel with Senator Marshall.“It is simply unacceptable – in fact, it’s a dereliction of duty – that Joe Biden continues to maintain his open borders policies that have in turn enabled criminals to bring fentanyl into our state and poison Kansans at record rates. I look forward to traveling down to the southern border with these heroic sheriffs so we can continue to bring awareness and solutions to the crisis that has turned Kansas into a border state,”&nbsp;said Senator Marshall. “The crisis at our southern border is our biggest, most immediate national security threat. With fentanyl pouring across the border, this has turned into a public health crisis as well. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug our country has ever seen and is effecting Kansans at record rates. With just one teaspoon of fentanyl having the ability to kill thousands of people and a deadly amount being able to fit on the tip of a pencil, we must do everything in our power to stop this terrible scourge.”