&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/dylan-lysen">Dylan Lysen</a>, <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/kansasnewsservice">Kansas News Service</a>

Shelly Lamb argues in a federal lawsuit that coworkers and inmates at the Kansas Department of Corrections harassed her and the department violated her civil rights and committed sex discrimination because she is a transgender woman.

A transgender woman is suing the Kansas Department of Corrections in federal court for creating a hostile work environment when she transitioned.

Shelly Lamb, a former counselor and supervisor for the agency’s prison facility in Hutchinson, argues her civil rights were violated because the state agency refused to acknowledge her transition, use her new name or stop employees and inmates from misusing her pronouns and catcalling her.

She also argues the agency retaliated against her when she pushed for her civil rights by moving her office to a basement closet and then another office with no air conditioning before she eventually resigned in 2022.

Madeline Johnson of Missouri Kansas Queer Law, who is representing Lamb, said the agency’s actions are a violation of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits workplace discrimination based on sex.

“It's a pretty clear-cut case of discrimination and retaliation,” Johnson said, “because Shelly came out in her place of employment.”

Lamb is seeking an unspecified amount of financial compensation for lost pay and benefits.

The Kansas Department of Corrections has not yet filed a response to the complaint. Officials also declined to comment. Spokesperson David Thompson said in an email that the department does not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court. That means the case bypasses the state law known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-05-25/kansas-anti-transgender-law-bathroom-bill" target="_blank">“Women’s Bill of Rights,”</a>&nbsp;which legally defines a man and woman by their sex assigned at birth. Opponents also argued the law would bar transgender women from using women’s bathrooms, but the ACLU of Kansas and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach now say there is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-06-26/kobach-says-trans-kansans-ids-will-be-changed-back-to-their-sex-assigned-at-birth" target="_blank">no enforcement mechanism</a>.

Johnson said the state law, enacted last year, would also not apply to Lamb because the alleged discrimination occurred before then.

According to the filed complaint, Lamb said she notified the Kansas Department of Corrections in October 2021 that she planned to transition and begin presenting herself as a woman. But the agency’s human resources department allegedly told her it would not acknowledge her transition and prohibited her from wearing a hairpiece, makeup, nail polish or women’s clothing. Lamb was also told not to use the women’s bathroom, according to the complaint.

Lamb alleges the department would not require other employees to use her new name or female pronouns when referring to her, resulting in other employees and inmates harassing her. And the agency would not acknowledge her name in its database for months despite Lamb obtaining a new driver’s license showing the change, according to the complaint.

Lamb also alleges the human resources department implied that her position required her to be a man, despite other female employees working in the same position.

After Lamb’s transition, the agency allegedly changed Lamb's job duties, took away her counseling caseload and moved the office she shared with other employees to a basement office that was originally a supply closet. Lamb’s office was later changed again to an unused portion of the facility that did not have air conditioning, according to her complaint.

Lamb contends in the lawsuit that her employers were trying to force her to resign. She eventually resigned from the position in August 2022.

After speaking to an attorney, Lamb notified the human resources department that she had a right to present as a woman and that she would continue to do so at work. She also said she would sue if she was continued to be required to “hide her gender identity and remain ‘closeted.’”

Johnson said the actions from Kansas Department of Corrections employees result in sex discrimination and retaliation. She points to the U.S. Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/15/863498848/supreme-court-delivers-major-victory-to-lgbtq-employees" target="_blank">landmark decision</a>&nbsp;in 2020 — known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/17-1618_hfci.pdf" target="_blank">Bostock v. Clayton County</a>&nbsp;— that ruled federal civil rights law prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was appointed by Republican President Donald Trump, wrote in the ruling that the law extends to people who are transgender.

"An employer who fired an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex," Gorsuch wrote for the court. “Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what (the civil rights law) forbids.”

While Kansas’ “Women’s Bill of Rights” does not apply to the federal case, it does highlight the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-06-26/kobach-says-trans-kansans-ids-will-be-changed-back-to-their-sex-assigned-at-birth" target="_blank">conservative view toward transgender individuals</a>. The law was one of two the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature passed in 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-05/kansas-lawmakers-override-democratic-governors-veto-enacting-ban-on-transgender-athletes" target="_blank">restricting transgender rights</a>.

Johnson said those laws are likely unconstitutional.

“This is an important case and a very important time,” Johnson said. “We’re very confident in our pleadings and believe Shelly has a very strong case.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707055717302.png" alt="The Kansas Department of Corrections allegedly discriminated against Shelly Lamb, a former counselor and supervisor, for transitioning.&nbsp; photo Dylan Lysen, Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>The Kansas Department of Corrections allegedly discriminated against Shelly Lamb, a former counselor and supervisor, for transitioning.&nbsp; photo Dylan Lysen, Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/dylan-lysen">Dylan Lysen</a>, <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/kansasnewsservice">Kansas News Service</a><h2>Shelly Lamb argues in a federal lawsuit that coworkers and inmates at the Kansas Department of Corrections harassed her and the department violated her civil rights and committed sex discrimination because she is a transgender woman.</h2>A transgender woman is suing the Kansas Department of Corrections in federal court for creating a hostile work environment when she transitioned.Shelly Lamb, a former counselor and supervisor for the agency’s prison facility in Hutchinson, argues her civil rights were violated because the state agency refused to acknowledge her transition, use her new name or stop employees and inmates from misusing her pronouns and catcalling her.She also argues the agency retaliated against her when she pushed for her civil rights by moving her office to a basement closet and then another office with no air conditioning before she eventually resigned in 2022.Madeline Johnson of Missouri Kansas Queer Law, who is representing Lamb, said the agency’s actions are a violation of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits workplace discrimination based on sex.“It's a pretty clear-cut case of discrimination and retaliation,” Johnson said, “because Shelly came out in her place of employment.”Lamb is seeking an unspecified amount of financial compensation for lost pay and benefits.The Kansas Department of Corrections has not yet filed a response to the complaint. Officials also declined to comment. Spokesperson David Thompson said in an email that the department does not comment on pending litigation.The lawsuit was filed in federal court. That means the case bypasses the state law known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-05-25/kansas-anti-transgender-law-bathroom-bill" target="_blank">“Women’s Bill of Rights,”</a>&nbsp;which legally defines a man and woman by their sex assigned at birth. Opponents also argued the law would bar transgender women from using women’s bathrooms, but the ACLU of Kansas and Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach now say there is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-06-26/kobach-says-trans-kansans-ids-will-be-changed-back-to-their-sex-assigned-at-birth" target="_blank">no enforcement mechanism</a>.Johnson said the state law, enacted last year, would also not apply to Lamb because the alleged discrimination occurred before then.According to the filed complaint, Lamb said she notified the Kansas Department of Corrections in October 2021 that she planned to transition and begin presenting herself as a woman. But the agency’s human resources department allegedly told her it would not acknowledge her transition and prohibited her from wearing a hairpiece, makeup, nail polish or women’s clothing. Lamb was also told not to use the women’s bathroom, according to the complaint.Lamb alleges the department would not require other employees to use her new name or female pronouns when referring to her, resulting in other employees and inmates harassing her. And the agency would not acknowledge her name in its database for months despite Lamb obtaining a new driver’s license showing the change, according to the complaint.Lamb also alleges the human resources department implied that her position required her to be a man, despite other female employees working in the same position.After Lamb’s transition, the agency allegedly changed Lamb's job duties, took away her counseling caseload and moved the office she shared with other employees to a basement office that was originally a supply closet. Lamb’s office was later changed again to an unused portion of the facility that did not have air conditioning, according to her complaint.Lamb contends in the lawsuit that her employers were trying to force her to resign. She eventually resigned from the position in August 2022.After speaking to an attorney, Lamb notified the human resources department that she had a right to present as a woman and that she would continue to do so at work. She also said she would sue if she was continued to be required to “hide her gender identity and remain ‘closeted.’”Johnson said the actions from Kansas Department of Corrections employees result in sex discrimination and retaliation. She points to the U.S. Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/06/15/863498848/supreme-court-delivers-major-victory-to-lgbtq-employees" target="_blank">landmark decision</a>&nbsp;in 2020 — known as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/17-1618_hfci.pdf" target="_blank">Bostock v. Clayton County</a>&nbsp;— that ruled federal civil rights law prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.Justice Neil Gorsuch, who was appointed by Republican President Donald Trump, wrote in the ruling that the law extends to people who are transgender."An employer who fired an individual for being homosexual or transgender fires that person for traits or actions it would not have questioned in members of a different sex," Gorsuch wrote for the court. “Sex plays a necessary and undisguisable role in the decision, exactly what (the civil rights law) forbids.”While Kansas’ “Women’s Bill of Rights” does not apply to the federal case, it does highlight the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/2023-06-26/kobach-says-trans-kansans-ids-will-be-changed-back-to-their-sex-assigned-at-birth" target="_blank">conservative view toward transgender individuals</a>. The law was one of two the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature passed in 2023&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-04-05/kansas-lawmakers-override-democratic-governors-veto-enacting-ban-on-transgender-athletes" target="_blank">restricting transgender rights</a>.Johnson said those laws are likely unconstitutional.“This is an important case and a very important time,” Johnson said. “We’re very confident in our pleadings and believe Shelly has a very strong case.”

Transgender Kan. state employee says she was harassed at work after her transition

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after items reported found on a playground that could cause serious injury to children.

On Saturday, police reported a citizen found pieces of a broken single edge razor blade and kitchen shears at the park for small children&nbsp; located at Watson Park, 500 North Logan Street in Belle Plaine, according to a social media report from Police Chief Bill Berry.

 The items were said to be in the sand at the end of the slide where a child would end up after coming down the slide. 

The citizens told police the shears had the handles down in the sand with the pointed ends sticking up, which could have impaled a child. 

"Please check the play areas if you take your kiddos to play in any park. Please share with your friends and family." If anyone knows anything about this please share with an officer.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706996377514.png" alt="Photo Belle Plaine Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Belle Plaine Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after items reported found on a playground that could cause serious injury to children.On Saturday, police reported a citizen found pieces of a broken single edge razor blade and kitchen shears at the park for small children&nbsp; located at Watson Park, 500 North Logan Street in Belle Plaine, according to a social media report from Police Chief Bill Berry.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706996346295.png" alt="Photo Belle Plaine Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Belle Plaine Police</figcaption>
 </figure> The items were said to be in the sand at the end of the slide where a child would end up after coming down the slide. The citizens told police the shears had the handles down in the sand with the pointed ends sticking up, which could have impaled a child. "Please check the play areas if you take your kiddos to play in any park. Please share with your friends and family." If anyone knows anything about this please share with an officer.&nbsp;

Kan. playground alert: Shears, razor blade found in sand

More than half of state legislatures across the country started their 2024 legislative sessions in January, and plenty of abortion-related bills have already been introduced, especially in states where the procedure is already banned.

It can be difficult to monitor them all, so States Newsroom’s Reproductive Rights Today team will track certain bills that could become law in their respective states in a bi-weekly legislative roundup. Depending on the partisan makeup of a state’s legislature and other state government officials, some bills have a higher chance of passing and becoming law than others.

Despite Kansas voters’ overwhelming rejection of abortion bans in a referendum shortly after the Dobbs decision in 2022,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/house-gop-lawmakers-introduce-bill-imposing-near-total-ban-abortion-kansas">Kansas Reflector reported</a>&nbsp;a near-total abortion ban bill introduced in the legislature in early January,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/11/house-gop-lawmakers-introduce-bill-imposing-near-total-ban-on-abortion-in-kansas/">House Bill 2492</a>. It’s opposed by both abortion rights supporters and opponents, including Kansans for Life, the main proponent of the “yes” side of the referendum. A spokesperson for that organization said legislators should focus on bills that stand a chance of becoming law.

Aside from the ban bill, two other abortion-related pieces of legislation have been introduced, but haven’t received public hearings yet. Abortion is legal in Kansas, and six clinics provide in-clinic services.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb354/">Senate Bill 354</a>:&nbsp;Designating facilities where elective abortions are performed as ineligible to purchase professional liability insurance from the state’s health care stabilization fund, while maintaining the requirement of liability insurance to remain a licensed facility.

Status:&nbsp;Introduced and referred to committee

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Mark Steffen

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2515/">House Bill 2515</a>:&nbsp;Creating a civil cause of action that can be used against a health care provider who injures a child during an attempted abortion, for a minimum of $10,000 in damages. The bill includes so-called “born alive” language, which has been pushed by anti-abortion groups for many years and decried by organizations like Planned Parenthood,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/fact-check-so-called-born-alive-is-another-lie-to-stigmatize-abortion-2">who say</a>&nbsp;it is a “problem that doesn’t exist” and doctors are already required to provide adequate medical care.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Rep. Brett Fairchild

Abortion is legal in Iowa after a court blocked a six-week abortion ban from going into effect in July 2023, but&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bill-would-require-schools-show-fetal-development-videos-students">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>&nbsp;reports some lawmakers are attempting to include material produced by an anti-abortion group in the public school curriculum statewide.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ba=HF2031">House File 2031</a>:&nbsp;According to the bill, a video showing the development of a fetus would be required to be shown in health classes in Iowa schools. Teachers would be required to show students a video displaying an ultrasound and fetal development, and the bill called out the “Meet Baby Olivia” video as an example. That video is produced by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.liveaction.org/">Live Action</a>, an anti-abortion organization. Reproductive rights groups say the video contains medically inaccurate information. A similar bill became law in North Dakota in 2023, and proposals have been introduced in Missouri, Kentucky and West Virginia, but only Iowa’s bill has advanced past committee so far.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Rep. Luana Stoltenberg

Republicans control both chambers of the general assembly and the offices of governor and attorney general, and Republican legislators have introduced two bills that could have significant implications for the state if they advance. Indiana has a near-total abortion ban with exceptions for rape and incest and fatal fetal anomalies or if the pregnant patient faces a serious health risk.

<a target="_blank" href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/senate/217/details">Senate Bill 217</a>:&nbsp;Prohibits the prescription or possession of an abortion-inducing drug. A practitioner found in violation of the law would be charged with a misdemeanor for the first offense, and a felony for subsequent offenses. Nonprofit organizations would also be prohibited from offering any financial assistance for abortion-inducing drugs.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Michael Young

According to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/most-abortions-illegal-missouri-few-expect-new-bills-will-get-traction-year">Missouri Independent</a>, one abortion-related bill was already withdrawn by its sponsor after backlash because it proposed murder charges for women seeking abortions. But another bill of significance is still pending in the state where a near-total abortion ban is in place.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=270">Senate Bill 1077</a>:&nbsp;Prohibits the state from contracting, awarding grants, tax credits, bonding authority, training resources, access to government programs or other financial benefits to a company or political subdivision that has provided assistance to its employees or another entity on behalf of employees who need an abortion.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Andrew Koenig

Oklahoma’s legislative session doesn’t start until Monday, Feb. 5, but lawmakers have pre-filed bills to be considered as soon as the session gets underway. The state has a near-total abortion ban. Here are a few to keep an eye on.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1778&amp;session=2400">Senate Bill 1778</a>:&nbsp;This bill is nearly identical to a law passed in Idaho in 2023 prohibiting so-called “abortion trafficking,” which is defined as individuals who help a minor obtain an abortion without the permission or consent of their parents. It doesn’t include a civil cause of action, like Idaho’s law, but it does include two to five years in prison as a punishment.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Nathan Dahm

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB3013&amp;session=2400">House Bill 3013</a>:&nbsp;The act of “trafficking” abortion pills would become a felony, punishable by a $100,000 fine, 10 years in prison or both. It does not apply to pharmacists or manufacturers lawfully distributing abortion-inducing medication.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Reps. Denise Crosswhite Hader and Jim Olsen

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1729&amp;session=2400">Senate Bill 1729</a>: This bill would expand the existing abortion ban to allow the pregnant person to be prosecuted and charged with murder.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Dusty Deevers

<a target="_blank" href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1895&amp;GA=113">House Bill 1895</a>:&nbsp;This bill is similar to Idaho’s law, but doesn’t hew as closely to the same text as Oklahoma’s proposal. It also includes the act of obtaining abortion pills for a minor, regardless of where the pills were obtained. It does not pertain to parents or legal guardians, but any other violators are subject to a Class C felony, which is punishable by three to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. It also includes a civil cause of action.

Status:&nbsp;Referred to committee and scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 6

Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Rep. Jason Zachary

<a target="_blank" href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1729&amp;GA=113">House Bill 1729</a>:&nbsp;Specifies that criminal abortion does not include an abortion performed during a medical emergency affecting the physical or mental health of the pregnant person, or performed on a patient whose pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.

Sponsor:&nbsp;Democratic Rep. Yusuf Hakeem

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706986402189.jpeg" alt=" Kevan Myers, left, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Clifton Boje, of Bonner Springs, protest outside the House chamber ahead of the State of the Judiciary speech in January 2023. The Kansas Supreme Court in 2019 determined the Kansas Constitution’s right to bodily autonomy extends to the decision to terminate a pregnancy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kevan Myers, left, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Clifton Boje, of Bonner Springs, protest outside the House chamber ahead of the State of the Judiciary speech in January 2023. The Kansas Supreme Court in 2019 determined the Kansas Constitution’s right to bodily autonomy extends to the decision to terminate a pregnancy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>More than half of state legislatures across the country started their 2024 legislative sessions in January, and plenty of abortion-related bills have already been introduced, especially in states where the procedure is already banned.It can be difficult to monitor them all, so States Newsroom’s Reproductive Rights Today team will track certain bills that could become law in their respective states in a bi-weekly legislative roundup. Depending on the partisan makeup of a state’s legislature and other state government officials, some bills have a higher chance of passing and becoming law than others.<h2>Kansas</h2>Despite Kansas voters’ overwhelming rejection of abortion bans in a referendum shortly after the Dobbs decision in 2022,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/house-gop-lawmakers-introduce-bill-imposing-near-total-ban-abortion-kansas">Kansas Reflector reported</a>&nbsp;a near-total abortion ban bill introduced in the legislature in early January,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/11/house-gop-lawmakers-introduce-bill-imposing-near-total-ban-on-abortion-in-kansas/">House Bill 2492</a>. It’s opposed by both abortion rights supporters and opponents, including Kansans for Life, the main proponent of the “yes” side of the referendum. A spokesperson for that organization said legislators should focus on bills that stand a chance of becoming law.Aside from the ban bill, two other abortion-related pieces of legislation have been introduced, but haven’t received public hearings yet. Abortion is legal in Kansas, and six clinics provide in-clinic services.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb354/">Senate Bill 354</a>:&nbsp;Designating facilities where elective abortions are performed as ineligible to purchase professional liability insurance from the state’s health care stabilization fund, while maintaining the requirement of liability insurance to remain a licensed facility.Status:&nbsp;Introduced and referred to committeeSponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Mark Steffen<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2515/">House Bill 2515</a>:&nbsp;Creating a civil cause of action that can be used against a health care provider who injures a child during an attempted abortion, for a minimum of $10,000 in damages. The bill includes so-called “born alive” language, which has been pushed by anti-abortion groups for many years and decried by organizations like Planned Parenthood,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/fact-check-so-called-born-alive-is-another-lie-to-stigmatize-abortion-2">who say</a>&nbsp;it is a “problem that doesn’t exist” and doctors are already required to provide adequate medical care.Status:&nbsp;Introduced and referred to committeeSponsor:&nbsp;Republican Rep. Brett Fairchild<h2>Iowa</h2>Abortion is legal in Iowa after a court blocked a six-week abortion ban from going into effect in July 2023, but&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bill-would-require-schools-show-fetal-development-videos-students">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>&nbsp;reports some lawmakers are attempting to include material produced by an anti-abortion group in the public school curriculum statewide.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ba=HF2031">House File 2031</a>:&nbsp;According to the bill, a video showing the development of a fetus would be required to be shown in health classes in Iowa schools. Teachers would be required to show students a video displaying an ultrasound and fetal development, and the bill called out the “Meet Baby Olivia” video as an example. That video is produced by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.liveaction.org/">Live Action</a>, an anti-abortion organization. Reproductive rights groups say the video contains medically inaccurate information. A similar bill became law in North Dakota in 2023, and proposals have been introduced in Missouri, Kentucky and West Virginia, but only Iowa’s bill has advanced past committee so far.Status:&nbsp;Passed by subcommittee, 2-1Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Rep. Luana Stoltenberg<h2>Indiana</h2>Republicans control both chambers of the general assembly and the offices of governor and attorney general, and Republican legislators have introduced two bills that could have significant implications for the state if they advance. Indiana has a near-total abortion ban with exceptions for rape and incest and fatal fetal anomalies or if the pregnant patient faces a serious health risk.<a target="_blank" href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2024/bills/senate/217/details">Senate Bill 217</a>:&nbsp;Prohibits the prescription or possession of an abortion-inducing drug. A practitioner found in violation of the law would be charged with a misdemeanor for the first offense, and a felony for subsequent offenses. Nonprofit organizations would also be prohibited from offering any financial assistance for abortion-inducing drugs.Status:&nbsp;Introduced and referred to committeeSponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Michael Young<h2>Missouri</h2>According to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/most-abortions-illegal-missouri-few-expect-new-bills-will-get-traction-year">Missouri Independent</a>, one abortion-related bill was already withdrawn by its sponsor after backlash because it proposed murder charges for women seeking abortions. But another bill of significance is still pending in the state where a near-total abortion ban is in place.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/24info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=R&amp;BillID=270">Senate Bill 1077</a>:&nbsp;Prohibits the state from contracting, awarding grants, tax credits, bonding authority, training resources, access to government programs or other financial benefits to a company or political subdivision that has provided assistance to its employees or another entity on behalf of employees who need an abortion.Status:&nbsp;Introduced and referred to committeeSponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Andrew Koenig<h2>Oklahoma</h2>Oklahoma’s legislative session doesn’t start until Monday, Feb. 5, but lawmakers have pre-filed bills to be considered as soon as the session gets underway. The state has a near-total abortion ban. Here are a few to keep an eye on.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1778&amp;session=2400">Senate Bill 1778</a>:&nbsp;This bill is nearly identical to a law passed in Idaho in 2023 prohibiting so-called “abortion trafficking,” which is defined as individuals who help a minor obtain an abortion without the permission or consent of their parents. It doesn’t include a civil cause of action, like Idaho’s law, but it does include two to five years in prison as a punishment.Status:&nbsp;Pre-filedSponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Nathan Dahm<a target="_blank" href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=HB3013&amp;session=2400">House Bill 3013</a>:&nbsp;The act of “trafficking” abortion pills would become a felony, punishable by a $100,000 fine, 10 years in prison or both. It does not apply to pharmacists or manufacturers lawfully distributing abortion-inducing medication.Status:&nbsp;Pre-filedSponsor:&nbsp;Republican Reps. Denise Crosswhite Hader and Jim Olsen<a target="_blank" href="http://www.oklegislature.gov/BillInfo.aspx?Bill=SB1729&amp;session=2400">Senate Bill 1729</a>: This bill would expand the existing abortion ban to allow the pregnant person to be prosecuted and charged with murder.Status:&nbsp;Pre-filedSponsor:&nbsp;Republican Sen. Dusty Deevers<h2>Tennessee</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1895&amp;GA=113">House Bill 1895</a>:&nbsp;This bill is similar to Idaho’s law, but doesn’t hew as closely to the same text as Oklahoma’s proposal. It also includes the act of obtaining abortion pills for a minor, regardless of where the pills were obtained. It does not pertain to parents or legal guardians, but any other violators are subject to a Class C felony, which is punishable by three to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. It also includes a civil cause of action.Status:&nbsp;Referred to committee and scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 6Sponsor:&nbsp;Republican Rep. Jason Zachary<a target="_blank" href="https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1729&amp;GA=113">House Bill 1729</a>:&nbsp;Specifies that criminal abortion does not include an abortion performed during a medical emergency affecting the physical or mental health of the pregnant person, or performed on a patient whose pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.Status:&nbsp;Introduced and referred to committeeSponsor:&nbsp;Democratic Rep. Yusuf Hakeem

State legislators aim to restrict abortion pills, ‘trafficking’ next in states with bans

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the deadly shooting of another teen in Wichita and have arrested a 14-year-old boy on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder.

Just before 9 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a reported shooting in the vicinity of 11700 E. Waterman in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

 At the same time, a local hospital reported a walk-in shooting victim. Officers arrived at the hospital and located 17-year-old&nbsp; Julio Ruiz, of Wichita. who had sustained gunshot wounds. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

The investigation revealed that the shooting occurred in the 100 block of N. Zelta, and the circumstances of what led up to the shooting are still under investigation.&nbsp;

The diligent efforts of the investigators and officers resulted in the swift arrest of the suspect. This was not a random incident and the involved parties are known to each other.

The facts of this case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707013524240.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the deadly shooting of another teen in Wichita and have arrested a 14-year-old boy on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder.Just before 9 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a reported shooting in the vicinity of 11700 E. Waterman in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. At the same time, a local hospital reported a walk-in shooting victim. Officers arrived at the hospital and located 17-year-old&nbsp; Julio Ruiz, of Wichita. who had sustained gunshot wounds. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries.The investigation revealed that the shooting occurred in the 100 block of N. Zelta, and the circumstances of what led up to the shooting are still under investigation.&nbsp;The diligent efforts of the investigators and officers resulted in the swift arrest of the suspect. This was not a random incident and the involved parties are known to each other.The facts of this case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office.

Police: 14-year-old accused in another killing in Kansas

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating circumstances related to body found in a field.

Just after 11a.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to a report of a dead body found in a ditch at Duncan Road and Sweeney Road, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp; &nbsp;Investigators determined it was a man's body.&nbsp;&nbsp;Independence Police CSI processed the scene.

Authorities released no additional details early Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707007648074.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating circumstances related to body found in a field.Just after 11a.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to a report of a dead body found in a ditch at Duncan Road and Sweeney Road, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp; &nbsp;Investigators determined it was a man's body.&nbsp;&nbsp;Independence Police CSI processed the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707007625748.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Authorities released no additional details early Sunday.

Sheriff: Body found in KC-area field

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3665864/joint-statement-from-australia-bahrain-denmark-canada-the-netherlands-new-zeala/">The United States and Britain</a>&nbsp;struck 36&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi</a>&nbsp;targets in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yemen">Yemen</a>&nbsp;on Saturday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-syria-strikes-hamas-militia-iran-us-62be7c7b500de1d0f1287a9b2c6f82dc">second wave of assaults</a>&nbsp;meant to further disable Iran-backed groups that have relentlessly attacked American and international interests in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>. But Washington once more did not directly target Iran as it tries to find a balance between a forceful response and intensifying the conflict.

U.S. Central Command said its forces conducted an additional strike on Sunday “in self-defense against a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea,” according to a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“U.S. forces identified the cruise missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined it presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels,” the post added.

The strikes on Saturday against the Houthis were launched by U.S. warships and American and British fighter jets. The strikes followed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/attack-military-iran-iraq-houthis-229a735edbb7759ba9ade543013917df">air assault</a>&nbsp;in Iraq and Syria on Friday that targeted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">other Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan last weekend.

The Houthi targets on Saturday were in 13 different locations and were struck by U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, by British Typhoon FGR4 fighter aircraft and by the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and the USS Carney firing Tomahawk missiles from the Red Sea, according to U.S. officials and the U.K. Defense Ministry. The U.S. officials were not authorized to publicly discuss the military operation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. warned its response after the soldiers’ deaths at the Tower 22 base in Jordan last Sunday would not be limited to one night, one target or one group. While there has been no suggestion the Houthis were directly responsible, they have been one of the prime U.S. adversaries since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that more than 26,000 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded in the Israeli military operation since the war began.

The Houthis have been conducting almost daily missile or drone attacks against commercial and military ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and they have made clear that they have no intention of scaling back their campaign despite pressure from the American and British campaign.

Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a Houthi official, said “military operations against Israel will continue until the crimes of genocide in Gaza are stopped and the siege on its residents is lifted, no matter the sacrifices it costs us.” He wrote online that the “American-British aggression against Yemen will not go unanswered, and we will meet escalation with escalation.”

The Biden administration has indicated that this is likely not the last of its strikes. The U.S. has blamed the Jordan attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias. Iran has tried to distance itself from the drone strike, saying the militias act independently of its direction.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the military action, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, “sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will continue to bear further consequences if they do not end their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels.”

He added: “We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways.”

The Defense Department said the strikes targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars and helicopters. The British military said it struck a ground control station west of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, that has been used to control Houthi drones that have launched against vessels in the Red Sea.

President Joe Biden was briefed on the strikes before he left Delaware on Saturday for a West Coast campaign trip, according to an administration official.

The latest strikes marked the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">third time</a>&nbsp;the U.S. and Britain had conducted a large joint operation to strike Houthi weapon launchers, radar sites and drones. The strikes in Yemen are meant to underscore the broader message to Iran that Washington holds Tehran responsible for arming, funding and training the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">array of militias</a>&nbsp;— from Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen — who are behind attacks across the Mideast against U.S. and international interests.

Video shared online by people in Sanaa included the sound of explosions and at least one blast was seen lighting up the night sky. Residents described the blasts as happening around buildings associated with the Yemeni presidential compound. The Houthi-controlled state-run news agency, SABA, reported strikes in al-Bayda, Dhamar, Hajjah, Hodeida, Taiz and Sanaa provinces.

Hours before the latest joint operation, the U.S. took another self-defense strike on a site in Yemen, destroying six anti-ship cruise missiles, as it has repeatedly when it has detected a missile or drone ready to launch. The day before the strikes the U.S. destroyer Laboon and F/A-18s from the Eisenhower shot down seven drones fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea and the destroyer Carney shot down a drone fired in the Gulf of Aden and U.S. forces took out four more drones that were prepared to launch.

The Houthis’ attacks have led shipping companies to reroute their vessels from the Red Sea, sending them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope — a much longer, costlier and less efficient passage. The threats also have led the U.S. and its allies to set up a joint mission where warships from participating nations provide a protective umbrella of air defense for ships as they travel the critical waterway that runs from the Suez Canal down to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

During normal operations, about 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time.

In the wake of the strikes Friday in Iraq and Syria, Hussein al-Mosawi, spokesperson for Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the main Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, said Washington “must understand that every action elicits a reaction.” But in an AP interview in Baghdad, he also struck a more conciliatory tone. "We do not wish to escalate or widen regional tensions,” he said.

Iraqi officials have attempted to rein in the militias, while also condemning U.S. retaliatory strikes as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and calling for an exit of the 2,500 U.S. troops who are in the country as part of an international coalition to fight the Islamic State group. Last month, Iraqi and U.S. military officials launched formal talks to wind down the coalition’s presence, a process that will likely take years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707001115180.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3665864/joint-statement-from-australia-bahrain-denmark-canada-the-netherlands-new-zeala/">The United States and Britain</a>&nbsp;struck 36&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthi</a>&nbsp;targets in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/yemen">Yemen</a>&nbsp;on Saturday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-syria-strikes-hamas-militia-iran-us-62be7c7b500de1d0f1287a9b2c6f82dc">second wave of assaults</a>&nbsp;meant to further disable Iran-backed groups that have relentlessly attacked American and international interests in the wake of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>. But Washington once more did not directly target Iran as it tries to find a balance between a forceful response and intensifying the conflict.U.S. Central Command said its forces conducted an additional strike on Sunday “in self-defense against a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile prepared to launch against ships in the Red Sea,” according to a post on X, formerly Twitter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707001097326.png" alt="photo of the U.S. effort on Saturday -U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>photo of the U.S. effort on Saturday -U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>“U.S. forces identified the cruise missile in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined it presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and merchant vessels in the region. This action will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and merchant vessels,” the post added.The strikes on Saturday against the Houthis were launched by U.S. warships and American and British fighter jets. The strikes followed an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/attack-military-iran-iraq-houthis-229a735edbb7759ba9ade543013917df">air assault</a>&nbsp;in Iraq and Syria on Friday that targeted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">other Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in retaliation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan last weekend.The Houthi targets on Saturday were in 13 different locations and were struck by U.S. F/A-18 fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier, by British Typhoon FGR4 fighter aircraft and by the Navy destroyers USS Gravely and the USS Carney firing Tomahawk missiles from the Red Sea, according to U.S. officials and the U.K. Defense Ministry. The U.S. officials were not authorized to publicly discuss the military operation and spoke on condition of anonymity.The U.S. warned its response after the soldiers’ deaths at the Tower 22 base in Jordan last Sunday would not be limited to one night, one target or one group. While there has been no suggestion the Houthis were directly responsible, they have been one of the prime U.S. adversaries since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;in Hamas-ruled Gaza said that more than 26,000 people have been killed and more than 64,400 wounded in the Israeli military operation since the war began.The Houthis have been conducting almost daily missile or drone attacks against commercial and military ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and they have made clear that they have no intention of scaling back their campaign despite pressure from the American and British campaign.Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a Houthi official, said “military operations against Israel will continue until the crimes of genocide in Gaza are stopped and the siege on its residents is lifted, no matter the sacrifices it costs us.” He wrote online that the “American-British aggression against Yemen will not go unanswered, and we will meet escalation with escalation.”The Biden administration has indicated that this is likely not the last of its strikes. The U.S. has blamed the Jordan attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias. Iran has tried to distance itself from the drone strike, saying the militias act independently of its direction.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the military action, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, “sends a clear message to the Houthis that they will continue to bear further consequences if they do not end their illegal attacks on international shipping and naval vessels.”He added: “We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world’s most critical waterways.”The Defense Department said the strikes targeted sites associated with the Houthis’ deeply buried weapons storage facilities, missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars and helicopters. The British military said it struck a ground control station west of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, that has been used to control Houthi drones that have launched against vessels in the Red Sea.President Joe Biden was briefed on the strikes before he left Delaware on Saturday for a West Coast campaign trip, according to an administration official.The latest strikes marked the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">third time</a>&nbsp;the U.S. and Britain had conducted a large joint operation to strike Houthi weapon launchers, radar sites and drones. The strikes in Yemen are meant to underscore the broader message to Iran that Washington holds Tehran responsible for arming, funding and training the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">array of militias</a>&nbsp;— from Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen — who are behind attacks across the Mideast against U.S. and international interests.Video shared online by people in Sanaa included the sound of explosions and at least one blast was seen lighting up the night sky. Residents described the blasts as happening around buildings associated with the Yemeni presidential compound. The Houthi-controlled state-run news agency, SABA, reported strikes in al-Bayda, Dhamar, Hajjah, Hodeida, Taiz and Sanaa provinces.Hours before the latest joint operation, the U.S. took another self-defense strike on a site in Yemen, destroying six anti-ship cruise missiles, as it has repeatedly when it has detected a missile or drone ready to launch. The day before the strikes the U.S. destroyer Laboon and F/A-18s from the Eisenhower shot down seven drones fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Red Sea and the destroyer Carney shot down a drone fired in the Gulf of Aden and U.S. forces took out four more drones that were prepared to launch.The Houthis’ attacks have led shipping companies to reroute their vessels from the Red Sea, sending them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope — a much longer, costlier and less efficient passage. The threats also have led the U.S. and its allies to set up a joint mission where warships from participating nations provide a protective umbrella of air defense for ships as they travel the critical waterway that runs from the Suez Canal down to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.During normal operations, about 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time.In the wake of the strikes Friday in Iraq and Syria, Hussein al-Mosawi, spokesperson for Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the main Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, said Washington “must understand that every action elicits a reaction.” But in an AP interview in Baghdad, he also struck a more conciliatory tone. "We do not wish to escalate or widen regional tensions,” he said.Iraqi officials have attempted to rein in the militias, while also condemning U.S. retaliatory strikes as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and calling for an exit of the 2,500 U.S. troops who are in the country as part of an international coalition to fight the Islamic State group. Last month, Iraqi and U.S. military officials launched formal talks to wind down the coalition’s presence, a process that will likely take years.___

US continues strikes on Iran-backed militants

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are looking for three suspects seen on a security camera who pulled a truck up to&nbsp;Quincy’s Bar and Grill in the 2000 Block of N. West Street in Wichita at 7a.m. January 9, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

The suspects exited the vehicle, entered the business. They enter and and took the Automated Teller Machine.

 Wichita Police Investigators with the burglary unit are asking for the public’s help with identifying the suspects and locating the&nbsp;light-colored 4-door pickup truck with KS Tag 571 RXB.

Tipsters are asked to submit any information to Crime Stoppers using the QR code or calling 316-267-2111. They are eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,500.00 if their tip leads to an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706989702487.png" alt="Photo from security camera video of the burglary-Crime StoppersICT" />
 <figcaption>Photo from security camera video of the burglary-Crime StoppersICT</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are looking for three suspects seen on a security camera who pulled a truck up to&nbsp;Quincy’s Bar and Grill in the 2000 Block of N. West Street in Wichita at 7a.m. January 9, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.The suspects exited the vehicle, entered the business. They enter and and took the Automated Teller Machine. Wichita Police Investigators with the burglary unit are asking for the public’s help with identifying the suspects and locating the&nbsp;light-colored 4-door pickup truck with KS Tag 571 RXB.Tipsters are asked to submit any information to Crime Stoppers using the QR code or calling 316-267-2111. They are eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,500.00 if their tip leads to an arrest.

Security camera shows Kansas suspects stealing ATM

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to purchase or use South Moon, Rebright or FivFivGo eye drops because of the potential risk of eye infection, according to a statement from the agency.

These are copycat eye drop products that consumers can easily mistake for Bausch + Lomb’s Lumify brand eye drops, an over-the-counter product approved for redness relief.

South Moon, Rebright and FivFivGo eye drops are unapproved drugs and should not be available for sale in the U.S. They claim to treat eye conditions such as glaucoma, which is treated with prescription drugs or surgery.

Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection should talk to their health care provider or seek medical care immediately. FDA recommends consumers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know">properly discard</a>&nbsp;these products.

The agency tested samples of South Moon and Rebright eye drops, purchased online. The South Moon eye drops were contaminated with&nbsp;Burkholderia cepacia&nbsp;complex, a group of bacteria that could result in an antibiotic-resistant infection. While Rebright testing was negative for contamination, FDA recommends consumers not use this product.

FDA testing of the Rebright and South Moon eye drops also found that these copycat products lacked brimonidine tartrate, the active ingredient in Lumify. FDA was unable to obtain FivFivGo samples.

The origin of these products is currently unclear, and FDA continues to investigate. South Moon is labeled as made by Shantou Cross-border Premium Products E-Commerce Co. Ltd. in China.

FDA has not received any adverse event reports that specifically name the South Moon, Rebright or FivFivGo products. However, the agency has received reports related to possibly fake Lumify, including product quality concerns, eye irritation, pain and infection.

The agency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/buying-using-medicine-safely/what-you-should-know-about-eye-drops">recommends</a>&nbsp;consumers only buy eye products from reputable retailers such as state-licensed pharmacies and beware of online retailers selling products with false claims.

Comparison of authentic Lumify with copycat products

The South Moon, Rebright and FivFivGo photos are examples of the images that appear on various websites. Some of these copycat products may be falsely labeled with “Bausch + Lomb” at the top of the packaging. The actual products may look different.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706794350177.png" alt="FDA image" />
 <figcaption>FDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to purchase or use South Moon, Rebright or FivFivGo eye drops because of the potential risk of eye infection, according to a statement from the agency.These are copycat eye drop products that consumers can easily mistake for Bausch + Lomb’s Lumify brand eye drops, an over-the-counter product approved for redness relief.South Moon, Rebright and FivFivGo eye drops are unapproved drugs and should not be available for sale in the U.S. They claim to treat eye conditions such as glaucoma, which is treated with prescription drugs or surgery.Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection should talk to their health care provider or seek medical care immediately. FDA recommends consumers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/safe-disposal-medicines/disposal-unused-medicines-what-you-should-know">properly discard</a>&nbsp;these products.The agency tested samples of South Moon and Rebright eye drops, purchased online. The South Moon eye drops were contaminated with&nbsp;Burkholderia cepacia&nbsp;complex, a group of bacteria that could result in an antibiotic-resistant infection. While Rebright testing was negative for contamination, FDA recommends consumers not use this product.FDA testing of the Rebright and South Moon eye drops also found that these copycat products lacked brimonidine tartrate, the active ingredient in Lumify. FDA was unable to obtain FivFivGo samples.The origin of these products is currently unclear, and FDA continues to investigate. South Moon is labeled as made by Shantou Cross-border Premium Products E-Commerce Co. Ltd. in China.FDA has not received any adverse event reports that specifically name the South Moon, Rebright or FivFivGo products. However, the agency has received reports related to possibly fake Lumify, including product quality concerns, eye irritation, pain and infection.The agency&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/buying-using-medicine-safely/what-you-should-know-about-eye-drops">recommends</a>&nbsp;consumers only buy eye products from reputable retailers such as state-licensed pharmacies and beware of online retailers selling products with false claims.Comparison of authentic Lumify with copycat productsThe South Moon, Rebright and FivFivGo photos are examples of the images that appear on various websites. Some of these copycat products may be falsely labeled with “Bausch + Lomb” at the top of the packaging. The actual products may look different.

FDA warns of contaminated copycat eye drops

Washington, D.C.&nbsp;–&nbsp; This week Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel testified in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining big tech and the online child sexual exploitation crisis. During his opening remarks, Spiegel reaffirmed his support for the Cooper Davis Act (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1080" target="_blank">S. 1080</a>), bipartisan legislation led by Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, according to a media release from the Senator's office.

Named in honor of Kansas teen, Cooper Davis,&nbsp;who died from illicit fentanyl poisoning after a purchase made on social media, this legislation&nbsp;would require social media companies to take a more proactive role against drug dealers preying on America’s youth online.&nbsp;

Mr. Spiegel highlighted the worsening fentanyl crisis in his<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/download/2024-01-31-testimony-spiegel" target="_blank">&nbsp;testimony</a>&nbsp;and stressed the importance of bringing the Cooper Davis Act to the Senate floor for a vote. Ahead of the hearing, Senator Marshall met with Mr. Spiegal to discuss the urgency of passing this legislation. The bill<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-cooper-davis-act-heads-to-the-senate-floor-following-major-victory-out-of-committee/" target="_blank">&nbsp;passed the Judiciary Committee</a>&nbsp;last year by a vote of 16 to 5, and is&nbsp;awaiting consideration on the Senate floor.

Other panel witnesses for the hearing included CEOs of TikTok, Meta, X Corp, and Discord. Snap, Inc. is the only social media company to work collaboratively with families of victims, health care stakeholders, law enforcement, and the Biden Administration in advancing the Cooper Davis Act. U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Todd Young (R-IN) are also sponsors of the bill.

Washington, D.C.&nbsp;–&nbsp; This week Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel testified in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing examining big tech and the online child sexual exploitation crisis. During his opening remarks, Spiegel reaffirmed his support for the Cooper Davis Act (<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/1080" target="_blank">S. 1080</a>), bipartisan legislation led by Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, according to a media release from the Senator's office.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dv8m6Ju6wBQ?si=CYjMe3phpJGNpRvc" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Named in honor of Kansas teen, Cooper Davis,&nbsp;who died from illicit fentanyl poisoning after a purchase made on social media, this legislation&nbsp;would require social media companies to take a more proactive role against drug dealers preying on America’s youth online.&nbsp;Mr. Spiegel highlighted the worsening fentanyl crisis in his<a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/download/2024-01-31-testimony-spiegel" target="_blank">&nbsp;testimony</a>&nbsp;and stressed the importance of bringing the Cooper Davis Act to the Senate floor for a vote. Ahead of the hearing, Senator Marshall met with Mr. Spiegal to discuss the urgency of passing this legislation. The bill<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senator-marshalls-cooper-davis-act-heads-to-the-senate-floor-following-major-victory-out-of-committee/" target="_blank">&nbsp;passed the Judiciary Committee</a>&nbsp;last year by a vote of 16 to 5, and is&nbsp;awaiting consideration on the Senate floor.Other panel witnesses for the hearing included CEOs of TikTok, Meta, X Corp, and Discord. Snap, Inc. is the only social media company to work collaboratively with families of victims, health care stakeholders, law enforcement, and the Biden Administration in advancing the Cooper Davis Act. U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Todd Young (R-IN) are also sponsors of the bill.

🎥Snapchat CEO calls for action on Sen. Marshall’s Cooper Davis Act 

JERUSALEM —While U.S.&nbsp;Forces were bombing targets Friday night over Iraq and Syria the Navy kept busy in and at the entrance to the Red Sea.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), USS Carney (DDG 64) engaged and shot down one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Gulf of Aden, according to a state from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp; There were no injuries or damage reported. 

Later Friday, at approximately 4:40 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. forces conducted strikes against four Houthi UAVs that were prepared to launch. 

U.S. forces identified the UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region. U.S. forces subsequently struck and destroyed the UAVs in self-defense. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Carney -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —While U.S.&nbsp;Forces were bombing targets Friday night over Iraq and Syria the Navy kept busy in and at the entrance to the Red Sea.At approximately 10:30 a.m. (Sanaa time), USS Carney (DDG 64) engaged and shot down one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the Gulf of Aden, according to a state from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp; There were no injuries or damage reported. Later Friday, at approximately 4:40 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. forces conducted strikes against four Houthi UAVs that were prepared to launch. U.S. forces identified the UAVs in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the U.S. Navy ships in the region. U.S. forces subsequently struck and destroyed the UAVs in self-defense.

U.S. responds to new Iran-backed rebel threats in Red Sea

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a. homicide in Topeka have made an arrest.

Just after 4a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;responded to a shooting at an apartment complex in the 2100 block of SE 12th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Officers located 33-year-old Gabriel Martinez-Meraz of Topeka. suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested Tyron Wagner, 33, and Shi Ann Veloris Barnes, 29, were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. 

Wagner is being held on requested charges&nbsp;Murder in the 1st Degree, Aggravated Robbery, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Stolen Property and a Warrant.

Shi Ann Veloris Barnes is being held on requested charges of Obstructing Apprehension of Prosecution and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706976224393.png" alt="Wagner-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wagner-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a. homicide in Topeka have made an arrest.Just after 4a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;responded to a shooting at an apartment complex in the 2100 block of SE 12th Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706795135183.png" alt="Scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers located 33-year-old Gabriel Martinez-Meraz of Topeka. suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706976566846.png" alt="Barnes-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Barnes-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result of the investigation, police arrested Tyron Wagner, 33, and Shi Ann Veloris Barnes, 29, were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Wagner is being held on requested charges&nbsp;Murder in the 1st Degree, Aggravated Robbery, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Possession of Stolen Property and a Warrant.Shi Ann Veloris Barnes is being held on requested charges of Obstructing Apprehension of Prosecution and Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute.

2 arrested for robbery, murder at Kansas apartment

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) — A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook an area near Oklahoma City late Friday, followed by smaller quakes during the next several hours, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

No injuries were reported and damage appeared to be minimal, mostly items overturned or shaken from shelves inside homes, according to Lincoln County Deputy Emergency Management Director Charlotte Brown.

“Nothing significant ... nothing other than lots of scared people,” Brown said.

The earthquake struck at 11:24 p.m. and was centered 8 kilometers (5 miles) northwest of Prague, Oklahoma, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City, the agency said.

Residents across the state from Lawton to Enid to Tulsa reported feeling the shaking to the U.S.G.S.

The initial earthquake was followed by at least eight smaller temblors through Saturday morning, ranging in strength from magnitude 2.5 to 3.4, according to the geological survey.

The earthquake was shallow — just 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) deep, according to the USGS — and temblors that hit close to the surface can make the shaking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-43db69a895c54081adba8dbcb8d68380">more intense</a>.

At least six earthquakes, including two greater than magnitude 4, were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-small-earthquakes-1c7d165b3b87b088b854eb9b406e91e4">recorded near another Oklahoma City suburb</a>&nbsp;in January. In April, a magnitude 4 earthquake was among a series of six that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/earthquake-oklahoma-oil-gas-injection-wells-75b68ff7ef556f434fc325e1504de179">struck the central Oklahoma town of Carney</a>, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City.

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck Prague in 2011, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of the state’s strongest recorded earthquake site in Pawnee, which registered a magnitude 5.8 in 2016.

Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in Oklahoma in recent years, many linked to the underground injection of wastewater from oil and natural gas extraction, particularly in what is known as the Arbuckle formation that includes the area around Prague.

The epicenter of the Saturday earthquake was nearly the exact spot of the epicenter of the 2011 quake, according to Matt Skinner, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry in the state.

“That was one of the early areas where action was taken” to limit the injection of wastewater, said Skinner.

“Disposal wells within 10 miles of the quake" must stop operating temporarily, Skinner said.

The corporation commission has directed several producers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-earthquake-63d324336ecd4fb00f3dfea18f4f5f69">to close some injection wells</a>&nbsp;and reduce the volumes in others as a result of the quakes.

LINCOLN COUNTY, Okla. —A series of earthquakes shook central Oklahoma late Friday and continued Saturday.

Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, a 5.1 magnitude quake struck approximately 5 miles northwest of Prague, just east of Oklahoma City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This was followed by six additional quakes that measured a magnitude of 2.9 to 3.5 in the same region. There are no reports of damage or injury.

Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in Oklahoma in recent years, with many linked to the underground injection of wastewater from oil and gas production. Regulators have directed producers to close some injection wells.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706970362030.png" alt="Map of where the 11:24p.m. quake was centered -USGS image" />
 <figcaption>Map of where the 11:24p.m. quake was centered -USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>EDMOND, Okla. (AP) — A 5.1 magnitude earthquake shook an area near Oklahoma City late Friday, followed by smaller quakes during the next several hours, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.No injuries were reported and damage appeared to be minimal, mostly items overturned or shaken from shelves inside homes, according to Lincoln County Deputy Emergency Management Director Charlotte Brown.“Nothing significant ... nothing other than lots of scared people,” Brown said.The earthquake struck at 11:24 p.m. and was centered 8 kilometers (5 miles) northwest of Prague, Oklahoma, about 57 miles (92 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City, the agency said.Residents across the state from Lawton to Enid to Tulsa reported feeling the shaking to the U.S.G.S.The initial earthquake was followed by at least eight smaller temblors through Saturday morning, ranging in strength from magnitude 2.5 to 3.4, according to the geological survey.The earthquake was shallow — just 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) deep, according to the USGS — and temblors that hit close to the surface can make the shaking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-43db69a895c54081adba8dbcb8d68380">more intense</a>.At least six earthquakes, including two greater than magnitude 4, were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-small-earthquakes-1c7d165b3b87b088b854eb9b406e91e4">recorded near another Oklahoma City suburb</a>&nbsp;in January. In April, a magnitude 4 earthquake was among a series of six that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/earthquake-oklahoma-oil-gas-injection-wells-75b68ff7ef556f434fc325e1504de179">struck the central Oklahoma town of Carney</a>, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Oklahoma City.A 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck Prague in 2011, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) south of the state’s strongest recorded earthquake site in Pawnee, which registered a magnitude 5.8 in 2016.Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in Oklahoma in recent years, many linked to the underground injection of wastewater from oil and natural gas extraction, particularly in what is known as the Arbuckle formation that includes the area around Prague.The epicenter of the Saturday earthquake was nearly the exact spot of the epicenter of the 2011 quake, according to Matt Skinner, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which regulates the oil and gas industry in the state.“That was one of the early areas where action was taken” to limit the injection of wastewater, said Skinner.“Disposal wells within 10 miles of the quake" must stop operating temporarily, Skinner said.The corporation commission has directed several producers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-earthquake-63d324336ecd4fb00f3dfea18f4f5f69">to close some injection wells</a>&nbsp;and reduce the volumes in others as a result of the quakes.---------------LINCOLN COUNTY, Okla. —A series of earthquakes shook central Oklahoma late Friday and continued Saturday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A 5.1 magnitude earthquake occurred at 11:24 PM with an epicenter just east of Oklahoma City.&mdash; NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWichita/status/1753654785272893731?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, a 5.1 magnitude quake struck approximately 5 miles northwest of Prague, just east of Oklahoma City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This was followed by six additional quakes that measured a magnitude of 2.9 to 3.5 in the same region. There are no reports of damage or injury.Thousands of earthquakes have been recorded in Oklahoma in recent years, with many linked to the underground injection of wastewater from oil and gas production. Regulators have directed producers to close some injection wells.&nbsp;

Series of earthquakes in Oklahoma felt in Kansas, Missouri

TOPEKA (AP) —Kansas is poised to expand an income tax credit for goods and services purchased from companies and nonprofits employing disabled workers, a year after a debate over how much the state should buck a national trend against paying those workers below the minimum wage.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb15_01232024.pdf">A bill</a>&nbsp;approved by the Legislature this week with broad bipartisan support would increase the total tax credits available from $5 million a year to $8 million. It also would create a new, $1 million program for nonprofit groups running vocational programs known as sheltered workshops to help them start paying workers at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

The tax credit had previously only covered purchases from employers paying at least the minimum wage, and lawmakers reviewed it last year because it was set to expire at the start of this year.

It's the Legislature's latest attempt to expand the tax credit.

Their first proposal would have allowed nonprofit groups with sheltered workshops to form separate divisions paying at least the minimum wage so that people or businesses buying from those divisions could claim the tax credit. Backers saw it as an opportunity to expand the reach of the tax credit and therefore employment opportunities for disabled workers.

But it drew strong opposition from disabled rights groups arguing that it would encourage wages below the minimum wage — a vestige of decades-old views of disabled people as incapable of doing jobs outside such programs.

The compromise last year was to start the grant program instead. However, the Republican-controlled Legislature folded it into an omnibus tax-cut bill with provisions opposed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, and she vetoed it.

The tax credit then expired at the start of this year, but this year's bill is written so that people can still claim the tax credit when they file their 2023 returns.

“It's a good compromise,” said Neil Romano, a member of the National Council on Disability, and former head of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. “It moves us towards where we want to be.”

Kelly hasn't said publicly whether she will sign the bill, but she typically has when a measure has near-universal support.

Employers nationally are increasingly moving away from paying below the minimum wage, U.S. government data shows. Paying below the minimum wage requires a Department of Labor certificate, and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-105116.pdf">U.S. Government Accountability Office report</a>&nbsp;last year said there were 2,750 American employers with certificates in 2014, while an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/workers-with-disabilities/section-14c/certificate-holders">online database</a>&nbsp;listed 834 as of Jan. 1, a drop of 70%. In Kansas, 17 groups have them.

Fourteen states ban below-minimum-wage jobs for disabled workers, with Virginia enacting a law last year, according to the Association of People Supporting Employment First, which promotes inclusive job policies.

In Kansas, there remains “considerable work to be done” to move away from below-minimum-wage jobs, said Sara Hart Weir, executive director of the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities.

But, she added, “This is a step in the right direction.”

Rocky Nichols, executive director of the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, said it's good that the tax credit is back and the state is signaling that it wants to move away from sheltered workshops through the grant program.

But he also said he worries the measure isn't specific enough about how and when groups must transition away from paying below the minimum wage.

“We don't want to see it turn into just kind of a slush fund for sheltered workshops,” he said.

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA (AP) —Kansas is poised to expand an income tax credit for goods and services purchased from companies and nonprofits employing disabled workers, a year after a debate over how much the state should buck a national trend against paying those workers below the minimum wage.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb15_01232024.pdf">A bill</a>&nbsp;approved by the Legislature this week with broad bipartisan support would increase the total tax credits available from $5 million a year to $8 million. It also would create a new, $1 million program for nonprofit groups running vocational programs known as sheltered workshops to help them start paying workers at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.The tax credit had previously only covered purchases from employers paying at least the minimum wage, and lawmakers reviewed it last year because it was set to expire at the start of this year.It's the Legislature's latest attempt to expand the tax credit.Their first proposal would have allowed nonprofit groups with sheltered workshops to form separate divisions paying at least the minimum wage so that people or businesses buying from those divisions could claim the tax credit. Backers saw it as an opportunity to expand the reach of the tax credit and therefore employment opportunities for disabled workers.But it drew strong opposition from disabled rights groups arguing that it would encourage wages below the minimum wage — a vestige of decades-old views of disabled people as incapable of doing jobs outside such programs.The compromise last year was to start the grant program instead. However, the Republican-controlled Legislature folded it into an omnibus tax-cut bill with provisions opposed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, and she vetoed it.The tax credit then expired at the start of this year, but this year's bill is written so that people can still claim the tax credit when they file their 2023 returns.“It's a good compromise,” said Neil Romano, a member of the National Council on Disability, and former head of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. “It moves us towards where we want to be.”Kelly hasn't said publicly whether she will sign the bill, but she typically has when a measure has near-universal support.Employers nationally are increasingly moving away from paying below the minimum wage, U.S. government data shows. Paying below the minimum wage requires a Department of Labor certificate, and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-105116.pdf">U.S. Government Accountability Office report</a>&nbsp;last year said there were 2,750 American employers with certificates in 2014, while an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/workers-with-disabilities/section-14c/certificate-holders">online database</a>&nbsp;listed 834 as of Jan. 1, a drop of 70%. In Kansas, 17 groups have them.Fourteen states ban below-minimum-wage jobs for disabled workers, with Virginia enacting a law last year, according to the Association of People Supporting Employment First, which promotes inclusive job policies.In Kansas, there remains “considerable work to be done” to move away from below-minimum-wage jobs, said Sara Hart Weir, executive director of the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities.But, she added, “This is a step in the right direction.”Rocky Nichols, executive director of the Disability Rights Center of Kansas, said it's good that the tax credit is back and the state is signaling that it wants to move away from sheltered workshops through the grant program.But he also said he worries the measure isn't specific enough about how and when groups must transition away from paying below the minimum wage.“We don't want to see it turn into just kind of a slush fund for sheltered workshops,” he said.

Kansas poised to expand tax credit for helping disabled workers after debate over low pay

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Friday, in the opening salvo of retaliation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan last weekend.

The massive barrage of strikes hit more than 85 targets at seven locations, including command and control headquarters, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities that were connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. And President Joe Biden made it clear in a statement that there will be more to come.

The U.S. strikes appeared to stop short of directly targeting Iran or senior leaders of the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force within its borders, as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-retaliation-iran-militia-drone-attack-1dda7fdb416f843b3a5cc84ea7b5f01c">U.S. tries to prevent the conflict from escalating</a>&nbsp;even further. Iran has denied it was behind the Jordan attack.

It was unclear what the impact will be of the strikes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-1020fe149d82a32f0160037ea7eef7f5">Days of U.S. warnings</a>&nbsp;may have sent militia members scattering into hiding. With multiple groups operating at various locations in several countries, a knockout blow is unlikely.

Though one of the main Iran-backed militias, Kataib Hezbollah, said it was suspending attacks on American troops, others have vowed to continue fighting, casting themselves as champions of the Palestinian cause while the war in Gaza shows no sign of ending.

“Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing," Biden warned, adding, “let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.” He and other top U.S. leaders had been saying for days that any American response wouldn't be just one hit but a “tiered response” over time.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the targets "were carefully selected to avoid civilian casualties and based on clear, irrefutable evidence that they were connected to attacks on U.S. personnel in the region.” He declined to detail what that evidence was.

The strikes took place over about 30 minutes, and three of the sites struck were in Iraq and four were in Syria, said Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Staff.

U.S. Central Command said the assault involved more than 125 precision munitions, and they were delivered by numerous aircraft, including long-range B-1 bombers flown from the United States. Sims said weather was a factor as the U.S. planned the strikes in order to allow the U.S. to confirm it was hitting the right targets and avoiding civilian casualties.

It's not clear, however, whether militia members were killed.

"We know that there are militants that use these locations, IRGC as well as Iranian-aligned militia group personnel,” Sims said. “We made these strikes tonight with an idea that there there would likely be casualties associated with people inside those facilities.”

Syrian state media reported that there were casualties but did not give a number. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 18 militants were killed in the Syria strikes.

Iraqi army spokesman Yahya Rasool said in a statement that the city of al-Qaim and areas along the country’s border with Syria had been hit by U.S. airstrikes. The strikes, he said, “constitute a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, posing a threat that will pull Iraq and the region to undesirable consequences.”

Kirby said that the U.S. alerted the Iraqi government prior to carrying out the strikes.

The assault came came just hours after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-dignified-transfer-jordan-israel-hamas-war-c4b923a6a5178ecd3d3957d7aba7ff6f">Biden and top defense leaders joined grieving families</a>&nbsp;to watch as the remains of the three Army Reserve soldiers were returned to the U.S. at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Just Friday morning, Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated earlier promises by Tehran to potentially retaliate for any U.S. strikes targeting its interests. We “will not start a war, but if a country, if a cruel force wants to bully us, the Islamic Republic of Iran will give a strong response,” Raisi said.

In a statement this week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Kataib Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;announced “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government." But that assertion clearly had no impact on U.S. strike plans. Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the other major Iran-backed groups, vowed Friday to continue military operations against U.S. troops.

The U.S. has blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a broad coalition of Iran-backed militias, for the attack in Jordan, but hasn't narrowed it down to a specific group. Kataib Hezbollah is, however, a top suspect.

Some of the militias have been a threat to U.S. bases for years, but the groups intensified their assaults in the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war with Hamas</a>&nbsp;following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. The war has led to the deaths of more than 27,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and has inflamed the Middle East.

Iran-backed militia groups throughout the region have used the conflict to justify striking Israeli or U.S. interests, including threatening civilian commercial ships and U.S. warships in the Red Sea region with drones or missiles in almost daily exchanges.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said “this is a dangerous moment in the Middle East.” He said the U.S. will take all necessary actions to defend its interests and people, and warned, “At this point, it’s time to take away even more capability than we’ve taken in the past.”

As of Tuesday, Iran-backed militia groups had launched 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and now one in Jordan, according to a U.S. military official. The last attack was Jan. 29 at al-Asad airbase in Iraq, and there were no injuries or damage.

The U.S., meanwhile, has bolstered defenses at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-drone-attack-iran-tower-22-israel-hamas-war-0265beed527e3009a966c0531c08838e">Tower 22</a>, the base in Jordan that was attacked by Iran-backed militants on Sunday, according to a U.S. official. While previous U.S. responses in Iraq and Syria have been more limited, the deaths of the three service members in Jordan crossed a line, the official said.

That attack, which also injured more than 40 service members — largely Army National Guard — was the first to result in U.S. combat deaths from the Iran-backed militias since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. Tower 22 houses about 350 U.S. troops and sits near the demilitarized zone on the border between Jordan and Syria. The Iraqi border is only 6 miles (10 kilometers) away.

Also Friday, the Israeli military said its Arrow defense system intercepted a missile that approached the country from the Red Sea, raising suspicion it was launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The rebels did not immediately claim responsibility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706933099350.png" alt="Photo of bombers involved in the Friday night attack U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo of bombers involved in the Friday night attack U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military launched an air assault on dozens of sites in Iraq and Syria used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-hezbollah-houthis-iran-militant-groups-745bfc36e23997ee3f0bc499a9f5c16d">Iranian-backed militias</a>&nbsp;and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Friday, in the opening salvo of retaliation for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489">drone strike that killed three U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in Jordan last weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1706915300822.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The massive barrage of strikes hit more than 85 targets at seven locations, including command and control headquarters, intelligence centers, rockets and missiles, drone and ammunition storage sites and other facilities that were connected to the militias or the IRGC’s Quds Force, the Guard’s expeditionary unit that handles Tehran’s relationship with and arming of regional militias. And President Joe Biden made it clear in a statement that there will be more to come.The U.S. strikes appeared to stop short of directly targeting Iran or senior leaders of the Revolutionary Guard Quds Force within its borders, as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-retaliation-iran-militia-drone-attack-1dda7fdb416f843b3a5cc84ea7b5f01c">U.S. tries to prevent the conflict from escalating</a>&nbsp;even further. Iran has denied it was behind the Jordan attack.It was unclear what the impact will be of the strikes.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-israel-hamas-war-1020fe149d82a32f0160037ea7eef7f5">Days of U.S. warnings</a>&nbsp;may have sent militia members scattering into hiding. With multiple groups operating at various locations in several countries, a knockout blow is unlikely.Though one of the main Iran-backed militias, Kataib Hezbollah, said it was suspending attacks on American troops, others have vowed to continue fighting, casting themselves as champions of the Palestinian cause while the war in Gaza shows no sign of ending.“Our response began today. It will continue at times and places of our choosing," Biden warned, adding, “let all those who might seek to do us harm know this: If you harm an American, we will respond.” He and other top U.S. leaders had been saying for days that any American response wouldn't be just one hit but a “tiered response” over time.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said the targets "were carefully selected to avoid civilian casualties and based on clear, irrefutable evidence that they were connected to attacks on U.S. personnel in the region.” He declined to detail what that evidence was.The strikes took place over about 30 minutes, and three of the sites struck were in Iraq and four were in Syria, said Lt. Gen. Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Staff.U.S. Central Command said the assault involved more than 125 precision munitions, and they were delivered by numerous aircraft, including long-range B-1 bombers flown from the United States. Sims said weather was a factor as the U.S. planned the strikes in order to allow the U.S. to confirm it was hitting the right targets and avoiding civilian casualties.It's not clear, however, whether militia members were killed."We know that there are militants that use these locations, IRGC as well as Iranian-aligned militia group personnel,” Sims said. “We made these strikes tonight with an idea that there there would likely be casualties associated with people inside those facilities.”Syrian state media reported that there were casualties but did not give a number. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that 18 militants were killed in the Syria strikes.Iraqi army spokesman Yahya Rasool said in a statement that the city of al-Qaim and areas along the country’s border with Syria had been hit by U.S. airstrikes. The strikes, he said, “constitute a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and undermine the efforts of the Iraqi government, posing a threat that will pull Iraq and the region to undesirable consequences.”Kirby said that the U.S. alerted the Iraqi government prior to carrying out the strikes.The assault came came just hours after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-dignified-transfer-jordan-israel-hamas-war-c4b923a6a5178ecd3d3957d7aba7ff6f">Biden and top defense leaders joined grieving families</a>&nbsp;to watch as the remains of the three Army Reserve soldiers were returned to the U.S. at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.Just Friday morning, Iran’s hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated earlier promises by Tehran to potentially retaliate for any U.S. strikes targeting its interests. We “will not start a war, but if a country, if a cruel force wants to bully us, the Islamic Republic of Iran will give a strong response,” Raisi said.In a statement this week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Kataib Hezbollah</a>&nbsp;announced “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government." But that assertion clearly had no impact on U.S. strike plans. Harakat al-Nujaba, one of the other major Iran-backed groups, vowed Friday to continue military operations against U.S. troops.The U.S. has blamed the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, a broad coalition of Iran-backed militias, for the attack in Jordan, but hasn't narrowed it down to a specific group. Kataib Hezbollah is, however, a top suspect.Some of the militias have been a threat to U.S. bases for years, but the groups intensified their assaults in the wake of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war with Hamas</a>&nbsp;following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw 250 others taken hostage. The war has led to the deaths of more than 27,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and has inflamed the Middle East.Iran-backed militia groups throughout the region have used the conflict to justify striking Israeli or U.S. interests, including threatening civilian commercial ships and U.S. warships in the Red Sea region with drones or missiles in almost daily exchanges.Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said “this is a dangerous moment in the Middle East.” He said the U.S. will take all necessary actions to defend its interests and people, and warned, “At this point, it’s time to take away even more capability than we’ve taken in the past.”As of Tuesday, Iran-backed militia groups had launched 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and now one in Jordan, according to a U.S. military official. The last attack was Jan. 29 at al-Asad airbase in Iraq, and there were no injuries or damage.The U.S., meanwhile, has bolstered defenses at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-drone-attack-iran-tower-22-israel-hamas-war-0265beed527e3009a966c0531c08838e">Tower 22</a>, the base in Jordan that was attacked by Iran-backed militants on Sunday, according to a U.S. official. While previous U.S. responses in Iraq and Syria have been more limited, the deaths of the three service members in Jordan crossed a line, the official said.That attack, which also injured more than 40 service members — largely Army National Guard — was the first to result in U.S. combat deaths from the Iran-backed militias since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. Tower 22 houses about 350 U.S. troops and sits near the demilitarized zone on the border between Jordan and Syria. The Iraqi border is only 6 miles (10 kilometers) away.Also Friday, the Israeli military said its Arrow defense system intercepted a missile that approached the country from the Red Sea, raising suspicion it was launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The rebels did not immediately claim responsibility.And a U.S. official said the military had taken additional self-defense strikes inside Yemen Friday against Houthi military targets deemed an imminent threat. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said British and American forces conducted three strikes in the northern Yemeni province of Hajjah, a Houthi stronghold.