Changes to the initiative petition process, open enrollment and a ban on transgender health care are among a litany of bills Republicans hope to finalize with time running out on the 2023 session

By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

Missouri lawmakers must adjourn for the year at 6 p.m. on Friday, leaving just five days to complete work on some of the highest-profile — and controversial — items on the GOP supermajority’s agenda.&nbsp;

And while the last two legislative sessions were defined in their final week by the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/12/missouri-senate-adjourns-early-after-passing-congressional-redistricting-map/">simmering tension between Republicans</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, this year it will likely be clashes between the two legislative chambers that decides the fate of a laundry list of proposals.&nbsp;

For weeks, House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, has lamented the slow pace of the Senate, complaining that top GOP priorities approved by the House languished across the Capitol rotunda in the Senate.&nbsp;

“We continue to look for action out of the Senate,” Plocher told reporters late last month. “The House has lived up to the expectations of the conservative voters of this state… we’re just waiting for the Senate.”&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican and likely candidate for governor, says it is Plocher who decided to slow down progress on Senate bills as a negotiating tactic, putting their chances at risk as time winds down before adjournment.&nbsp;

“We had months to send to the governor’s desk bills that matched the priorities of the people of this state,” Eigel said. “Remember, it was the speaker of the House who said he was going to slow down all Senate bills until he got exactly what he wanted on a particular priority. He slowed down Senate bills for weeks to leverage this chamber.”&nbsp;

Hanging in the balance are bills that have been among the most hotly debated of the year, ranging from the initiative petition process to public education to LGBTQ rights.&nbsp;

Other priorities — legalized sports betting, corporate tax cuts, a state takeover of the St. Louis police — face incredibly long odds as time ticks down toward 6 p.m. Friday.&nbsp;

But after two years of watching as the Senate collapsed in the session’s final days in a cloud of GOP infighting, Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden struck an optimistic tone for this year’s homestretch.&nbsp;

“There’s no reason to believe.. that we won’t have, you know, a relatively normal last week,” said Rowden, R-Columbia.

Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, said his colleagues have worked hard to stop legislation they believe will hurt the state while keeping the chamber functioning.

But Rizzo isn’t sure how much longer the 10 Democrats in the 34-member Senate can hold the line.&nbsp;

“Democrats are here to be the adults in the room,” he said to reporters on Friday. “Sometimes that means pulling us back from the brink. But it’s only a matter of time before we won’t be able to stop it. Let’s hope that that time is not next week.”

Rowden said he expects the Senate to debate as early as Tuesday a bill that would allow public school students to transfer from their home district to any other school district that has opted into the program.&nbsp;

The open enrollment legislation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/04/open-enrollment-gets-hearing-in-missouri-senate/">barely squeaked out of the House in March</a>&nbsp;with just three votes to spare. And so far the Senate hasn’t made any changes to the bill, meaning it is one vote away from heading to the governor.&nbsp;

But Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican who chairs the Senate education committee, recently told the Columbia Missourian&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/fragile-open-enrollment-bill-unlikely-to-pass-despite-sponsors-optimism/article_75f79468-e43f-11ed-ab02-cb93e4e36b8c.html">he doesn’t believe the bill has enough support to pass</a>&nbsp;unless it is expanded to include “pieces that might be unrelated to open enrollment.”&nbsp;

The bill was originally supposed to be debated last week, but a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/dispute-over-kc-landfill-derails-missouri-senate-as-deadline-to-pass-state-budget-looms/">dust up over a Kansas City landfill led to a day-long filibuster&nbsp;</a>and the education debate to be delayed.&nbsp;

Rizzo said passing an open enrollment bill will be tough.&nbsp;

“I will tell you,” he said, “it’s an uphill battle.”

Both the House and Senate have approved bills that would ask voters to make it harder to amend the constitution through the initiative petition process.&nbsp;

But differences between the two chambers will need to be ironed out before the proposal heads to the ballot.&nbsp;

The House version would raise the threshold for voters to amend the constitution from a simple majority to 60%. The Senate version&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/27/missouri-senate-passes-initiative-petition-changes-certain-to-trigger-strong-opposition-effort/">would require 57% of the vote</a>&nbsp;or a simple majority statewide and in five of eight congressional districts.&nbsp;

“If we got a version back from the conference committee that just changes the number,” Eigel said, “and takes out those concurrent majority provisions, that would probably run into a lot of trouble in this chamber, especially in the last week.”

But House leadership has expressed reservations about the Senate’s changes, worrying they will draw well-financed opposition that could doom its chances on the 2024 ballot.&nbsp;

There was also a provision added in the Senate that says that if any portion of a constitutional initiative petition was ever tossed out by a court, the entire amendment would be void.&nbsp;

“To a non-attorney, and I am a non-attorney, this proposal doesn’t sound constitutional to me,” said Rep. Joe Adams, D-University City, said to the bill’s sponsor, GOP Rep. Mike Henderson of Bonne Terre.

“We are trying to sort that out,” Henderson replied, “and that’s why we are going to conference.”

One of the bills the House is expected to take up this week would limit access to certain medical treatments for transgender minors.

The House passed a version of the bill last month that would establish a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-votes-to-limit-transgender-athletes-participation-in-school-sports/">total ban on puberty blockers</a>, hormone therapy and surgeries for transgender Missourians younger than 18.

The Senate version was the result of a compromise with Democrats. It includes an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/23/missouri-senate-advances-bill-banning-transgender-care-for-minors/">expiration date for the bans</a>&nbsp;on puberty blockers and hormone therapy and allows those already taking puberty blockers or hormone therapy to continue.&nbsp;

Rowden has said repeatedly that the Senate cannot approve anything that is more restrictive than the bill it has already passed. If the House won’t sign off on the Senate version as is, he said, then the bill is dead.&nbsp;

If lawmakers do fail to approve the bill, Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/27/missouri-governor-threatens-to-call-special-session-to-ban-gender-affirming-care/">has threatened to call them back into special session to continue the effort</a>.&nbsp;

When St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced last week&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/embattled-st-louis-prosecutor-kim-gardner-will-resign-june-1/">she would resign effective June 1</a>, part of the deal was that the Senate would stop its push to pass a bill targeting her office.&nbsp;

The bill would give the governor the ability to strip the authority of any elected prosecutor to handle violent crime cases and appoint a special prosecutor — or the attorney general — to take over those cases for five years.

While that particular proposal is dead, Rowden said other provisions of the bill have bipartisan support.&nbsp;

“I still think we’ll have a conversation about public safety,” he said.

Plocher told reporters that the House would push for the public safety bill as “hard as ever.

“We are going to have to continue to show support for the police, for the communities, and to continue to prosecute and hold people accountable,” he said.&nbsp;

Gardner was facing a legal challenge from Attorney General Andrew Bailey seeking to remove her from office. Bailey told the Post-Dispatch he has no intention of dropping his lawsuit and believes the legislature&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/missouri-ag-andrew-bailey-won-t-dismiss-suit-against-kim-gardner-the-fight-s-not/article_a5fc5e9a-eb43-11ed-87ec-abd27ecb5687.html#tncms-source=login">should pass a bill that would prevent people like Gardner from running for the office again</a>.

Rowden demurred when asked about the attorney general’s comments.&nbsp;

“I think it’s time for everybody to move on,” Rowden said, “including the attorney general.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682518701629.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Missouri House of Representatives" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Missouri House of Representatives</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Changes to the initiative petition process, open enrollment and a ban on transgender health care are among a litany of bills Republicans hope to finalize with time running out on the 2023 session</h2>By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri lawmakers must adjourn for the year at 6 p.m. on Friday, leaving just five days to complete work on some of the highest-profile — and controversial — items on the GOP supermajority’s agenda.&nbsp;And while the last two legislative sessions were defined in their final week by the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/05/12/missouri-senate-adjourns-early-after-passing-congressional-redistricting-map/">simmering tension between Republicans</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, this year it will likely be clashes between the two legislative chambers that decides the fate of a laundry list of proposals.&nbsp;For weeks, House Speaker Dean Plocher, R-Des Peres, has lamented the slow pace of the Senate, complaining that top GOP priorities approved by the House languished across the Capitol rotunda in the Senate.&nbsp;“We continue to look for action out of the Senate,” Plocher told reporters late last month. “The House has lived up to the expectations of the conservative voters of this state… we’re just waiting for the Senate.”&nbsp;Meanwhile, Sen. Bill Eigel, a Weldon Spring Republican and likely candidate for governor, says it is Plocher who decided to slow down progress on Senate bills as a negotiating tactic, putting their chances at risk as time winds down before adjournment.&nbsp;“We had months to send to the governor’s desk bills that matched the priorities of the people of this state,” Eigel said. “Remember, it was the speaker of the House who said he was going to slow down all Senate bills until he got exactly what he wanted on a particular priority. He slowed down Senate bills for weeks to leverage this chamber.”&nbsp;Hanging in the balance are bills that have been among the most hotly debated of the year, ranging from the initiative petition process to public education to LGBTQ rights.&nbsp;Other priorities — legalized sports betting, corporate tax cuts, a state takeover of the St. Louis police — face incredibly long odds as time ticks down toward 6 p.m. Friday.&nbsp;But after two years of watching as the Senate collapsed in the session’s final days in a cloud of GOP infighting, Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden struck an optimistic tone for this year’s homestretch.&nbsp;“There’s no reason to believe.. that we won’t have, you know, a relatively normal last week,” said Rowden, R-Columbia.Senate Minority Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, said his colleagues have worked hard to stop legislation they believe will hurt the state while keeping the chamber functioning.But Rizzo isn’t sure how much longer the 10 Democrats in the 34-member Senate can hold the line.&nbsp;“Democrats are here to be the adults in the room,” he said to reporters on Friday. “Sometimes that means pulling us back from the brink. But it’s only a matter of time before we won’t be able to stop it. Let’s hope that that time is not next week.”<h2>Education</h2>Rowden said he expects the Senate to debate as early as Tuesday a bill that would allow public school students to transfer from their home district to any other school district that has opted into the program.&nbsp;The open enrollment legislation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/04/open-enrollment-gets-hearing-in-missouri-senate/">barely squeaked out of the House in March</a>&nbsp;with just three votes to spare. And so far the Senate hasn’t made any changes to the bill, meaning it is one vote away from heading to the governor.&nbsp;But Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Manchester Republican who chairs the Senate education committee, recently told the Columbia Missourian&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/state_news/fragile-open-enrollment-bill-unlikely-to-pass-despite-sponsors-optimism/article_75f79468-e43f-11ed-ab02-cb93e4e36b8c.html">he doesn’t believe the bill has enough support to pass</a>&nbsp;unless it is expanded to include “pieces that might be unrelated to open enrollment.”&nbsp;The bill was originally supposed to be debated last week, but a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/dispute-over-kc-landfill-derails-missouri-senate-as-deadline-to-pass-state-budget-looms/">dust up over a Kansas City landfill led to a day-long filibuster&nbsp;</a>and the education debate to be delayed.&nbsp;Rizzo said passing an open enrollment bill will be tough.&nbsp;“I will tell you,” he said, “it’s an uphill battle.”<h2>Initiative petition changes</h2>Both the House and Senate have approved bills that would ask voters to make it harder to amend the constitution through the initiative petition process.&nbsp;But differences between the two chambers will need to be ironed out before the proposal heads to the ballot.&nbsp;The House version would raise the threshold for voters to amend the constitution from a simple majority to 60%. The Senate version&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/27/missouri-senate-passes-initiative-petition-changes-certain-to-trigger-strong-opposition-effort/">would require 57% of the vote</a>&nbsp;or a simple majority statewide and in five of eight congressional districts.&nbsp;“If we got a version back from the conference committee that just changes the number,” Eigel said, “and takes out those concurrent majority provisions, that would probably run into a lot of trouble in this chamber, especially in the last week.”But House leadership has expressed reservations about the Senate’s changes, worrying they will draw well-financed opposition that could doom its chances on the 2024 ballot.&nbsp;There was also a provision added in the Senate that says that if any portion of a constitutional initiative petition was ever tossed out by a court, the entire amendment would be void.&nbsp;“To a non-attorney, and I am a non-attorney, this proposal doesn’t sound constitutional to me,” said Rep. Joe Adams, D-University City, said to the bill’s sponsor, GOP Rep. Mike Henderson of Bonne Terre.“We are trying to sort that out,” Henderson replied, “and that’s why we are going to conference.”<h2>Transgender health care</h2>One of the bills the House is expected to take up this week would limit access to certain medical treatments for transgender minors.The House passed a version of the bill last month that would establish a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-house-votes-to-limit-transgender-athletes-participation-in-school-sports/">total ban on puberty blockers</a>, hormone therapy and surgeries for transgender Missourians younger than 18.The Senate version was the result of a compromise with Democrats. It includes an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/23/missouri-senate-advances-bill-banning-transgender-care-for-minors/">expiration date for the bans</a>&nbsp;on puberty blockers and hormone therapy and allows those already taking puberty blockers or hormone therapy to continue.&nbsp;Rowden has said repeatedly that the Senate cannot approve anything that is more restrictive than the bill it has already passed. If the House won’t sign off on the Senate version as is, he said, then the bill is dead.&nbsp;If lawmakers do fail to approve the bill, Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/27/missouri-governor-threatens-to-call-special-session-to-ban-gender-affirming-care/">has threatened to call them back into special session to continue the effort</a>.&nbsp;<h2>Public safety</h2>When St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced last week&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/04/embattled-st-louis-prosecutor-kim-gardner-will-resign-june-1/">she would resign effective June 1</a>, part of the deal was that the Senate would stop its push to pass a bill targeting her office.&nbsp;The bill would give the governor the ability to strip the authority of any elected prosecutor to handle violent crime cases and appoint a special prosecutor — or the attorney general — to take over those cases for five years.While that particular proposal is dead, Rowden said other provisions of the bill have bipartisan support.&nbsp;“I still think we’ll have a conversation about public safety,” he said.Plocher told reporters that the House would push for the public safety bill as “hard as ever.“We are going to have to continue to show support for the police, for the communities, and to continue to prosecute and hold people accountable,” he said.&nbsp;Gardner was facing a legal challenge from Attorney General Andrew Bailey seeking to remove her from office. Bailey told the Post-Dispatch he has no intention of dropping his lawsuit and believes the legislature&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/missouri-ag-andrew-bailey-won-t-dismiss-suit-against-kim-gardner-the-fight-s-not/article_a5fc5e9a-eb43-11ed-87ec-abd27ecb5687.html#tncms-source=login">should pass a bill that would prevent people like Gardner from running for the office again</a>.Rowden demurred when asked about the attorney general’s comments.&nbsp;“I think it’s time for everybody to move on,” Rowden said, “including the attorney general.”

Missouri lawmakers enter final week of session

WASHINGTON— The Department of Defense announced&nbsp; additional security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the agency.

 This authorization is the Biden Administration’s thirty-seventh drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.&nbsp;

<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/May/03/2003214586/-1/-1/1/UKRAINE-FACT-SHEET-MAY-3.PDF">Click here to read more </a>on the U.S. security assistance spending in Ukraine.

The latest assistance includes additional ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS, additional howitzers, artillery and mortar rounds, and anti-armor capabilities that Ukraine is using to push back against Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression valued at up to $300 million.

The capabilities in this package include:

The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.

In total, the United States has committed more than $36.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including more than $35.7 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24, 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661277535073.png" alt="In total, the United States has committed more than $36.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In total, the United States has committed more than $36.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON— The Department of Defense announced&nbsp; additional security assistance to meet Ukraine’s critical security and defense needs, according to a statement from the agency. This authorization is the Biden Administration’s thirty-seventh drawdown of equipment from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.&nbsp;<a href="https://media.defense.gov/2023/May/03/2003214586/-1/-1/1/UKRAINE-FACT-SHEET-MAY-3.PDF">Click here to read more </a>on the U.S. security assistance spending in Ukraine.The latest assistance includes additional ammunition for U.S.-provided HIMARS, additional howitzers, artillery and mortar rounds, and anti-armor capabilities that Ukraine is using to push back against Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression valued at up to $300 million.The capabilities in this package include:<ul>
 <li>Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);</li><li>155mm Howitzers;&nbsp;</li><li>155mm artillery rounds;</li><li>120mm, 81mm, and 60mm mortar rounds;</li><li>Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;</li><li>AT-4 and Carl Gustaf anti-armor weapon systems;</li><li>Hydra-70 aircraft rockets;&nbsp;</li><li>Small arms and small arms ammunition;&nbsp;</li><li>Demolition munitions for obstacle clearing;</li><li>Trucks and trailers to transport heavy equipment;&nbsp;</li><li>Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair;</li><li>Spare parts and other field equipment.</li>
 </ul>The United States will continue to work with its Allies and partners to provide Ukraine with capabilities to meet its immediate battlefield needs and longer-term security assistance requirements.In total, the United States has committed more than $36.4 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden Administration, including more than $35.7 billion since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked and brutal invasion on February 24, 2022.

U.S. sending another $300 million military aid to Ukraine

WASHINGTON — A group of 43 Republican Senators including&nbsp; Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall of Kansas sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Saturday expressing&nbsp; a collective commitment to oppose raising the debt ceiling without substantive spending and budget reforms. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley's name is not on the letter.

Of the letter,&nbsp;Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said,&nbsp;“It is now clear that Senate Republicans aren’t going to bail out Biden and Schumer, they have to negotiate. I thank my colleagues for joining my effort to emphasize this point in the clearest possible terms.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675989554413.png" alt="photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — A group of 43 Republican Senators including&nbsp; Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall of Kansas sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer Saturday expressing&nbsp; a collective commitment to oppose raising the debt ceiling without substantive spending and budget reforms. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley's name is not on the letter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683404763018.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Of the letter,&nbsp;Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said,&nbsp;“It is now clear that Senate Republicans aren’t going to bail out Biden and Schumer, they have to negotiate. I thank my colleagues for joining my effort to emphasize this point in the clearest possible terms.”

Schmitt signs letter against raising debt limit without spending reforms

WYANDOTTE —The search continues for a suspect in the shooting May 3, in the 3100 block of Greeley Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas that took the life of a 6-year-old Sir'Antonio Brown who was playing in his front yard.

On May 4, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved.

The attack, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene.&nbsp;

Officers found the wounded boy in the front yard. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Magee said. Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene.&nbsp;

Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with.&nbsp;

 Anyone with info should call  TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — One or more shooters opened fire on a child playing in the front yard of a Kansas home, killing him, authorities said.

The attack Wednesday evening in Kansas City, Kansas, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene. Police didn't release the name or age of the child but described him as a “young juvenile.”

Officers found the wounded boy in the front yard. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Magee said.

Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene. They are looking for a maroon Subaru Legacy with a missing front bumper that may be connected to the attack.

Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with. Police didn’t immediately respond Thursday to phone and email messages seeking additional information.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide that left one juvenile dead.&nbsp;

Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 3100 Block of Greeley Avenue, in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release. First responders found a boy who had been shot while playing in the front yard of a home. EMS transported the child to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Detectives are looking for a mid 2000s, maroon Subaru Legacy missing the front bumper and with a possible Kansas tag.

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments Major Case/Homicide Unit is in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683336213432.png" alt="Sir’Antonio Brown -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Sir’Antonio Brown -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE —The search continues for a suspect in the shooting May 3, in the 3100 block of Greeley Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas that took the life of a 6-year-old Sir'Antonio Brown who was playing in his front yard.On May 4, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195620849.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>The attack, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="Photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers found the wounded boy in the front yard. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Magee said. Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene.&nbsp;Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with.&nbsp; Anyone with info should call TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).--------KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — One or more shooters opened fire on a child playing in the front yard of a Kansas home, killing him, authorities said.The attack Wednesday evening in Kansas City, Kansas, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene. Police didn't release the name or age of the child but described him as a “young juvenile.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="Photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers found the wounded boy in the front yard. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Magee said.Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene. They are looking for a maroon Subaru Legacy with a missing front bumper that may be connected to the attack.Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with. Police didn’t immediately respond Thursday to phone and email messages seeking additional information.--------------------WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide that left one juvenile dead.&nbsp;Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 3100 Block of Greeley Avenue, in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release. First responders found a boy who had been shot while playing in the front yard of a home. EMS transported the child to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Detectives are looking for a mid 2000s, maroon Subaru Legacy missing the front bumper and with a possible Kansas tag.The Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments Major Case/Homicide Unit is in charge of the investigation.

Search continues for suspect who shot Kan. boy playing in front yard

HARVEY COUNTY —The Silver Alert has been canceled. Roy W. McGonigal Jr. was located in Schuyler, Nebraska. He was disoriented but otherwise in good condition, according to the Newton Police Department

HARVEY COUNTY –&nbsp;The Newton Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Arkansas man who was last seen in Newton, Kansas.

The whereabouts of 79-year-old Roy W. McGonigal Jr. are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

Roy was last seen leaving a residence in the 400 block of East 10th&nbsp;St. in Newton, around 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp; 

Roy did not arrive at his hotel in Newton and hasn’t been heard from since. Roy drives a light blue 2013 Toyota Corolla bearing Arkansas tag USACRXD. He was last seen wearing a white collared shirt, black pants, and black shoes.

Roy is a white male, approximately 5 ft. 8 in. tall, weighing around 184 pounds. He has brown eyes and wears glasses. Roy has a white beard and is balding with white hair. He requires oxygen to breathe, as he has been diagnosed with COPD and emphysema.

If you see Roy McGonigal, Jr., or his vehicle, please immediately contact 911. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call&nbsp;Harvey County Communications at 316-283-4190.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683507107631.png" alt="photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —The Silver Alert has been canceled. Roy W. McGonigal Jr. was located in Schuyler, Nebraska. He was disoriented but otherwise in good condition, according to the Newton Police Department----------HARVEY COUNTY –&nbsp;The Newton Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Arkansas man who was last seen in Newton, Kansas.The whereabouts of 79-year-old Roy W. McGonigal Jr. are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.Roy was last seen leaving a residence in the 400 block of East 10th&nbsp;St. in Newton, around 9 p.m. on Saturday, May 6, according to a media release from the KBI.&nbsp; Roy did not arrive at his hotel in Newton and hasn’t been heard from since. Roy drives a light blue 2013 Toyota Corolla bearing Arkansas tag USACRXD. He was last seen wearing a white collared shirt, black pants, and black shoes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683507155552.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Roy is a white male, approximately 5 ft. 8 in. tall, weighing around 184 pounds. He has brown eyes and wears glasses. Roy has a white beard and is balding with white hair. He requires oxygen to breathe, as he has been diagnosed with COPD and emphysema.If you see Roy McGonigal, Jr., or his vehicle, please immediately contact 911. If you have other information about his whereabouts, please call&nbsp;Harvey County Communications at 316-283-4190.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, missing man found safe

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with robbing a bank in Kansas, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, in February 2023, Troy Robbins, 53, of Smithville, Missouri, is accused of entering a Chase Bank in Leawood, Kansas, and using force to take cash from a bank employee.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677205076740.png" alt="Police on the scene of the February bank robbery-photo courtesy KSHB" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the February bank robbery-photo courtesy KSHB</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with robbing a bank in Kansas, according to the United State's Attorney.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683490446565.png" alt="Robbins-photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>Robbins-photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court documents, in February 2023, Troy Robbins, 53, of Smithville, Missouri, is accused of entering a Chase Bank in Leawood, Kansas, and using force to take cash from a bank employee.The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.

Man indicted for robbing a bank in Kansas

ALLEN, Texas (AP) — The gunman who killed eight people at a Texas outlet mall was identified as a person who had been staying at a Dallas-area motel, but his motive was a mystery Sunday, a day after the attack turned an afternoon of shopping into a massacre.

Three law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press named the gunman as Mauricio Garcia, 33, who was fatally shot Saturday by a police officer who happened to be near the suburban Dallas mall. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.

One of the officials said investigators have been searching the motel, and two of the officials said investigators searched a home in the Dallas area connected to the suspect. The official said police also found multiple weapons at the scene after Garcia was killed, including an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun.

Authorities released few details in the aftermath of the assault. They offered no clues about why Garcia would open fire on strangers or any details about those who were killed, including their names.

The shooting was the latest attack to contribute to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-killings-record-pace-2023-d685a6cd67e0f449f3f9d1d8713d451c">unprecedented pace of mass killings</a>&nbsp;this year in the U.S. Barely a week before,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-immigrants-victims-df61a57ec5fb0db16be7b2f2cbd3d5e5">five people</a>&nbsp;were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-manhunt-arrest-73ae0cc7cacd14c732cf6f6fc189aea8">fatally shot in Cleveland, Texas</a>, after a neighbor asked a man to stop firing his weapon while a baby slept, authorities said.

The name of the gunman in Allen emerged as the community mourned for the dead and awaited word on the seven people who were wounded.

John Mark Caton, senior pastor at Cottonwood Creek Church, about two miles from the mall, offered prayers during his weekly service for victims, first responders and the shoppers and employees who “walked out past things they never should have seen.”

“Some of our people were there. Some perhaps in this room. Some of our students were working in those stores and will be changed forever by this,” Caton said.

Recalling phone conversations with police officers, he said: “There wasn’t an officer that I talked to yesterday that at some point in the call didn’t cry.”

The attack unfolded at Allen Premium Outlets, a sprawling outdoor shopping center. Witnesses reported seeing children among the victims. Some said they also saw what appeared to be a police officer and a mall security guard unconscious on the ground.

Andria Gaither, the assistant manager at the Tommy Hilfiger clothing store, said she was at the back of the store Saturday afternoon when she saw two young girls trying to hide in a dressing room. At first, she thought they were playing. Then she heard one say shots were being fired.

Gaither looked around to see customers and the store manager running to the back of the business. Eventually, Gaither and the others ran out a back door.

“As soon as I got outside the back of the store, you could hear the shooting,” Gaither said Sunday. “It was so loud. I’d never ever heard anything like that in my life. It was deafening."

She started running the length of the mall and eventually got in the vehicle of another worker who was leaving.

Dashcam video circulating online showed the gunman getting out of a car and shooting at people on the sidewalk. More than three dozen shots could be heard as the vehicle that was recording the video drove off.

Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said seven people, including the shooter, died at the scene. Two other people died at hospitals.

The wounded remained hospitalized Sunday — three in critical condition and four in fair condition, the Allen Police Department said in a statement.

An Allen police officer was in the area on an unrelated call when he heard shots at 3:36 p.m., the department wrote on Facebook.

“The officer engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat. He then called for emergency personnel,” the post said.

Mass killings have happened with staggering frequency in the United States this year, with an average of about one per week, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.

In a statement, President Joe Biden said the assailant wore tactical gear and fired an AR-15-style weapon. He urged Congress to enact tighter restrictions on firearms and ammunition.

“Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar. And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts,” said Biden, who ordered flags lowered to half-staff.

Republicans in Congress, he said, “cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug.”

Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has signed laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a69166e1f1074a0196deb70ef6e7f8b4">easing firearms restrictions following past mass shootings</a>, called the mall attack an “unspeakable tragedy.”

Video shared on social media showed people running through a parking lot amid the sound of gunshots.

Fontayne Payton, 35, was at H&amp;M when he heard gunshots through his headphones.

“It was so loud, it sounded like it was right outside,” Payton said.

People in the store scattered before employees ushered the group into the fitting rooms and then a lockable back room, he said. When they were given the all-clear to leave, Payton saw the store had broken windows and a trail of blood to the door. Discarded sandals and bloodied clothes lay nearby.

“I pray it wasn’t kids, but it looked like kids,” he said. The bodies were covered in white towels, slumped over bags on the ground. “It broke me when I walked out to see that."

Further away, he saw the body of a heavyset man wearing all black. He assumed it was the shooter, Payton said, because unlike the other bodies it had not been covered.

ALLEN, Texas (AP) — The assailant who killed eight people at a Texas outlet mall was identified by authorities Sunday as a 33-year-old man who had been staying at a nearby motel.

Three law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press named the gunman as Mauricio Garcia, who was fatally shot by a police officer who happened to be near the suburban Dallas mall. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.

One of the officials said Garcia had been staying at a nearby motel. The official said investigators have been searching the motel and a home in the Dallas area connected to the suspect.

The official said police also found multiple weapons at the scene after Garcia was fatally shot by a police officer. The weapons included an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, according to the official.

The gunman's name emerged as the community of Allen mourned for the dead and awaited word on the seven people who were wounded.

The church planned an evening prayer vigil in the aftermath of the shooting, which was the latest attack to contribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-killings-record-pace-2023-d685a6cd67e0f449f3f9d1d8713d451c">the unprecedented pace of mass killings this year.</a>&nbsp;Barely a week before,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-immigrants-victims-df61a57ec5fb0db16be7b2f2cbd3d5e5">five people</a>&nbsp;were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-manhunt-arrest-73ae0cc7cacd14c732cf6f6fc189aea8">fatally shot in Cleveland, Texas</a>, after a neighbor asked a man to stop firing his weapon while a baby slept, authorities said.

Police did not immediately provide details about the victims at Allen Premium Outlets, a sprawling outdoor shopping center, but witnesses reported seeing children among them. Some said they also saw what appeared to be a police officer and a mall security guard unconscious on the ground.

A 16-year-old pretzel stand employee, Maxwell Gum, described a virtual stampede of shoppers. He and others sheltered in a storage room.

“We started running. Kids were getting trampled," Gum said. "My co-worker picked up a 4-year-old girl and gave her to her parents.”

Seven people remained hospitalized Sunday — three in critical condition and four in fair condition, the Allen Police Department said in a statement.

In a statement, President Biden said the assailant wore tactical gear and fired an AR-15-style weapon. He urged Congress to enact tighter restrictions on firearms and ammunition.

Tarakram Nunna, 25, and Ramakrishna Mullapudi, 26, said they saw what appeared to be three people motionless on the ground, including one who seemed to be a police officer and another who resembled a mall security guard.

Another shopper, Sharkie Mouli, 24, said he hid in a Banana Republic. As he left, he saw someone who looked like a police officer lying unconscious next to another unconscious person outside the store.

“I have seen his gun lying right next to him and a guy who is like passing out right next to him,” Mouli said.

Stan and Mary Ann Greene were browsing in a Columbia sportswear store when the shooting started.

“We had just gotten in, just a couple minutes earlier, and we just heard a lot of loud popping,” Mary Ann Greene told The Associated Press.

Employees rolled down the security gate and brought everyone to the rear of the store until police arrived and escorted them out, the Greenes said.

Eber Romero was at an Under Armour store when a cashier mentioned there was a shooting.

As he left, the mall appeared empty and all the shops had their security gates down, Romero said. That is when he started seeing broken glass and victims of the shooting on the floor of the shopping center.

Allen, a city of 105,000 residents, is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of downtown Dallas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683489834767.png" alt="First responders at the scene Saturday -photo courtesy WFAA" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene Saturday -photo courtesy WFAA</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN, Texas (AP) — The gunman who killed eight people at a Texas outlet mall was identified as a person who had been staying at a Dallas-area motel, but his motive was a mystery Sunday, a day after the attack turned an afternoon of shopping into a massacre.Three law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press named the gunman as Mauricio Garcia, 33, who was fatally shot Saturday by a police officer who happened to be near the suburban Dallas mall. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.One of the officials said investigators have been searching the motel, and two of the officials said investigators searched a home in the Dallas area connected to the suspect. The official said police also found multiple weapons at the scene after Garcia was killed, including an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun.Authorities released few details in the aftermath of the assault. They offered no clues about why Garcia would open fire on strangers or any details about those who were killed, including their names.The shooting was the latest attack to contribute to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-killings-record-pace-2023-d685a6cd67e0f449f3f9d1d8713d451c">unprecedented pace of mass killings</a>&nbsp;this year in the U.S. Barely a week before,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-immigrants-victims-df61a57ec5fb0db16be7b2f2cbd3d5e5">five people</a>&nbsp;were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-manhunt-arrest-73ae0cc7cacd14c732cf6f6fc189aea8">fatally shot in Cleveland, Texas</a>, after a neighbor asked a man to stop firing his weapon while a baby slept, authorities said.The name of the gunman in Allen emerged as the community mourned for the dead and awaited word on the seven people who were wounded.John Mark Caton, senior pastor at Cottonwood Creek Church, about two miles from the mall, offered prayers during his weekly service for victims, first responders and the shoppers and employees who “walked out past things they never should have seen.”“Some of our people were there. Some perhaps in this room. Some of our students were working in those stores and will be changed forever by this,” Caton said.Recalling phone conversations with police officers, he said: “There wasn’t an officer that I talked to yesterday that at some point in the call didn’t cry.”The attack unfolded at Allen Premium Outlets, a sprawling outdoor shopping center. Witnesses reported seeing children among the victims. Some said they also saw what appeared to be a police officer and a mall security guard unconscious on the ground.Andria Gaither, the assistant manager at the Tommy Hilfiger clothing store, said she was at the back of the store Saturday afternoon when she saw two young girls trying to hide in a dressing room. At first, she thought they were playing. Then she heard one say shots were being fired.Gaither looked around to see customers and the store manager running to the back of the business. Eventually, Gaither and the others ran out a back door.“As soon as I got outside the back of the store, you could hear the shooting,” Gaither said Sunday. “It was so loud. I’d never ever heard anything like that in my life. It was deafening."She started running the length of the mall and eventually got in the vehicle of another worker who was leaving.Dashcam video circulating online showed the gunman getting out of a car and shooting at people on the sidewalk. More than three dozen shots could be heard as the vehicle that was recording the video drove off.Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said seven people, including the shooter, died at the scene. Two other people died at hospitals.The wounded remained hospitalized Sunday — three in critical condition and four in fair condition, the Allen Police Department said in a statement.An Allen police officer was in the area on an unrelated call when he heard shots at 3:36 p.m., the department wrote on Facebook.“The officer engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat. He then called for emergency personnel,” the post said.Mass killings have happened with staggering frequency in the United States this year, with an average of about one per week, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.In a statement, President Joe Biden said the assailant wore tactical gear and fired an AR-15-style weapon. He urged Congress to enact tighter restrictions on firearms and ammunition.“Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar. And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts,” said Biden, who ordered flags lowered to half-staff.Republicans in Congress, he said, “cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug.”Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has signed laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a69166e1f1074a0196deb70ef6e7f8b4">easing firearms restrictions following past mass shootings</a>, called the mall attack an “unspeakable tragedy.”Video shared on social media showed people running through a parking lot amid the sound of gunshots.Fontayne Payton, 35, was at H&amp;M when he heard gunshots through his headphones.“It was so loud, it sounded like it was right outside,” Payton said.People in the store scattered before employees ushered the group into the fitting rooms and then a lockable back room, he said. When they were given the all-clear to leave, Payton saw the store had broken windows and a trail of blood to the door. Discarded sandals and bloodied clothes lay nearby.Once outside, Payton saw bodies.“I pray it wasn’t kids, but it looked like kids,” he said. The bodies were covered in white towels, slumped over bags on the ground. “It broke me when I walked out to see that."Further away, he saw the body of a heavyset man wearing all black. He assumed it was the shooter, Payton said, because unlike the other bodies it had not been covered.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683489811468.png" alt="Photo courtesy WFAA" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WFAA</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN, Texas (AP) — The assailant who killed eight people at a Texas outlet mall was identified by authorities Sunday as a 33-year-old man who had been staying at a nearby motel.Three law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press named the gunman as Mauricio Garcia, who was fatally shot by a police officer who happened to be near the suburban Dallas mall. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.One of the officials said Garcia had been staying at a nearby motel. The official said investigators have been searching the motel and a home in the Dallas area connected to the suspect.The official said police also found multiple weapons at the scene after Garcia was fatally shot by a police officer. The weapons included an AR-15-style rifle and a handgun, according to the official.The gunman's name emerged as the community of Allen mourned for the dead and awaited word on the seven people who were wounded.John Mark Caton, senior pastor at Cottonwood Creek Church, about two miles from the mall, offered prayers during his weekly service for victims, first responders and the shoppers and employees who “walked out past things they never should have seen.”“Some of our people were there. Some perhaps in this room. Some of our students were working in those stores and will be changed forever by this,” Caton said.Recalling phone conversations with police officers, he said: “There wasn’t an officer that I talked to yesterday that at some point in the call didn’t cry.”The church planned an evening prayer vigil in the aftermath of the shooting, which was the latest attack to contribute to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mass-killings-record-pace-2023-d685a6cd67e0f449f3f9d1d8713d451c">the unprecedented pace of mass killings this year.</a>&nbsp;Barely a week before,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-immigrants-victims-df61a57ec5fb0db16be7b2f2cbd3d5e5">five people</a>&nbsp;were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-mass-shooting-manhunt-arrest-73ae0cc7cacd14c732cf6f6fc189aea8">fatally shot in Cleveland, Texas</a>, after a neighbor asked a man to stop firing his weapon while a baby slept, authorities said.Police did not immediately provide details about the victims at Allen Premium Outlets, a sprawling outdoor shopping center, but witnesses reported seeing children among them. Some said they also saw what appeared to be a police officer and a mall security guard unconscious on the ground.A 16-year-old pretzel stand employee, Maxwell Gum, described a virtual stampede of shoppers. He and others sheltered in a storage room.“We started running. Kids were getting trampled," Gum said. "My co-worker picked up a 4-year-old girl and gave her to her parents.”Dashcam video circulating online showed the gunman getting out of a car and shooting at people on the sidewalk. More than three dozen shots could be heard as the vehicle that was recording the video drove off.Allen Fire Chief Jonathan Boyd said seven people, including the shooter, died at the scene. Two other people died at hospitals.Seven people remained hospitalized Sunday — three in critical condition and four in fair condition, the Allen Police Department said in a statement.An Allen police officer was in the area on an unrelated call when he heard shots at 3:36 p.m., the department wrote on Facebook.“The officer engaged the suspect and neutralized the threat. He then called for emergency personnel,” the post said.Mass killings have happened with staggering frequency in the United States this year, with an average of about one per week, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/08/18/mass-killings-database-us-events-since-2006/9705311002/">database</a>&nbsp;maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University.In a statement, President Biden said the assailant wore tactical gear and fired an AR-15-style weapon. He urged Congress to enact tighter restrictions on firearms and ammunition.“Such an attack is too shocking to be so familiar. And yet, American communities have suffered roughly 200 mass shootings already this year, according to leading counts,” said Biden, who ordered flags lowered to half-staff.Republicans in Congress, he said, “cannot continue to meet this epidemic with a shrug.”Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has signed laws&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a69166e1f1074a0196deb70ef6e7f8b4">easing firearms restrictions following past mass shootings</a>, called the mall attack an “unspeakable tragedy.”Video shared on social media showed people running through a parking lot amid the sound of gunshots.Fontayne Payton, 35, was at H&amp;M when he heard gunshots through his headphones.“It was so loud, it sounded like it was right outside,” Payton said.People in the store scattered before employees ushered the group into the fitting rooms and then a lockable back room, he said. When they were given the all-clear to leave, Payton saw the store had broken windows and a trail of blood to the door. Discarded sandals and bloodied clothes lay nearby.Once outside, Payton saw bodies.“I pray it wasn’t kids, but it looked like kids,” he said. The bodies were covered in white towels, slumped over bags on the ground. “It broke me when I walked out to see that."Further away, he saw the body of a heavyset man wearing all black. He assumed it was the shooter, Payton said, because unlike the other bodies it had not been covered.Tarakram Nunna, 25, and Ramakrishna Mullapudi, 26, said they saw what appeared to be three people motionless on the ground, including one who seemed to be a police officer and another who resembled a mall security guard.Another shopper, Sharkie Mouli, 24, said he hid in a Banana Republic. As he left, he saw someone who looked like a police officer lying unconscious next to another unconscious person outside the store.“I have seen his gun lying right next to him and a guy who is like passing out right next to him,” Mouli said.Stan and Mary Ann Greene were browsing in a Columbia sportswear store when the shooting started.“We had just gotten in, just a couple minutes earlier, and we just heard a lot of loud popping,” Mary Ann Greene told The Associated Press.Employees rolled down the security gate and brought everyone to the rear of the store until police arrived and escorted them out, the Greenes said.Eber Romero was at an Under Armour store when a cashier mentioned there was a shooting.As he left, the mall appeared empty and all the shops had their security gates down, Romero said. That is when he started seeing broken glass and victims of the shooting on the floor of the shopping center.Allen, a city of 105,000 residents, is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) north of downtown Dallas.

Suspect in Texas mall mass shooting identified as 33-year-old 

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators are weighing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-birth-control-861d6d425e692ee1ead1d59926e5f3cd">first-ever request</a>&nbsp;to make a birth control pill available without a prescription.

Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration meet next week to review drugmaker Perrigo's application to sell a decades-old pill over the counter. The two-day public meeting is one of the last steps before an FDA decision.

If the FDA grants the company's request, Opill would become the first contraceptive pill to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter onto store shelves or online.

But in an initial review posted Friday, the FDA raised numerous concerns about studies of Opill, citing problems with the reliability of some of the company's data and questions about whether women with certain other medical conditions would correctly opt out of taking it. It also noted signs that study participants had trouble understanding the labeling instructions.

The agency will ask the panel to consider whether younger teenagers will be able to understand and follow the instructions.

At the end of the meeting, the FDA panel will vote on whether the benefits of making the pill more widely available outweigh the potential risks. The panel vote is not binding and the FDA is expected to make its final decision this summer.

Perrigo executives say Opill could be an important new option for the estimated 15 million U.S. women — or one-fifth of those who are child-bearing age — who currently use no birth control or less effective methods, such as condoms.

“We have no doubt that our data clearly shows that women of all ages can safely use Opill in the over-the-counter setting,” Frederique Welgryn, the company's global vice president for women's health, said this week.

The company's application has no relation to the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-supreme-court-texas-misoprostol-d9d5ab96096ef8760c745d09b8e1b328">lawsuits</a>&nbsp;over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">abortion pill mifepristone</a>, which is not a contraceptive. Research for over-the-counter sales of the pill began nearly a decade ago.

Hormone-based pills, like Opill, have long been the most common form of birth control in the U.S., used by tens of millions of women since the 1960s.

Opill was first approved in the U.S. 50 years ago. Perrigo acquired rights to the drug last year with its buyout of Paris-based HRA Pharma, which bought the pill from Pfizer in 2014. It’s not currently marketed in the U.S. but is sold without a prescription in the U.K.

FDA's decision won't apply to other birth control pills, only Opill, although advocates hope that an approval decision might push other pill makers to seek over-the-counter sales. Birth control pills are available without a prescription across much of South America, Asia and Africa.

Many common medications have made the over-the-counter switch, including drugs for pain relief, heartburn and allergies. Generally, drugmakers must show that consumers can accurately understand and follow the labeling instructions to safely and effectively use the drug. Non-prescription medicines are usually cheaper, but generally not covered by insurance. Forcing insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control would require a regulatory change by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Perrigo’s main study tracked nearly 900 U.S. women taking its pill without professional supervision for up to six months. The group included women of different ages, races, educational and cultural backgrounds.

Women were paid to track and record their use of the pill, including whether they followed instructions to take it during the same 3-hour window each day. That consistency is key to the drug’s ability to block pregnancy.

But after Perrigo wrapped up its study, the FDA identified a problem: nearly 30% of women erroneously reported taking more pills than they were actually supplied.

The FDA said Friday these cases of “improbable dosing” call into question the company's results.

Perrigo will present a reanalysis of the data that excludes the participants who overreported. The company says the results showed the study still achieved its goal of demonstrating that most women used the pill correctly.

Women reported taking the pill on a daily basis 92% of the time during the study, the company says.

The company says its data show there would be about two pregnancies for every 100 women who take its pill for a year. But the FDA called this figure “an imprecise estimate” because the study was significantly smaller than those typically used to evaluate contraceptive effectiveness.

The most popular birth control pills today contain the synthetic hormone progestin, which helps block pregnancy, plus estrogen. The addition of estrogen can help make periods lighter and more regular but it also carries the risk of rare blood clots.

Opill contains only progestin, making it a safer option and, according to experts, an easier regulatory switch to over-the-counter status. But progestin-only pills have downsides, including reduced effectiveness if they’re not taken at the same time daily.

The FDA review also flagged concerns that women with potential health problems will appropriately avoid taking the drug.

Women with a history of breast cancer should not take the pill, though a few participants in preliminary research incorrectly said they thought they could. And women who have unusual vaginal bleeding are instructed to talk to a doctor first, because it could indicate a medical problem. But the FDA notes that half of women in Perrigo’s study who had unexplained bleeding incorrectly said Opill would be appropriate for them.

Several major U.S. medical groups, including the American Medical Association, support making the drugs available over the counter. The 60-year history of birth control pills shows “the benefits of widespread, nonprescription availability far outweigh the limited risk,” the group stated in comments submitted to the FDA.

Catholic groups, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, are opposing Opill's application, saying women should be evaluated by a doctor before getting it.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators are weighing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-birth-control-861d6d425e692ee1ead1d59926e5f3cd">first-ever request</a>&nbsp;to make a birth control pill available without a prescription.Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration meet next week to review drugmaker Perrigo's application to sell a decades-old pill over the counter. The two-day public meeting is one of the last steps before an FDA decision.If the FDA grants the company's request, Opill would become the first contraceptive pill to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter onto store shelves or online.But in an initial review posted Friday, the FDA raised numerous concerns about studies of Opill, citing problems with the reliability of some of the company's data and questions about whether women with certain other medical conditions would correctly opt out of taking it. It also noted signs that study participants had trouble understanding the labeling instructions.The agency will ask the panel to consider whether younger teenagers will be able to understand and follow the instructions.At the end of the meeting, the FDA panel will vote on whether the benefits of making the pill more widely available outweigh the potential risks. The panel vote is not binding and the FDA is expected to make its final decision this summer.Perrigo executives say Opill could be an important new option for the estimated 15 million U.S. women — or one-fifth of those who are child-bearing age — who currently use no birth control or less effective methods, such as condoms.“We have no doubt that our data clearly shows that women of all ages can safely use Opill in the over-the-counter setting,” Frederique Welgryn, the company's global vice president for women's health, said this week.The company's application has no relation to the ongoing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-supreme-court-texas-misoprostol-d9d5ab96096ef8760c745d09b8e1b328">lawsuits</a>&nbsp;over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">abortion pill mifepristone</a>, which is not a contraceptive. Research for over-the-counter sales of the pill began nearly a decade ago.Hormone-based pills, like Opill, have long been the most common form of birth control in the U.S., used by tens of millions of women since the 1960s.Opill was first approved in the U.S. 50 years ago. Perrigo acquired rights to the drug last year with its buyout of Paris-based HRA Pharma, which bought the pill from Pfizer in 2014. It’s not currently marketed in the U.S. but is sold without a prescription in the U.K.FDA's decision won't apply to other birth control pills, only Opill, although advocates hope that an approval decision might push other pill makers to seek over-the-counter sales. Birth control pills are available without a prescription across much of South America, Asia and Africa.Many common medications have made the over-the-counter switch, including drugs for pain relief, heartburn and allergies. Generally, drugmakers must show that consumers can accurately understand and follow the labeling instructions to safely and effectively use the drug. Non-prescription medicines are usually cheaper, but generally not covered by insurance. Forcing insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control would require a regulatory change by the Department of Health and Human Services.Perrigo’s main study tracked nearly 900 U.S. women taking its pill without professional supervision for up to six months. The group included women of different ages, races, educational and cultural backgrounds.Women were paid to track and record their use of the pill, including whether they followed instructions to take it during the same 3-hour window each day. That consistency is key to the drug’s ability to block pregnancy.But after Perrigo wrapped up its study, the FDA identified a problem: nearly 30% of women erroneously reported taking more pills than they were actually supplied.The FDA said Friday these cases of “improbable dosing” call into question the company's results.Perrigo will present a reanalysis of the data that excludes the participants who overreported. The company says the results showed the study still achieved its goal of demonstrating that most women used the pill correctly.Women reported taking the pill on a daily basis 92% of the time during the study, the company says.The company says its data show there would be about two pregnancies for every 100 women who take its pill for a year. But the FDA called this figure “an imprecise estimate” because the study was significantly smaller than those typically used to evaluate contraceptive effectiveness.The most popular birth control pills today contain the synthetic hormone progestin, which helps block pregnancy, plus estrogen. The addition of estrogen can help make periods lighter and more regular but it also carries the risk of rare blood clots.Opill contains only progestin, making it a safer option and, according to experts, an easier regulatory switch to over-the-counter status. But progestin-only pills have downsides, including reduced effectiveness if they’re not taken at the same time daily.The FDA review also flagged concerns that women with potential health problems will appropriately avoid taking the drug.Women with a history of breast cancer should not take the pill, though a few participants in preliminary research incorrectly said they thought they could. And women who have unusual vaginal bleeding are instructed to talk to a doctor first, because it could indicate a medical problem. But the FDA notes that half of women in Perrigo’s study who had unexplained bleeding incorrectly said Opill would be appropriate for them.Several major U.S. medical groups, including the American Medical Association, support making the drugs available over the counter. The 60-year history of birth control pills shows “the benefits of widespread, nonprescription availability far outweigh the limited risk,” the group stated in comments submitted to the FDA.Catholic groups, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, are opposing Opill's application, saying women should be evaluated by a doctor before getting it.

FDA weighing 1st over-the-counter birth control pill

WASHINGTON —House Republicans last month narrowly passed a sweeping debt ceiling package as they try to push President Biden into negotiations on federal spending.&nbsp; The Senate has yet to vote on the bill.

(Click below to watch Marshall in the news conference on the debt limit)

On Wednesday, Kansas Senator Roger Marshall voice his support for the bill, "Biden can stay in his basement and continue to pass the buck- strapping our children and grandchildren with crippling debt, or he can take accountability and responsibly solve the national debt crisis now.

Biden has threatened to veto the bill over the budget limits that are attached.

A look at key aspects of the legislation that the House approved by a vote of 217-215.

The bill would set federal discretionary spending at $1.47 trillion during the next fiscal year and allow it to increase only 1% annually from there, far below the rate of inflation in most years.

The cap on spending is the big-ticket item in the bill, accounting for about two-thirds of the $4.8 trillion in deficit reduction that the Congressional Budget Office says would occur over 10 years if the bill is enacted.

Discretionary spending includes things like weapons programs, servicemember pay, grants for schools that serve large shares of low-income students, rental assistance to house millions of poor and disabled, and money to fund research on cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It’s the spending that Congress approves through appropriations bills.

The House GOP bill doesn’t affect spending on Social Security and Medicare. Such spending, referred to as mandatory, accounts for about two-thirds of all federal spending.

The bill would rescind all unobligated COVID relief money from six bills enacted from 2020-2022. The changes would reduce spending by about $30 billion over the next decade, according to the CBO. That’s less than 1% of the total cost of the six bills.

House Republicans began their tenure in the majority by passing a bill that would rescind nearly $71 billion that Congress is providing the IRS to upgrade its technology and boost hiring. They have included the same proposal in their debt limit bill.

Democrats approved the higher IRS funding on top of what Congress normally provides the agency annually through the appropriations process. The boost immediately became a magnet for GOP campaign ads in the fall claiming it would lead to an army of IRS agents harassing Americans.

The CBO has said that rescinding the IRS money actually would increase deficits by more about $120 billion over the coming decade due to the impact on the agency’s work. But McCarthy said the step is needed to “protect families and businesses from a weaponized IRS.”

The Republican bill would repeal actions taken by President Biden to waive $10,000 to $20,000 in debt for nearly all borrowers who took out student loans. The bill would also prohibit the administration’s efforts to cut monthly payments in half for undergraduate loans. The CBO projects that the student loan changes House Republicans seek would save about $460 billion over 10 years.

Republicans argue that Biden is unfairly transferring the obligations of people who incurred student loan debts onto millions of American taxpayers who did not go to college or who already paid off their student loans. And the say the policy will do nothing to curb the soaring tuition rates at colleges and universities.

Biden has said the student loan forgiveness would give millions of younger Americans a little breathing room financially. It would improve their ability to plow their resources into a house, car or just basic essentials, which helps power the economy. Nearly 90% of the debt cancellation would go to borrowers who earn less than $75,000.

Republicans are seeking to repeal most of the tax breaks that Democrats passed in party-line votes last year as they sought to boost the production and consumption of clean energy.

McCarthy argues that the tax breaks “distort the market and waste taxpayer money.” The White House says the tax credits are leading to hundreds of billions of dollars in private-sector investments, creating thousands of manufacturing jobs in the U.S.

Republicans dropped their efforts to strip out some biofuel tax breaks, however, after the proposed changes threatened to tank the bill. The restoration of those credits was a top priority of Republicans from Iowa and other Midwestern states where the production of alternative fuels such as ethanol play a major role in the rural economy.

Citing estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation, the CBO projected that repealing the clean energy tax breaks would save about $570 billion over 10 years, though that amount will shrink with the decision to keep some of the biofuel breaks.

One of the key elements of the GOP bill is expanded work requirements for recipients of federal cash and food assistance.

Under current law, able-bodied adults under 50 and without dependents risk losing their food stamp, or SNAP benefits, if they don’t spend 20 hours a week in work-related activities. The bill would apply the requirement to those ages 50-55.

In addition, the bill would apply work requirements to able-bodied adults without dependents in Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance coverage for low-income Americans. Job training and performing community service count toward fulfilling the work requirement.

McCarthy said changes would help those affected learn new job skills and earn a paycheck while helping to fill some of the millions of job openings throughout the country. The White House said millions of people, many already working, would lose their health insurance coverage.

A Congressional Budget Office review last year of work requirements for Medicaid recipients said Arkansas was the only state where a work requirement was imposed for more than a few months. It found many of the targeted adults lost their health insurance and employment did not appear to increase. It said that while evidence was scant, research indicated that many were unaware of the work requirement or found it too onerous to demonstrate compliance.

The CBO estimates that about 15 million people could be subject to the new Medicaid work requirements each year, although many would qualify for an exemption. About 1.5 million, on average, would lose federal funding for their Medicaid coverage, and of that group, about 600,000 would become uninsured.

The debt limit package includes legislation the House passed earlier this year that aims to increase domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal, and to ease permitting restrictions that delay pipelines, refineries and other projects.

Known as HR 1 to signify its importance to House Republicans, the energy bill also seeks to boost production of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt that are used in electric vehicles, computers, cellphones and other products. Biden has described the House GOP’s legislation as a “thinly veiled license to pollute.”

The Republican would suspend the debt limit through March 31, or by $1.5 trillion, whichever comes first. That would tee up another debt ceiling fight for early next year, just months before the November election when control of the White House and Congress will be decided.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683152420066.png" alt="courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —House Republicans last month narrowly passed a sweeping debt ceiling package as they try to push President Biden into negotiations on federal spending.&nbsp; The Senate has yet to vote on the bill.(Click below to watch Marshall in the news conference on the debt limit)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Democrats&#39; refusal to negotiate on the debt ceiling is simply out of touch with the American people. Senate Republicans discuss solutions, while the Democrats sit on their hands. <a href="https://t.co/6fTE0Z7G9H">https://t.co/6fTE0Z7G9H</a>&mdash; Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenateGOP/status/1653820494888730624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Wednesday, Kansas Senator Roger Marshall voice his support for the bill, "Biden can stay in his basement and continue to pass the buck- strapping our children and grandchildren with crippling debt, or he can take accountability and responsibly solve the national debt crisis now.Biden has threatened to veto the bill over the budget limits that are attached.A look at key aspects of the legislation that the House approved by a vote of 217-215.LIMIT FEDERAL SPENDINGThe bill would set federal discretionary spending at $1.47 trillion during the next fiscal year and allow it to increase only 1% annually from there, far below the rate of inflation in most years.The cap on spending is the big-ticket item in the bill, accounting for about two-thirds of the $4.8 trillion in deficit reduction that the Congressional Budget Office says would occur over 10 years if the bill is enacted.Discretionary spending includes things like weapons programs, servicemember pay, grants for schools that serve large shares of low-income students, rental assistance to house millions of poor and disabled, and money to fund research on cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It’s the spending that Congress approves through appropriations bills.The House GOP bill doesn’t affect spending on Social Security and Medicare. Such spending, referred to as mandatory, accounts for about two-thirds of all federal spending.CLAW BACK COVID MONEYThe bill would rescind all unobligated COVID relief money from six bills enacted from 2020-2022. The changes would reduce spending by about $30 billion over the next decade, according to the CBO. That’s less than 1% of the total cost of the six bills.TARGET THE IRSHouse Republicans began their tenure in the majority by passing a bill that would rescind nearly $71 billion that Congress is providing the IRS to upgrade its technology and boost hiring. They have included the same proposal in their debt limit bill.Democrats approved the higher IRS funding on top of what Congress normally provides the agency annually through the appropriations process. The boost immediately became a magnet for GOP campaign ads in the fall claiming it would lead to an army of IRS agents harassing Americans.The CBO has said that rescinding the IRS money actually would increase deficits by more about $120 billion over the coming decade due to the impact on the agency’s work. But McCarthy said the step is needed to “protect families and businesses from a weaponized IRS.”BLOCK STUDENT LOAN RELIEFThe Republican bill would repeal actions taken by President Biden to waive $10,000 to $20,000 in debt for nearly all borrowers who took out student loans. The bill would also prohibit the administration’s efforts to cut monthly payments in half for undergraduate loans. The CBO projects that the student loan changes House Republicans seek would save about $460 billion over 10 years.Republicans argue that Biden is unfairly transferring the obligations of people who incurred student loan debts onto millions of American taxpayers who did not go to college or who already paid off their student loans. And the say the policy will do nothing to curb the soaring tuition rates at colleges and universities.Biden has said the student loan forgiveness would give millions of younger Americans a little breathing room financially. It would improve their ability to plow their resources into a house, car or just basic essentials, which helps power the economy. Nearly 90% of the debt cancellation would go to borrowers who earn less than $75,000.GOING AFTER RENEWABLESRepublicans are seeking to repeal most of the tax breaks that Democrats passed in party-line votes last year as they sought to boost the production and consumption of clean energy.McCarthy argues that the tax breaks “distort the market and waste taxpayer money.” The White House says the tax credits are leading to hundreds of billions of dollars in private-sector investments, creating thousands of manufacturing jobs in the U.S.Republicans dropped their efforts to strip out some biofuel tax breaks, however, after the proposed changes threatened to tank the bill. The restoration of those credits was a top priority of Republicans from Iowa and other Midwestern states where the production of alternative fuels such as ethanol play a major role in the rural economy.Citing estimates from the Joint Committee on Taxation, the CBO projected that repealing the clean energy tax breaks would save about $570 billion over 10 years, though that amount will shrink with the decision to keep some of the biofuel breaks.WORK REQUIREMENTSOne of the key elements of the GOP bill is expanded work requirements for recipients of federal cash and food assistance.Under current law, able-bodied adults under 50 and without dependents risk losing their food stamp, or SNAP benefits, if they don’t spend 20 hours a week in work-related activities. The bill would apply the requirement to those ages 50-55.In addition, the bill would apply work requirements to able-bodied adults without dependents in Medicaid, the federal-state program that provides health insurance coverage for low-income Americans. Job training and performing community service count toward fulfilling the work requirement.McCarthy said changes would help those affected learn new job skills and earn a paycheck while helping to fill some of the millions of job openings throughout the country. The White House said millions of people, many already working, would lose their health insurance coverage.A Congressional Budget Office review last year of work requirements for Medicaid recipients said Arkansas was the only state where a work requirement was imposed for more than a few months. It found many of the targeted adults lost their health insurance and employment did not appear to increase. It said that while evidence was scant, research indicated that many were unaware of the work requirement or found it too onerous to demonstrate compliance.The CBO estimates that about 15 million people could be subject to the new Medicaid work requirements each year, although many would qualify for an exemption. About 1.5 million, on average, would lose federal funding for their Medicaid coverage, and of that group, about 600,000 would become uninsured.FOSSIL FUEL BOOSTThe debt limit package includes legislation the House passed earlier this year that aims to increase domestic production of oil, natural gas and coal, and to ease permitting restrictions that delay pipelines, refineries and other projects.Known as HR 1 to signify its importance to House Republicans, the energy bill also seeks to boost production of critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and cobalt that are used in electric vehicles, computers, cellphones and other products. Biden has described the House GOP’s legislation as a “thinly veiled license to pollute.”INCREASE THE DEBT LIMITThe Republican would suspend the debt limit through March 31, or by $1.5 trillion, whichever comes first. That would tee up another debt ceiling fight for early next year, just months before the November election when control of the White House and Congress will be decided.

🎥 What’s in the GOP bill to lift debt limit, cut spending

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/P5051396-1024x576.jpg" alt="Protestors block the view of two people with hateful signs during rally in support of transgender rights on May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Protestors block the view of two people with hateful signs during rally in support of transgender rights on May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Rainbow flags, babies in tie-dye and a three-legged dog wearing a trans flag bandana: these are the new symbols of defiance in the battle for LGBTQ rights in Kansas. Transgender protesters once again showed up to make their voices heard at the Statehouse, blasting stories and encouragement to one another through a shaky speaker system.“This is not the end. There is a huge fight ahead that we are poised to win. And we are going to win it together,” said Adam Kellogg, one of about 50 demonstrators camped out on the south side of the Capitol to speak against a wide-ranging transgender bathroom ban Friday.&nbsp;At the top of the bronze dome gleaming in the bright afternoon light, visitors yelled down a question to the brightly colored group of protestors who dotted the steps below: “Is that a trans flag?”&nbsp;It was. In fact, there were dozens of flags, and the people holding them expressed anger and frustration. The protest&nbsp;comes at the end of a legislative session rife with bills geared toward policing the transgender community.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, a wide-ranging “bathroom bill” recently made law, bans individuals who are born without the ability to produce eggs for reproduction from using women’s restrooms, locker rooms and other gender-specific areas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683334122322.png" alt="Kansans rally in support of transgender rights May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansans rally in support of transgender rights May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The legislation applies to athletics, prison facilities, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, locker rooms, restrooms and “other areas where biology, safety or privacy are implicated that result in separate accommodations.”Leo McDaniel, a protester who showed up wearing a homemade “Proud To Be Trans”shirt,&nbsp; said they were sick of having their body and life being put up for public debate.&nbsp;“I’m just f***ing upset that I have to be here, that I have to tell people that I am real, I’m not scary, I exist and I don’t want to have to do this,” McDaniel said. “ I don’t want to have to tell people about this, I don’t want people coming up to me anymore and asking what genitals I have.”&nbsp;Kansas Republicans have justified the legislation, termed a “women’s bill of rights,” by claiming that women are in danger of having their rights usurped by transgender or nonbinary individual, though no one has pointed to any evidence of this happening in the state.&nbsp;Implementation of the law and how it will affect transgender people’s daily lives remains unclear, but it could involve birth certificate requirements or genital checks.&nbsp;“I’m f***ing tired of people talking about my f***ing genitals,” McDaniel said.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/P5051460.jpg" alt="Leo McDaniel speaks in support of transgender rights on May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Leo McDaniel speaks in support of transgender rights on May 5, 2023, at the Statehouse in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>During the rally, McDaniel and their fellow protesters used their bodies and signs to cover up<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/anti-maskers-profane-outburst-targeting-reflector-editor-restored-to-video-recording/">&nbsp;Justin Spiehs</a>, one of two counter-protesters who showed up with transphobic signs. Spiehs’ sign read “If you’re born with a dick then you’re not a chick.” His fellow protestor, who refused to give her name, clutched a sign reading “Make ‘normal’ great again.”&nbsp;&nbsp;While protestors were there to rally against SB180, the GOP-dominated Legislature spent a significant amount of time during this year’s legislative session pushing through other bills that target transgender children.&nbsp;Kansas became the 20th state to pass a transgender student athlete ban into law in April, after lawmakers were able to scrape up enough votes to override Kelly’s veto. Transgender girls are now blocked from playing women’s sports from kindergarten through college, though this law is likely to be challenged on constitutional grounds.&nbsp;Senate Republicans failed to override Kelly’s veto of a bill essentially banning gender-affirming care for Kansans under the age of 18, but the Legislature was successful in overturning Kelly’s veto of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2138/">Senate Substitute for House Bill 2138</a>, a bill requiring local school boards to implement requirements separating students based on “biological sex” during school-sponsored overnight stays.&nbsp;Monty Protest, a 19-year-old college student, said protesters should remembers the joy within the LGBTQ experience.&nbsp;“Every day, I say ‘Thank God that I was born transgender,’” Protest said. “It is the absolutely most beautiful thing about me, and it is a beautiful experience to have. Do not let these people who are trying to shut you up silence you.”“No matter how dirty it gets, no matter how awful it gets, just remember how amazing it is,” Protest added.&nbsp;