KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man was fatally shot late Wednesday after a confrontation with police officers in Kansas City, Kansas — the second fatal shooting by police in the city this year.

The shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near a bridge that crosses the Kansas River. An officer pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation, said Officer Donna Drake of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, which is handling the investigation as part of an agreement between the two agencies.

Police on Thursday identified the man as Amaree’ya Henderson, of Kansas City.

Drake said a “confrontation ensued” after the traffic stop and ended when the officer shot the driver. No further details about the confrontation were immediately released. The police officer was treated for minor injuries.

The name of the involved officer has not been released.

In February, police in Kansas City, Kansas, fatally shot a man after he allegedly fled on a bicycle from a house where two people had recently overdosed on fentanyl, the Star reported. Police said the man had a gun.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man was fatally shot late Wednesday after a confrontation with police officers in Kansas City, Kansas — the second fatal shooting by police in the city this year.The shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near a bridge that crosses the Kansas River. An officer pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation, said Officer Donna Drake of the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department, which is handling the investigation as part of an agreement between the two agencies.Police on Thursday identified the man as Amaree’ya Henderson, of Kansas City.Drake said a “confrontation ensued” after the traffic stop and ended when the officer shot the driver. No further details about the confrontation were immediately released. The police officer was treated for minor injuries.The name of the involved officer has not been released.In February, police in Kansas City, Kansas, fatally shot a man after he allegedly fled on a bicycle from a house where two people had recently overdosed on fentanyl, the Star reported. Police said the man had a gun.

Police ID man who died in Kansas officer shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic measure to revive the Equal Rights Amendment, dealing yet another blow to supporters who have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-discrimination-constitutions-jackie-speier-1023e4afabc87f7c6dcd552ba02cbe98">pushed for more than five decades</a>&nbsp;to amend the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sex.

Democrats failed to win the necessary 60 votes to move forward with the resolution, which would have removed a 1982 deadline for state ratification and reopened the process to amend the Constitution.

The 51-47 vote included support from two Republicans, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski — well short of the 10 GOP votes needed. Missouri Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt joined Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voting against the measure.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., put the resolution up for a vote this week, even as it was unlikely to pass. He said it was especially timely in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">to overturn Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and the constitutional right to an abortion.

“Women in America have far fewer rights today than they did even a year ago,” Schumer said.

After the vote, Schumer said the Senate is “not giving up,” and would keep trying to pass the measure.

Congress sent the amendment, which guarantees men and women equal rights under the law, to the states in 1972. It gave states seven years to ratify it, later extending the deadline to 1982. But the amendment wasn’t ratified by the required three-quarters of states before the deadline.

Three years ago, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/constitutions-us-news-discrimination-va-state-wire-virginia-fd7f31ce50bc15184317d1abefb08da1">Virginia lawmakers voted to ratify the amendment,</a>&nbsp;becoming the 38th and final state needed.

At the same time, several states — including Nebraska, Tennessee, Idaho, Kentucky and South Dakota — have attempted to remove their prior approval.

States can support the federal version individually, though it is not ratified into the U.S. Constitution, so those ratifications remain mostly symbolic.

In a statement of policy, the White House said that President Joe Biden “strongly supports” extending the deadline and that it is long past time.

“Gender equality is not only a moral issue – the full participation of women and girls across all aspects of our society is essential to our economic prosperity, our security, and the health of our democracy,” the White House said.

Republicans have argued that Democrats are trying to rewrite history.

“The Democrats’ novel unconstitutional approach bypasses states’ rights and circumvents the process our founders put in place,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., after the vote. “This is simply another liberal wish list item meant to drive a political wedge.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682647247525.png" alt="Members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and ERA Caucus marched over to the Senate to push for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. imaage courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Members of the Democratic Women’s Caucus and ERA Caucus marched over to the Senate to push for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. imaage courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a Democratic measure to revive the Equal Rights Amendment, dealing yet another blow to supporters who have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-discrimination-constitutions-jackie-speier-1023e4afabc87f7c6dcd552ba02cbe98">pushed for more than five decades</a>&nbsp;to amend the Constitution to prohibit discrimination based on sex.Democrats failed to win the necessary 60 votes to move forward with the resolution, which would have removed a 1982 deadline for state ratification and reopened the process to amend the Constitution.The 51-47 vote included support from two Republicans, Maine Sen. Susan Collins and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski — well short of the 10 GOP votes needed. Missouri Senators Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt joined Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voting against the measure.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., put the resolution up for a vote this week, even as it was unlikely to pass. He said it was especially timely in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">to overturn Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;and the constitutional right to an abortion.“Women in America have far fewer rights today than they did even a year ago,” Schumer said.After the vote, Schumer said the Senate is “not giving up,” and would keep trying to pass the measure.Congress sent the amendment, which guarantees men and women equal rights under the law, to the states in 1972. It gave states seven years to ratify it, later extending the deadline to 1982. But the amendment wasn’t ratified by the required three-quarters of states before the deadline.Three years ago, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/constitutions-us-news-discrimination-va-state-wire-virginia-fd7f31ce50bc15184317d1abefb08da1">Virginia lawmakers voted to ratify the amendment,</a>&nbsp;becoming the 38th and final state needed.At the same time, several states — including Nebraska, Tennessee, Idaho, Kentucky and South Dakota — have attempted to remove their prior approval.States can support the federal version individually, though it is not ratified into the U.S. Constitution, so those ratifications remain mostly symbolic.In a statement of policy, the White House said that President Joe Biden “strongly supports” extending the deadline and that it is long past time.“Gender equality is not only a moral issue – the full participation of women and girls across all aspects of our society is essential to our economic prosperity, our security, and the health of our democracy,” the White House said.Republicans have argued that Democrats are trying to rewrite history.“The Democrats’ novel unconstitutional approach bypasses states’ rights and circumvents the process our founders put in place,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., after the vote. “This is simply another liberal wish list item meant to drive a political wedge.”

Hawley, Schmitt vote no: Equal Rights Amendment fails in Senate

WASHINGTON —GHSW, LLC of Houston, Texas is voluntarily recalling 8.55 oz packages of Turkey and Havarti Sandwiches due to undeclared sesame in bread, according to a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

 People who are allergic to sesame run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

The recalled product was shipped to Dillon stores in Kansas, Baker’s stores in Nebraska, Gerbes stores in Missouri, as well as Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana from 01/01/23 to 4/24/23.

The recalled Turkey and Havarti Sandwiches are packaged in 8.55 oz clear plastic clamshells, with UPC 8 2676615584 2, and marked with Sell-by Dates on the front of the packet. All sell-by dates up to and including 4/29/23 are included in this recall. No other products or lots are affected by this recall. Example photos of the recalled product with labels are below.

No reports of illnesses or injury have been received to date.

The recall was initiated after it was discovered by a GHSW internal review/audit that sesame in the bread was not declared as an allergen. Sesame was always an ingredient and should have been declared as an allergen starting January 1, 2023, as it was added to the list of the major food allergens.

GHSW, LLC. is urging customers with any sesame concerns or allergies to dispose of the recalled products or return to the store of purchase for a full refund. Receipts are not required for the return. GHSW, LLC is standing by to answer customer questions at 888.449.9386 Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm PST.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682678193605.png" alt="photo FDA" />
 <figcaption>photo FDA</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —GHSW, LLC of Houston, Texas is voluntarily recalling 8.55 oz packages of Turkey and Havarti Sandwiches due to undeclared sesame in bread, according to a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. People who are allergic to sesame run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.The recalled product was shipped to Dillon stores in Kansas, Baker’s stores in Nebraska, Gerbes stores in Missouri, as well as Kroger stores in Texas and Louisiana from 01/01/23 to 4/24/23.The recalled Turkey and Havarti Sandwiches are packaged in 8.55 oz clear plastic clamshells, with UPC 8 2676615584 2, and marked with Sell-by Dates on the front of the packet. All sell-by dates up to and including 4/29/23 are included in this recall. No other products or lots are affected by this recall. Example photos of the recalled product with labels are below.No reports of illnesses or injury have been received to date.The recall was initiated after it was discovered by a GHSW internal review/audit that sesame in the bread was not declared as an allergen. Sesame was always an ingredient and should have been declared as an allergen starting January 1, 2023, as it was added to the list of the major food allergens.GHSW, LLC. is urging customers with any sesame concerns or allergies to dispose of the recalled products or return to the store of purchase for a full refund. Receipts are not required for the return. GHSW, LLC is standing by to answer customer questions at 888.449.9386 Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm PST.

Sandwiches recalled in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska stores

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area woman has been charged with Animal Abuse for leaving a female dog in the cold, causing substantial harm to the animal, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Onica M. Morgan, 39, faces a count of misdemeanor Animal Abuse.

According to court records, Animal Services Officers responded to 4100 block of Wayne Avenue on a report of a dog being abandoned in the cold. 

The animal service officers found the animal in the garage. The odor of dog urine and feces was overwhelming. The dog appeared to be deceased. 

But the animal service officers noticed the dog taking a breath. The dog,&nbsp;Jolene, a 3-year-old Pit bull, was transported to Kansas City Pet Project for emergency treatment. 

It appeared, veterinary staff later concluded that the neglect had gone on for some time. Kansas City Police Department detectives assisted in establishing that the defendant connection to the residence where they found the neglected animal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682547826434.png" alt="Jolene, a 3-year-old Pit bull is doing well and has been adopted-Photo courtesy KC Pet Project" />
 <figcaption>Jolene, a 3-year-old Pit bull is doing well and has been adopted-Photo courtesy KC Pet Project</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area woman has been charged with Animal Abuse for leaving a female dog in the cold, causing substantial harm to the animal, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Onica M. Morgan, 39, faces a count of misdemeanor Animal Abuse.According to court records, Animal Services Officers responded to 4100 block of Wayne Avenue on a report of a dog being abandoned in the cold. The animal service officers found the animal in the garage. The odor of dog urine and feces was overwhelming. The dog appeared to be deceased. But the animal service officers noticed the dog taking a breath. The dog,&nbsp;Jolene, a 3-year-old Pit bull, was transported to Kansas City Pet Project for emergency treatment. It appeared, veterinary staff later concluded that the neglect had gone on for some time. Kansas City Police Department detectives assisted in establishing that the defendant connection to the residence where they found the neglected animal.

KC-area woman charged in abuse of dog found in the cold

JACKSON COUNTY —A man involved in a fatal head-on crash in Kansas is being held in the Jackson County Jail facing multiple allegations.

Just before 11a.m. Wednesday, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Dodge Avenger driven by&nbsp;Ayinde-Jriel James, 44, Fort Worth, Texas, was northbound on U.S. 75 two miles north of Holton at excess speeds.-

The driver began to pass numerous vehicles without sufficient clearance and struck a southbound 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Melinda J.&nbsp;Wareham, 74, Whiting. The vehicles collided head-on, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

Wareham was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Frontier Forensics.&nbsp; 

The KHP arrested James on requested charges of involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and reckless driving, according to Morse.

North and southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 75 were closed with traffic rerouted until after 2:30p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682614177066.png" alt="James-photo Jackson" />
 <figcaption>James-photo Jackson</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —A man involved in a fatal head-on crash in Kansas is being held in the Jackson County Jail facing multiple allegations.Just before 11a.m. Wednesday, the Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Dodge Avenger driven by&nbsp;Ayinde-Jriel James, 44, Fort Worth, Texas, was northbound on U.S. 75 two miles north of Holton at excess speeds.-<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682537465769.png" alt="Traffic backed up after the crash -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Traffic backed up after the crash -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver began to pass numerous vehicles without sufficient clearance and struck a southbound 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Melinda J.&nbsp;Wareham, 74, Whiting. The vehicles collided head-on, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.Wareham was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Frontier Forensics.&nbsp; The KHP arrested James on requested charges of involuntary manslaughter, driving under the influence, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and reckless driving, according to Morse.North and southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 75 were closed with traffic rerouted until after 2:30p.m.

Driver accused of DUI in head-on crash that killed Kan. woman

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who was freed from prison last year after his murder conviction was set aside alleges in a lawsuit that Kansas City police framed him in the killing.

Keith Carnes, 53, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-crime-shootings-8391fec6c493f88287a0c4940d5bcd29">released from prison</a>&nbsp;in April 2022 after serving 18 years of a life sentence for first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Carnes alleges police and former Jackson County assistant prosecutor Amy McGowan coerced witnesses and issued fraudulent reports that led to his conviction in the 2003 shooting death of 24-year-old Larry White, in a Kansas City parking garage.

The Kansas City police department said it does not generally respond to ongoing lawsuits “to ensure fairness to all involved.”

The Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-missouri-kansas-39e398c6e9f3a8e0ead320942d4a9ee7">set aside Carnes' conviction</a>&nbsp;in 2022, in part because because an eyewitness account from a confidential informant that might have led to his exoneration was not given to Carnes’ defense team.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's office said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-kansas-kansas-city-crime-3ddfdcab460d26a68c95ff9d6e1ae953">would not retrry</a>&nbsp;Carnes because although its case review did not establish Carnes' innocence, there was insufficient evidence to convict him a second time.

In the lawsuit, Carnes' attorneys said a feared Kansas City drug dealer killed White in a dispute over territory and that officers who struggled to find witnesses decided to “pin” the murder on Carnes.

Two witnesses who identified Carnes as the killer recanted their testimony in 2014, alleging police and prosecutors pressured them to name Carnes as the shooter.

“The Kansas City police practices described in this lawsuit — fabricating evidence to secure convictions and propel officers’ own careers forward — amount to corruption,” one of Carnes' attorneys, Locke Bowman, said in a statement.

One of the witnesses testified in 2021 that she recanted her original testimony after threats from Carnes’ supporters. The second witness testified at the same hearing that she could no longer remember the night of the murder clearly.

Prosecutors have said case evidence was “tainted from all directions.”

Two other Kansas City area men who were exonerated in recent years after serving years in prison for murders they did not commit have also sued the Kansas City police department. Kevin Strickland, who spent more than 40 years in prison; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab01918e80a642af8c64b18fa190244b">Ricky Kidd</a>, who served nearly 25, each&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-strickland-wrongful-conviction-missouri-lawsuit-0a0d2731943d25a242e82eb7b47353cf">sued the department</a>&nbsp;over its investigations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682623292629.png" alt="Carnes following his release from prison in April 2022-photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Carnes following his release from prison in April 2022-photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who was freed from prison last year after his murder conviction was set aside alleges in a lawsuit that Kansas City police framed him in the killing.Keith Carnes, 53, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-crime-shootings-8391fec6c493f88287a0c4940d5bcd29">released from prison</a>&nbsp;in April 2022 after serving 18 years of a life sentence for first-degree murder and armed criminal action.In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, Carnes alleges police and former Jackson County assistant prosecutor Amy McGowan coerced witnesses and issued fraudulent reports that led to his conviction in the 2003 shooting death of 24-year-old Larry White, in a Kansas City parking garage.The Kansas City police department said it does not generally respond to ongoing lawsuits “to ensure fairness to all involved.”The Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-missouri-kansas-39e398c6e9f3a8e0ead320942d4a9ee7">set aside Carnes' conviction</a>&nbsp;in 2022, in part because because an eyewitness account from a confidential informant that might have led to his exoneration was not given to Carnes’ defense team.The Jackson County Prosecutor's office said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-kansas-kansas-city-crime-3ddfdcab460d26a68c95ff9d6e1ae953">would not retrry</a>&nbsp;Carnes because although its case review did not establish Carnes' innocence, there was insufficient evidence to convict him a second time.In the lawsuit, Carnes' attorneys said a feared Kansas City drug dealer killed White in a dispute over territory and that officers who struggled to find witnesses decided to “pin” the murder on Carnes.Two witnesses who identified Carnes as the killer recanted their testimony in 2014, alleging police and prosecutors pressured them to name Carnes as the shooter.“The Kansas City police practices described in this lawsuit — fabricating evidence to secure convictions and propel officers’ own careers forward — amount to corruption,” one of Carnes' attorneys, Locke Bowman, said in a statement.One of the witnesses testified in 2021 that she recanted her original testimony after threats from Carnes’ supporters. The second witness testified at the same hearing that she could no longer remember the night of the murder clearly.Prosecutors have said case evidence was “tainted from all directions.”Two other Kansas City area men who were exonerated in recent years after serving years in prison for murders they did not commit have also sued the Kansas City police department. Kevin Strickland, who spent more than 40 years in prison; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ab01918e80a642af8c64b18fa190244b">Ricky Kidd</a>, who served nearly 25, each&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-strickland-wrongful-conviction-missouri-lawsuit-0a0d2731943d25a242e82eb7b47353cf">sued the department</a>&nbsp;over its investigations.

KC man freed from prison after murder conviction sues police

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters would need approval from a majority of the state's congressional districts or a 57% statewide vote to amend the state constitution under a proposal the Senate passed Thursday.

Senators voted 24-10 along party lines in favor of the change, which would go before voters if passed by the House by the May 12 end of session.

Currently, it takes a simple majority to amend the state's constitution, which Republican lawmakers say is too low.

Republican Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden said the proposal would “protect the constitution” without taking away voters' access to ballot initiatives.

“It doesn't put up barriers that are so high that you can’t do it,” Rowden said.

Voters in recent years have used ballot measures to enact policies that the GOP-led Legislature has either avoided or opposed, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-marijuana-8b91194279bf42c9bc01cbabdab0c015">legal recreational marijuana for adults</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-primary-elections-columbia-constitutions-health-0c1399c1322750a5ed2372043cf4ac12">expanded access to Medicaid</a>.

Amending the constitution instead of state law also makes it significantly more difficult for lawmakers to undo voter-approved policies, as the Legislature has attempted to do. For example, GOP lawmakers initially refused to fund the voters' Medicaid expansion proposal but finally conceded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-michael-brown-medicaid-db50704885f5ae05b99610b884578fdf">after the courts ordered they do so</a>.

The Senate-approved policy includes a proposal that addresses criticisms that lawmakers are trying to claw back power from citizens. It suggests a five-year ban on the Legislature amending any voter-approved changes to state law, unless lawmakers approve changes by 57% in both the House and Senate.

“That was an attempt to say, 'Hey, let's tie our own hands a little bit,'" Republican Sen. Sandy Crawford, of Buffalo, told reporters Thursday, "and maybe some of these initiatives will go into law instead of the constitution.”

The proposal now heads to the House, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-jefferson-city-missouri-constitutions-d8fb86a01ac07b7955bdba48667178d3">lawmakers have endorsed</a>&nbsp;a higher 60% threshold for amending the constitution.

House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade said even with the Senate changes, the legislation is “silencing the voice of voters.” But she praised the Senate's proposed limits to block lawmakers from immediately undoing the will of voters.

“We believe that voters should have access to holding us accountable," Quade said.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri voters would need approval from a majority of the state's congressional districts or a 57% statewide vote to amend the state constitution under a proposal the Senate passed Thursday.Senators voted 24-10 along party lines in favor of the change, which would go before voters if passed by the House by the May 12 end of session.Currently, it takes a simple majority to amend the state's constitution, which Republican lawmakers say is too low.Republican Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden said the proposal would “protect the constitution” without taking away voters' access to ballot initiatives.“It doesn't put up barriers that are so high that you can’t do it,” Rowden said.Voters in recent years have used ballot measures to enact policies that the GOP-led Legislature has either avoided or opposed, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-marijuana-8b91194279bf42c9bc01cbabdab0c015">legal recreational marijuana for adults</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-primary-elections-columbia-constitutions-health-0c1399c1322750a5ed2372043cf4ac12">expanded access to Medicaid</a>.Amending the constitution instead of state law also makes it significantly more difficult for lawmakers to undo voter-approved policies, as the Legislature has attempted to do. For example, GOP lawmakers initially refused to fund the voters' Medicaid expansion proposal but finally conceded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-michael-brown-medicaid-db50704885f5ae05b99610b884578fdf">after the courts ordered they do so</a>.The Senate-approved policy includes a proposal that addresses criticisms that lawmakers are trying to claw back power from citizens. It suggests a five-year ban on the Legislature amending any voter-approved changes to state law, unless lawmakers approve changes by 57% in both the House and Senate.“That was an attempt to say, 'Hey, let's tie our own hands a little bit,'" Republican Sen. Sandy Crawford, of Buffalo, told reporters Thursday, "and maybe some of these initiatives will go into law instead of the constitution.”The proposal now heads to the House, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-jefferson-city-missouri-constitutions-d8fb86a01ac07b7955bdba48667178d3">lawmakers have endorsed</a>&nbsp;a higher 60% threshold for amending the constitution.House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade said even with the Senate changes, the legislation is “silencing the voice of voters.” But she praised the Senate's proposed limits to block lawmakers from immediately undoing the will of voters.“We believe that voters should have access to holding us accountable," Quade said.

Missouri Senate OKs higher bar for constitutional changes

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers have restored language in the public school finance plan to ensure K-12 schools continue to be fully funded beyond the upcoming academic year and revived a voucher program.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Louisburg Republican, lashed out at lobbyists who were “screaming fire in a crowded theater” because of changes made to the school finance plan before lawmakers adjourned in early April. The changes stripped language dealing with annual inflation adjustments beyond the next school year.

Public school advocates viewed the change as an attempt to reduce school funding by hundreds of millions of dollars in future years.

“It is my recommendation that we put that language back in so that we can’t scream fire anymore,” Baumgardner said. “We can’t promote this false narrative that the legislators are going to screw the school districts and take money from them. No money has been taken.”

A handful of lawmakers met Wednesday to negotiate revisions to the school finance plan and make a last-ditch effort to pass a voucher program for the benefit of families who send their children to private schools.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb113/">Senate Bill 113,</a>&nbsp;which originally dealt with regulations for naturopathic doctors, now packages funding for public schools with provisions that include creation of a special education task force. A modified version of the voucher program and a boost to special education funding were inserted into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2089/">House Bill 2089</a>, an unrelated bill that originally dealt with prepaid insurance plans.

The House narrowly passed a version of the voucher program earlier this year, but that bill failed in the Senate.

The new voucher program still grants about $5,000 to students attending private schools, but is now limited to residents of the 10 most populous counties. The change addresses concerns that rural schools would suffer financially if students left to take advantage of the voucher program.

Now, school districts in rural areas would have to opt in to the program. Schools districts in the more populous areas could opt out from year to year only if their at-risk students achieve college-ready math and reading scores.

The program is limited to families who earn up to 250% of the federal poverty level, or whose public school closes, or who are already in the program.

Opponents of the program say private schools are unregulated, may be unaccredited, favor wealthy families, can refuse LGBTQ students and may otherwise cherry-pick the students they allow to attend. The state will not require reporting of test scores or other data for students who receive a voucher to compare their performance to public school students.

The first year of the program would be paid for with federal COVID-19 relief aid. The obligation would then transfer to the state general budget. A fiscal estimate for an early version of the program showed it would cost about $150 million annually, with $135 million going to students already enrolled in private schools.

Republicans say the program is designed to give parents a choice about where to send their students to school, even though&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/12/theyre-gaslighting-us-kansas-lawmakers-stray-from-facts-when-talking-about-public-schools/">the Senate president acknowledged</a>&nbsp;that a voucher won’t be enough to allow a low-income family to send a child to private school.

“We hear a lot about choice when it comes to abortion, and that’s a life,” said Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican. “But we don’t want to allow a living, breathing child that is in a failing school to have a choice.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/P4260975-1024x576.jpg" alt="Sen. Molly Baumgardner says concerns about lawmakers removing funding for public schools were based on “misinformation” spread by public school advocates. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Molly Baumgardner says concerns about lawmakers removing funding for public schools were based on “misinformation” spread by public school advocates. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers have restored language in the public school finance plan to ensure K-12 schools continue to be fully funded beyond the upcoming academic year and revived a voucher program.Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Louisburg Republican, lashed out at lobbyists who were “screaming fire in a crowded theater” because of changes made to the school finance plan before lawmakers adjourned in early April. The changes stripped language dealing with annual inflation adjustments beyond the next school year.Public school advocates viewed the change as an attempt to reduce school funding by hundreds of millions of dollars in future years.“It is my recommendation that we put that language back in so that we can’t scream fire anymore,” Baumgardner said. “We can’t promote this false narrative that the legislators are going to screw the school districts and take money from them. No money has been taken.”A handful of lawmakers met Wednesday to negotiate revisions to the school finance plan and make a last-ditch effort to pass a voucher program for the benefit of families who send their children to private schools.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb113/">Senate Bill 113,</a>&nbsp;which originally dealt with regulations for naturopathic doctors, now packages funding for public schools with provisions that include creation of a special education task force. A modified version of the voucher program and a boost to special education funding were inserted into&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2089/">House Bill 2089</a>, an unrelated bill that originally dealt with prepaid insurance plans.The House narrowly passed a version of the voucher program earlier this year, but that bill failed in the Senate.The new voucher program still grants about $5,000 to students attending private schools, but is now limited to residents of the 10 most populous counties. The change addresses concerns that rural schools would suffer financially if students left to take advantage of the voucher program.Now, school districts in rural areas would have to opt in to the program. Schools districts in the more populous areas could opt out from year to year only if their at-risk students achieve college-ready math and reading scores.The program is limited to families who earn up to 250% of the federal poverty level, or whose public school closes, or who are already in the program.Opponents of the program say private schools are unregulated, may be unaccredited, favor wealthy families, can refuse LGBTQ students and may otherwise cherry-pick the students they allow to attend. The state will not require reporting of test scores or other data for students who receive a voucher to compare their performance to public school students.The first year of the program would be paid for with federal COVID-19 relief aid. The obligation would then transfer to the state general budget. A fiscal estimate for an early version of the program showed it would cost about $150 million annually, with $135 million going to students already enrolled in private schools.Republicans say the program is designed to give parents a choice about where to send their students to school, even though&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/12/theyre-gaslighting-us-kansas-lawmakers-stray-from-facts-when-talking-about-public-schools/">the Senate president acknowledged</a>&nbsp;that a voucher won’t be enough to allow a low-income family to send a child to private school.“We hear a lot about choice when it comes to abortion, and that’s a life,” said Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican. “But we don’t want to allow a living, breathing child that is in a failing school to have a choice.”

Kan. lawmakers polish plan to fully fund public schools, revive voucher program

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a domestic disturbance and continue working to locate a suspect.&nbsp;

Just before 11a.m. Tuesday, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 3800 block of SE Croco Road for a domestic disturbance, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

At the residence, deputies discovered a woman and an infant victim. Both were transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

At 1:15pm, law enforcement officers attempted to make contact with a male suspect, who was believed to still be inside the residence. 

Southbound SE Croco Road was shut down to one lane of travel during that time period. At 2pm, officers entered and cleared the residence. No person was located inside the residence.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community’s assistance in locating Tanner J. Thompson, 27, of Topeka. Thompson has an active felony warrant for his arrest and is facing additional charges from Tuesday's domestic disturbance incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office (785)251-2200 immediately.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682456740394.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation Tuesday-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation Tuesday-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a domestic disturbance and continue working to locate a suspect.&nbsp;Just before 11a.m. Tuesday, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the 3800 block of SE Croco Road for a domestic disturbance, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.At the residence, deputies discovered a woman and an infant victim. Both were transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682456316629.png" alt="Thompson-photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Thompson-photo Shawnee Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>At 1:15pm, law enforcement officers attempted to make contact with a male suspect, who was believed to still be inside the residence. Southbound SE Croco Road was shut down to one lane of travel during that time period. At 2pm, officers entered and cleared the residence. No person was located inside the residence.The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community’s assistance in locating Tanner J. Thompson, 27, of Topeka. Thompson has an active felony warrant for his arrest and is facing additional charges from Tuesday's domestic disturbance incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office (785)251-2200 immediately.

Search continues for Kan. man who injured woman, infant

Washington&nbsp;—U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina led a letter with 16 Republican senators to the Biden Administration's Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Sandra Thompson. This letter expressed the senators’ outrage at Thompson's proposal to penalize Americans who have managed their money responsibly in order to subsidize high-risk borrowers with low credit.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/4.23-FHFA-Mortgage-Fee-Letter-w-sigs.pdf">CLICK here to read</a> a full copy of the letter

“Just when you thought Joe Biden couldn’t be more out of touch with the hardships Americans are facing due to his failed economic agenda, skyrocketing interest rates, and record high Bidenflation, he doubled down, now penalizing responsible Americans with good credit scores,”&nbsp;Senator Marshall said.&nbsp;“This is illogical. The Biden Administration must answer for why they are punishing Americans who have diligently met their financial obligations and earned higher credit scores.”

“This proposed rule by the Biden Administration is a gross injustice that penalizes hard-working Americans who are financially responsible,”&nbsp;said Senator Tillis.&nbsp;“This is yet another example of President Biden working to kill the American dream for hardworking families. I will continue to work with my colleagues to do everything in our power to stop this absurd proposal.”

Proposals like these set a dangerous precedent. In their letter, the Senators wrote in part,

“This shortsighted and counterproductive policy demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of the necessity of accurately tailoring housing finance products to credit risk and establishes a perverse incentive that punishes hardworking Americans for their fiscal prudence,”&nbsp;the letter said. “Under your leadership, FHFA has pushed forward a number of policy proposals and changes that seek to social-engineer the U.S. housing market in ways that increase riskiness and promote discrimination…The fact that a proposal flaunting credit risk is being openly pushed by FHFA just a decade-and-a-half after the housing-led 2008 financial crisis is staggering…The housing market should not be exploited as a means to pander to targeted demographics that you have chosen, nor an instrument to secure political favoritism.”

U.S. Senators Mike Braun (IN), Ted Budd (NC), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Tom Cotton (AR), Kevin Cramer (ND), Lindsey Graham (SC), Chuck Grassley (IA), Ron Johnson (WI), James Lankford (OK), Jerry Moran (KS), Mike Rounds (SD), Marco Rubio (FL), Eric Schmitt (MO), Rick Scott (FL), John Thune (SD), and Todd Young (IN)&nbsp; joined Senators Marshall and Tillis on their letter to the FHFA.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624025620777.png" alt="Senator Jerry Moran also signed the letter to Biden-photo by David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Senator Jerry Moran also signed the letter to Biden-photo by David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>Washington&nbsp;—U.S. Senator Roger Marshall and U.S. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina led a letter with 16 Republican senators to the Biden Administration's Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Sandra Thompson. This letter expressed the senators’ outrage at Thompson's proposal to penalize Americans who have managed their money responsibly in order to subsidize high-risk borrowers with low credit.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/4.23-FHFA-Mortgage-Fee-Letter-w-sigs.pdf">CLICK here to read</a> a full copy of the letter“Just when you thought Joe Biden couldn’t be more out of touch with the hardships Americans are facing due to his failed economic agenda, skyrocketing interest rates, and record high Bidenflation, he doubled down, now penalizing responsible Americans with good credit scores,”&nbsp;Senator Marshall said.&nbsp;“This is illogical. The Biden Administration must answer for why they are punishing Americans who have diligently met their financial obligations and earned higher credit scores.”“This proposed rule by the Biden Administration is a gross injustice that penalizes hard-working Americans who are financially responsible,”&nbsp;said Senator Tillis.&nbsp;“This is yet another example of President Biden working to kill the American dream for hardworking families. I will continue to work with my colleagues to do everything in our power to stop this absurd proposal.”Proposals like these set a dangerous precedent. In their letter, the Senators wrote in part,“This shortsighted and counterproductive policy demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of the necessity of accurately tailoring housing finance products to credit risk and establishes a perverse incentive that punishes hardworking Americans for their fiscal prudence,”&nbsp;the letter said. “Under your leadership, FHFA has pushed forward a number of policy proposals and changes that seek to social-engineer the U.S. housing market in ways that increase riskiness and promote discrimination…The fact that a proposal flaunting credit risk is being openly pushed by FHFA just a decade-and-a-half after the housing-led 2008 financial crisis is staggering…The housing market should not be exploited as a means to pander to targeted demographics that you have chosen, nor an instrument to secure political favoritism.”U.S. Senators Mike Braun (IN), Ted Budd (NC), Shelley Moore Capito (WV), Tom Cotton (AR), Kevin Cramer (ND), Lindsey Graham (SC), Chuck Grassley (IA), Ron Johnson (WI), James Lankford (OK), Jerry Moran (KS), Mike Rounds (SD), Marco Rubio (FL), Eric Schmitt (MO), Rick Scott (FL), John Thune (SD), and Todd Young (IN)&nbsp; joined Senators Marshall and Tillis on their letter to the FHFA.

Marshall: Biden's new mortgage rule will penalize those with good credit scores

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas health care providers could face criminal charges over accusations about their care of newborns delivered during certain abortion procedures after the Republican-controlled Legislature on Wednesday overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of their legislation.

The new law takes effect July 1 and will require that heath care providers “exercise the same degree of professional skill, care and diligence” to preserve the health of newborns delivered during an abortion procedure that a “reasonably diligent and conscientious” provider would with other live births. The newborns will have to be transported to a hospital, and violating the law will be a felony, punishable up to a year’s probation for a first-time offender.

GOP lawmakers and anti-abortion groups pushed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/born-alive-abortion-bill-kansas-legislature-45f8c977187656d8340eae5a44d87de0">the new rule</a>&nbsp;and other anti-abortion measures even though a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisive statewide vote</a>&nbsp;in August 2022 affirmed abortion rights. Abortion opponents argued that voters still left room for “reasonable” restrictions, while abortion rights lawmakers said the bills broke faith with voters.

The new measure may be largely symbolic: Providers say the cases covered by the new law rarely, if ever, occur in Kansas because of how the state already regulates abortion. But abortion rights advocates also see the law as designed to sow confusion and fear so that doctors don't want to provide abortion care and women are afraid to seek it.

“The words in these laws do not have any kind of real meaning," said Elisabeth Smith, state policy and advocacy director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, which defends access to abortion. "Doctors and hospitals and clinics that are trying to interpret them don't know what they mean and they don't know how a prosecutor or a district attorney will be reading those laws.”

The Kansas law is similar to laws in at least 18 other states requiring that such newborns go to a hospital while also imposing criminal penalties for doctors who don’t provide the same care other providers would other live births. In Montana, voters rejected a proposed “born alive” law in November 2022.

Abortion opponents argued that the new law is a commonsense measure that protects newborns. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said lawmakers were rebuking “the most radical in the pro-abortion movement.”

“We do have a culture of death,” said Republican state Rep. Ron Bryce, a southeastern Kansas physician. “The value of life is of the utmost importance.”

The votes on overriding Kelly's veto were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426132912_920057/">87-37</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426162043_143547/">31-9</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, with two-thirds majorities needed.

Jeanne Gawdun, who lobbies for Kansans for Life, the state's most influential anti-abortion group, said lawmakers “stood together for compassion and basic human decency.”

The new law also includes a requirement for providers to file annual reports with the state health department on infants “born alive” during abortion procedures. Like most states, Kansas doesn't collect such statistics on such cases.

In Kansas, the state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution. The statewide vote last year rejected stripping out that protection.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594403879215.png" alt="Planned Parenthood Great Plains, based in Overland Park, operates 11 health centers in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. File photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Planned Parenthood Great Plains, based in Overland Park, operates 11 health centers in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. File photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas health care providers could face criminal charges over accusations about their care of newborns delivered during certain abortion procedures after the Republican-controlled Legislature on Wednesday overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of their legislation.The new law takes effect July 1 and will require that heath care providers “exercise the same degree of professional skill, care and diligence” to preserve the health of newborns delivered during an abortion procedure that a “reasonably diligent and conscientious” provider would with other live births. The newborns will have to be transported to a hospital, and violating the law will be a felony, punishable up to a year’s probation for a first-time offender.GOP lawmakers and anti-abortion groups pushed for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/born-alive-abortion-bill-kansas-legislature-45f8c977187656d8340eae5a44d87de0">the new rule</a>&nbsp;and other anti-abortion measures even though a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisive statewide vote</a>&nbsp;in August 2022 affirmed abortion rights. Abortion opponents argued that voters still left room for “reasonable” restrictions, while abortion rights lawmakers said the bills broke faith with voters.The new measure may be largely symbolic: Providers say the cases covered by the new law rarely, if ever, occur in Kansas because of how the state already regulates abortion. But abortion rights advocates also see the law as designed to sow confusion and fear so that doctors don't want to provide abortion care and women are afraid to seek it.“The words in these laws do not have any kind of real meaning," said Elisabeth Smith, state policy and advocacy director for the Center for Reproductive Rights, which defends access to abortion. "Doctors and hospitals and clinics that are trying to interpret them don't know what they mean and they don't know how a prosecutor or a district attorney will be reading those laws.”The Kansas law is similar to laws in at least 18 other states requiring that such newborns go to a hospital while also imposing criminal penalties for doctors who don’t provide the same care other providers would other live births. In Montana, voters rejected a proposed “born alive” law in November 2022.Abortion opponents argued that the new law is a commonsense measure that protects newborns. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said lawmakers were rebuking “the most radical in the pro-abortion movement.”“We do have a culture of death,” said Republican state Rep. Ron Bryce, a southeastern Kansas physician. “The value of life is of the utmost importance.”The votes on overriding Kelly's veto were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426132912_920057/">87-37</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426162043_143547/">31-9</a>&nbsp;in the Senate, with two-thirds majorities needed.Jeanne Gawdun, who lobbies for Kansans for Life, the state's most influential anti-abortion group, said lawmakers “stood together for compassion and basic human decency.”The new law also includes a requirement for providers to file annual reports with the state health department on infants “born alive” during abortion procedures. Like most states, Kansas doesn't collect such statistics on such cases.In Kansas, the state Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution. The statewide vote last year rejected stripping out that protection.

Kansas abortion providers face new rule after veto overriden

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a possible road-rage shooting and have made an arrest.

Just before 7p.m. Tuesday, police responded to 87th Street and Lackman on the report of someone in a vehicle shooting towards at least one other vehicle, according to a statement from Lenexa Police.

As officers were on the scene speaking to the victim, who was not injured and did not know the suspect, the suspect vehicle, a black Dodge Charger, was seen driving in the area. 

Officers tried to stop the Charger however it fled west on 87th Street and onto northbound I-435 highway. 

Lenexa officers pursued this vehicle into Kansas before losing sight of it on eastbound Interstate 70 near Interstate 635 highway.&nbsp; Officers requested assistance from other police agencies as they pursued the suspect vehicle across jurisdictions, and those agencies were responding to assist.

Just after 3p.m.&nbsp; Wednesday, Lenexa detectives attempted to contact an adult male suspect in the 8900 block of Allman as part of this investigation.

 The suspect ran but was captured a short time later. A firearm was recovered, and the black Dodge Charger was located. The suspect, whose name has not been released, is being held in the Johnson County Adult Detention Center to await charges.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a possible road-rage shooting and have made an arrest.Just before 7p.m. Tuesday, police responded to 87th Street and Lackman on the report of someone in a vehicle shooting towards at least one other vehicle, according to a statement from Lenexa Police.As officers were on the scene speaking to the victim, who was not injured and did not know the suspect, the suspect vehicle, a black Dodge Charger, was seen driving in the area. Officers tried to stop the Charger however it fled west on 87th Street and onto northbound I-435 highway. Lenexa officers pursued this vehicle into Kansas before losing sight of it on eastbound Interstate 70 near Interstate 635 highway.&nbsp; Officers requested assistance from other police agencies as they pursued the suspect vehicle across jurisdictions, and those agencies were responding to assist.Just after 3p.m.&nbsp; Wednesday, Lenexa detectives attempted to contact an adult male suspect in the 8900 block of Allman as part of this investigation. The suspect ran but was captured a short time later. A firearm was recovered, and the black Dodge Charger was located. The suspect, whose name has not been released, is being held in the Johnson County Adult Detention Center to await charges.

Suspect in reported Kansas road rage shooting captured

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas have enacted what may be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-bill-kansas-cbdc14be5bf1fb6e1a0749cad52e8ebc">the most sweeping transgender bathroom law</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. on Thursday, overriding the Democratic governor's veto of the measure without having a clear idea of how their new law will be enforced.

The vote in the House was 84-40, giving supporters exactly the two-thirds majority they needed to override Gov. Laura Kelly's action. The vote in the Senate on Wednesday was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426150454_940900/">28-12,</a>&nbsp;and the new law will take effect July 1.

At least eight other states have enacted laws preventing transgender people from using the restrooms associated with their gender identities, but most of them apply to schools. The Kansas law applies also to locker rooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers.

The Kansas law is different than most other states' laws in that it legally defines male and female based on a person's reproductive anatomy at birth and declares that “distinctions between the sexes” in bathrooms and other spaces serves “the important governmental objectives of protecting the health, safety and privacy.” Earlier this week, North Dakota enacted a law that prohibits transgender children and adults to access bathrooms, locker rooms or showers in dormitories of state-run colleges and correctional facilities.

Kansas' law doesn't create a new crime, impose criminal penalties or fines for violations or even say specifically that a person has a right to sue over a transgender person using a facility aligned with their gender identity. Many supporters acknowledged before it passed that they hadn't considered how it will be administered.

The bill is written broadly enough to apply to any separate spaces for men and women and, Kelly’s office said, could prevent transgender women from participating in state programs for women, including for female hunters and farmers. As written, it also prevents transgender people from changing the gender markers on their driver’s licenses — though it wasn’t clear whether that change would occur without a lawsuit.

Critics of the new law believe it is an attempt to legally erase transgender people while also refusing to recognize gender fluid, gender non-conforming and non-binary people. They argued that the bill’s vagueness will prompt harassment of transgender people.

“The lack of clarity is by design because it allows them to disclaim the worst possible interpretation while also allowing for the worst possible outcome to happen,” said Micah Kubic, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, which opposed the law.

The new law is part a large push by Republicans across the U.S. to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, particularly transgender rights. At least 21 states, including Kansas, restrict or ban female transgender athletes’ participation in girl’s and women sports, and at least 14 but not Kansas have restricted or banned gender-affirming care for minors.

Supporters of the Kansas bathroom bill argue that they’re responding to people’s concerns about transgender women sharing bathrooms, locker rooms and other spaces with cisgender women and girls.

“We want to have safety,” said state Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican and the chair of the House health committee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682607535255.png" alt="Openly gay Rep. Brandon Woodard, Democrat representing Lenexa, Olathe and Overland&nbsp; Park during the debate on the legislation Thursday morning-image from the Kansas House YouTube page" />
 <figcaption>Openly gay Rep. Brandon Woodard, Democrat representing Lenexa, Olathe and Overland&nbsp; Park during the debate on the legislation Thursday morning-image from the Kansas House YouTube page</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas have enacted what may be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-bill-kansas-cbdc14be5bf1fb6e1a0749cad52e8ebc">the most sweeping transgender bathroom law</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. on Thursday, overriding the Democratic governor's veto of the measure without having a clear idea of how their new law will be enforced.The vote in the House was 84-40, giving supporters exactly the two-thirds majority they needed to override Gov. Laura Kelly's action. The vote in the Senate on Wednesday was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426150454_940900/">28-12,</a>&nbsp;and the new law will take effect July 1.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The veto was overridden after a Republican flipped from NO to YES. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://t.co/ci6EOcfLII">https://t.co/ci6EOcfLII</a>&mdash; Brandon Woodard (@Woodard4Kansas) <a href="https://twitter.com/Woodard4Kansas/status/1651593942973009921?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>At least eight other states have enacted laws preventing transgender people from using the restrooms associated with their gender identities, but most of them apply to schools. The Kansas law applies also to locker rooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers.The Kansas law is different than most other states' laws in that it legally defines male and female based on a person's reproductive anatomy at birth and declares that “distinctions between the sexes” in bathrooms and other spaces serves “the important governmental objectives of protecting the health, safety and privacy.” Earlier this week, North Dakota enacted a law that prohibits transgender children and adults to access bathrooms, locker rooms or showers in dormitories of state-run colleges and correctional facilities.Kansas' law doesn't create a new crime, impose criminal penalties or fines for violations or even say specifically that a person has a right to sue over a transgender person using a facility aligned with their gender identity. Many supporters acknowledged before it passed that they hadn't considered how it will be administered.The bill is written broadly enough to apply to any separate spaces for men and women and, Kelly’s office said, could prevent transgender women from participating in state programs for women, including for female hunters and farmers. As written, it also prevents transgender people from changing the gender markers on their driver’s licenses — though it wasn’t clear whether that change would occur without a lawsuit.Critics of the new law believe it is an attempt to legally erase transgender people while also refusing to recognize gender fluid, gender non-conforming and non-binary people. They argued that the bill’s vagueness will prompt harassment of transgender people.“The lack of clarity is by design because it allows them to disclaim the worst possible interpretation while also allowing for the worst possible outcome to happen,” said Micah Kubic, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas, which opposed the law.The new law is part a large push by Republicans across the U.S. to roll back LGBTQ+ rights, particularly transgender rights. At least 21 states, including Kansas, restrict or ban female transgender athletes’ participation in girl’s and women sports, and at least 14 but not Kansas have restricted or banned gender-affirming care for minors.Supporters of the Kansas bathroom bill argue that they’re responding to people’s concerns about transgender women sharing bathrooms, locker rooms and other spaces with cisgender women and girls.“We want to have safety,” said state Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican and the chair of the House health committee.___

Kansas legislators impose sweeping anti-trans bathroom law

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery at a credit union.

Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the Community America Credit Union, 7900 State Line Road, according to a media release.

Employees confirmed that two suspects described as black men wearing hoodies and face masks had fled in a vehicle in an unknown direction. One suspect wore a black top and the other yellow. Only one carried a handgun.&nbsp; &nbsp;There were no injuries and no customers in the business at the time of the robbery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682544946287.png" alt="Community America Credit Union, 7900 State Line Road-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Community America Credit Union, 7900 State Line Road-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery at a credit union.Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the Community America Credit Union, 7900 State Line Road, according to a media release.Employees confirmed that two suspects described as black men wearing hoodies and face masks had fled in a vehicle in an unknown direction. One suspect wore a black top and the other yellow. Only one carried a handgun.&nbsp; &nbsp;There were no injuries and no customers in the business at the time of the robbery.

Police: 2 suspects held up Kansas credit union

SEDGWICK COUNTY— The murder, aggravated battery trial for a man who was fleeing police when his pickup was involved in a four-vehicle crash that killed a pregnant Kansas woman ended in mistrial Wednesday.

According to a statement from Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, this morning, the District Court declared a mistrial after it came to the court’s attention that a juror had shared news media reports with other jurors.

In July of 2021, a&nbsp;2002 Dodge Ram driven by<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=161387">&nbsp;Javan Jermaine Ervin, 37,</a>&nbsp;Wichita, was actively attempting to elude law enforcement following a robbery.

The pickup was northbound on Ridge Road in Wichita at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at the red traffic light at Central Avenue.

The pickup collided with a westbound 2000 Chevy Silverado driven by Jordan Samuel Peltzer, 40, Henderson, Nevada.

The impact caused the driver side rear wheels and tires to detach from the vehicle which collided with a 2016 Jeep Compass driven by Connie L. Holt, 73, Wichita, that was stopped on the inside left turn lane from South bound Ridge Road to East bound Central Avenue.

The Dodge Ram then collided with 2019 Mazda CX3 driven by 22-year--old <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/wsph3-support-for-the-russell-family">Samantha Lee Russell</a> which was stopped behind the Jeep. The Dodge Ram then rolled onto its top and came to a rest in the North bound lanes of Ridge Road.

EMS transported Russell to Wesley Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.&nbsp;She was 33 weeks pregnant. Doctors delivered the baby boy who at that time was hospitalized in critical condition.

The matter has been set for retrial on June 5. The juror is scheduled to face charges during a court appearance at 10a.m. Friday, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625655160724.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the fatal 4-vehicle crash photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the fatal 4-vehicle crash photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— The murder, aggravated battery trial for a man who was fleeing police when his pickup was involved in a four-vehicle crash that killed a pregnant Kansas woman ended in mistrial Wednesday.According to a statement from Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett, this morning, the District Court declared a mistrial after it came to the court’s attention that a juror had shared news media reports with other jurors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625654789637.png" alt="Ervin-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Ervin-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>In July of 2021, a&nbsp;2002 Dodge Ram driven by<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=161387">&nbsp;Javan Jermaine Ervin, 37,</a>&nbsp;Wichita, was actively attempting to elude law enforcement following a robbery.The pickup was northbound on Ridge Road in Wichita at a high rate of speed and failed to stop at the red traffic light at Central Avenue.The pickup collided with a westbound 2000 Chevy Silverado driven by Jordan Samuel Peltzer, 40, Henderson, Nevada.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625764005417.png" alt="Samantha Russell and her husband Brandon -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Samantha Russell and her husband Brandon -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>The impact caused the driver side rear wheels and tires to detach from the vehicle which collided with a 2016 Jeep Compass driven by Connie L. Holt, 73, Wichita, that was stopped on the inside left turn lane from South bound Ridge Road to East bound Central Avenue.The Dodge Ram then collided with 2019 Mazda CX3 driven by 22-year--old <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/wsph3-support-for-the-russell-family">Samantha Lee Russell</a> which was stopped behind the Jeep. The Dodge Ram then rolled onto its top and came to a rest in the North bound lanes of Ridge Road.EMS transported Russell to Wesley Medical Center where she was pronounced dead.&nbsp;She was 33 weeks pregnant. Doctors delivered the baby boy who at that time was hospitalized in critical condition.The matter has been set for retrial on June 5. The juror is scheduled to face charges during a court appearance at 10a.m. Friday, according to the district attorney's office.

Juror blamed for mistrial in case over death of Kan. woman

CINCINNATI (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jerry-springer">Jerry Springer,</a>&nbsp;the onetime mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show featured a three-ring circus of dysfunctional families willing to bare all on weekday afternoons including brawls, obscenities and blurred images of nudity, died Thursday at 79.

At its peak,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dbd44e8ecae84d4493ec5b8efb8d8517">“The Jerry Springer Show”</a>&nbsp;was a ratings powerhouse and a U.S. cultural pariah, synonymous with lurid drama. Known for chair-throwing and bleep-filled arguments, the daytime talk show was a favorite American guilty pleasure over its 27-year run, at one point topping Oprah Winfrey’s show.

Springer called it “escapist entertainment,” while others saw the show as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/22de61011232158c1b6a2ade8219f04b">contributing to a dumbing-down decline in American social values.</a>

“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” said Jene Galvin, a family spokesperson and friend of Springer's since 1970, in a statement. “He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”

Springer died peacefully at home in suburban Chicago after a brief illness, the statement said

On his Twitter profile, Springer jokingly declared himself as “Talk show host, ringmaster of civilization’s end.” He also often had told people, tongue in cheek, that his wish for them was “may you never be on my show.”

After more than 4,000 episodes, the show ended in 2018, never straying from its core salaciousness: Some of its last episodes had such titles as “Stripper Sex Turned Me Straight,” “Stop Pimpin’ My Twin Sister,” and “Hooking Up With My Therapist.”

In a “Too Hot For TV” video released as his daily show neared 7 million viewers in the late 1990s, Springer offered a defense against disgust.

“Look, television does not and must not create values, it’s merely a picture of all that’s out there — the good, the bad, the ugly,” Springer said, adding: “Believe this: The politicians and companies that seek to control what each of us may watch are a far greater danger to America and our treasured freedom than any of our guests ever were or could be.”

He also contended that the people on his show volunteered to be subjected to whatever ridicule or humiliation awaited them.

Gerald Norman Springer was born Feb. 13, 1944, in a London underground railway station being used as a bomb shelter. His parents, Richard and Margot, were German Jews who fled to England during the Holocaust, in which other relatives were killed in Nazi gas chambers. They arrived in the United States when their son was 5 and settled in the Queens borough of New York City, where Springer got his first Yankees baseball gear on his way to becoming a lifelong fan.

He studied political science at Tulane University and got a law degree from Northwestern University. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2f16e606593c4bd89a6e6794f68150ab">active in politics</a>&nbsp;much of his adult life, mulling a run for governor of Ohio as recently as 2017.

He entered the arena as an aide in Robert F. Kennedy’s ill-fated 1968 presidential campaign. Springer, working for a Cincinnati law firm, ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1970 before being elected to city council in 1971.

In 1974 — in what The Cincinnati Enquirer reported as “an abrupt move that shook Cincinnati’s political community” — Springer resigned. He cited “very personal family considerations,” but what he didn’t mention was a vice probe involving prostitution. In a subsequent admission that could have been the basis for one of his future shows, Springer said he had paid prostitutes with personal checks.

Then 30, he had married Micki Velton the previous year. The couple had a daughter, Katie, and divorced in 1994.

Springer quickly bounced back politically, winning a council seat in 1975 and serving as mayor in 1977. He later became a local television politics reporter with popular evening commentaries. He and co-anchor Norma Rashid eventually helped build NBC affiliate WLWT-TV’s broadcast into the Cincinnati market’s top-rated news show.

Springer began his talk show in 1991 with more of a traditional format, but after he left WLWT in 1993, it got a sleazy makeover.

TV Guide ranked it No. 1 on a list of “Worst Shows in the History of Television,” but it was ratings gold. It made Springer a celebrity who would go on to host a liberal radio talk show and “America’s Got Talent,” star in a movie called “Ringmaster,” and compete on “Dancing With the Stars.”

“With all the joking I do with the show, I’m fully aware and thank God every day that my life has taken this incredible turn because of this silly show,” Springer told Cincinnati Enquirer media reporter John Kiesewetter in 2011.

Well in advance of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s political rise</a>&nbsp;from reality TV stardom, Springer mulled a Senate run in 2003 that he surmised could draw on “nontraditional voters,” people “who believe most politics are bull.”

“I connect with a whole bunch of people who probably connect more to me right now than to a traditional politician,” Springer told the AP at the time. He opposed the war on Iraq and favored expanding public healthcare, but ultimately did not run.

Springer also spoke often of the country he came to age 5 as “a beacon of light for the rest of world.”

“I have no other motivation but to say I love this country,” Springer said to a Democratic gathering in 2003.

Springer hosted a nationally syndicated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ct-state-wire-jerry-springer-entertainment-talk-shows-north-america-0f6e8642840647e8a56d0ae500541d94">“Judge Jerry”</a>&nbsp;show in 2019 and continued to speak out on whatever was on his mind in a podcast, but his power to shock had dimmed in the new era of reality television and combative cable TV talk shows.

“He was lapped not only by other programs but by real life,” David Bianculli, a television historian and professor at Monmouth University, said in 2018.

Despite the limits Springer’s show put on his political aspirations, he embraced its legacy. In a 2003 fund-raising infomercial ahead of a possible U.S. Senate run the following year, Springer referenced a quote by then National Review commentator Jonah Goldberg, who warned of new people brought to the polls by Springer, including “slack-jawed yokels, hicks, weirdos, pervs and whatnots.”

In the informercial, Springer referred to the quote and talked about wanting to reach out to “regular folks ... who weren’t born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682606774055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>CINCINNATI (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jerry-springer">Jerry Springer,</a>&nbsp;the onetime mayor and news anchor whose namesake TV show featured a three-ring circus of dysfunctional families willing to bare all on weekday afternoons including brawls, obscenities and blurred images of nudity, died Thursday at 79.At its peak,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dbd44e8ecae84d4493ec5b8efb8d8517">“The Jerry Springer Show”</a>&nbsp;was a ratings powerhouse and a U.S. cultural pariah, synonymous with lurid drama. Known for chair-throwing and bleep-filled arguments, the daytime talk show was a favorite American guilty pleasure over its 27-year run, at one point topping Oprah Winfrey’s show.Springer called it “escapist entertainment,” while others saw the show as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/22de61011232158c1b6a2ade8219f04b">contributing to a dumbing-down decline in American social values.</a>“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” said Jene Galvin, a family spokesperson and friend of Springer's since 1970, in a statement. “He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”Springer died peacefully at home in suburban Chicago after a brief illness, the statement saidOn his Twitter profile, Springer jokingly declared himself as “Talk show host, ringmaster of civilization’s end.” He also often had told people, tongue in cheek, that his wish for them was “may you never be on my show.”After more than 4,000 episodes, the show ended in 2018, never straying from its core salaciousness: Some of its last episodes had such titles as “Stripper Sex Turned Me Straight,” “Stop Pimpin’ My Twin Sister,” and “Hooking Up With My Therapist.”In a “Too Hot For TV” video released as his daily show neared 7 million viewers in the late 1990s, Springer offered a defense against disgust.“Look, television does not and must not create values, it’s merely a picture of all that’s out there — the good, the bad, the ugly,” Springer said, adding: “Believe this: The politicians and companies that seek to control what each of us may watch are a far greater danger to America and our treasured freedom than any of our guests ever were or could be.”He also contended that the people on his show volunteered to be subjected to whatever ridicule or humiliation awaited them.Gerald Norman Springer was born Feb. 13, 1944, in a London underground railway station being used as a bomb shelter. His parents, Richard and Margot, were German Jews who fled to England during the Holocaust, in which other relatives were killed in Nazi gas chambers. They arrived in the United States when their son was 5 and settled in the Queens borough of New York City, where Springer got his first Yankees baseball gear on his way to becoming a lifelong fan.He studied political science at Tulane University and got a law degree from Northwestern University. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2f16e606593c4bd89a6e6794f68150ab">active in politics</a>&nbsp;much of his adult life, mulling a run for governor of Ohio as recently as 2017.He entered the arena as an aide in Robert F. Kennedy’s ill-fated 1968 presidential campaign. Springer, working for a Cincinnati law firm, ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1970 before being elected to city council in 1971.In 1974 — in what The Cincinnati Enquirer reported as “an abrupt move that shook Cincinnati’s political community” — Springer resigned. He cited “very personal family considerations,” but what he didn’t mention was a vice probe involving prostitution. In a subsequent admission that could have been the basis for one of his future shows, Springer said he had paid prostitutes with personal checks.Then 30, he had married Micki Velton the previous year. The couple had a daughter, Katie, and divorced in 1994.Springer quickly bounced back politically, winning a council seat in 1975 and serving as mayor in 1977. He later became a local television politics reporter with popular evening commentaries. He and co-anchor Norma Rashid eventually helped build NBC affiliate WLWT-TV’s broadcast into the Cincinnati market’s top-rated news show.Springer began his talk show in 1991 with more of a traditional format, but after he left WLWT in 1993, it got a sleazy makeover.TV Guide ranked it No. 1 on a list of “Worst Shows in the History of Television,” but it was ratings gold. It made Springer a celebrity who would go on to host a liberal radio talk show and “America’s Got Talent,” star in a movie called “Ringmaster,” and compete on “Dancing With the Stars.”“With all the joking I do with the show, I’m fully aware and thank God every day that my life has taken this incredible turn because of this silly show,” Springer told Cincinnati Enquirer media reporter John Kiesewetter in 2011.Well in advance of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s political rise</a>&nbsp;from reality TV stardom, Springer mulled a Senate run in 2003 that he surmised could draw on “nontraditional voters,” people “who believe most politics are bull.”“I connect with a whole bunch of people who probably connect more to me right now than to a traditional politician,” Springer told the AP at the time. He opposed the war on Iraq and favored expanding public healthcare, but ultimately did not run.Springer also spoke often of the country he came to age 5 as “a beacon of light for the rest of world.”“I have no other motivation but to say I love this country,” Springer said to a Democratic gathering in 2003.Springer hosted a nationally syndicated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ct-state-wire-jerry-springer-entertainment-talk-shows-north-america-0f6e8642840647e8a56d0ae500541d94">“Judge Jerry”</a>&nbsp;show in 2019 and continued to speak out on whatever was on his mind in a podcast, but his power to shock had dimmed in the new era of reality television and combative cable TV talk shows.“He was lapped not only by other programs but by real life,” David Bianculli, a television historian and professor at Monmouth University, said in 2018.Despite the limits Springer’s show put on his political aspirations, he embraced its legacy. In a 2003 fund-raising infomercial ahead of a possible U.S. Senate run the following year, Springer referenced a quote by then National Review commentator Jonah Goldberg, who warned of new people brought to the polls by Springer, including “slack-jawed yokels, hicks, weirdos, pervs and whatnots.”In the informercial, Springer referred to the quote and talked about wanting to reach out to “regular folks ... who weren’t born with a silver spoon in your mouth.”

Jerry Springer, politician-turned-TV ringmaster, dies at 79

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas board decided Wednesday that high schools and middle schools must see transgender athletes' first birth certificates to decide what teams they can join, while an effort in the Legislature to end gender-affirming care for transgender minors failed.

The Kansas State High School Activities Association's executive board took a key step in helping the state enforce a ban on female transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports. It replaced a policy that allowed decisions to be made athlete by athlete with one that says transgender girls will not be allowed to compete on girl's teams, starting July 1.

The new policy follows a law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-ban-kansas-08604c663518fb2538565f3e1ac3d4ba">enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;earlier this month over a veto from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The governor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-transgender-bills-health-care-bathrooms-vetoes-66c5199b9aadc7273620f561441a8ade">vetoed five GOP bills</a>&nbsp;rolling back transgender rights, and Republicans are headed toward overriding three more, including a veto of a sweeping bathroom bill.

But GOP conservatives didn't have the two-thirds majorities needed to override Kelly's veto of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-ban-kansas-ef3e4d9ef40a29da3d8059d80bbed3a5">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would require the state medical board to revoke the licenses of doctors who provide puberty blocking medications, hormone treatments and surgery for transgender minors. The Senate's vote on an override Wednesday was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426151005_365166/">26-14,</a>&nbsp;leaving supporters one vote shy.

“This bill goes too far in our reaching out to take that place of parental responsibility of supporting their children and with the advice of their medical doctor,” said Democratic state Sen. Pat Pettey, of Kansas City, who voted “no.”

The bills in Kansas are part of a broader push by Republicans across the U.S. against LGBTQ+ rights, particularly transgender rights. At least seven have bathroom laws, at least 21 restrict transgender athletes, and at least 14 have enacted law restricting or banning gender-affirming care.

Supporters of the bill against gender-affirming care in Kansas argued that they were protecting children from making life-altering decisions that they might regret later.

“Sometimes, unfortuntely, we as a Legislature have to be the last line of defense when parents have lost their way, when a health care system has lot its way,” said Sen. Mark Steffen, a Republican from south-central Kansas.

Evidence suggests detransitioning&nbsp;<a href="https://bedbible.com/detransition-statistics/">is not as common</a>&nbsp;as opponents of transgender medical treatment for youth contend.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682591815080.png" alt="Bill Faflick, the executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association, speaks during a meeting of its executive board, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in Topeka, Kansas. The board approved a new policy for settling questions about transgender athletes in line with the state's new ban on transgender female athletes in girls' and women's sports. (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>Bill Faflick, the executive director of the Kansas State High School Activities Association, speaks during a meeting of its executive board, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in Topeka, Kansas. The board approved a new policy for settling questions about transgender athletes in line with the state's new ban on transgender female athletes in girls' and women's sports. (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas board decided Wednesday that high schools and middle schools must see transgender athletes' first birth certificates to decide what teams they can join, while an effort in the Legislature to end gender-affirming care for transgender minors failed.The Kansas State High School Activities Association's executive board took a key step in helping the state enforce a ban on female transgender athletes in girls' and women's sports. It replaced a policy that allowed decisions to be made athlete by athlete with one that says transgender girls will not be allowed to compete on girl's teams, starting July 1.The new policy follows a law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-ban-kansas-08604c663518fb2538565f3e1ac3d4ba">enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature</a>&nbsp;earlier this month over a veto from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. The governor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-transgender-bills-health-care-bathrooms-vetoes-66c5199b9aadc7273620f561441a8ade">vetoed five GOP bills</a>&nbsp;rolling back transgender rights, and Republicans are headed toward overriding three more, including a veto of a sweeping bathroom bill.But GOP conservatives didn't have the two-thirds majorities needed to override Kelly's veto of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-ban-kansas-ef3e4d9ef40a29da3d8059d80bbed3a5">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would require the state medical board to revoke the licenses of doctors who provide puberty blocking medications, hormone treatments and surgery for transgender minors. The Senate's vote on an override Wednesday was&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426151005_365166/">26-14,</a>&nbsp;leaving supporters one vote shy.“This bill goes too far in our reaching out to take that place of parental responsibility of supporting their children and with the advice of their medical doctor,” said Democratic state Sen. Pat Pettey, of Kansas City, who voted “no.”The bills in Kansas are part of a broader push by Republicans across the U.S. against LGBTQ+ rights, particularly transgender rights. At least seven have bathroom laws, at least 21 restrict transgender athletes, and at least 14 have enacted law restricting or banning gender-affirming care.Supporters of the bill against gender-affirming care in Kansas argued that they were protecting children from making life-altering decisions that they might regret later.“Sometimes, unfortuntely, we as a Legislature have to be the last line of defense when parents have lost their way, when a health care system has lot its way,” said Sen. Mark Steffen, a Republican from south-central Kansas.Evidence suggests detransitioning&nbsp;<a href="https://bedbible.com/detransition-statistics/">is not as common</a>&nbsp;as opponents of transgender medical treatment for youth contend.Research also has shown that transgender youths and adults can be prone to suicidal behavior when forced to live as the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender-affirming care for minors has been available in the U.S. for more than a decade and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-transition-treatment-guidelines-9dbe54f670a3a0f5f2831c2bf14f9bbb">endorsed by major medical associations.</a>“We have this freedom now to really be who we are and express who we are, and for folks, for any number of reasons, that’s very uncomfortable for them,” said Derrick Jordan, director of the Ackerman Institute for the Family’s Gender and Family Project. The New York-based institute trains family therapists.Jones, a licensed therapist who works with trans youth, added: “It challenges a system that they’re very used to, and because of their discomfort, they’re willing to support systemic oppression and injustice.”The Legislature on Wednesday did override Kelly's veto of a bill that would bar county jails from housing transgender inmates in line with their gender identities, so that transgender women would be housed with cisgender men. The votes were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426150534_806404/">31-9</a>&nbsp;in the Senate and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426172804_238512/">87-37</a>&nbsp;in the House.The Senate voted&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426150454_940900/">28-12</a>&nbsp;to override Kelly's veto of he bathroom bill, which also applies to locker rooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers. The House voted&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230426141338_175284/">85-39</a>&nbsp;to override Kelly's veto of a bill to prevent public schools from having transgender boys room with cisgender boys and transgender girls with cisgender girls on overnight trips.A vote in the House on the bathroom bill and one in the Senate on the bill dealing with overnight trips are expected Thursday.As for the restrictions on transgender athletes, the new Kansas State High School Activities Association policy is tied to a requirement for an annual physical for students seeking to participate in sports in seventh through 12th grade. The KSHSAA has said three transgender girls competed in sports during the current school year.The KSHSAA's executive board also revised the form for reporting results from students' physicals to list the sex assigned a student at birth, instead of just sex.The new association policy anticipates that the birth certficate closest to a student's birth will govern, and if that isn't availabe, a student will be examined by a doctor. If neither method settles the issue, then a student would compete either on a boys' team or coed team.“We needed, then, to make sure we had a policy that our member schools could follow that meets the letter of the law, as well as the philosophical basis,” Bill Faflick, the KSHSAA's executive director, told the executive board.