JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left one dead.

Just before 5p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a homicide at North Rogers Road and West 126th&nbsp;Street in Olathe, according to police.

Officers located, a woman with apparent gunshot wounds, deceased at the scene. EMS transported a man to a local hospital with apparent gunshot wounds. He later died.

Police reported no suspect information and released no additional details early Sunday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681644967813.png" alt="Police on the scene of the homicide investigation -photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the homicide investigation -photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left one dead.Just before 5p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a homicide at North Rogers Road and West 126th&nbsp;Street in Olathe, according to police.Officers located, a woman with apparent gunshot wounds, deceased at the scene. EMS transported a man to a local hospital with apparent gunshot wounds. He later died.Police reported no suspect information and released no additional details early Sunday.

Double homicide: Man, woman victims in Kansas shooting

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

TOPEKA — Lawmakers moved forward with a baby box drop-off system meant to make child relinquishment safer and easier, as part of a legislative bundle that incorporates three child welfare bills.

<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2024/">An amended form of the legislation</a>&nbsp;passed the Senate 36-1 and the House 116-0. The bill bundle, which includes a foster care bill of rights and provisions for child abuse evaluations, has been sent to the governor for a final decision.

The bill legalizes “newborn safety devices” for baby drop-offs. People who drop off infants to these devices within the legal window for relinquishment would be immune to criminal and civil liabilities.

Current law allows anyone who has legal custody of an infant 60 days old or younger and has not physically harmed the infant to give custody of the child to any on-duty employees at certain locations.

The devices would be equipped with locks, temperature control and alarm systems and installed in facilities designated for infant drop-offs, in an easily visible location.

The locations include police stations, sheriff’s offices, law enforcement centers, city or county health departments, fire stations or any county health department without criminal or civil liability. Installation of the devices would be voluntary.

Bill proponents say the legislation will help people too frightened to do in-person infant drop-offs, and would help promote safe anonymous infant relinquishments. Rep. Tim Johnson, a Bonner Springs Republican, said during&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/22/house-passes-kansas-bill-creating-method-of-anonymously-surrendering-an-infant/">a bill hearing</a>&nbsp;that 18 children had been surrendered to officials since 2017.

Included in the bill bundle were provisions to create a Kansas Department of Health and Environment program for child abuse review and evaluation referrals. The program would provide regulations and training for these evaluation processes. DCF would be required to make a CARE referral for a child ages 5 or younger when there is an allegation of physical abuse or physical neglect.

Under the bill, the results of the CARE exam would have to be considered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary when making recommendations for the child’s care and placement.

In March 8 testimony in support of the provision, Rachel Marsh, CEO of the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, said properly investigating child abuse allegations is important.

“In child welfare, there is the risk of a false positive — determining a child has been abused when he has not; and a false negative — determining a child has not been abused when he has,” Marsh said. “Avoiding either of these errors is critically important to the wellbeing of children and their families.”

Another portion of the bill establishes&nbsp;a foster care bill of rights named in memorial to former Rep. Gail Finney, an advocate for reform to the foster care system. The Wichita Democrat&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-rep-gail-finney-fought-for-you-now-its-time-to-fight-for-her/">died last year</a>.

Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican, spoke in favor of the bill bundle on the House floor for an April 6 vote. Concannon said the bill of rights was included in the bundle because the Senate didn’t have time to rule on it.

“The Senate didn’t have an opportunity, but they took a look at it and agreed to include it in this package,” Concannon said.

The bill of rights would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/support-emerges-for-naming-kansas-foster-care-bill-of-rights-for-late-rep-gail-finney/">inform children about their right</a>&nbsp;to a stable environment, experience the least number of placements possible, have access to adequate clothing and other belongings, conduct family visits, attend school and participate in court proceedings, among other things.

Supporters of the legislation said foster youths and foster parents needed to have a clear understanding of their rights in order to navigate the child welfare system successfully.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/SC6-1024x683.jpg" alt="Rep. Susan Concannon urged lawmakers to approve a bundle of child welfare bills on the House floor before adjourning last week. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Susan Concannon urged lawmakers to approve a bundle of child welfare bills on the House floor before adjourning last week. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Lawmakers moved forward with a baby box drop-off system meant to make child relinquishment safer and easier, as part of a legislative bundle that incorporates three child welfare bills.<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2024/">An amended form of the legislation</a>&nbsp;passed the Senate 36-1 and the House 116-0. The bill bundle, which includes a foster care bill of rights and provisions for child abuse evaluations, has been sent to the governor for a final decision.The bill legalizes “newborn safety devices” for baby drop-offs. People who drop off infants to these devices within the legal window for relinquishment would be immune to criminal and civil liabilities.Current law allows anyone who has legal custody of an infant 60 days old or younger and has not physically harmed the infant to give custody of the child to any on-duty employees at certain locations.The devices would be equipped with locks, temperature control and alarm systems and installed in facilities designated for infant drop-offs, in an easily visible location.The locations include police stations, sheriff’s offices, law enforcement centers, city or county health departments, fire stations or any county health department without criminal or civil liability. Installation of the devices would be voluntary.Bill proponents say the legislation will help people too frightened to do in-person infant drop-offs, and would help promote safe anonymous infant relinquishments. Rep. Tim Johnson, a Bonner Springs Republican, said during&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/22/house-passes-kansas-bill-creating-method-of-anonymously-surrendering-an-infant/">a bill hearing</a>&nbsp;that 18 children had been surrendered to officials since 2017.Included in the bill bundle were provisions to create a Kansas Department of Health and Environment program for child abuse review and evaluation referrals. The program would provide regulations and training for these evaluation processes. DCF would be required to make a CARE referral for a child ages 5 or younger when there is an allegation of physical abuse or physical neglect.Under the bill, the results of the CARE exam would have to be considered by the Kansas Department for Children and Families secretary when making recommendations for the child’s care and placement.In March 8 testimony in support of the provision, Rachel Marsh, CEO of the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, said properly investigating child abuse allegations is important.“In child welfare, there is the risk of a false positive — determining a child has been abused when he has not; and a false negative — determining a child has not been abused when he has,” Marsh said. “Avoiding either of these errors is critically important to the wellbeing of children and their families.”Another portion of the bill establishes&nbsp;a foster care bill of rights named in memorial to former Rep. Gail Finney, an advocate for reform to the foster care system. The Wichita Democrat&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-rep-gail-finney-fought-for-you-now-its-time-to-fight-for-her/">died last year</a>.Rep. Susan Concannon, a Beloit Republican, spoke in favor of the bill bundle on the House floor for an April 6 vote. Concannon said the bill of rights was included in the bundle because the Senate didn’t have time to rule on it.“The Senate didn’t have an opportunity, but they took a look at it and agreed to include it in this package,” Concannon said.The bill of rights would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/support-emerges-for-naming-kansas-foster-care-bill-of-rights-for-late-rep-gail-finney/">inform children about their right</a>&nbsp;to a stable environment, experience the least number of placements possible, have access to adequate clothing and other belongings, conduct family visits, attend school and participate in court proceedings, among other things.Supporters of the legislation said foster youths and foster parents needed to have a clear understanding of their rights in order to navigate the child welfare system successfully.

Kansas lawmakers approve baby box drop-offs, foster care bill of rights

KANSAS CITY —A judge on Thursday sentenced 47-year-old Gene Birdsong to life in prison without the possibility of parole -- plus 17 years more -- for the fatal stabbing in November 2018 of his wife Tabitha, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In February, a jury found Birdsong guity of 1st Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action charges. The jury recommended 17 years, at the prosecutor's suggestion, for the Armed Criminal Action conviction. The Murder 1st Degree convictions carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

According to court records, on Nov. 6, 2018, officers from the Kansas City Police responded to Roanoke and Madison in Kansas City on a report of a dead body. They found the victim's body. She had obvious head injuries. They also found in her pocket an order of protection with her and the defendant's name on it. 

Witnesses told police they were seen or heard together hours before her death. A witness also saw the &nbsp;defendant with bloody pants. Police found bloody clothing in a room where the defendant had been staying.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681586343552.png" alt="Birdsong-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Birdsong-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A judge on Thursday sentenced 47-year-old Gene Birdsong to life in prison without the possibility of parole -- plus 17 years more -- for the fatal stabbing in November 2018 of his wife Tabitha, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.In February, a jury found Birdsong guity of 1st Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action charges. The jury recommended 17 years, at the prosecutor's suggestion, for the Armed Criminal Action conviction. The Murder 1st Degree convictions carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.According to court records, on Nov. 6, 2018, officers from the Kansas City Police responded to Roanoke and Madison in Kansas City on a report of a dead body. They found the victim's body. She had obvious head injuries. They also found in her pocket an order of protection with her and the defendant's name on it. Witnesses told police they were seen or heard together hours before her death. A witness also saw the &nbsp;defendant with bloody pants. Police found bloody clothing in a room where the defendant had been staying.

Kansas man sentenced for stabbing his wife to death

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a crime spree in February.

According to police spokesman Officer Chad Ditch, 7 officers and 2 sergeants from Patrol West in Wichita coordinated 9 cases, 4 victims and 9 witnesses from a crime spree that occurred on Feb 21.

The larceny investigation led to the arrest of 49-year-old Harold Deloach and 39-year-old Princess Karibo on the requested charges of Burglary to Auto, Unlawful Use of a Financial Card, Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia/

This case has been presented to the District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681409703672.png" alt="Deloach-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Deloach-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after a crime spree in February.According to police spokesman Officer Chad Ditch, 7 officers and 2 sergeants from Patrol West in Wichita coordinated 9 cases, 4 victims and 9 witnesses from a crime spree that occurred on Feb 21.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681409536968.png" alt="Karibo-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Karibo-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The larceny investigation led to the arrest of 49-year-old Harold Deloach and 39-year-old Princess Karibo on the requested charges of Burglary to Auto, Unlawful Use of a Financial Card, Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Paraphernalia/This case has been presented to the District Attorney’s Office.

Police: Suspects in Kansas crime spree face felony charges

By ROBERT ZULLO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/10/inside-the-battle-over-who-gets-to-build-the-grid-of-the-future/">States Newsroom</a>

The U.S. Department of Energy issued a
 draft report in February that found a “pressing need” for new electric 
transmission infrastructure across the country to improve reliability, 
connect a rapidly growing number of solar, wind and battery storage 
projects, supply increasing electric demand and alleviate scattered 
pockets of consistently high prices across the country.

To meet the future envisioned by the 
federal infrastructure act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which both 
contain major provisions to boost clean energy, the country needs to 
increase its current transmission system by an eye-popping 57% by 2035, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/022423-DRAFTNeedsStudyforPublicComment.pdf">the report says</a>. Princeton University’s <a target="_blank" href="https://netzeroamerica.princeton.edu/?explorer=year&amp;state=national&amp;table=2020&amp;limit=200">Net-Zero America</a>
 study estimates expanding transmission capacity by 60% by 2030 will 
cost $330 billion and tripling it by 2050 will cost $2.2 trillion.

But in Kansas and other states, bills
 that have been pushed by utilities to give them exclusive or 
preferential treatment for building regional transmission lines, called 
“right-of-first-refusal” laws, mean customers might pay more than they 
should for all those wires and towers, critics say.

“What’s important to note is that the
 clean energy transition is going to require a significant amount of new
 transmission. Because of that, that’s why you have these protectionist 
battles going on across the country,” said Sharon Segner, senior vice 
president of transmission policy at LS Power, a company that owns about 
680 miles of transmission lines and has been awarded more than $4 
billion worth of competitively bid transmission projects.

“The incumbent utilities are trying to obtain a monopoly for the clean energy transition.”

The Edison Electric Institute, which represents investor-owned electric utilities and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-ferc-transmission-eei-rates-consumers-rofr-refusal-peg/608370/"> has pushed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a>
 to grant utilities rights of first refusal for regional transmission 
lines, did not respond to a request for comment on the rationale for 
right-of-first refusal laws. However, in statehouses across the country,
 <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/20/missouri-kansas-utilities-back-bills-to-reestablish-monopoly-on-transmission-projects/">proponents have argued</a>
 that such laws actually benefit consumers because they remove the 
incentive to offer unrealistic lowball bids to win solicitations, avoid 
delays dealing with procurement, preserve state regulatory oversight and
 result in streamlined, more efficient projects because local utilities 
know their communities better.

But they also represent a potential windfall for utilities.

“The more capital they spend, the 
more profit they make under government-guaranteed rates of return,” said
 Josiah Neeley, a senior fellow at the R Street Institute, a 
right-leaning free market think tank, in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rstreet.org/outreach/opposition-to-anti-competitive-right-of-first-refusal-rorf-laws-for-electric-transmission/">testimony</a> on a <a target="_blank" href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/proposals/sb838#:~:text=An%20Act%20to%20create%20196.485,and%20maintain%20certain%20transmission%20facilities.">failed </a>right-of-first refusal<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/proposals/sb838#:~:text=An%20Act%20to%20create%20196.485,and%20maintain%20certain%20transmission%20facilities."> bill</a>
 in Wisconsin last year. “Historically, the absence of transmission 
competition has resulted in a severe lack of economic discipline — 
leading to cost overruns, with captive consumers footing the bill.”

Last month, after a lawsuit by LS Power and another company, the Iowa Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/29/citing-crony-capitalism-iowa-supreme-court-blasts-late-night-legislative-logrolling/">halted legislation</a>
 from 2020 that gave a right of first refusal for transmission projects 
to utilities operating in Iowa. The court, which ruled based on the 
manner in which the bill was passed, not its substance, nevertheless 
called it “quintessentially crony capitalism” and “rent-seeking, 
protectionist legislation” that will “impose higher costs on Iowans.”

That ruling comes as the U.S. Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/justices-ask-government-input-texas-electric-grid-dispute-2023-03-06/">weighs</a>
 whether to take up a case involving Texas’ even more extreme 2019 law, 
which says the ability to build, own and operate new transmission lines 
that connect directly to an existing utility facility “may be granted 
only to the owner of that existing facility.” The U.S. Court of Appeals 
for the 5th Circuit<a target="_blank" href="https://ecf.ca5.uscourts.gov/n/beam/servlet/TransportRoom?servlet=ShowDocMulti&amp;incPdfHeader=Y&amp;pacer=t&amp;CSRF=csrf_-2846796520857721805&amp;incPdfHeaderDisp=Y&amp;caseId=193949&amp;dktType=dktPublic&amp;outputType=doc&amp;d=9928280&amp;outputForm=view&amp;incPdfFooter=&amp;dls=6452772%252C6452777"> held in August</a>
 that the Texas law may violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. 
Constitution, reversing a lower court ruling that upheld the law. The 
5th Circuit, calling the law a “ban on new entrants in a market” 
remanded the case to the district court to consider whether Texas 
regulators can show they have “no other means to advance a legitimate 
local purpose.’’

Writing for the conservative Cato 
Institute, Vanderbilt University law professor Jim Rossi called 
right-of-first-refusal laws (ROFR) “constitutionally suspect” and noted 
that of more than $10 billion in transmission projects recently approved
 by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.misoenergy.org/about/">Midcontinent Independent System Operator</a>,
 which operates the electric grid in all or part of 15 states, more than
 90% will be built by incumbent utilities rather than competitively bid.

“State transmission ROFR laws reflect
 bad policy choices that thwart reliability in competitive regional 
power supply markets and, at bottom, are harmful to customers,” <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cato.org/regulation/winter-2022-2023/promoting-cost-effective-grid-modernization#how-state-rofr-laws-harm-customers">Rossi wrote.</a>
 “Transmission ROFRs pose a barrier to a coordinated approach to grid 
expansion, making it more difficult to promote reliability and new 
technological approaches that enable the lowest‐​cost power supply 
options for customers.”

According to the National Conference 
of State Legislatures, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North 
Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota have laws on the books that grant 
utilities right-of-first-refusal privileges to build local or regional 
transmission lines. <a target="_blank" href="https://legiscan.com/MS/text/SB2341/2023">Mississippi</a> passed similar legislation this year. Bills to add new ROFR rights or expand existing ones have been <a target="_blank" href="https://dailyenergyinsider.com/policy/33837-two-more-states-consider-bills-giving-utilities-first-go-on-transmission-projects/">introduced</a> in <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/20/missouri-kansas-utilities-back-bills-to-reestablish-monopoly-on-transmission-projects/">Missouri</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://electricitytransmissioncompetitioncoalition.org/montana-right-of-first-refusal-law/">Montana</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.minnpost.com/other-nonprofit-media/2022/02/wisconsin-bill-would-grant-utilities-a-monopoly-on-building-transmission-projects/">Wisconsin</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/2023/02/24/oklahoma-law-on-electricity-should-be-based-on-whats-good-for-consumers/69925284007/">Oklahoma</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/20/missouri-kansas-utilities-back-bills-to-reestablish-monopoly-on-transmission-projects/">Kansas</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1420#digest-heading">Indiana</a>.

“If you want to see more clean energy
 we need more transmission and you want to keep all the options on the 
table for who’s going to develop those projects,” said Ari Peskoe, 
director of the Electricity Law Initiative at the Harvard Law School.

Current right-of-first-refusal laws at the state level have their origins in reaction to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.powermag.com/ferc-rule-1000-what-does-it-mean/">FERC order in 2011</a>
 that sought to promote more competition in regional electric 
transmission projects in part by removing federal rights of first 
refusal for certain transmission projects.

“The agency reasoned that federal 
rights of first refusal might ‘be leading to rates … that are unjust and
 unreasonable,’ in large part because ‘it is not in the economic 
self-interest of incumbent[s] to permit new entrants to develop 
transmission facilities,’ even if those facilities ‘would result in a 
more efficient or cost-effective solution,’” the 5th Circuit judges 
wrote in their opinion.

Utilities, Peskoe said, “saw it coming and went to their legislatures and said ‘please protect us from this competition.’ ”

Just 3% of today’s projects are competitively bid, according to the<a target="_blank" href="https://electricitytransmissioncompetitioncoalition.org/"> Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition</a>,
 which includes 70 companies and organizations from 48 states, including
 manufacturers, consumer advocates, transmission developers, retail 
electric customers and public power representatives.

The legal battles over right-of-first
 refusal laws come as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission grapples 
with a suite of issues surrounding transmission planning and 
construction, including whether to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.utilitydive.com/news/justice-doj-ftc-ferc-transmission-competition-utilities-rofr/629966/">reinstate</a> a federal right of first refusal for utilities, a move that is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-federal-trade-commission-issue-joint-comment-federal-energy-regulatory">opposed</a> by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.

“American consumers and businesses 
should not be denied the benefits of competition when paying for this 
significant transmission investment,” the agencies said.

FERC, which regulates interstate electric transmission, is also exploring the concept of an <a target="_blank" href="https://dailyenergyinsider.com/policy/33837-two-more-states-consider-bills-giving-utilities-first-go-on-transmission-projects/">independent transmission monitor</a>.
 That’s because some state regulators and consumer advocates say that as
 transmission spending by utilities is becoming an increasing portion of
 electric customers’ bills, projects are escaping rigorous oversight 
because of varying regulatory regimes, a lack of expertise at the state 
level and too little transparency. FERC also has a <a target="_blank" href="https://ferc.gov/news-events/news/ferc-issues-transmission-nopr-addressing-planning-cost-allocation">draft rule</a> out that would alter how regional transmission projects are planned and costs allocated.

And what’s more, some critics argue, 
many utilities aren’t incentivized to build the types of interregional 
transmission projects that the Department of Energy <a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/L-7MEMlf-zk">reported</a> have the best benefits for customers.

The Texas case, they contend, is a textbook example of what’s wrong with the status quo.

Building power plants, Peskoe said, 
has always been the major source of profit for utilities. New 
transmission lines that might bring in cheaper power from elsewhere 
reduce the need for those pricey new facilities.

“You’re sort of cutting yourself off 
at the knees because you’re reducing the opportunity to build power 
plants in the future,” he said. “Bringing in energy from elsewhere may 
be good for the consumers but maybe bad for utility shareholders.”

‘They ran to their state legislature’

The Texas right-of-first-refusal law 
is being challenged by NextEra Energy Transmission, a subsidiary of 
utility giant NextEra Energy, which owns Florida Power &amp; Light, the 
nation’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fpl.com/about/company-profile.html#:~:text=As%20America's%20largest%20electric%20utility,more%20than%2012%20million%20people.">largest utility</a>.

NextEra had won a competitive bidding
 process in 2018 held by MISO to build, own and operate a 500-kilovolt 
line to be sited in a portion of east Texas covered by MISO but in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergy-texas.com/userfiles/content/energy_efficiency/documents/Map_EntergyServiceAres.pdf">Entergy Texas’ service area</a>.
 The estimated cost at the time was $115 million. The next year, the 
Texas legislature passed the right of first refusal law, effectively 
allowing Entergy, which has three million electric customers in 
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, to take over construction of
 the line.

“The Texas utilities lost a 
legitimate competitive bidding process so they ran to their state 
legislature and passed a right of first refusal,” said Segner, the LS 
Power executive.

Then, in 2020, Entergy issued a request for proposals for a 1,200-megawatt combined cycle gas power plant in the same “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.iso-ne.com/participate/support/glossary-acronyms/#j">load pocket</a>”
 (a term for a part of the electric grid where the transmission system 
doesn’t have enough capacity to meet demand and requires local power 
generation) that would have been served by the transmission line. 
Entergy later decided it would “self build” the project, which is 
expected to cost about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.powermag.com/entergy-picks-epc-team-for-massive-hydrogen-capable-ccgt-project-in-texas/#:~:text=Construction%20of%20the%20%241.19%20billion,slated%20to%20begin%20this%20year.">$1.2 billion</a>.

“If you don’t build transmission, you
 end up with load pockets. Entergy’s now using those load pockets to 
justify *billions* in gas unit installations instead of spending 
*millions* on transmission,” tweeted Simon Mahan, executive director of 
the Southern Renewable Energy Association, a nonprofit trade association
 that unsuccessfully urged FERC to deny <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.misoenergy.org/20220829%20HSJ%20-%20Public%20Notice%20of%20Outcome%20-%20rvFinal626143.pdf">MISO’s request</a> to terminate the transmission line project.&nbsp;

SREA sees a disturbing trend, noting 
that a similar transmission project in Entergy’s Louisiana service 
territory, the Waterford-Churchill line, was also canceled after its 
cost-benefit analysis was “eradicated by local bottom-up transmission 
projects as well as the $870 million <a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergynewsroom.com/news/st-charles-power-station-connected-serving-customers/">Entergy-built St. Charles </a>(gas power plant).”

SREA said Entergy “appears to be 
using an anti-competitive strategy of capturing, delaying, and/or 
canceling transmission projects with local generation assets at 
significant cost to local ratepayers, while at the same time, not 
resolving underlying load pocket problems.”

The Orange County, Texas, plant “was 
needed to address a large and growing shortfall of generation for 
Entergy Texas,” said company spokeswoman Kendra James, adding that 
growing electric demand and the retirement of older power plants from 
the 1970s were also factors.

“The OCAPS plant will address issues 
that the Hartburg-Sabine Junction Project could not, even under the most
 favorable assumptions for that transmission line,”&nbsp; James said. “There 
is no reasonable argument that Hartburg-Sabine was a substitute for 
OCAPS.”

Entergy, James added, has more than 
doubled its capital investment in transmission since 2014 to improve 
reliability, connect new customers and reduce congestion on its system.

“To provide reliable and affordable 
electric service, public utilities such as Entergy must invest in 
electric generation, transmission, distribution, and other aspects of 
the utility’s business,” she said. “Every investment decision we make is
 based on what we think is in our customers’ best interests.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681249872508.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By ROBERT ZULLO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/10/inside-the-battle-over-who-gets-to-build-the-grid-of-the-future/">States Newsroom</a>The U.S. Department of Energy issued a
 draft report in February that found a “pressing need” for new electric 
transmission infrastructure across the country to improve reliability, 
connect a rapidly growing number of solar, wind and battery storage 
projects, supply increasing electric demand and alleviate scattered 
pockets of consistently high prices across the country.To meet the future envisioned by the 
federal infrastructure act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which both 
contain major provisions to boost clean energy, the country needs to 
increase its current transmission system by an eye-popping 57% by 2035, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2023-02/022423-DRAFTNeedsStudyforPublicComment.pdf">the report says</a>. Princeton University’s <a target="_blank" href="https://netzeroamerica.princeton.edu/?explorer=year&amp;state=national&amp;table=2020&amp;limit=200">Net-Zero America</a>
 study estimates expanding transmission capacity by 60% by 2030 will 
cost $330 billion and tripling it by 2050 will cost $2.2 trillion.But in Kansas and other states, bills
 that have been pushed by utilities to give them exclusive or 
preferential treatment for building regional transmission lines, called 
“right-of-first-refusal” laws, mean customers might pay more than they 
should for all those wires and towers, critics say.“What’s important to note is that the
 clean energy transition is going to require a significant amount of new
 transmission. Because of that, that’s why you have these protectionist 
battles going on across the country,” said Sharon Segner, senior vice 
president of transmission policy at LS Power, a company that owns about 
680 miles of transmission lines and has been awarded more than $4 
billion worth of competitively bid transmission projects.“The incumbent utilities are trying to obtain a monopoly for the clean energy transition.”The Edison Electric Institute, which represents investor-owned electric utilities and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.utilitydive.com/news/utilities-ferc-transmission-eei-rates-consumers-rofr-refusal-peg/608370/"> has pushed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission</a>
 to grant utilities rights of first refusal for regional transmission 
lines, did not respond to a request for comment on the rationale for 
right-of-first refusal laws. However, in statehouses across the country,
 <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/20/missouri-kansas-utilities-back-bills-to-reestablish-monopoly-on-transmission-projects/">proponents have argued</a>
 that such laws actually benefit consumers because they remove the 
incentive to offer unrealistic lowball bids to win solicitations, avoid 
delays dealing with procurement, preserve state regulatory oversight and
 result in streamlined, more efficient projects because local utilities 
know their communities better.But they also represent a potential windfall for utilities.“The more capital they spend, the 
more profit they make under government-guaranteed rates of return,” said
 Josiah Neeley, a senior fellow at the R Street Institute, a 
right-leaning free market think tank, in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rstreet.org/outreach/opposition-to-anti-competitive-right-of-first-refusal-rorf-laws-for-electric-transmission/">testimony</a> on a <a target="_blank" href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/proposals/sb838#:~:text=An%20Act%20to%20create%20196.485,and%20maintain%20certain%20transmission%20facilities.">failed </a>right-of-first refusal<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2021/proposals/sb838#:~:text=An%20Act%20to%20create%20196.485,and%20maintain%20certain%20transmission%20facilities."> bill</a>
 in Wisconsin last year. “Historically, the absence of transmission 
competition has resulted in a severe lack of economic discipline — 
leading to cost overruns, with captive consumers footing the bill.”<h2>‘Crony capitalism’</h2>Last month, after a lawsuit by LS Power and another company, the Iowa Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/03/29/citing-crony-capitalism-iowa-supreme-court-blasts-late-night-legislative-logrolling/">halted legislation</a>
 from 2020 that gave a right of first refusal for transmission projects 
to utilities operating in Iowa. The court, which ruled based on the 
manner in which the bill was passed, not its substance, nevertheless 
called it “quintessentially crony capitalism” and “rent-seeking, 
protectionist legislation” that will “impose higher costs on Iowans.”That ruling comes as the U.S. Supreme Court <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/justices-ask-government-input-texas-electric-grid-dispute-2023-03-06/">weighs</a>
 whether to take up a case involving Texas’ even more extreme 2019 law, 
which says the ability to build, own and operate new transmission lines 
that connect directly to an existing utility facility “may be granted 
only to the owner of that existing facility.” The U.S. Court of Appeals 
for the 5th Circuit<a target="_blank" href="https://ecf.ca5.uscourts.gov/n/beam/servlet/TransportRoom?servlet=ShowDocMulti&amp;incPdfHeader=Y&amp;pacer=t&amp;CSRF=csrf_-2846796520857721805&amp;incPdfHeaderDisp=Y&amp;caseId=193949&amp;dktType=dktPublic&amp;outputType=doc&amp;d=9928280&amp;outputForm=view&amp;incPdfFooter=&amp;dls=6452772%252C6452777"> held in August</a>
 that the Texas law may violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. 
Constitution, reversing a lower court ruling that upheld the law. The 
5th Circuit, calling the law a “ban on new entrants in a market” 
remanded the case to the district court to consider whether Texas 
regulators can show they have “no other means to advance a legitimate 
local purpose.’’Writing for the conservative Cato 
Institute, Vanderbilt University law professor Jim Rossi called 
right-of-first-refusal laws (ROFR) “constitutionally suspect” and noted 
that of more than $10 billion in transmission projects recently approved
 by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.misoenergy.org/about/">Midcontinent Independent System Operator</a>,
 which operates the electric grid in all or part of 15 states, more than
 90% will be built by incumbent utilities rather than competitively bid.“State transmission ROFR laws reflect
 bad policy choices that thwart reliability in competitive regional 
power supply markets and, at bottom, are harmful to customers,” <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cato.org/regulation/winter-2022-2023/promoting-cost-effective-grid-modernization#how-state-rofr-laws-harm-customers">Rossi wrote.</a>
 “Transmission ROFRs pose a barrier to a coordinated approach to grid 
expansion, making it more difficult to promote reliability and new 
technological approaches that enable the lowest‐​cost power supply 
options for customers.”According to the National Conference 
of State Legislatures, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North 
Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota have laws on the books that grant 
utilities right-of-first-refusal privileges to build local or regional 
transmission lines. <a target="_blank" href="https://legiscan.com/MS/text/SB2341/2023">Mississippi</a> passed similar legislation this year. Bills to add new ROFR rights or expand existing ones have been <a target="_blank" href="https://dailyenergyinsider.com/policy/33837-two-more-states-consider-bills-giving-utilities-first-go-on-transmission-projects/">introduced</a> in <a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/20/missouri-kansas-utilities-back-bills-to-reestablish-monopoly-on-transmission-projects/">Missouri</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://electricitytransmissioncompetitioncoalition.org/montana-right-of-first-refusal-law/">Montana</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.minnpost.com/other-nonprofit-media/2022/02/wisconsin-bill-would-grant-utilities-a-monopoly-on-building-transmission-projects/">Wisconsin</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.oklahoman.com/story/opinion/2023/02/24/oklahoma-law-on-electricity-should-be-based-on-whats-good-for-consumers/69925284007/">Oklahoma</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/20/missouri-kansas-utilities-back-bills-to-reestablish-monopoly-on-transmission-projects/">Kansas</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1420#digest-heading">Indiana</a>.“If you want to see more clean energy
 we need more transmission and you want to keep all the options on the 
table for who’s going to develop those projects,” said Ari Peskoe, 
director of the Electricity Law Initiative at the Harvard Law School.Current right-of-first-refusal laws at the state level have their origins in reaction to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.powermag.com/ferc-rule-1000-what-does-it-mean/">FERC order in 2011</a>
 that sought to promote more competition in regional electric 
transmission projects in part by removing federal rights of first 
refusal for certain transmission projects.“The agency reasoned that federal 
rights of first refusal might ‘be leading to rates … that are unjust and
 unreasonable,’ in large part because ‘it is not in the economic 
self-interest of incumbent[s] to permit new entrants to develop 
transmission facilities,’ even if those facilities ‘would result in a 
more efficient or cost-effective solution,’” the 5th Circuit judges 
wrote in their opinion.Utilities, Peskoe said, “saw it coming and went to their legislatures and said ‘please protect us from this competition.’ ”Just 3% of today’s projects are competitively bid, according to the<a target="_blank" href="https://electricitytransmissioncompetitioncoalition.org/"> Electricity Transmission Competition Coalition</a>,
 which includes 70 companies and organizations from 48 states, including
 manufacturers, consumer advocates, transmission developers, retail 
electric customers and public power representatives.<h2>Transmission tension</h2>The legal battles over right-of-first
 refusal laws come as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission grapples 
with a suite of issues surrounding transmission planning and 
construction, including whether to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.utilitydive.com/news/justice-doj-ftc-ferc-transmission-competition-utilities-rofr/629966/">reinstate</a> a federal right of first refusal for utilities, a move that is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-federal-trade-commission-issue-joint-comment-federal-energy-regulatory">opposed</a> by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.“American consumers and businesses 
should not be denied the benefits of competition when paying for this 
significant transmission investment,” the agencies said.FERC, which regulates interstate electric transmission, is also exploring the concept of an <a target="_blank" href="https://dailyenergyinsider.com/policy/33837-two-more-states-consider-bills-giving-utilities-first-go-on-transmission-projects/">independent transmission monitor</a>.
 That’s because some state regulators and consumer advocates say that as
 transmission spending by utilities is becoming an increasing portion of
 electric customers’ bills, projects are escaping rigorous oversight 
because of varying regulatory regimes, a lack of expertise at the state 
level and too little transparency. FERC also has a <a target="_blank" href="https://ferc.gov/news-events/news/ferc-issues-transmission-nopr-addressing-planning-cost-allocation">draft rule</a> out that would alter how regional transmission projects are planned and costs allocated.And what’s more, some critics argue, 
many utilities aren’t incentivized to build the types of interregional 
transmission projects that the Department of Energy <a target="_blank" href="https://youtu.be/L-7MEMlf-zk">reported</a> have the best benefits for customers.The Texas case, they contend, is a textbook example of what’s wrong with the status quo.Building power plants, Peskoe said, 
has always been the major source of profit for utilities. New 
transmission lines that might bring in cheaper power from elsewhere 
reduce the need for those pricey new facilities.“You’re sort of cutting yourself off 
at the knees because you’re reducing the opportunity to build power 
plants in the future,” he said. “Bringing in energy from elsewhere may 
be good for the consumers but maybe bad for utility shareholders.”<h2>‘They ran to their state legislature’</h2>The Texas right-of-first-refusal law 
is being challenged by NextEra Energy Transmission, a subsidiary of 
utility giant NextEra Energy, which owns Florida Power &amp; Light, the 
nation’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fpl.com/about/company-profile.html#:~:text=As%20America's%20largest%20electric%20utility,more%20than%2012%20million%20people.">largest utility</a>.NextEra had won a competitive bidding
 process in 2018 held by MISO to build, own and operate a 500-kilovolt 
line to be sited in a portion of east Texas covered by MISO but in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergy-texas.com/userfiles/content/energy_efficiency/documents/Map_EntergyServiceAres.pdf">Entergy Texas’ service area</a>.
 The estimated cost at the time was $115 million. The next year, the 
Texas legislature passed the right of first refusal law, effectively 
allowing Entergy, which has three million electric customers in 
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, to take over construction of
 the line.“The Texas utilities lost a 
legitimate competitive bidding process so they ran to their state 
legislature and passed a right of first refusal,” said Segner, the LS 
Power executive.Then, in 2020, Entergy issued a request for proposals for a 1,200-megawatt combined cycle gas power plant in the same “<a target="_blank" href="https://www.iso-ne.com/participate/support/glossary-acronyms/#j">load pocket</a>”
 (a term for a part of the electric grid where the transmission system 
doesn’t have enough capacity to meet demand and requires local power 
generation) that would have been served by the transmission line. 
Entergy later decided it would “self build” the project, which is 
expected to cost about <a target="_blank" href="https://www.powermag.com/entergy-picks-epc-team-for-massive-hydrogen-capable-ccgt-project-in-texas/#:~:text=Construction%20of%20the%20%241.19%20billion,slated%20to%20begin%20this%20year.">$1.2 billion</a>.“If you don’t build transmission, you
 end up with load pockets. Entergy’s now using those load pockets to 
justify *billions* in gas unit installations instead of spending 
*millions* on transmission,” tweeted Simon Mahan, executive director of 
the Southern Renewable Energy Association, a nonprofit trade association
 that unsuccessfully urged FERC to deny <a target="_blank" href="https://cdn.misoenergy.org/20220829%20HSJ%20-%20Public%20Notice%20of%20Outcome%20-%20rvFinal626143.pdf">MISO’s request</a> to terminate the transmission line project.&nbsp;SREA sees a disturbing trend, noting 
that a similar transmission project in Entergy’s Louisiana service 
territory, the Waterford-Churchill line, was also canceled after its 
cost-benefit analysis was “eradicated by local bottom-up transmission 
projects as well as the $870 million <a target="_blank" href="https://www.entergynewsroom.com/news/st-charles-power-station-connected-serving-customers/">Entergy-built St. Charles </a>(gas power plant).”SREA said Entergy “appears to be 
using an anti-competitive strategy of capturing, delaying, and/or 
canceling transmission projects with local generation assets at 
significant cost to local ratepayers, while at the same time, not 
resolving underlying load pocket problems.”Entergy rejects that argument.The Orange County, Texas, plant “was 
needed to address a large and growing shortfall of generation for 
Entergy Texas,” said company spokeswoman Kendra James, adding that 
growing electric demand and the retirement of older power plants from 
the 1970s were also factors.“The OCAPS plant will address issues 
that the Hartburg-Sabine Junction Project could not, even under the most
 favorable assumptions for that transmission line,”&nbsp; James said. “There 
is no reasonable argument that Hartburg-Sabine was a substitute for 
OCAPS.”Entergy, James added, has more than 
doubled its capital investment in transmission since 2014 to improve 
reliability, connect new customers and reduce congestion on its system.“To provide reliable and affordable 
electric service, public utilities such as Entergy must invest in 
electric generation, transmission, distribution, and other aspects of 
the utility’s business,” she said. “Every investment decision we make is
 based on what we think is in our customers’ best interests.”

Inside the battle over who gets to build power grid of the future

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Top Republican hopefuls for the 2024 presidential race vowed Friday at the National Rifle Association's annual convention to defend the Second Amendment at all costs, suggesting that new firearms restrictions in the wake of mass shootings around the country would only hurt law-abiding gun owners.

The three-day gathering with thousands of the organization’s most active members at Indianapolis’ convention center came mere days after mass shootings at a school in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">Nashville</a>&nbsp;and a bank in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisville-bank-shooting-9826ea39f24ff9dcf3cb5390c04be47b">Louisville</a>, Kentucky. Last year's NRA convention followed the massacre at a school in Uvalde, Texas.

That illustrated the stark reality that such shootings have become enough of the fabric of American life that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-nra-convention-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">the NRA can no longer schedule around them</a>. Nor does it really want to: The convention also fell on the second anniversary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fedex-indianapolis-mass-shooting-e92ad3117c56357b3b2c71a2903e68a8">mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed nine people.

None of that stopped top Republicans from flocking to the event, underscoring the political power of the NRA.

“Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association, and all of our millions of members, can do to their political careers,” said NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, suggesting that his group could play a dominant role in the 2024 election after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-gun-politics-barack-obama-houston-violence-62765e5b208e74c0b109678bb46d31ed">turmoil in recent years</a>&nbsp;over a failed bankruptcy effort, a class action lawsuit and a fraud investigation.

Instead of fewer guns, former Vice President Mike Pence called for federal funding for armed school officers and more institutions for the mentally ill, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-shootings-health-donald-trump-crime-b8ce29d88543479bbd4894f5a39cc686">mental illness is not the main driver of mass shootings</a>. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had resisted implementing any gun restrictions in his state despite that stance being unpopular.

Former President Donald Trump crowned himself as “the most pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment president” in the nation’s history. “I will be your loyal friend and fearless champion once again as the 47th president of the United States,” he told the crowd, pledging to create a new tax credit to reimburse teachers “for the full cost of a concealed-carry firearm,” as well as gun training “from highly-qualified experts.”

Some of the Republican politicians speaking at the event said they were saddened by the recent shootings, but most spent more time criticizing Democrats, slamming COVID-19 restrictions and vaccines, and discussing security along the U.S.-Mexico border. That was fine with many attendees, who don't think gun restrictions are the answer to mass shootings.

“No one wants to see the violence you see in schools and stuff today,” said Randy Conner, a pistol and rifle instructor for the NRA from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. “But I don’t think taking the guns away from ordinary citizens is going to change any of that at all.”

Trump's appearance was his first public event since being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,his%20first%20White%20House%20campaign.">arrested and arraigned in New York last week</a>&nbsp;on felony charges stemming from a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. His Secret Service protection meant attendees couldn't carry guns at the convention.

The former president made a few references to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b">numerous investigations he's facing</a>. Instead of the government going after hardened criminals, he complained, “The only one they want to prosecute is Donald Trump.”

Friday's appearance was the first time he and Pence have addressed the same campaign event on the same day since their estrangement following the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>. Pence is considering his own 2024 bid.

A former Indiana governor, Pence drew scattered boos as he started speaking, despite it being his home turf. The former vice president had skipped a number of conservative gatherings in recent years after he was booed and heckled during their previous meetings.

Taking the stage later, Trump said sarcastically that he hoped the crowd had given his former vice president a warm introduction.

Pence noted the two recent mass shootings and said his heart and prayers were with the families of the victims, who included three 9-year-old students. But he said, “We don’t need gun control. We need crime control.”

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Trump critic who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asa-hutchinson-president-2024-election-3a55855b1914d6e61338d1c8576a817f">announced his 2024 campaign</a>&nbsp;after news of the former president's indictment broke, drew at least one yelled obscenity from the Trump-friendly crowd after he suggested President Joe Biden was "praying” for a rematch with Trump in 2024 and declared, “We don’t need a rerun of 2020."

Others offering video messages were former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-running-for-president-f28052019e8ac3846cd125b3d9614d4f">began her 2024 campaign in February</a>, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/exploratory-committee-president-tim-scott-2024-b129664cb44862100e43e2930e75efb3">presidential exploratory committee</a>&nbsp;this week. DeSantis, seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">top rival to Trump</a>&nbsp;even though he’s yet to jump into the race, also spoke briefly in virtual remarks.

“I’ve resisted calls to take up gun control, even when such a stand is superficially unpopular,” DeSantis said, a reference to calls for stricter Florida laws in the wake of the 2018 Parkland school shooting that killed 17 people.

Pain over the Louisville and Nashville shooting rampages has crossed party lines. Kentucky Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-covid-kentucky-steve-beshear-e6dd4d00c92502d4814451d6e9995ed8">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;talked about having a friend killed in the Louisville shooting, while Republican Tennessee Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-covid-6e6d211ca65d625eef90d91ee8f4567d">Bill Lee</a>&nbsp;said he had friends killed during the Nashville school attack.

Yet the NRA convention's tone was as defiant as last year, when the group held its convention in Houston just three days after the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school.

Further overlapping with recent tragedy, Pence and some of the other speakers were following up their NRA speeches by traveling to Nashville to meet with top GOP donors gathered there.

“Every significant national Republican, every Republican that’s thrown their hat in the ring to run for president, is showing up this weekend to pledge their undying loyalty to the NRA and the gun lobby,” said Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who championed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">bipartisan legislation</a>&nbsp;that passed last year and imposed some new federal gun restrictions after the Uvalde shooting. “Our kids are being hunted, and the NRA’s business model is to give aid to the hunters.”

Indeed, support for gun rights among Republican voters remains higher than for voters overall. Some 56% of voters in last fall’s midterm elections said they want to see stricter nationwide gun laws, compared with just 28% of Republicans, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate. About half of Republicans said gun laws should be left as they are.

Trump, meanwhile, has a contradictory history on guns.

The NRA was a key backer of his 2016 campaign, spending some $30 million to support a candidate who sometimes mentioned carrying his own gun and vowed to eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. Trump also pledged to establish a national right to carry.

But, as the country reeled from a series of mass shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">Trump’s administration banned bump stocks</a>, which were used in a 2017 attack on a Las Vegas country music concert that killed 60 people and injured hundreds more. After the Parkland school shooting in Florida the following year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-donald-trump-violence-gun-politics-politics-75db363bc4fb4779b92d4582f5d5bb70">Trump urged congressional Republicans to expand background checks</a>&nbsp;and proposed seizing guns from mentally ill people.

He also suggested raising the minimum age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21, and suggested he was open to a conversation about reviving assault weapons bans. After later meeting with the NRA, however, Trump abandoned his push.

Friday's convention largely belonged to Trump, who drew the loudest cheers from the crowd.

Donna Alberts, who traveled around 600 miles (965 kilometers) from Greenbriar, Arkansas, for the convention, said nothing could sway her vote for Trump in 2024.

“He’s a good man," Alberts said, “and he does what he says he’s going to do, and he loves this country.”

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Top Republican hopefuls for the 2024 presidential race vowed Friday at the National Rifle Association's annual convention to defend the Second Amendment at all costs, suggesting that new firearms restrictions in the wake of mass shootings around the country would only hurt law-abiding gun owners.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“If we can send 120 billion dollars to Ukraine, then we can afford 1/10th of that amount to protect American children in American schools.” - <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NRAConvention?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NRAConvention</a> <a href="https://t.co/uOL7xC9GNs">pic.twitter.com/uOL7xC9GNs</a>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1647040792853196801?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The three-day gathering with thousands of the organization’s most active members at Indianapolis’ convention center came mere days after mass shootings at a school in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">Nashville</a>&nbsp;and a bank in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/louisville-bank-shooting-9826ea39f24ff9dcf3cb5390c04be47b">Louisville</a>, Kentucky. Last year's NRA convention followed the massacre at a school in Uvalde, Texas.That illustrated the stark reality that such shootings have become enough of the fabric of American life that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-nra-convention-212dfd1b57474f1ab208d4a72521a010">the NRA can no longer schedule around them</a>. Nor does it really want to: The convention also fell on the second anniversary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fedex-indianapolis-mass-shooting-e92ad3117c56357b3b2c71a2903e68a8">mass shooting at a FedEx facility in Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;that killed nine people.None of that stopped top Republicans from flocking to the event, underscoring the political power of the NRA.“Gun-hating politicians should never go to bed unafraid of what this association, and all of our millions of members, can do to their political careers,” said NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre, suggesting that his group could play a dominant role in the 2024 election after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-gun-politics-barack-obama-houston-violence-62765e5b208e74c0b109678bb46d31ed">turmoil in recent years</a>&nbsp;over a failed bankruptcy effort, a class action lawsuit and a fraud investigation.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NRA Life Member Donald J. Trump 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/m9RqcEzOpw">pic.twitter.com/m9RqcEzOpw</a>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NRA/status/1646990622794940419?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Instead of fewer guns, former Vice President Mike Pence called for federal funding for armed school officers and more institutions for the mentally ill, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-shootings-health-donald-trump-crime-b8ce29d88543479bbd4894f5a39cc686">mental illness is not the main driver of mass shootings</a>. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he had resisted implementing any gun restrictions in his state despite that stance being unpopular.Former President Donald Trump crowned himself as “the most pro-gun, pro-Second Amendment president” in the nation’s history. “I will be your loyal friend and fearless champion once again as the 47th president of the United States,” he told the crowd, pledging to create a new tax credit to reimburse teachers “for the full cost of a concealed-carry firearm,” as well as gun training “from highly-qualified experts.”Some of the Republican politicians speaking at the event said they were saddened by the recent shootings, but most spent more time criticizing Democrats, slamming COVID-19 restrictions and vaccines, and discussing security along the U.S.-Mexico border. That was fine with many attendees, who don't think gun restrictions are the answer to mass shootings.“No one wants to see the violence you see in schools and stuff today,” said Randy Conner, a pistol and rifle instructor for the NRA from Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. “But I don’t think taking the guns away from ordinary citizens is going to change any of that at all.”Trump's appearance was his first public event since being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20A,his%20first%20White%20House%20campaign.">arrested and arraigned in New York last week</a>&nbsp;on felony charges stemming from a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. His Secret Service protection meant attendees couldn't carry guns at the convention.The former president made a few references to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-else-is-trump-being-investigated-for-bbc926171b5bdf91eabd76db93411b8b">numerous investigations he's facing</a>. Instead of the government going after hardened criminals, he complained, “The only one they want to prosecute is Donald Trump.”Friday's appearance was the first time he and Pence have addressed the same campaign event on the same day since their estrangement following the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">insurrection at the U.S. Capitol</a>. Pence is considering his own 2024 bid.A former Indiana governor, Pence drew scattered boos as he started speaking, despite it being his home turf. The former vice president had skipped a number of conservative gatherings in recent years after he was booed and heckled during their previous meetings.Taking the stage later, Trump said sarcastically that he hoped the crowd had given his former vice president a warm introduction.Pence noted the two recent mass shootings and said his heart and prayers were with the families of the victims, who included three 9-year-old students. But he said, “We don’t need gun control. We need crime control.”Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Trump critic who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asa-hutchinson-president-2024-election-3a55855b1914d6e61338d1c8576a817f">announced his 2024 campaign</a>&nbsp;after news of the former president's indictment broke, drew at least one yelled obscenity from the Trump-friendly crowd after he suggested President Joe Biden was "praying” for a rematch with Trump in 2024 and declared, “We don’t need a rerun of 2020."Others offering video messages were former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-running-for-president-f28052019e8ac3846cd125b3d9614d4f">began her 2024 campaign in February</a>, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/exploratory-committee-president-tim-scott-2024-b129664cb44862100e43e2930e75efb3">presidential exploratory committee</a>&nbsp;this week. DeSantis, seen as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">top rival to Trump</a>&nbsp;even though he’s yet to jump into the race, also spoke briefly in virtual remarks.“I’ve resisted calls to take up gun control, even when such a stand is superficially unpopular,” DeSantis said, a reference to calls for stricter Florida laws in the wake of the 2018 Parkland school shooting that killed 17 people.Pain over the Louisville and Nashville shooting rampages has crossed party lines. Kentucky Democratic Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-health-covid-kentucky-steve-beshear-e6dd4d00c92502d4814451d6e9995ed8">Andy Beshear</a>&nbsp;talked about having a friend killed in the Louisville shooting, while Republican Tennessee Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-covid-6e6d211ca65d625eef90d91ee8f4567d">Bill Lee</a>&nbsp;said he had friends killed during the Nashville school attack.Yet the NRA convention's tone was as defiant as last year, when the group held its convention in Houston just three days after the massacre of 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school.Further overlapping with recent tragedy, Pence and some of the other speakers were following up their NRA speeches by traveling to Nashville to meet with top GOP donors gathered there.“Every significant national Republican, every Republican that’s thrown their hat in the ring to run for president, is showing up this weekend to pledge their undying loyalty to the NRA and the gun lobby,” said Democratic Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, who championed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">bipartisan legislation</a>&nbsp;that passed last year and imposed some new federal gun restrictions after the Uvalde shooting. “Our kids are being hunted, and the NRA’s business model is to give aid to the hunters.”Indeed, support for gun rights among Republican voters remains higher than for voters overall. Some 56% of voters in last fall’s midterm elections said they want to see stricter nationwide gun laws, compared with just 28% of Republicans, according to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate. About half of Republicans said gun laws should be left as they are.Trump, meanwhile, has a contradictory history on guns.The NRA was a key backer of his 2016 campaign, spending some $30 million to support a candidate who sometimes mentioned carrying his own gun and vowed to eliminate gun-free zones in schools and on military bases. Trump also pledged to establish a national right to carry.But, as the country reeled from a series of mass shootings,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-las-vegas-6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af">Trump’s administration banned bump stocks</a>, which were used in a 2017 attack on a Las Vegas country music concert that killed 60 people and injured hundreds more. After the Parkland school shooting in Florida the following year,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-donald-trump-violence-gun-politics-politics-75db363bc4fb4779b92d4582f5d5bb70">Trump urged congressional Republicans to expand background checks</a>&nbsp;and proposed seizing guns from mentally ill people.He also suggested raising the minimum age to buy assault rifles from 18 to 21, and suggested he was open to a conversation about reviving assault weapons bans. After later meeting with the NRA, however, Trump abandoned his push.Friday's convention largely belonged to Trump, who drew the loudest cheers from the crowd.Donna Alberts, who traveled around 600 miles (965 kilometers) from Greenbriar, Arkansas, for the convention, said nothing could sway her vote for Trump in 2024.“He’s a good man," Alberts said, “and he does what he says he’s going to do, and he loves this country.”___

Trump tells NRA he's the most pro-gun president in history

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp;have identified the body recovered from the Kansas River on Wednesday afternoon as 30-year-old Verlon Timms, Jr., of Kansas City, Kansas, according to KCK Police.

Family reported Timms missing on March 24. The cause of death is pending final autopsy results.

This incident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous.

KANSAS CITY —Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department have initiated a death investigation after a body was discovered Wednesday afternoon in the Kansas River, according to a media release.

Just after 4:30p.m. first responders were dispatched to the area of S. 26th and Kansas Avenue. Due to the location of the body, KCK Fire Dept. Water Rescue launched from Kaw Point, and a short time later, were able to recover the body of an adult male. 

Police released no additional details late Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681383507977.png" alt="File photo courtesy KCK Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy KCK Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp;have identified the body recovered from the Kansas River on Wednesday afternoon as 30-year-old Verlon Timms, Jr., of Kansas City, Kansas, according to KCK Police.Family reported Timms missing on March 24. The cause of death is pending final autopsy results.This incident remains under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous.---------KANSAS CITY —Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department have initiated a death investigation after a body was discovered Wednesday afternoon in the Kansas River, according to a media release.Just after 4:30p.m. first responders were dispatched to the area of S. 26th and Kansas Avenue. Due to the location of the body, KCK Fire Dept. Water Rescue launched from Kaw Point, and a short time later, were able to recover the body of an adult male. Police released no additional details late Wednesday.

Police ID body found in river as missing Kansas man

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen after a high-speed chase in Douglas County.

Just before 11a.m. Thursday, a sheriff's deputy near 26th Street and O'Connell Road in Lawrence observed a vehicle known to be associated with an 18-year-old Gardner man who had an outstanding felony warrant, according to a media release.

After turning into a cul-de-sac in the area, the suspect drove through a resident's front yard to evade law enforcement and fled from the attempted traffic stop into the Prairie Park neighborhood.

After unsuccessful attempts to stop the vehicle, the suspect traveled into the neighborhood east of O'Connell Road and deputies successfully used a tactical vehicle intervention to disable the vehicle on East 25th Terrace. That safely ended the pursuit. After a brief foot chase, deputies captured the suspect who was checked by medics and then transported to the Douglas County jail. He is being held on the warrants and requested charges related to the pursuit. Deputies also recovered drugs and a firearm from the vehicle.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the suspect's name.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen after a high-speed chase in Douglas County.Just before 11a.m. Thursday, a sheriff's deputy near 26th Street and O'Connell Road in Lawrence observed a vehicle known to be associated with an 18-year-old Gardner man who had an outstanding felony warrant, according to a media release.After turning into a cul-de-sac in the area, the suspect drove through a resident's front yard to evade law enforcement and fled from the attempted traffic stop into the Prairie Park neighborhood.After unsuccessful attempts to stop the vehicle, the suspect traveled into the neighborhood east of O'Connell Road and deputies successfully used a tactical vehicle intervention to disable the vehicle on East 25th Terrace. That safely ended the pursuit. After a brief foot chase, deputies captured the suspect who was checked by medics and then transported to the Douglas County jail. He is being held on the warrants and requested charges related to the pursuit. Deputies also recovered drugs and a firearm from the vehicle.&nbsp; The sheriff's office did not release the suspect's name.

Wanted Kan. teen drove through a front yard during pursuit

Top GOP lawmakers in the state vow to override Kelly’s vetoes

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly overruled a “born-alive” bill and an NRA-backed gun program for public schools, but the Kansas GOP plans to overturn these vetoes when the Legislature returns in April.&nbsp;

Immediately after Kelly announced her vetoes Friday, Republican lawmakers, who hold a legislative supermajority, announced in a series of released statements their plans to&nbsp;override the Democrat’s vetoes.

Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said Kelly’s rejection of the two bills showed a lack of willingness to work across the aisle.

“The governor has opted to abandon all semblance of moderation and side with the most extreme elements in her party,” Masterson said in a Friday news release. “The result is that our veto session will now be quite busy.”&nbsp;

To override Kelly’s vetoes, 84 votes are needed in the House, and&nbsp;27 are needed in the Senate.&nbsp;The<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2304/">&nbsp;proposed NRA program</a>, which has been debated for years, passed the House 78-43 and the Senate 31-8, meaning the GOP may not be able to gather enough votes to override the measure.&nbsp;

The bill would encourage elementary and middle school students to participate in the Eddie Eagle program, an NRA-developed child gun safety curriculum.&nbsp;

From kindergarten through grade five, Kansas children in participating school districts would be instructed with the Eddie Eagle program, and grades six through eight would either use Eddie Eagle or other gun programs offered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

Critics have said the training program isn’t effective and that lawmakers should work toward stricter gun laws rather than child gun training.

Kelly said local school boards and the State Board of Education should&nbsp;decide K-12 education,&nbsp;not lawmakers pushing agendas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“This bill is yet again an act of legislative overreach, an attempt to override our locally elected leaders and insert partisan politics into our children’s education,” Kelly said in a Friday news release.  

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, also mentioned politics in a Friday news release on Kelly’s veto.&nbsp;

“It’s clear that with the veto of the Eddie Eagle GunSafe firearm safety bill, Governor Kelly cares more about scoring political points simply talking about gun safety rather than taking action to actually increase the safety of our children around firearms,” Hawkins said.&nbsp;

In an average year, 456 people die and 655 are wounded by guns in Kansas, according to Everytown for Gun Safety statistics. The organization estimated that gun deaths and injuries cost Kansas $5.7 billion each year, of which $95.1 million is paid by taxpayers.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2313/">“born-alive” bill</a>&nbsp;was passed in the Senate 31-9, while the House approved the measure 86-36.&nbsp;

The legislation, which is backed by anti-abortion organizations and lobbyists, would require health professionals to help infants that survive a botched abortion and send these newborns to a hospital or face criminal and civil sanctions. Kelly vetoed a similar bill in 2019.

“This bill is misleading and unnecessary,” Kelly said. “Federal law already protects newborns, and the procedure being described in this bill does not exist in Kansas in the era of modern medicine.”&nbsp;

Supporters of the legislation have argued that newborns with a heartbeat or who are breathing had been left to die in abortion clinics, but have given no evidence of this occurring in Kansas. Critics of the “born-alive” bill say no one is killing infants and that the bill is anti-abortion propaganda.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Masterson called Kelly’s opposition to the bill a “barbaric and extreme position.”

“With this veto, the governor has sadly indicated she believes that Kansas should be more like New York where even babies born alive do not have the protection of law,” Masterson said.&nbsp;

Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes echoed Kelly’s message in a news release following the veto announcement.&nbsp;

“There is no circumstance in which an abortion is performed in Kansas where an infant can be born alive,” Sykes said. “It simply does not happen.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/P1242597-1024x576.jpg" alt="- Gov. Laura Kelly announced her vetoes of two GOP-backed bills Friday. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- Gov. Laura Kelly announced her vetoes of two GOP-backed bills Friday. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Top GOP lawmakers in the state vow to override Kelly’s vetoes</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly overruled a “born-alive” bill and an NRA-backed gun program for public schools, but the Kansas GOP plans to overturn these vetoes when the Legislature returns in April.&nbsp;Immediately after Kelly announced her vetoes Friday, Republican lawmakers, who hold a legislative supermajority, announced in a series of released statements their plans to&nbsp;override the Democrat’s vetoes.Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said Kelly’s rejection of the two bills showed a lack of willingness to work across the aisle.“The governor has opted to abandon all semblance of moderation and side with the most extreme elements in her party,” Masterson said in a Friday news release. “The result is that our veto session will now be quite busy.”&nbsp;To override Kelly’s vetoes, 84 votes are needed in the House, and&nbsp;27 are needed in the Senate.&nbsp;The<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2304/">&nbsp;proposed NRA program</a>, which has been debated for years, passed the House 78-43 and the Senate 31-8, meaning the GOP may not be able to gather enough votes to override the measure.&nbsp;The bill would encourage elementary and middle school students to participate in the Eddie Eagle program, an NRA-developed child gun safety curriculum.&nbsp;From kindergarten through grade five, Kansas children in participating school districts would be instructed with the Eddie Eagle program, and grades six through eight would either use Eddie Eagle or other gun programs offered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.Critics have said the training program isn’t effective and that lawmakers should work toward stricter gun laws rather than child gun training.Kelly said local school boards and the State Board of Education should&nbsp;decide K-12 education,&nbsp;not lawmakers pushing agendas.&nbsp;&nbsp;“This bill is yet again an act of legislative overreach, an attempt to override our locally elected leaders and insert partisan politics into our children’s education,” Kelly said in a Friday news release.  House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, also mentioned politics in a Friday news release on Kelly’s veto.&nbsp;“It’s clear that with the veto of the Eddie Eagle GunSafe firearm safety bill, Governor Kelly cares more about scoring political points simply talking about gun safety rather than taking action to actually increase the safety of our children around firearms,” Hawkins said.&nbsp;In an average year, 456 people die and 655 are wounded by guns in Kansas, according to Everytown for Gun Safety statistics. The organization estimated that gun deaths and injuries cost Kansas $5.7 billion each year, of which $95.1 million is paid by taxpayers.&nbsp;<h2>“Born-alive” bill</h2>The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2313/">“born-alive” bill</a>&nbsp;was passed in the Senate 31-9, while the House approved the measure 86-36.&nbsp;The legislation, which is backed by anti-abortion organizations and lobbyists, would require health professionals to help infants that survive a botched abortion and send these newborns to a hospital or face criminal and civil sanctions. Kelly vetoed a similar bill in 2019.“This bill is misleading and unnecessary,” Kelly said. “Federal law already protects newborns, and the procedure being described in this bill does not exist in Kansas in the era of modern medicine.”&nbsp;Supporters of the legislation have argued that newborns with a heartbeat or who are breathing had been left to die in abortion clinics, but have given no evidence of this occurring in Kansas. Critics of the “born-alive” bill say no one is killing infants and that the bill is anti-abortion propaganda.&nbsp;&nbsp;Masterson called Kelly’s opposition to the bill a “barbaric and extreme position.”“With this veto, the governor has sadly indicated she believes that Kansas should be more like New York where even babies born alive do not have the protection of law,” Masterson said.&nbsp;Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes echoed Kelly’s message in a news release following the veto announcement.&nbsp;“There is no circumstance in which an abortion is performed in Kansas where an infant can be born alive,” Sykes said. “It simply does not happen.”

Kan. governor vetos “born-alive” bill, K-12 NRA gun safety training program

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution that would repeal a Biden administration rule tightening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">federal regulations</a>&nbsp;on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. over the last decade.

The resolution passed 219-210 nearly on party lines and after a contentious floor debate where Republicans accused the administration of “executive overreach” and Democrats condemned a bill they said would “help kill people.” Two Democrats voted in support and two Republicans voted against it.

The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. Should it pass, President Joe Biden has promised a veto. Overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.

The new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January treats guns with the accessories like short-barreled rifles, a weapon that is like a sawed-off shotgun and has been heavily regulated since the 1930s.

The regulation, which went into effect June 1, was one of several steps Biden announced in 2021 after a man using a stabilizing brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado</a>. A stabilizing brace was also used in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-el-paso-texas-mass-shooting-us-news-ap-top-news-health-165d6dd66e1b46628a0ffdcc4d27c58b">shooting in Dayton, Ohio</a>, that left nine people dead in 2019 and most recently in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee</a>.

Stabilizing braces transform a pistol into a weapon that’s powerful and easy to conceal, Attorney General Merrick Garland said when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">he announced the rule</a>. Originally developed for disabled veterans, gun-control groups have said the accessories have became a loophole exploited by gunmakers to make weapons more deadly.

Since taking effect earlier this month, the rule requires anyone who has a gun with an arm-stabilizing brace to register the weapon with the federal government and pay a fee, or remove the brace from their weapons.

Republicans employed the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations, to try and nullify the new rule that they claim has turned millions of gun owners into felons.

“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday. “Congress maintains sole legislative authority, not government agencies, not the executive branch.”

Several lawsuits have been filed against the regulations by gun owners and state attorneys general. They say it violates Second Amendment protections by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs in a setback for the Biden administration.

House Democrats defended the rule on Tuesday, saying it could save lives.

“How many more mass shootings need to happen, how many more kids need to die before my Republican colleagues pull their heads out of the sand and realize that the NRA money is not worth the damage that’s been done to our country,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.

The main sponsor for the measure, Clyde, is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and the owner of a gun store in his district in Georgia. His proposal to overturn the ATF rule first came to the House Judiciary Committee in late March for markup. But House Republicans postponed debate of the measure after a gunman used a weapon with a stabilizing brace to fatally shoot three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville, Tenn.

Last week, Clyde claimed GOP leadership had blocked his resolution from reaching the floor as retribution for his no vote on a bipartisan agreement to lift the debt ceiling, which leaders denied.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he and Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP's chief vote-counter, had been working intensely to ensure enough support to pass the legislation in the narrowly divided House.

“We’ve been moving people every week on this bill,” Scalise said. “It has not been easy.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686790900641.png" alt="“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a resolution that would repeal a Biden administration rule tightening&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">federal regulations</a>&nbsp;on stabilizing braces for firearms, an accessory that has been used in several mass shootings in the U.S. over the last decade.The resolution passed 219-210 nearly on party lines and after a contentious floor debate where Republicans accused the administration of “executive overreach” and Democrats condemned a bill they said would “help kill people.” Two Democrats voted in support and two Republicans voted against it.The resolution, which was introduced by Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., will now go to the Senate, which could take up the measure as soon as this week. Should it pass, President Joe Biden has promised a veto. Overriding a presidential veto would require two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate.The new rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in January treats guns with the accessories like short-barreled rifles, a weapon that is like a sawed-off shotgun and has been heavily regulated since the 1930s.The regulation, which went into effect June 1, was one of several steps Biden announced in 2021 after a man using a stabilizing brace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/boulder-supermarket-shooting">killed 10 people at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado</a>. A stabilizing brace was also used in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-el-paso-texas-mass-shooting-us-news-ap-top-news-health-165d6dd66e1b46628a0ffdcc4d27c58b">shooting in Dayton, Ohio</a>, that left nine people dead in 2019 and most recently in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-school-shooting-covenant-school-5da45b469ccb6c9533bbddf20c1bfe16">a school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee</a>.Stabilizing braces transform a pistol into a weapon that’s powerful and easy to conceal, Attorney General Merrick Garland said when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-national-rifle-association-us-republican-party-gun-politics-362e5d6dfc78c896b7a376e5368c770b">he announced the rule</a>. Originally developed for disabled veterans, gun-control groups have said the accessories have became a loophole exploited by gunmakers to make weapons more deadly.Since taking effect earlier this month, the rule requires anyone who has a gun with an arm-stabilizing brace to register the weapon with the federal government and pay a fee, or remove the brace from their weapons.Republicans employed the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to undo recently enacted executive branch regulations, to try and nullify the new rule that they claim has turned millions of gun owners into felons.“This rule doesn’t just infringe upon Americans' Second Amendment liberties. It represents a dangerous government overreach by the administration,” Clyde said during debate Tuesday. “Congress maintains sole legislative authority, not government agencies, not the executive branch.”Several lawsuits have been filed against the regulations by gun owners and state attorneys general. They say it violates Second Amendment protections by requiring millions of people to alter or register their weapons. In some cases, judges have recently agreed to temporarily block enforcement of the rule for the plaintiffs in a setback for the Biden administration.House Democrats defended the rule on Tuesday, saying it could save lives.“How many more mass shootings need to happen, how many more kids need to die before my Republican colleagues pull their heads out of the sand and realize that the NRA money is not worth the damage that’s been done to our country,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.The main sponsor for the measure, Clyde, is a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and the owner of a gun store in his district in Georgia. His proposal to overturn the ATF rule first came to the House Judiciary Committee in late March for markup. But House Republicans postponed debate of the measure after a gunman used a weapon with a stabilizing brace to fatally shoot three children and three adults at an elementary school in Nashville, Tenn.Last week, Clyde claimed GOP leadership had blocked his resolution from reaching the floor as retribution for his no vote on a bipartisan agreement to lift the debt ceiling, which leaders denied.House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said he and Rep. Tom Emmer, the GOP's chief vote-counter, had been working intensely to ensure enough support to pass the legislation in the narrowly divided House.“We’ve been moving people every week on this bill,” Scalise said. “It has not been easy.”

House  passes resolution to overturn controversial gun regulation

KANSAS CITY —A former Grain Valley, Missouri police officer faces multiple felony charges after an investigation by the Missouri Highway Patrol found the officer had engaged in sex acts with a juvenile in Grain Valley, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

August P. Gildehaus, 27, faces nine felony charges: Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st Degree, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, four counts of Statutory Sodomy 2nd Degree, and three counts of Staturoy Rape 2nd Degree.

According to court records, on March 6, the Grain Valley Police Chief asked the Missouri Highway Patrol to investigate the allegations that a Grain Valley police officer had engaged in sex acts in 2022 and early 2023 with a juvenile. 

The day before,&nbsp;Grain Valley police officers were dispatched on a report of a juvenile under the age of 17&nbsp; who was missing. The missing teen returned home and informed parents of sexual activity with adult men. 

The victim identified one of the men as a police officer. When police detectives showed the victim the Grain Valley Police Department Facebook page, the victim identified the defendant. The Victim also identified during a forensic interview other identifying details of the defendant. Detectives reviewed the victim's diary and social media for evidence of the sexual activity of the defendant with the juvenile victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681393419659.png" alt=" Gildehaus-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption> Gildehaus-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A former Grain Valley, Missouri police officer faces multiple felony charges after an investigation by the Missouri Highway Patrol found the officer had engaged in sex acts with a juvenile in Grain Valley, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.August P. Gildehaus, 27, faces nine felony charges: Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st Degree, Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, four counts of Statutory Sodomy 2nd Degree, and three counts of Staturoy Rape 2nd Degree.According to court records, on March 6, the Grain Valley Police Chief asked the Missouri Highway Patrol to investigate the allegations that a Grain Valley police officer had engaged in sex acts in 2022 and early 2023 with a juvenile. The day before,&nbsp;Grain Valley police officers were dispatched on a report of a juvenile under the age of 17&nbsp; who was missing. The missing teen returned home and informed parents of sexual activity with adult men. The victim identified one of the men as a police officer. When police detectives showed the victim the Grain Valley Police Department Facebook page, the victim identified the defendant. The Victim also identified during a forensic interview other identifying details of the defendant. Detectives reviewed the victim's diary and social media for evidence of the sexual activity of the defendant with the juvenile victim.

Former KC-area police officer charged for sex acts with a juvenile

JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

A 1997 Lincoln Town Car driven by 90-year-old Eudora McQueen of Delia was westbound across northbound U.S. 75 just north of 21st Road after exiting a business. 

The driver failed to yield the right of way. A northbound 2012 Chevy Volt driven by Sammy W.&nbsp;Ramirez, 56, Holton struck the drivers side of the Lincoln.

EMS transported McQueen to Stormont Vail where she was pronounced deceased. Ramirez was transported to the hospital in Holton. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681520346950.png" alt="First responders on the scene Friday afternoon -Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Friday afternoon -Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Friday in Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.A 1997 Lincoln Town Car driven by 90-year-old Eudora McQueen of Delia was westbound across northbound U.S. 75 just north of 21st Road after exiting a business. The driver failed to yield the right of way. A northbound 2012 Chevy Volt driven by Sammy W.&nbsp;Ramirez, 56, Holton struck the drivers side of the Lincoln.EMS transported McQueen to Stormont Vail where she was pronounced deceased. Ramirez was transported to the hospital in Holton. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

90-year-old Kan. woman dead after 2-vehicle crash

WASHINGTON (AP) —Former Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-pompeo">Mike Pompeo</a>&nbsp;said Friday he will not enter the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

In an interview with Fox News, the devoted ally and defender of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;opted out of a contest that would have put him into competition with his former commander in chief.

“The time is not right for me and my family,” Pompeo said in a statement later posted to Twitter. “At each stage of my public service — as a soldier, as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and then as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and as your Secretary of State — I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to advance America in a way that fit the time and the moment. This is not that time or that moment for me to seek elected office again.”

Pompeo seemed to leave the door open on a future run.

“To those of you this announcement disappoints, my apologies,” Pompeo said. “And to those of you this thrilled, know that I’m 59 years old. There remain many more opportunities for which the timing might be more fitting as presidential leadership becomes even more necessary.”

Pompeo would have been the second former Trump Cabinet member to enter the race to challenge the former president for the 2024 GOP nomination, joining former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who announced her campaign in February. Former Vice President Mike Pence is also considering entering the race and has stepped up his travel and activity in early-voting primary and caucus states.

In addition, biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have also announced campaigns. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina has launched a presidential exploratory committee as he considers his own bid.

President Joe Biden has indicated he will seek reelection, tamping down any major challenges for the Democratic nomination.

Where Haley and Pence have openly expressed differences with Trump, Pompeo has had no public split with Trump and hasn't been rebuked by the former president, as many of his would-be rivals have. Pompeo recently referred to Trump as a “great boss.”

The former congressman graduated at the top of his class from the U.S. Military Academy in 1986 before spending five years on active duty, deployed for a time as a cavalry officer commanding tank movements along the border between NATO-backed Western Europe and Soviet-occupied Eastern Europe.

The retired Army captain is a Harvard-educated lawyer who practiced law in Washington and founded two Wichita businesses — an aerospace firm and later a petroleum equipment manufacturer — before entering politics.

Pompeo — a witty and sometimes gruff politician — easily won four consecutive terms in the U.S. House representing southern Kansas. He sat on the House Intelligence Committee as well as the select committee investigating the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya.

Pompeo counts as among his proudest moments the 2020 Abraham Accords, declarations of support for peaceful relations among Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. He also points to the imposition of tariffs on China, direct talks with North Korea and the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement as pillars of Trump’s “America First” theme he helped erect.

The 2018 withdrawal from the Iran deal and imposition of crippling sanctions have prompted death threats against Pompeo, who remains under 24-hour security protection provided by the State Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677935775709.png" alt="Pompeo seemed to leave the door open on a future run.-photo courtesy CPAC" />
 <figcaption>Pompeo seemed to leave the door open on a future run.-photo courtesy CPAC</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Former Secretary of State&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mike-pompeo">Mike Pompeo</a>&nbsp;said Friday he will not enter the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Susan and I have concluded, after much consideration and prayer, that I will not present myself as a candidate to become President of the United States in the 2024 election. <a href="https://t.co/hxujBzGgkI">pic.twitter.com/hxujBzGgkI</a>&mdash; Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) <a href="https://twitter.com/mikepompeo/status/1647001366441897985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In an interview with Fox News, the devoted ally and defender of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;opted out of a contest that would have put him into competition with his former commander in chief.“The time is not right for me and my family,” Pompeo said in a statement later posted to Twitter. “At each stage of my public service — as a soldier, as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and then as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and as your Secretary of State — I’ve been blessed to have the opportunity to advance America in a way that fit the time and the moment. This is not that time or that moment for me to seek elected office again.”Pompeo seemed to leave the door open on a future run.“To those of you this announcement disappoints, my apologies,” Pompeo said. “And to those of you this thrilled, know that I’m 59 years old. There remain many more opportunities for which the timing might be more fitting as presidential leadership becomes even more necessary.”Pompeo would have been the second former Trump Cabinet member to enter the race to challenge the former president for the 2024 GOP nomination, joining former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who announced her campaign in February. Former Vice President Mike Pence is also considering entering the race and has stepped up his travel and activity in early-voting primary and caucus states.In addition, biotech investor Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have also announced campaigns. U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina has launched a presidential exploratory committee as he considers his own bid.President Joe Biden has indicated he will seek reelection, tamping down any major challenges for the Democratic nomination.Where Haley and Pence have openly expressed differences with Trump, Pompeo has had no public split with Trump and hasn't been rebuked by the former president, as many of his would-be rivals have. Pompeo recently referred to Trump as a “great boss.”The former congressman graduated at the top of his class from the U.S. Military Academy in 1986 before spending five years on active duty, deployed for a time as a cavalry officer commanding tank movements along the border between NATO-backed Western Europe and Soviet-occupied Eastern Europe.The retired Army captain is a Harvard-educated lawyer who practiced law in Washington and founded two Wichita businesses — an aerospace firm and later a petroleum equipment manufacturer — before entering politics.Pompeo — a witty and sometimes gruff politician — easily won four consecutive terms in the U.S. House representing southern Kansas. He sat on the House Intelligence Committee as well as the select committee investigating the deadly 2012 attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi, Libya.Pompeo counts as among his proudest moments the 2020 Abraham Accords, declarations of support for peaceful relations among Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. He also points to the imposition of tariffs on China, direct talks with North Korea and the U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement as pillars of Trump’s “America First” theme he helped erect.The 2018 withdrawal from the Iran deal and imposition of crippling sanctions have prompted death threats against Pompeo, who remains under 24-hour security protection provided by the State Department.

Ex-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo not running for president

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a high-speed chase.

On Thursday, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit attempted to initiate a traffic stop near just before the Waverly exit on Interstate 35&nbsp; for an alleged traffic violation. The driver later identified as 42-year-old Kansas felon Terrance of Shawnee failed to stop, and a pursuit began.

The pursuit traveled mainly through rural areas of Coffey and into Anderson County. The vehicle pursuit ended when the suspect traveled down a dead end road. The driver then eluded law enforcement on foot before being located.

Wade was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Flee or attempting to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer; use of a deadly weapon, Interference with law enforcement, a&nbsp;Jackson County, Missouri warrant, Shawnee County, and Kansas probation violation felony warrant. He has previous drug convictions in Wyandotte County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Coffey County Sheriff's Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Garnett Police Department, Garnett Rural Fire Department, Anderson County EMS, Anderson County Emergency Management, and Kansas Highway Patrol.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681469136829.png" alt="Wade has previous drug convictions, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-photo from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Wade has previous drug convictions, according to the Kan. Dept. of Corrections-photo from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on new charges after a high-speed chase.On Thursday, an Osage County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit attempted to initiate a traffic stop near just before the Waverly exit on Interstate 35&nbsp; for an alleged traffic violation. The driver later identified as 42-year-old Kansas felon Terrance of Shawnee failed to stop, and a pursuit began.The pursuit traveled mainly through rural areas of Coffey and into Anderson County. The vehicle pursuit ended when the suspect traveled down a dead end road. The driver then eluded law enforcement on foot before being located.Wade was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail on requested charges of Flee or attempting to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer; use of a deadly weapon, Interference with law enforcement, a&nbsp;Jackson County, Missouri warrant, Shawnee County, and Kansas probation violation felony warrant. He has previous drug convictions in Wyandotte County, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681488138774.png" alt="Wade-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Wade-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Osage County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Coffey County Sheriff's Office, Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Garnett Police Department, Garnett Rural Fire Department, Anderson County EMS, Anderson County Emergency Management, and Kansas Highway Patrol.