By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/kansas-restaurant-industry-still-struggling-for-comeback-officials-say/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA
 —&nbsp; The restaurant industry statewide has been plagued by the ongoing 
COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and workforce shortages, with new issues 
making it difficult for restaurant owners to bounce back, officials have
 said.&nbsp;

During a Tuesday House Commerce, 
Labor and Economic Development Committee hearing, Kevin Timmons, 
restaurant owner and vice chair of the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality
 Association, told lawmakers about his recent struggles with inflation.&nbsp;

“There’s a three-headed monster in 
manufacturing that’s facing restaurants, and it’s from packing beef to 
making plastics to everything we get overseas,” Timmons said. “It’s the 
raw costs, it’s the labor and it’s transportation costs, and this 
three-headed monster, although there’s been some deflation and we’re 
starting to get our arms around it, still has our industry in a flux.”&nbsp;

Timmons said employment levels had 
mostly bounced back from the pandemic, citing Kansas Department of Labor
 statistics from 2019. In 2019, the department listed a high of 114,034 
Accommodation and Food Services workers in a second-quarter census 
employment report. In 2020, that number dropped to 82,530. Currently, 
the industry has about 108,430 Kansan employees, 5% less than 
pre-pandemic levels, Timmons said.

While worker numbers have increased, 
Timmons estimated that there are 800 fewer licensed food establishments 
in Kansas, with many owners worried that their <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/10/restaurants-ask-for-property-tax-relief-from-kansas-counties-that-restricted-business/">businesses won’t see increased profitability</a> in 2023.&nbsp;

“As we reopened our doors, there was a
 different world ahead of us,” Timmons said. “Raw material and labor 
costs, fuel and transportation costs, and the looming everyday battle of
 fighting for everyday products left our industry somewhat decimated.”&nbsp;

Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, 
D-Overland Park, questioned him about server wages, saying raising them 
would be a good way to find more staff.Clayton said the wage hasn’t been
 raised in years, and she knew firsthand the effect that low wages had 
on staff morale.

In Kansas, minimum wage for tipped 
employees is set at $2.13 an hour. Nearby states, such as Missouri, have
 drawn servers from Kansas by raising their tipped employee minimum 
wage. Missouri’s minimum wage for tipped employees is now $6 an hour.&nbsp;

Timmons said wage increases weren’t 
that important, and that he had seen servers come back to Kansas from 
Missouri because they cared about customer happiness.&nbsp;

“They’re in the business to make 
people happy,” Timmons said. “And the happier they make them, the more 
they make, and that’s what service is all about.”&nbsp;

Clayton said this wasn’t the case in her own experience.&nbsp;

“When I waited tables, I didn’t do it
 for personal fulfillment,” Clayton said. “I did it because I needed to 
go to college. And I needed money. People don’t wait tables to make 
people happy. They do work to make money.”&nbsp;

Lawmakers also asked Timmons about 
social factors being an issue for rising grocery costs. Rep. Kristey 
Williams, R-Augusta, said farmers in Netherlands were being pressured to
 reduce carbon emissions, which could potentially increase imported 
cheese prices, and the prices for other products.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Is this something all of us should 
be watching in terms of ESG, environment social governance?” Williams 
said. “Because if that can make such an impact in a couple areas, where 
do you think long-term that could play for the cost of these perimeter 
products?”

Timmons said corn and soy price inflation could be a factor in terms of rising restaurant costs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675112503865.png" alt="During a Tuesday meeting, lawmakers asked about rising restaurant costs and problems within the Kansas restaurant industry. Restaurant owner Kevin Timmons said inflation was impacting his business. (Screen Capture from Kansas Legislature Youtube page)" />
 <figcaption>During a Tuesday meeting, lawmakers asked about rising restaurant costs and problems within the Kansas restaurant industry. Restaurant owner Kevin Timmons said inflation was impacting his business. (Screen Capture from Kansas Legislature Youtube page)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/kansas-restaurant-industry-still-struggling-for-comeback-officials-say/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA
 —&nbsp; The restaurant industry statewide has been plagued by the ongoing 
COVID-19 pandemic, inflation and workforce shortages, with new issues 
making it difficult for restaurant owners to bounce back, officials have
 said.&nbsp;During a Tuesday House Commerce, 
Labor and Economic Development Committee hearing, Kevin Timmons, 
restaurant owner and vice chair of the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality
 Association, told lawmakers about his recent struggles with inflation.&nbsp;“There’s a three-headed monster in 
manufacturing that’s facing restaurants, and it’s from packing beef to 
making plastics to everything we get overseas,” Timmons said. “It’s the 
raw costs, it’s the labor and it’s transportation costs, and this 
three-headed monster, although there’s been some deflation and we’re 
starting to get our arms around it, still has our industry in a flux.”&nbsp;Timmons said employment levels had 
mostly bounced back from the pandemic, citing Kansas Department of Labor
 statistics from 2019. In 2019, the department listed a high of 114,034 
Accommodation and Food Services workers in a second-quarter census 
employment report. In 2020, that number dropped to 82,530. Currently, 
the industry has about 108,430 Kansan employees, 5% less than 
pre-pandemic levels, Timmons said.While worker numbers have increased, 
Timmons estimated that there are 800 fewer licensed food establishments 
in Kansas, with many owners worried that their <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/02/10/restaurants-ask-for-property-tax-relief-from-kansas-counties-that-restricted-business/">businesses won’t see increased profitability</a> in 2023.&nbsp;“As we reopened our doors, there was a
 different world ahead of us,” Timmons said. “Raw material and labor 
costs, fuel and transportation costs, and the looming everyday battle of
 fighting for everyday products left our industry somewhat decimated.”&nbsp;Rep. Stephanie Sawyer Clayton, 
D-Overland Park, questioned him about server wages, saying raising them 
would be a good way to find more staff.Clayton said the wage hasn’t been
 raised in years, and she knew firsthand the effect that low wages had 
on staff morale.In Kansas, minimum wage for tipped 
employees is set at $2.13 an hour. Nearby states, such as Missouri, have
 drawn servers from Kansas by raising their tipped employee minimum 
wage. Missouri’s minimum wage for tipped employees is now $6 an hour.&nbsp;Timmons said wage increases weren’t 
that important, and that he had seen servers come back to Kansas from 
Missouri because they cared about customer happiness.&nbsp;“They’re in the business to make 
people happy,” Timmons said. “And the happier they make them, the more 
they make, and that’s what service is all about.”&nbsp;Clayton said this wasn’t the case in her own experience.&nbsp;“When I waited tables, I didn’t do it
 for personal fulfillment,” Clayton said. “I did it because I needed to 
go to college. And I needed money. People don’t wait tables to make 
people happy. They do work to make money.”&nbsp;Lawmakers also asked Timmons about 
social factors being an issue for rising grocery costs. Rep. Kristey 
Williams, R-Augusta, said farmers in Netherlands were being pressured to
 reduce carbon emissions, which could potentially increase imported 
cheese prices, and the prices for other products.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Is this something all of us should 
be watching in terms of ESG, environment social governance?” Williams 
said. “Because if that can make such an impact in a couple areas, where 
do you think long-term that could play for the cost of these perimeter 
products?”Timmons said corn and soy price inflation could be a factor in terms of rising restaurant costs.

Officials: Kan. restaurant industry still struggling for comeback

MIAMI COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 1:30a.m. Tuesday in Miami County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chevy K2500 driven by Jeffrey Boyd Owens, 46, Spring Hill was eastbound on 216th Street at U.S. 169. The driver&nbsp; failed to stop at the stop sign and was struck by a southbound 2020 Freightliner semi driven by Brent A. Cruse, 58, Parsons.

After impact, the pickup traveled off the right side of the roadway,&nbsp; burst into flames and Owens was ejected.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Eddie-Birchard Funeral Home.

Cruse was was transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Owens was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

MIAMI COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 1:30a.m. Tuesday in Miami County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Chevy K2500 driven by Jeffrey Boyd Owens, 46, Spring Hill was eastbound on 216th Street at U.S. 169. The driver&nbsp; failed to stop at the stop sign and was struck by a southbound 2020 Freightliner semi driven by Brent A. Cruse, 58, Parsons.After impact, the pickup traveled off the right side of the roadway,&nbsp; burst into flames and Owens was ejected.&nbsp; He was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Eddie-Birchard Funeral Home.Cruse was was transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Owens was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead after semi, pickup crash and fire

TOPEKA&nbsp;– As Kansas students continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Laura Kelly announced on Tuesday, the creation of the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP), which will provide qualifying parents and guardians with a one-time $1,000 award per child to pay for educational goods and services such as tutoring and school supplies, according to a statement from her office.

KEEP will open for application on February 22. Kansas businesses that provide educational materials or services are urged to join the KEEP Marketplace.

“With KEEP, we’re enabling Kansas students to access the resources and support they need to thrive in the classroom. I look forward to families being able to access these funds soon,"&nbsp;said Governor Kelly.&nbsp;“In the meantime, I am calling on all Kansas businesses that provide education services to join the KEEP Marketplace and help our students live up to their highest potential.”

Students whose household income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines will be eligible for KEEP funds.

KEEP funds will be able to be used on enrichment and educational activities including:

The funds will not be eligible for private school tuition.

Parents and guardians may select enrichment and educational activities from approved service providers via the online KEEP Marketplace or request that a service provider be approved and added to the statewide directory.

Businesses that offer educational opportunities and services are encouraged to join the KEEP Marketplace to assist families and students. Businesses interested in becoming a provider on the KEEP Marketplace can apply to become a Qualified Education Service Provider on the program website:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMzEuNzA3MzYzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtlZXAua3MuZ292In0.1fS9uhRT_Arm_cDADA_g88Nxp5UCA3U_k9IDjNxk1Uo/s/1303160919/br/153714677645-l" target="_blank">www.keep.ks.gov</a>.

More information on how families can apply for, access, and use their funds is forthcoming and will be available in February when the KEEP application launches.

KEEP is being offered through a contract between&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMzEuNzA3MzYzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm1lcml0cy5jb20vIn0.Pc1luZBZJPdvBjlLannpn4PFqFsXzwCX2OA9BiQ2zu8/s/1303160919/br/153714677645-l" target="_blank">Merit International, Inc</a>. and the Kansas Office of Recovery, with the goal of providing educational activities and learning opportunities to students across Kansas to promote educational learning recovery in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624370595340.png" alt="Photo by Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Suzanne Perez / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– As Kansas students continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Laura Kelly announced on Tuesday, the creation of the Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP), which will provide qualifying parents and guardians with a one-time $1,000 award per child to pay for educational goods and services such as tutoring and school supplies, according to a statement from her office.KEEP will open for application on February 22. Kansas businesses that provide educational materials or services are urged to join the KEEP Marketplace.“With KEEP, we’re enabling Kansas students to access the resources and support they need to thrive in the classroom. I look forward to families being able to access these funds soon,"&nbsp;said Governor Kelly.&nbsp;“In the meantime, I am calling on all Kansas businesses that provide education services to join the KEEP Marketplace and help our students live up to their highest potential.”Students whose household income is less than 185% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines will be eligible for KEEP funds.KEEP funds will be able to be used on enrichment and educational activities including:<ul>
 <li>​The purchase of curriculum and educational materials, including school supplies and certain allowed technological devices</li><li>Camps with academic-related curriculum such as music, arts, science, technology, agriculture, mathematics, and engineering</li><li>Tutoring</li><li>Language classes</li><li>Musical instruments and lessons</li>
 </ul>The funds will not be eligible for private school tuition.Parents and guardians may select enrichment and educational activities from approved service providers via the online KEEP Marketplace or request that a service provider be approved and added to the statewide directory.Businesses that offer educational opportunities and services are encouraged to join the KEEP Marketplace to assist families and students. Businesses interested in becoming a provider on the KEEP Marketplace can apply to become a Qualified Education Service Provider on the program website:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMzEuNzA3MzYzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtlZXAua3MuZ292In0.1fS9uhRT_Arm_cDADA_g88Nxp5UCA3U_k9IDjNxk1Uo/s/1303160919/br/153714677645-l" target="_blank">www.keep.ks.gov</a>.More information on how families can apply for, access, and use their funds is forthcoming and will be available in February when the KEEP application launches.KEEP is being offered through a contract between&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAxMzEuNzA3MzYzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3Lm1lcml0cy5jb20vIn0.Pc1luZBZJPdvBjlLannpn4PFqFsXzwCX2OA9BiQ2zu8/s/1303160919/br/153714677645-l" target="_blank">Merit International, Inc</a>. and the Kansas Office of Recovery, with the goal of providing educational activities and learning opportunities to students across Kansas to promote educational learning recovery in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kan. offers $1,000 to help students recover from pandemic

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Cosmosphere announced a new Spring Break camp March 13-17, which gives 7th-12th&nbsp;graders the opportunity to train with an astronaut. Called “Spring into STEM,” the day camp provides training similar to what astronauts use to prepare for the extreme environments of space, including SCUBA instruction with astronaut Nicole Stott.

Stott previously came to the Cosmosphere in 2022 for educational activities and to sign her book, “Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet―And Our Mission to Protect It.” Stott completed two NASA space flights and is also an experienced aquanaut and a noted artist.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675172927115.jpeg" alt="Nicole Stott / Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Nicole Stott / Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Cosmosphere announced a new Spring Break camp March 13-17, which gives 7th-12th&nbsp;graders the opportunity to train with an astronaut. Called “Spring into STEM,” the day camp provides training similar to what astronauts use to prepare for the extreme environments of space, including SCUBA instruction with astronaut Nicole Stott.Stott previously came to the Cosmosphere in 2022 for educational activities and to sign her book, “Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet―And Our Mission to Protect It.” Stott completed two NASA space flights and is also an experienced aquanaut and a noted artist.

7th-12th graders can train with an astronaut on spring break

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating complaints that windshield trim panels can fly off of Ford Explorers while they're traveling at highway speeds.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 164 complaints about the trim pieces detaching on 2011 through 2019 Explorer SUVs. The probe covers about 1.86 million vehicles.

The parts could hit the windshield of following vehicles or even a motorcycle rider, possibly causing loss of control and a crash, the agency said.

The agency doesn't have any reports of crashes or injuries, according to a document posted Tuesday.

NHTSA says it will determine how often the problem happens and the safety consequences of the trim pieces flying off the vehicles.

The investigation could lead to a recall, but so far there hasn't been one.

Ford says it’s working with NHTSA on the investigation.

DETROIT (AP) — The U.S. government's road safety agency is investigating complaints that windshield trim panels can fly off of Ford Explorers while they're traveling at highway speeds.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has 164 complaints about the trim pieces detaching on 2011 through 2019 Explorer SUVs. The probe covers about 1.86 million vehicles.The parts could hit the windshield of following vehicles or even a motorcycle rider, possibly causing loss of control and a crash, the agency said.The agency doesn't have any reports of crashes or injuries, according to a document posted Tuesday.NHTSA says it will determine how often the problem happens and the safety consequences of the trim pieces flying off the vehicles.The investigation could lead to a recall, but so far there hasn't been one.Ford says it’s working with NHTSA on the investigation.

US probes complaints of parts flying off of Ford Explorers

By SHERMAN SMITH, TIM CARPENTER and RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/analysis-show-kansas-chambers-flat-tax-proposal-costs-1-5b-favors-top-20-of-wage-earners/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Assessments by the Kansas budget director and an independent
 tax policy institute Monday showed the flat tax proposal by the Kansas 
Chamber would reduce the state budget by $1.5 billion per year and 
primarily benefit the state’s most affluent wage earners.

The Kansas Chamber, which wields substantial influence in the 
Statehouse, introduced a plan setting an individual income tax rate of 
5% for annual income above $15,000. Under current law, the state’s 
graduated individual income tax rates stand at 3.1% for income under 
$15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000 and 5.7% for 
income above $30,000. The income amounts are doubled for couples filing 
jointly.

In addition, the Kansas Chambers proposal, introduced in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2061/">House Bill 2061</a>&nbsp;and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb61/">Senate Bill 61,</a>
 would establish a 5% corporation tax rate on taxable income. The 
current assessments on corporate income in Kansas: 4% on taxable income 
with a 3% surtax on taxable income in excess of $50,000. The bill also 
would cut by more than 50% the surtax rate for banks, trusts and savings
 and loan associations.

Provisions in the bill also would create a procedure to allow 
individual and corporate income tax rates to decrease in future years.

Adam Proffitt, director of the state budget, released an evaluation 
of the bill’s financial impact on the state treasury. In the fiscal year
 starting July 1, the legislation would slash state revenue by $428 
million. In the second and third years, the reductions from current 
revenue would total $1.45 billion and $1.54 billion.

Those figures are consistent with an analysis from the <a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/">Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides research on state and federal tax policies. Kansas Reflector asked ITEP for <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/KS-Flat-PIT-CIT_Results-1-23-23.xlsx">an analysis of the Kansas Chamber’s proposed legislation</a>.

ITEP estimated the top 1% of Kansas wage earners would see an average
 tax cut of $11,510, while the bottom 20% would receive a $192 tax cut 
under the Kansas Chamber’s plan.

Overall, the institute&nbsp;predicted 49% of the individual income tax 
reduction in the Kansas Chamber’s proposals would go to the richest 20% 
of Kansans. The bottom 20% of earners would receive 4.1% of the tax 
reduction.

“Kansas lawmakers have a well-documented history with irresponsible 
and regressive tax cuts,” said Dylan Grundman O’Neill, a senior analyst 
at ITEP. “Instead of prioritizing more tax cuts, they should instead 
help middle- and low-income Kansans by protecting state investments in 
key economic building blocks like good schools, safe roads and thriving 
communities.”

More than 80% of the business tax cut described in the Kansas 
Chamber’s bill would go to out-of-state shareholders of large 
corporations.

ITEP said the annual $1.5 billion price tag of the tax reform 
legislation would deplete the state’s current surplus and jeopardize 
state services in future years.

The tax proposal is among the Kansas Chamber’s <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/09/kansas-chambers-legislative-script-dives-into-tax-regulation-workforce-and-legal-issues/">&nbsp;top priorities this year in the Statehouse</a>.

Eric Stafford, the Kansas Chamber’s top lobbyist, said the 
organization’s legislative agenda, with heavy emphasis on tax policy, 
was designed to improve the state’s economy.

“We need to become more competitive,” Stafford said. “We need to 
grow. We need to attract more business investment. We need to attract 
individuals here. And, it’s not just necessarily income taxes. We’re the
 sixth-highest cellphone tax burden in the nation.”

Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, said the state can’t afford the Kansas Chamber’s flat tax plan — “not even close.”

“I think it’s dead on arrival, or it should be dead on arrival,” Corson said.

Corson said the Kansas Chamber’s proposal would require the “gutting”
 of transportation funding, failing to meet obligations to the state 
employee retirement system, and not constitutionally funding public 
schools.

Instead, Corson said, tax policy should be focused “on the folks who need it,” meaning lower-income and middle class Kansans.

“We do have the ability to cut taxes,” Corson said. “Just like every 
other legislator in this building, I would love to tell my constituents 
that we are cutting their taxes. I think there is room in the budget to 
do it.”

Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the House Taxation 
Committee, said the state wouldn’t be able to afford a $1.5 billion 
budget cut unless all other tax cuts, including the continued reduction 
of the sales tax on food, were off the table.

“And even if that happened, budget cuts would also likely be needed to fund the income tax cut,” Smith said.

Smith said he supported the idea of implementing some form of flat 
tax to simplify the tax code and get rid of progressive tax policies 
that targeted wealthy Kansans. An alternative solution, he said, would 
be to try the flat tax rate at a higher percentage.

“If the 5% rate is not affordable all at once, perhaps we could adopt
 the flat rate concept at a higher rate to make it more affordable and 
work our way down to 5%? We’ll see what the economic outlook and data 
shows,” Smith said.

Smith also feels that Kansas needs to reduce its corporate tax rate in order to attract more businesses to Kansas.

“Not everyone is a Panasonic that can negotiate special incentives 
because they are so large,” Smith said. “We need small businesses in our
 state, too.”

Mike Pirner, spokesman for Senate President Ty Masterson, said 
Masterson favors a flat tax rate but hasn’t endorsed any specific 
legislation this session.

Masterson “has consistently voiced his support for structural reform 
that includes moving Kansas to a single rate, with sufficient exemptions
 so all taxpayers benefit,” Pirner said. “Lowering taxes on those making
 $15,000+ a year, by definition, is lowering taxes on middle-class 
families who have felt squeezed by inflation — whether it be on higher 
rent, higher gas prices, or more expensive trips to the grocery store.”

In the State of the State speech earlier this month, Gov. Laura Kelly
 proposed quickly eliminating the state’s 4% sales tax on groceries and 
raising the income tax exemption related to state taxation of Social 
Security benefits.

Kelly warned she wouldn’t sit idly while the 2023 Legislature pushed 
through tax cuts damaging to the state’s fiscal condition. She refreshed
 the memory of legislators to what happened in 2012 when then-Gov. Sam 
Brownback aggressively slashed state income taxes.

The result wasn’t a surge in economic development. Instead, the 
changes gutted the state treasury and brought on years of budget cuts. 
Under what Brownback referred to as a tax “experiment,” the state 
slashed agency services, took on debt, borrowed heavily from the highway
 fund, skipped payments to the state employee pension fund, shorted 
payments to foster care agencies and lowered funding for public schools 
to unconstitutional levels.

Brownback subsequently signed legislation blocking a scheduled 
reduction in the state sales tax from 6.3% to 5.7%, putting the rate at 
6.15% to resupply the treasury. In 2015, Brownback signed a bill hiking 
the state sales tax to 6.5%.

The bulk of Brownback’s tax program was repealed by the 
Republican-led Legislature in 2017 over the GOP governor’s veto of the 
bill.

“Let me make myself clear,” Kelly said, “I will stand against any 
irresponsible tax proposals that erode that foundation. We have been 
there before. We know where it leads. And we can’t go back. Not to debt.
 Crumbling roads. An overwhelmed foster care system. And perhaps most 
devastating of all, underfunded schools. We cannot go back to the days 
where financial irresponsibility here in Topeka robbed our Kansas 
students of opportunity.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675112661532.png" alt="In his assessment of the Kansas Chamber's flat tax proposal, state budget director Adam Proffitt calculated the annual cost to be about $1.5 billion when fully implemented. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>In his assessment of the Kansas Chamber's flat tax proposal, state budget director Adam Proffitt calculated the annual cost to be about $1.5 billion when fully implemented. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH, TIM CARPENTER and RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/30/analysis-show-kansas-chambers-flat-tax-proposal-costs-1-5b-favors-top-20-of-wage-earners/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Assessments by the Kansas budget director and an independent
 tax policy institute Monday showed the flat tax proposal by the Kansas 
Chamber would reduce the state budget by $1.5 billion per year and 
primarily benefit the state’s most affluent wage earners.The Kansas Chamber, which wields substantial influence in the 
Statehouse, introduced a plan setting an individual income tax rate of 
5% for annual income above $15,000. Under current law, the state’s 
graduated individual income tax rates stand at 3.1% for income under 
$15,000, 5.25% for income between $15,000 and $30,000 and 5.7% for 
income above $30,000. The income amounts are doubled for couples filing 
jointly.In addition, the Kansas Chambers proposal, introduced in <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2061/">House Bill 2061</a>&nbsp;and <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb61/">Senate Bill 61,</a>
 would establish a 5% corporation tax rate on taxable income. The 
current assessments on corporate income in Kansas: 4% on taxable income 
with a 3% surtax on taxable income in excess of $50,000. The bill also 
would cut by more than 50% the surtax rate for banks, trusts and savings
 and loan associations.Provisions in the bill also would create a procedure to allow 
individual and corporate income tax rates to decrease in future years.Adam Proffitt, director of the state budget, released an evaluation 
of the bill’s financial impact on the state treasury. In the fiscal year
 starting July 1, the legislation would slash state revenue by $428 
million. In the second and third years, the reductions from current 
revenue would total $1.45 billion and $1.54 billion.Those figures are consistent with an analysis from the <a target="_blank" href="https://itep.org/">Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy</a>, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides research on state and federal tax policies. Kansas Reflector asked ITEP for <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/KS-Flat-PIT-CIT_Results-1-23-23.xlsx">an analysis of the Kansas Chamber’s proposed legislation</a>.ITEP estimated the top 1% of Kansas wage earners would see an average
 tax cut of $11,510, while the bottom 20% would receive a $192 tax cut 
under the Kansas Chamber’s plan.Overall, the institute&nbsp;predicted 49% of the individual income tax 
reduction in the Kansas Chamber’s proposals would go to the richest 20% 
of Kansans. The bottom 20% of earners would receive 4.1% of the tax 
reduction.“Kansas lawmakers have a well-documented history with irresponsible 
and regressive tax cuts,” said Dylan Grundman O’Neill, a senior analyst 
at ITEP. “Instead of prioritizing more tax cuts, they should instead 
help middle- and low-income Kansans by protecting state investments in 
key economic building blocks like good schools, safe roads and thriving 
communities.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675112741418.png" alt="Kansas Chamber lobbyist Eric Stafford outlines priorities that include a flat tax proposal during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast earlier this year. Stafford introduced legislation that would lower the income tax rate to 5% for all individuals. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Chamber lobbyist Eric Stafford outlines priorities that include a flat tax proposal during a recording of the Kansas Reflector podcast earlier this year. Stafford introduced legislation that would lower the income tax rate to 5% for all individuals. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>More than 80% of the business tax cut described in the Kansas 
Chamber’s bill would go to out-of-state shareholders of large 
corporations.ITEP said the annual $1.5 billion price tag of the tax reform 
legislation would deplete the state’s current surplus and jeopardize 
state services in future years.The tax proposal is among the Kansas Chamber’s <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/01/09/kansas-chambers-legislative-script-dives-into-tax-regulation-workforce-and-legal-issues/">&nbsp;top priorities this year in the Statehouse</a>.Eric Stafford, the Kansas Chamber’s top lobbyist, said the 
organization’s legislative agenda, with heavy emphasis on tax policy, 
was designed to improve the state’s economy.“We need to become more competitive,” Stafford said. “We need to 
grow. We need to attract more business investment. We need to attract 
individuals here. And, it’s not just necessarily income taxes. We’re the
 sixth-highest cellphone tax burden in the nation.”Sen. Ethan Corson, a Fairway Democrat, said the state can’t afford the Kansas Chamber’s flat tax plan — “not even close.”“I think it’s dead on arrival, or it should be dead on arrival,” Corson said.Corson said the Kansas Chamber’s proposal would require the “gutting”
 of transportation funding, failing to meet obligations to the state 
employee retirement system, and not constitutionally funding public 
schools.Instead, Corson said, tax policy should be focused “on the folks who need it,” meaning lower-income and middle class Kansans.“We do have the ability to cut taxes,” Corson said. “Just like every 
other legislator in this building, I would love to tell my constituents 
that we are cutting their taxes. I think there is room in the budget to 
do it.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675112774203.png" alt="Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, says the Kansas Chamber’s flat tax plan should be considered “dead on arrival.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, says the Kansas Chamber’s flat tax plan should be considered “dead on arrival.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican who chairs the House Taxation 
Committee, said the state wouldn’t be able to afford a $1.5 billion 
budget cut unless all other tax cuts, including the continued reduction 
of the sales tax on food, were off the table.“And even if that happened, budget cuts would also likely be needed to fund the income tax cut,” Smith said.Smith said he supported the idea of implementing some form of flat 
tax to simplify the tax code and get rid of progressive tax policies 
that targeted wealthy Kansans. An alternative solution, he said, would 
be to try the flat tax rate at a higher percentage.“If the 5% rate is not affordable all at once, perhaps we could adopt
 the flat rate concept at a higher rate to make it more affordable and 
work our way down to 5%? We’ll see what the economic outlook and data 
shows,” Smith said.Smith also feels that Kansas needs to reduce its corporate tax rate in order to attract more businesses to Kansas.“Not everyone is a Panasonic that can negotiate special incentives 
because they are so large,” Smith said. “We need small businesses in our
 state, too.”Mike Pirner, spokesman for Senate President Ty Masterson, said 
Masterson favors a flat tax rate but hasn’t endorsed any specific 
legislation this session.Masterson “has consistently voiced his support for structural reform 
that includes moving Kansas to a single rate, with sufficient exemptions
 so all taxpayers benefit,” Pirner said. “Lowering taxes on those making
 $15,000+ a year, by definition, is lowering taxes on middle-class 
families who have felt squeezed by inflation — whether it be on higher 
rent, higher gas prices, or more expensive trips to the grocery store.”In the State of the State speech earlier this month, Gov. Laura Kelly
 proposed quickly eliminating the state’s 4% sales tax on groceries and 
raising the income tax exemption related to state taxation of Social 
Security benefits.Kelly warned she wouldn’t sit idly while the 2023 Legislature pushed 
through tax cuts damaging to the state’s fiscal condition. She refreshed
 the memory of legislators to what happened in 2012 when then-Gov. Sam 
Brownback aggressively slashed state income taxes.The result wasn’t a surge in economic development. Instead, the 
changes gutted the state treasury and brought on years of budget cuts. 
Under what Brownback referred to as a tax “experiment,” the state 
slashed agency services, took on debt, borrowed heavily from the highway
 fund, skipped payments to the state employee pension fund, shorted 
payments to foster care agencies and lowered funding for public schools 
to unconstitutional levels.Brownback subsequently signed legislation blocking a scheduled 
reduction in the state sales tax from 6.3% to 5.7%, putting the rate at 
6.15% to resupply the treasury. In 2015, Brownback signed a bill hiking 
the state sales tax to 6.5%.The bulk of Brownback’s tax program was repealed by the 
Republican-led Legislature in 2017 over the GOP governor’s veto of the 
bill.“Let me make myself clear,” Kelly said, “I will stand against any 
irresponsible tax proposals that erode that foundation. We have been 
there before. We know where it leads. And we can’t go back. Not to debt.
 Crumbling roads. An overwhelmed foster care system. And perhaps most 
devastating of all, underfunded schools. We cannot go back to the days 
where financial irresponsibility here in Topeka robbed our Kansas 
students of opportunity.”

Analysis: Kansas Chamber’s flat tax proposal costs $1.5B

BY JUDD WEIL and NICK GOSNELL Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury was sworn in and the trial for the State v. Kyle Hardwick officially began in the courtroom of Judge Keith Schroeder on Jan. 25. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The state called upon over 45 witnesses to testify in the case, as well as presented over 110 pieces of evidence. &nbsp;

Kyle Hardwick, represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma, is pleading not guilty to the charges of Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;

One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;One count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;Two counts of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The charges stem from the murders of Marion “Ed” Bates, 56, Hutchinson, and&nbsp;Phillip Anstine, 58, Hutchinson, in August 2021. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In their opening statement, Loftis presented Hardwick’s defense. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis told the jury that on Aug. 24, 2021, Hardwick had travelled with Phillip Anstine to the “compound.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick did not know Marion Bates, but had a prior association with Phillip Anstine through work that included building houses, akin to Habitat for Humanity. Anstine was said to have overseen much of the work, while Hardwick assisted with installation. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick called Anstine a friend and they were said to have a mutual interest in firearms. They were said to be close enough that they would travel to visit each other from time to time, but not frequently. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s last visit to see Anstine was said to be because of personal problems in his life. He wanted get out of Kansas City for a while. Hardwick was said to have taken a Greyhound bus from Kansas City, Missouri to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit Anstine.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis told the jury that Anstine had dropped off Hardwick at the compound with a set of keys. Hardwick was said to have permission to drive Anstine’s truck and had those keys as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine then returned shortly after with Little Caesar’s pizza and Samuel Adams beer. &nbsp;&nbsp;

“After drinking about half a beer and eating piece of pizza, Kyle starts to feel sick,” Loftis said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick’s symptoms were described as&nbsp;stomach pains, light-headedness, and disorientation. Hardwick was said to have voiced his sudden illness to Anstine, and then went to the camper on the property where he passed out. Hardwick was said to not remember passing out in the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Loftis, Hardwick woke up the next day, still disoriented, face down on a bed in the camper with his pants down, and a pain in his anus. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick is said to surmise he was raped.&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon leaving the camper to search for Anstine out of concern, Hardwick returned to the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine is said to have returned to the compound with a shotgun in his hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick is alleged to have tried to tell Anstine of his situation, but became suspicious when Anstine is said to have been dismissive. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis said, when Hardwick then accused Anstine of raping him, Anstine cocked and aimed his shotgun at Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hardwick is said to have played to Anstine’s paranoia by looking over Anstine’s shoulder, forcing him to turn around. Hardwick was then said to have used this gambit to wrestle the shotgun out of Anstine’s hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Anstine was said to have then pulled a .380 semiautomatic pistol and pointed it at Hardwick, causing Hardwick to fatally shoot him with the shotgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Still disoriented from the prior drugging and rape, the defense said that Hardwick then made his way to the pump house, north of the camper, for water. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis described to the jury what happened next as, “one of the real tragedies of this case.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Another man, unknown to Hardwick, appeared and shot at Hardwick. Hardwick shot back with the shotgun he had taken from Anstine, striking the second man. &nbsp;&nbsp;

After a while, determining the man is dead, Hardwick approached the body and searched the man and discovered his identity as Marion Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Loftis said, more than likely Bates was not part of Hardwick’s alleged rape, and only came to aid his friend, Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The state, consisting of District Attorney (DA) Thomas Stanton and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Davidson, called a number of witnesses, including friends of the victims, who corroborated the state’s opening statement that accused Hardwick of killing the pair for different reasons.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Cathy Havel and Marion Bates had been close friends for around 11 years. Havel last spoke to Bates on Aug. 25, 2021, about a COVID-19 test she was going to take. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Bates said he could not talk at that moment, and had something to do at the compound. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Havel never heard back from Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Havel said she texted and called Bates multiple times on Aug. 26, 2021, and that it was unusual for Bates to not answer his phone in a timely manner. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Evidence presented during the trial showed that Havel did try to reach Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Corroborating each other’s&nbsp;testimonies as they took the stand separately, Havel and Dawnita Hartung eventually went to the compound to search for Bates and Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;

They noticed a red Ford pickup truck in the driveway. &nbsp;&nbsp;

It was there they met a man, unknown to them,&nbsp;who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;

Havel and Hartung pointed out Kyle Hardwick as the man who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;As ‘Birch,’ Hardwick told the two women that Bates and Anstine had gone to town to buy cigarettes about 40 minutes prior.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The women found this suspicious given how close the nearest gas station was.&nbsp;‘Birch’ had told the women his mother had kicked him out. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hartung during her testimony, said ‘Kyle Birch’ was not someone Bates would hang out with. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Later when the women returned to the compound, they found that the red truck, and Hardwick as ‘Birch,’&nbsp;were gone. &nbsp;Havel and Hartung left notes in the driveway for Bates.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Joined by Jerry Bastion on Aug. 27, Havel and Hartung searched for Bates on the property. &nbsp;&nbsp;Kenneth Bates, the brother of Marion Bates, who was informed his brother was missing, gave Bastion permission to break into Marion Bates’ garage. &nbsp;&nbsp;

There they found Marion Bates unattended vehicle, with his wallet still inside.&nbsp; Shortly after, the authorities were called for a welfare check.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Reno County Sheriff’s Office responded and surveyed the property. Deputies located the body of Marion Bates that day.&nbsp; Bates was discovered in the dried up pond covered by&nbsp;tree limbs. Forensic evidence used to identify him revealed he had not been dead long and that his head was riddled with shotgun pellets. &nbsp;&nbsp;On Aug. 28, at 8 a.m., following the discovery of Bates, a search warrant was obtained for the rest of the property.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Reno County Sheriff’s deputy Matthew Mondragon, three feet from where Bates was found, Anstine was discovered in a burn&nbsp;pit. Most of his body had been incinerated by a fire in the pit. Forensic evidence used to identify Anstine showed he had been shot in the head as well. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Mondragon identified other pieces of evidence found on the property, including combustible materials, and items belonging to Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;

These items included two debit cards, one with Hardwick’s name, a social security card, also with Hardwick’s name, and a bus ticket with the name ‘Kyle Hardhack.’&nbsp;&nbsp;

The defense did not cross-examine many witnesses, but they did Mondragon. Mondragon was asked to recall zip-ties found on the property and if they could be used to restrain somebody, which he confirmed. &nbsp;&nbsp;

A drone was deployed by Reno County Sheriff Jeremy VanWey to gather another view of the crime scene.&nbsp;

Some of the evidence collected from the scene included .12 gauge shotgun shells, gas cans, campfire fuel, the barrel of a shotgun from the burn pit Anstine was found in,&nbsp;a pair of gloves, two empty bottles of Kentucky Deluxe bourbon, two&nbsp;empty bottles of vodka, a Dollar General receipt,&nbsp;and soil samples with biomaterial.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During his testimony, Daniel Nowlan, Reno County Death Investigator, noted for Anstine’s body to burn the way it did, the fire would have to been man-maintained for a time. &nbsp;&nbsp;

During cross-examination by the defense, Nowlan did confirm that Phillip Anstine did not die by burning alive, and cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The same cause of death determined for Marion Bates. He also said that Hardwick acted in self-defense could not be ruled out. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Following Daniel Nowlan, the jury was dismissed for the first day. &nbsp;

On day two, Sedgwick County Forensic Center DNA analyst Therese Gibler testified that through her analysis, a sample she tested was almost certainly that of a child of Marion Bates' mother, Betty and a separate sample was almost certainly that of a child of Phillip Anstine's father, Duane. This was intended to establish that the victims were Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine.&nbsp;

Sedgwick County Forensic Center's Dr. Scott Kipper performed the autopsies on Bates and Anstine and confirmed that the shotgun wound killed Bates. Anstine's body was significantly burned, but Kipper was still able to determine that a shotgun wound also killed Anstine. Kipper could not rule out the possibility that the shots were in self-defense.&nbsp;

Several law enforcement witnesses were then called, including members of the Reno County Sheriff's Office and Maize Police, to establish the security of the crime scene and the circumstances under which Kyle Hardwick was found and arrested in Maize on Sept. 1.&nbsp;

The prosecution also attempted to establish through law enforcement testimony that electronic devices, including what they believe to be a cell phone, were found in a fire pit on the property. In addition, they went over the circumstances in which Phillip Anstine's truck was found elsewhere in the county in October.&nbsp;

Also, Anstine's friend Paul Jorgenson testified by Zoom from Wyoming to establish that Anstine told him he had both silver and gold on the property at the compound where the murders occurred.&nbsp;

The majority of day three of the State v. Kyle Hardwick, saw testimonies from officials with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). &nbsp;

During the corroborating testimony of the KBI, regarding the inventory and investigation of the items found in the truck, established to belong to Phillip Anstine, day three saw the most evidence admitted by the state. Including:&nbsp;

A Motorola blue cellphone; mesh covering; a beer bottle; two ghillie suits; a red bag containing ammunition; a pellet rifle; a total of six guns between five rifle cases; a camo duffle bag; metal siding that when removed, revealed seven ammunition boxes containing mostly 22 caliber ammunition; .12 gauge ammunition; a metal tool box; a vitamin container labeled ‘char-claw;’ two action cameras; jeep keys; as well as three empty packages of Marlboro Black 100s cigarettes. &nbsp;

The same brand of cigarettes had previously been found in the camper located at the compound and the abandoned grain silo where Hardwick was arrested. &nbsp;

The inventory of the truck was delivered in testimony by Chris Engle-Tjaden with the KBI.&nbsp;

During cross-examination, the defense confirmed the existence of the .380 ammunition. &nbsp;

Under defense examination, Engle-Tjaden said the only correlation to the mesh covering, was that it was found in the truck. &nbsp;

Forensic testing revealed Hardwick’s DNA was found on a lot of the items. Latent prints belonging to Hardwick were found on a food container and soda bottles. A latent print of Hardwick’s palm was also found on the truck. &nbsp;

Day three closed with people known to Hardwick taking the stand, Chase Mattingly and Sherry Reed. &nbsp;

During his testimony, Mattingly, the boyfriend of Sherry Reed’s daughter, said he had overheard part of a phone conversation between Hardwick and Reed on Aug. 31,&nbsp;2021. &nbsp;

He only understood part of the conversation, and said he had heard Hardwick tell Reed he had messed up. &nbsp;

During cross-examination by the defense, Mattingly said he did not know what Hardwick was referring to at the time. &nbsp;

The state then called key witness, Sherry Reed. &nbsp;

Reed said she has known Hardwick since high school. &nbsp;

Reed, of Lawrence, Kansas, said she believed she still has a friendship with Hardwick. Hardwick had previously lived with Reed. &nbsp;

Hardwick’s&nbsp;additional count of solicitation to commit perjury stems from&nbsp;a FaceTime call between the defendant and Reed.&nbsp;

The FaceTime call had been played in court prior when Hardwick was bound over in June 2022, and was played again on Jan. 27. &nbsp;

In the recorded FaceTime conversation, Hardwick repeatedly tells Reed not to show up for the hearing and, if she did testify, to tell the court she was mentally unstable and on drugs. At one time he said, “Please don’t come,” and repeatedly said, “you don’t have to show up.”&nbsp;

Hardwick was also noted as telling Reed to “just tell the truth.” &nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/07b4a825-c01a-4caf-9b40-ceac29173d6b" target="_blank">Much like her last reported appearance in court,</a> Reed&nbsp;seemed very confused. &nbsp;

She could not remember much about phone calls she got from Hardwick or her meetings with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, nor&nbsp;whether she drove him from Lawrence to a bus station in Kansas City.&nbsp;

During her testimony, Reed implied numerous times her confusion with her activities with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, conversations with Hardwick, and whether she dropped him off at a bus stop were due to her not having her ‘calendar’ or her ‘notes.’ &nbsp;

In effort to help Reed remember, courtesy of the state, she was presented with copies of her prior testimony to aid her in current testimony.&nbsp;

When asked, after taking a moment to review her prior testimony, Reed said she took Hardwick to a bus station in Kansas City in the morning of August 2021. &nbsp;

When asked if she remembered telling the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, she was given $600 out of $1,200 from Hardwick, Reed said she only remembered having $600. &nbsp;

Reed said she remembered giving a lot of evidence to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, including a Dollar General receipt for a cell phone. &nbsp;

Despite the aid of having a copy of her prior testimony, Reed’s memory issues persisted. &nbsp;

The state and Judge Schroeder suggested Reed retrieve the notes she claimed to have, if they would aid with her testimony. However, Reed said they were in her car. &nbsp;

Reed said she knew Hardwick was coming to Hutchinson via bus when she dropped him off in Kansas City. &nbsp;

When presented with state evidence of an iPhone, Reed said she remembered providing the phone to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office. &nbsp;

The state yielded their time with Reed to cross-examination with the defense. &nbsp;

Reed told the defense, she does get a prescription for anxiety, as well as a prescription for Adderall. &nbsp;

The first witness of day four of the trial, was Scott Anstine, the brother of Phillip Anstine. &nbsp;

Scott Anstine said his brother usually stored his weapons in his house, and never just left them in his truck. He confirmed the firearms found in the truck in prior testimony were his brother’s. &nbsp;

Scott Anstine said Phillip Anstine did not store his ammunition on the compound. &nbsp;

Scott Anstine told the court, he is the heir to his brother’s estate. &nbsp;

According to Scott Anstine, his brother kept his truck clean. &nbsp;

During cross-examination and redirection, Scott Anstine did confirm that Phillip Anstine carried a pistol matching the description in the defense’s opening statement. &nbsp;

The testimony of Det. Matt Franklin with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, the lead investigator of the murders of Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine, recalled to the court the events of the case. &nbsp;

According to Det. Franklin, no gold or silver had been found on the compound. &nbsp;

Only Phillip Anstine will know where the boxes of silver and gold others say he had are buried on the property.&nbsp;

During his testimony, it was established via state and defense that Kyle Hardwick and Phillip Anstine had a friendly relationship. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630432406794.png" alt="Hardwock photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Hardwock photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JUDD WEIL and NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury was sworn in and the trial for the State v. Kyle Hardwick officially began in the courtroom of Judge Keith Schroeder on Jan. 25. &nbsp;&nbsp;The state called upon over 45 witnesses to testify in the case, as well as presented over 110 pieces of evidence. &nbsp;Kyle Hardwick, represented by Scott Loftis, an attorney from Ponca City, Oklahoma, is pleading not guilty to the charges of Two counts of intentional and premeditated murder in the first degree. &nbsp;&nbsp;One count of theft of property or services, valued at $1,500 to $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;One count of theft of property or services of a firearm with a value less than $25,000.&nbsp; &nbsp;Two counts of solicitation perjury; testify to material fact in felony proceeding.&nbsp;&nbsp;The charges stem from the murders of Marion “Ed” Bates, 56, Hutchinson, and&nbsp;Phillip Anstine, 58, Hutchinson, in August 2021. &nbsp;&nbsp;In their opening statement, Loftis presented Hardwick’s defense. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis told the jury that on Aug. 24, 2021, Hardwick had travelled with Phillip Anstine to the “compound.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Described by the state in their opening statement, the "compound" is a property east of Hutchinson, where Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine would frequent. It had various other additions like buildings built on it, a camper, a dried-up pond, and burn pits. The two men would hang out there, shoot firearms, and overall hone their survival techniques. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick did not know Marion Bates, but had a prior association with Phillip Anstine through work that included building houses, akin to Habitat for Humanity. Anstine was said to have overseen much of the work, while Hardwick assisted with installation. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick called Anstine a friend and they were said to have a mutual interest in firearms. They were said to be close enough that they would travel to visit each other from time to time, but not frequently. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s last visit to see Anstine was said to be because of personal problems in his life. He wanted get out of Kansas City for a while. Hardwick was said to have taken a Greyhound bus from Kansas City, Missouri to Hutchinson, Kansas to visit Anstine.&nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis told the jury that Anstine had dropped off Hardwick at the compound with a set of keys. Hardwick was said to have permission to drive Anstine’s truck and had those keys as well.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine then returned shortly after with Little Caesar’s pizza and Samuel Adams beer. &nbsp;&nbsp;“After drinking about half a beer and eating piece of pizza, Kyle starts to feel sick,” Loftis said. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick’s symptoms were described as&nbsp;stomach pains, light-headedness, and disorientation. Hardwick was said to have voiced his sudden illness to Anstine, and then went to the camper on the property where he passed out. Hardwick was said to not remember passing out in the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;According to Loftis, Hardwick woke up the next day, still disoriented, face down on a bed in the camper with his pants down, and a pain in his anus. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is said to surmise he was raped.&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon leaving the camper to search for Anstine out of concern, Hardwick returned to the camper. &nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine is said to have returned to the compound with a shotgun in his hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is alleged to have tried to tell Anstine of his situation, but became suspicious when Anstine is said to have been dismissive. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis said, when Hardwick then accused Anstine of raping him, Anstine cocked and aimed his shotgun at Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hardwick is said to have played to Anstine’s paranoia by looking over Anstine’s shoulder, forcing him to turn around. Hardwick was then said to have used this gambit to wrestle the shotgun out of Anstine’s hands. &nbsp;&nbsp;Anstine was said to have then pulled a .380 semiautomatic pistol and pointed it at Hardwick, causing Hardwick to fatally shoot him with the shotgun. &nbsp;&nbsp;Still disoriented from the prior drugging and rape, the defense said that Hardwick then made his way to the pump house, north of the camper, for water. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis described to the jury what happened next as, “one of the real tragedies of this case.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Another man, unknown to Hardwick, appeared and shot at Hardwick. Hardwick shot back with the shotgun he had taken from Anstine, striking the second man. &nbsp;&nbsp;After a while, determining the man is dead, Hardwick approached the body and searched the man and discovered his identity as Marion Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;Loftis said, more than likely Bates was not part of Hardwick’s alleged rape, and only came to aid his friend, Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;The state, consisting of District Attorney (DA) Thomas Stanton and Deputy District Attorney Andrew Davidson, called a number of witnesses, including friends of the victims, who corroborated the state’s opening statement that accused Hardwick of killing the pair for different reasons.&nbsp; &nbsp;Cathy Havel and Marion Bates had been close friends for around 11 years. Havel last spoke to Bates on Aug. 25, 2021, about a COVID-19 test she was going to take. &nbsp;&nbsp;Bates said he could not talk at that moment, and had something to do at the compound. &nbsp;&nbsp;Havel never heard back from Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;Havel said she texted and called Bates multiple times on Aug. 26, 2021, and that it was unusual for Bates to not answer his phone in a timely manner. &nbsp;&nbsp;Evidence presented during the trial showed that Havel did try to reach Bates. &nbsp;&nbsp;Corroborating each other’s&nbsp;testimonies as they took the stand separately, Havel and Dawnita Hartung eventually went to the compound to search for Bates and Anstine. &nbsp;&nbsp;They noticed a red Ford pickup truck in the driveway. &nbsp;&nbsp;It was there they met a man, unknown to them,&nbsp;who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;Havel and Hartung pointed out Kyle Hardwick as the man who identified himself as ‘Kyle Birch.’ &nbsp;&nbsp;As ‘Birch,’ Hardwick told the two women that Bates and Anstine had gone to town to buy cigarettes about 40 minutes prior.&nbsp;&nbsp;The women found this suspicious given how close the nearest gas station was.&nbsp;‘Birch’ had told the women his mother had kicked him out. &nbsp;&nbsp;Hartung during her testimony, said ‘Kyle Birch’ was not someone Bates would hang out with. &nbsp;&nbsp;Later when the women returned to the compound, they found that the red truck, and Hardwick as ‘Birch,’&nbsp;were gone. &nbsp;Havel and Hartung left notes in the driveway for Bates.&nbsp;&nbsp;Joined by Jerry Bastion on Aug. 27, Havel and Hartung searched for Bates on the property. &nbsp;&nbsp;Kenneth Bates, the brother of Marion Bates, who was informed his brother was missing, gave Bastion permission to break into Marion Bates’ garage. &nbsp;&nbsp;There they found Marion Bates unattended vehicle, with his wallet still inside.&nbsp; Shortly after, the authorities were called for a welfare check.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Reno County Sheriff’s Office responded and surveyed the property. Deputies located the body of Marion Bates that day.&nbsp; Bates was discovered in the dried up pond covered by&nbsp;tree limbs. Forensic evidence used to identify him revealed he had not been dead long and that his head was riddled with shotgun pellets. &nbsp;&nbsp;On Aug. 28, at 8 a.m., following the discovery of Bates, a search warrant was obtained for the rest of the property.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to Reno County Sheriff’s deputy Matthew Mondragon, three feet from where Bates was found, Anstine was discovered in a burn&nbsp;pit. Most of his body had been incinerated by a fire in the pit. Forensic evidence used to identify Anstine showed he had been shot in the head as well. &nbsp;&nbsp;Mondragon identified other pieces of evidence found on the property, including combustible materials, and items belonging to Hardwick. &nbsp;&nbsp;These items included two debit cards, one with Hardwick’s name, a social security card, also with Hardwick’s name, and a bus ticket with the name ‘Kyle Hardhack.’&nbsp;&nbsp;The defense did not cross-examine many witnesses, but they did Mondragon. Mondragon was asked to recall zip-ties found on the property and if they could be used to restrain somebody, which he confirmed. &nbsp;&nbsp;A drone was deployed by Reno County Sheriff Jeremy VanWey to gather another view of the crime scene.&nbsp;Some of the evidence collected from the scene included .12 gauge shotgun shells, gas cans, campfire fuel, the barrel of a shotgun from the burn pit Anstine was found in,&nbsp;a pair of gloves, two empty bottles of Kentucky Deluxe bourbon, two&nbsp;empty bottles of vodka, a Dollar General receipt,&nbsp;and soil samples with biomaterial.&nbsp;&nbsp;During his testimony, Daniel Nowlan, Reno County Death Investigator, noted for Anstine’s body to burn the way it did, the fire would have to been man-maintained for a time. &nbsp;&nbsp;During cross-examination by the defense, Nowlan did confirm that Phillip Anstine did not die by burning alive, and cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head. The same cause of death determined for Marion Bates. He also said that Hardwick acted in self-defense could not be ruled out. &nbsp;&nbsp;Following Daniel Nowlan, the jury was dismissed for the first day. &nbsp;On day two, Sedgwick County Forensic Center DNA analyst Therese Gibler testified that through her analysis, a sample she tested was almost certainly that of a child of Marion Bates' mother, Betty and a separate sample was almost certainly that of a child of Phillip Anstine's father, Duane. This was intended to establish that the victims were Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine.&nbsp;Sedgwick County Forensic Center's Dr. Scott Kipper performed the autopsies on Bates and Anstine and confirmed that the shotgun wound killed Bates. Anstine's body was significantly burned, but Kipper was still able to determine that a shotgun wound also killed Anstine. Kipper could not rule out the possibility that the shots were in self-defense.&nbsp;Several law enforcement witnesses were then called, including members of the Reno County Sheriff's Office and Maize Police, to establish the security of the crime scene and the circumstances under which Kyle Hardwick was found and arrested in Maize on Sept. 1.&nbsp;The prosecution also attempted to establish through law enforcement testimony that electronic devices, including what they believe to be a cell phone, were found in a fire pit on the property. In addition, they went over the circumstances in which Phillip Anstine's truck was found elsewhere in the county in October.&nbsp;Also, Anstine's friend Paul Jorgenson testified by Zoom from Wyoming to establish that Anstine told him he had both silver and gold on the property at the compound where the murders occurred.&nbsp;The majority of day three of the State v. Kyle Hardwick, saw testimonies from officials with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI). &nbsp;During the corroborating testimony of the KBI, regarding the inventory and investigation of the items found in the truck, established to belong to Phillip Anstine, day three saw the most evidence admitted by the state. Including:&nbsp;A Motorola blue cellphone; mesh covering; a beer bottle; two ghillie suits; a red bag containing ammunition; a pellet rifle; a total of six guns between five rifle cases; a camo duffle bag; metal siding that when removed, revealed seven ammunition boxes containing mostly 22 caliber ammunition; .12 gauge ammunition; a metal tool box; a vitamin container labeled ‘char-claw;’ two action cameras; jeep keys; as well as three empty packages of Marlboro Black 100s cigarettes. &nbsp;The same brand of cigarettes had previously been found in the camper located at the compound and the abandoned grain silo where Hardwick was arrested. &nbsp;The inventory of the truck was delivered in testimony by Chris Engle-Tjaden with the KBI.&nbsp;During cross-examination, the defense confirmed the existence of the .380 ammunition. &nbsp;Under defense examination, Engle-Tjaden said the only correlation to the mesh covering, was that it was found in the truck. &nbsp;Forensic testing revealed Hardwick’s DNA was found on a lot of the items. Latent prints belonging to Hardwick were found on a food container and soda bottles. A latent print of Hardwick’s palm was also found on the truck. &nbsp;Day three closed with people known to Hardwick taking the stand, Chase Mattingly and Sherry Reed. &nbsp;During his testimony, Mattingly, the boyfriend of Sherry Reed’s daughter, said he had overheard part of a phone conversation between Hardwick and Reed on Aug. 31,&nbsp;2021. &nbsp;He only understood part of the conversation, and said he had heard Hardwick tell Reed he had messed up. &nbsp;During cross-examination by the defense, Mattingly said he did not know what Hardwick was referring to at the time. &nbsp;The state then called key witness, Sherry Reed. &nbsp;Reed said she has known Hardwick since high school. &nbsp;Reed, of Lawrence, Kansas, said she believed she still has a friendship with Hardwick. Hardwick had previously lived with Reed. &nbsp;Hardwick’s&nbsp;additional count of solicitation to commit perjury stems from&nbsp;a FaceTime call between the defendant and Reed.&nbsp;The FaceTime call had been played in court prior when Hardwick was bound over in June 2022, and was played again on Jan. 27. &nbsp;In the recorded FaceTime conversation, Hardwick repeatedly tells Reed not to show up for the hearing and, if she did testify, to tell the court she was mentally unstable and on drugs. At one time he said, “Please don’t come,” and repeatedly said, “you don’t have to show up.”&nbsp;Hardwick was also noted as telling Reed to “just tell the truth.” &nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/07b4a825-c01a-4caf-9b40-ceac29173d6b" target="_blank">Much like her last reported appearance in court,</a> Reed&nbsp;seemed very confused. &nbsp;She could not remember much about phone calls she got from Hardwick or her meetings with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, nor&nbsp;whether she drove him from Lawrence to a bus station in Kansas City.&nbsp;During her testimony, Reed implied numerous times her confusion with her activities with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, conversations with Hardwick, and whether she dropped him off at a bus stop were due to her not having her ‘calendar’ or her ‘notes.’ &nbsp;In effort to help Reed remember, courtesy of the state, she was presented with copies of her prior testimony to aid her in current testimony.&nbsp;When asked, after taking a moment to review her prior testimony, Reed said she took Hardwick to a bus station in Kansas City in the morning of August 2021. &nbsp;When asked if she remembered telling the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, she was given $600 out of $1,200 from Hardwick, Reed said she only remembered having $600. &nbsp;Reed said she remembered giving a lot of evidence to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, including a Dollar General receipt for a cell phone. &nbsp;Despite the aid of having a copy of her prior testimony, Reed’s memory issues persisted. &nbsp;The state and Judge Schroeder suggested Reed retrieve the notes she claimed to have, if they would aid with her testimony. However, Reed said they were in her car. &nbsp;Reed said she knew Hardwick was coming to Hutchinson via bus when she dropped him off in Kansas City. &nbsp;When presented with state evidence of an iPhone, Reed said she remembered providing the phone to the Reno County Sheriff’s Office. &nbsp;The state yielded their time with Reed to cross-examination with the defense. &nbsp;Reed told the defense, she does get a prescription for anxiety, as well as a prescription for Adderall. &nbsp;The first witness of day four of the trial, was Scott Anstine, the brother of Phillip Anstine. &nbsp;Scott Anstine said his brother usually stored his weapons in his house, and never just left them in his truck. He confirmed the firearms found in the truck in prior testimony were his brother’s. &nbsp;Scott Anstine said Phillip Anstine did not store his ammunition on the compound. &nbsp;Scott Anstine told the court, he is the heir to his brother’s estate. &nbsp;According to Scott Anstine, his brother kept his truck clean. &nbsp;During cross-examination and redirection, Scott Anstine did confirm that Phillip Anstine carried a pistol matching the description in the defense’s opening statement. &nbsp;The testimony of Det. Matt Franklin with the Reno County Sheriff’s Office, the lead investigator of the murders of Marion Bates and Phillip Anstine, recalled to the court the events of the case. &nbsp;According to Det. Franklin, no gold or silver had been found on the compound. &nbsp;Only Phillip Anstine will know where the boxes of silver and gold others say he had are buried on the property.&nbsp;During his testimony, it was established via state and defense that Kyle Hardwick and Phillip Anstine had a friendly relationship. &nbsp;Det. Franklin was able to recall that through interviews with Sherry Reed and her submission of case-related items from August 2021 to October 2021, Hardwick was able to be taken into custody. &nbsp;It was also established that it was unclear what started the fire used to burn Anstine’s body. &nbsp;During Sherry Reed’s second testimony during the trial, she told the court she remained in contact with Hardwick post-arrest. &nbsp;Following Det. Franklin's testimony, Reed had a much better memory, and even supplied more intimate details about Hardwick, including his work history.&nbsp;The state rested their case on Jan. 30.&nbsp; The defense will continue presenting its evidence on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

More than 45 witnesses called in Kansas double murder trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared.

The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies' normal authorities.

It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.

Biden’s announcement comes in a statement opposing resolutions being brought to the floor this week by House Republicans to bring the emergency to an immediate end. House Republicans are also gearing up to launch investigations on the federal government’s response to COVID-19.

Then-President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar first declared&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/2019-nCoV.aspx">a public health emergency on Jan. 31, 2020,</a>&nbsp;and Trump later declared the COVID-19&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-health-83b0c8e168548fd453b0c177dd1f203a">pandemic a national emergenc</a>&nbsp;y that March. The emergencies have been repeatedly extended by Biden since he took office in January 2021, and are set to expire in the coming months. The White House said Biden plans to extend them both briefly to end on May 11.

“An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans,” the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a Statement of Administration Policy.

More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including about 3,700 last week.

Congress has already blunted the reach of the public health emergency that had the most direct impact on Americans, as political calls to end the declaration intensified. Lawmakers have refused for months to fulfill the Biden administration’s request for billions more dollars to extend free COVID vaccines and testing. And the $1.7 trillion spending package passed last year and signed into law by Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-covid-304d921beee43d29f1862cd4d6ab5297">put an end to a rule that barred states from kicking people off Medicaid</a>, a move that is expected to see millions of people lose their coverage after April 1.

"In some respects, the Biden administration is catching up to what a lot of people in the country have been experiencing," said Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at Kaiser Family Foundation. “That said, hundreds of people a day are still dying from COVID.”

Still, some things will change for Americans once the emergency expires, Levitt pointed out.

The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-business-covid-medicare-1a5d65356ebc7b5bc76524ae99deb55e">charge as much as $130 per dose</a>. Only 15% of Americans have received the recommended, updated booster that has been offered since last fall.

People with private insurance could have some out-of-pocket costs for vaccines, especially if they go to an out-of-network provider, Levitt said. Free at-home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-cb49a8458f33a698c3a4f3b721835270">COVID tests</a>&nbsp;will also come to an end. And hospitals will not get extra payments for treating COVID patients.

Legislators did extend for another two years telehealth flexibilities that were introduced as COVID-19 hit, leading health care systems around the country to regularly deliver care by smartphone or computer.

The Biden administration had previously considered ending the emergency last year, but held off amid concerns about a potential “winter surge” in cases and to provide adequate time for providers, insurers and patients to prepare for its end.

Officials said the administration would use the next three months to transition the response to conventional methods, warning that an immediate end to the emergency authorities “would sow confusion and chaos into this critical wind-down.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675123739115.png" alt="Biden spoke on infrastructure funding in Baltimore Monday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden spoke on infrastructure funding in Baltimore Monday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden informed Congress on Monday that he will end the twin national emergencies for addressing COVID-19 on May 11, as most of the world has returned closer to normalcy nearly three years after they were first declared.The move to end the national emergency and public health emergency declarations would formally restructure the federal coronavirus response to treat the virus as an endemic threat to public health that can be managed through agencies' normal authorities.It comes as lawmakers have already ended elements of the emergencies that kept millions of Americans insured during the pandemic. Combined with the drawdown of most federal COVID-19 relief money, it would also shift the development of vaccines and treatments away from the direct management of the federal government.Biden’s announcement comes in a statement opposing resolutions being brought to the floor this week by House Republicans to bring the emergency to an immediate end. House Republicans are also gearing up to launch investigations on the federal government’s response to COVID-19.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Why not now? <a href="https://t.co/XDQMo4IZbQ">https://t.co/XDQMo4IZbQ</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1620191908348964864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Then-President Donald Trump's Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar first declared&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/2019-nCoV.aspx">a public health emergency on Jan. 31, 2020,</a>&nbsp;and Trump later declared the COVID-19&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-health-83b0c8e168548fd453b0c177dd1f203a">pandemic a national emergenc</a>&nbsp;y that March. The emergencies have been repeatedly extended by Biden since he took office in January 2021, and are set to expire in the coming months. The White House said Biden plans to extend them both briefly to end on May 11.“An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans,” the Office of Management and Budget wrote in a Statement of Administration Policy.More than 1.1 million people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19 since 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including about 3,700 last week.Congress has already blunted the reach of the public health emergency that had the most direct impact on Americans, as political calls to end the declaration intensified. Lawmakers have refused for months to fulfill the Biden administration’s request for billions more dollars to extend free COVID vaccines and testing. And the $1.7 trillion spending package passed last year and signed into law by Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-covid-304d921beee43d29f1862cd4d6ab5297">put an end to a rule that barred states from kicking people off Medicaid</a>, a move that is expected to see millions of people lose their coverage after April 1."In some respects, the Biden administration is catching up to what a lot of people in the country have been experiencing," said Larry Levitt, the executive vice president for health policy at Kaiser Family Foundation. “That said, hundreds of people a day are still dying from COVID.”Still, some things will change for Americans once the emergency expires, Levitt pointed out.The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-business-covid-medicare-1a5d65356ebc7b5bc76524ae99deb55e">charge as much as $130 per dose</a>. Only 15% of Americans have received the recommended, updated booster that has been offered since last fall.People with private insurance could have some out-of-pocket costs for vaccines, especially if they go to an out-of-network provider, Levitt said. Free at-home&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-cb49a8458f33a698c3a4f3b721835270">COVID tests</a>&nbsp;will also come to an end. And hospitals will not get extra payments for treating COVID patients.Legislators did extend for another two years telehealth flexibilities that were introduced as COVID-19 hit, leading health care systems around the country to regularly deliver care by smartphone or computer.The Biden administration had previously considered ending the emergency last year, but held off amid concerns about a potential “winter surge” in cases and to provide adequate time for providers, insurers and patients to prepare for its end.Officials said the administration would use the next three months to transition the response to conventional methods, warning that an immediate end to the emergency authorities “would sow confusion and chaos into this critical wind-down.”“To be clear, continuation of these emergency declarations until May 11 does not impose any restriction at all on individual conduct with regard to COVID-19," the administration said. “They do not impose mask mandates or vaccine mandates. They do not restrict school or business operations. They do not require the use of any medicines or tests in response to cases of COVID-19.”Case counts have trended downward after a slight bump over the winter holidays, and are significantly below levels seen over the last two winters — though the number of tests performed for the virus and reported to public health officials has sharply decreased.On Monday, the World Health Organization said the coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-world-organization-pandemics-covid-2ed2d1e268d3be50fa98ff04c2dec989">remains a global health emergency</a>, even as a key advisory panel for the group found the pandemic may be nearing an “inflexion point” where higher levels of immunity can lower virus-related deaths. China, for example, reported an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-world-organization-south-korea-china-covid-5a3ba286fc84659b96b319b76bb717a4">unprecedented surge</a>&nbsp;in December after lifting most of its COVID-19 restrictions.Moments before the White House’s announcement, Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., accused the president of unnecessarily extending the public health emergency to take action on issues like forgiving some federal student loan debts.“The country has largely returned to normal,” Cole said Monday, introducing a Republican-backed bill calling for an end to the health emergency. “Everyday Americans have returned to work and to school with no restrictions on their activities. It is time that the government acknowledges this reality: the pandemic is over.”The House was scheduled to vote Tuesday on legislation that would terminate the public health emergency.The bill’s author, Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., said he still hopes the House will proceed with a vote. He said he was surprised by the White House move, but thinks the legislation may have played a role in prompting the administration to act.“I think we should go forward,” he said late Monday as lawmakers returned to the Capitol. “If for some reason they don’t do it on May the 11th, the vehicle is still there for Congress to take back its authority.”—\