Chillin' in the Statehouse

We're only a handful of days away from Election Day 2024, and the Chillin' in the Statehouse team has an election preview. Two of the biggest Kansas politics narratives going in are whether Democrats can break the Republican supermajorities in the Kansas Legislature, and whether conservatives can win a majority on the Kansas State Board of Education.

It was supposed to be a busy week of covering meetings of multiple legislative committees and the state board of education, but things got less chill for Chillin' in the Statehouse on Wednesday when a video of a University of Kansas instructor went viral. The instructor's classroom comments suggesting political violence were quickly condemned by top Kansas politicians, and while recording this podcast, we got the news that the instructor has left KU after teaching there for 40 years.

As the executive branch works through budget requests before the Democratic governor puts together her budget proposal, the Republican-led legislative branch is planning to take more ownership of the budget process. The Chillin' in the Statehouse team dives into the motivations, politics and potential impacts of the move — including a possible end to lawmakers taking Fridays off.

The Chillin' in the Statehouse team is back with more news on abortion and its connection to elections, some concerns about delivery of election mail, plus suspicious packages sent to the state's top election official, and concerns with continued struggles in the Kansas foster care system.

It's the start of another football season, but it's also election season. The Chillin' in the Statehouse team has the scoop on top targets for Democrats and Republicans in trying to break versus hold on to the legislative supermajorities. There are also some updates in the ethics investigation of Kansas Republicans involving campaign finance allegations, and there were some ethical accusation made by a recently deceased former Commerce Department official.

Stepping outside the Kansas Statehouse and into courthouses, the Chillin' in the Statehouse team brings you up to date on various legal cases touching on government and politics.

The temperatures seem to have cooled off in the past week. Is it because primary election season is over? Well, Chillin' in the Statehouse is here to break down the highlights of an election that coincided with the Olympics — though maybe our performance is more deserving of a bronze than gold.

Government and politics news hasn't been very chill the last couple of weeks, but the Chillin' in the Statehouse team is here to discuss an assassination attempt, a presidential candidate dropping out, the Kansas delegation endorsing the vice president and the governor's PAC opposing the House Democratic leader — plus some toll road and bike lane news.

Chillin' in the Statehouse takes you to the courthouse for an update on several legal cases. From the Kansas Supreme Court reaffirming its landmark abortion ruling to U.S. District Court cases affecting gun shows, student loans and transgenders students, The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel and the Associated Press' John Hanna have you covered.

In a one-day special session, the Kansas Legislature passed a substantial tax cut compromise and an incentive package designed to entice the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals to move from Missouri to Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly has already signed both into law.