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Halfway Through But A Lot Left To Do - Plus, Getting Young Kansans To 'Nerd Out' On Politics

Davis Hammet, president of Loud Light, at the Kansas Statehouse
Jim McLean
/
Kansas News Service
Davis Hammet, president of Loud Light, at the Kansas Statehouse

Hear the podcast.

Kansas lawmakers sped through dozens of bills this past week to keep them alive past a “turn around” deadline marking the midpoint of the session.

Measures to legalize sports betting and to give citizens more control over property taxes were among bills that made the cut. 

Still, many of the biggest issues remain for lawmakers to tackle in the session’s final months. Among them, Medicaid expansion and a constitutional amendment that supporters say is needed to preserve the state’s ability to regulate abortion. Republicans may also resume their push for tax cuts despite Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s warning of a likely veto.

Host Jim McLean covers those issues with Kansas News Service Statehouse reporter Stephen Koranda and Republican Sen. Molly Baumgardner on this week’s podcast. He also chats with Davis Hammett about his efforts get young Kansans more involved in politics and their government. Hammet is president of Loud Light.

Copyright 2020 KCUR 89.3

Jim McLean is an editor and reporter for KCUR 89.3. He is the managing director of KCUR's Kansas News Service, a collaboration between KCUR and other public media stations across Kansas.