Kansas Legislature

House Bill 2497 would add language that allows lenders to charge prepayment penalties for investment properties but leave the ban in place for consumer personal loans.

A Kansas bill would increase public information about the state officials who nominate justices for the state’s Supreme Court. Supporters say the commission helping select the most important judges in Kansas should be more transparent. It comes as a vote approaches changing how justices are selected.

The system is not working, an advisory committee found after an 18-month review of Kansas’ guardian ad litem, or child in need of care, system.

The two bills would increase the severity of penalties for theft to level 5 or 6 nonperson felonies and set new thresholds for implementing penalties.

Democrats have proposed reducing child care costs, making housing more affordable and raising the minimum wage. Republicans want to pass property tax reform, cut waste and address rural health care costs.

Joshua Ney, an attorney who sits on the 2nd Judicial District’s nominating commission, was the lone proponent who testified Thursday to the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee.

Annual session begins with questions about congressional redistricting, property taxes and more

Stadium deals in Kansas and Washington — both involving relocations within the same metropolitan area — have set separate records for taxpayer subsidies to sports teams. That's despite decades of research suggesting stadiums are a wasteful use of limited tax dollars.

Much of the tension flows from a combination of the Legislature mandating local government services, then trying to regulate local property taxes.

The bill has support from more than two-thirds of the Kansas Senate, including leaders from both parties.