TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly, in accordance with Executive Order #20-30, on Wednesday, directed flags on all state buildings, grounds, and facilities to be flown at half-staff immediately until sunset on the day of interment, April 26, in honor of Pope Francis.

“As one of the most influential leaders of our time, Pope Francis was a beacon of light. His wisdom inspired countless people to treat others with compassion and generosity,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “May his legacy of selflessness and humility be instilled in each of us and continue to live on.”

To receive email alerts when the governor orders flags to half-staff, please visit: https://www.governor.ks.gov/newsroom/kansas-flag-honors.

KANSASWORKS Hosts Job Fair Highlighting
Open Positions Across Kansas

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland is encouraging jobseekers and employers alike to take part in the upcoming Statewide Virtual Job Fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 23.

“Kansas employers across the state have plentiful good-paying opportunities for jobseekers with any level of work experience,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The number of companies expanding in Kansas or relocating here brings new career options for all Kansans to take advantage of, including recent graduates of our outstanding higher education system.”

The Virtual Job Fair allows for anyone searching for a position to fill out applications, chat live and interview virtually with participating employers.

The job fair portal features helpful information such as a jobseeker training video, a list of participating employers, and channels for attendees to register and log in. Jobseekers are encouraged to dress professionally, as employers may request to engage in a video interview.

Candidates can participate through any digital device. Any individual with a disability may request accommodation by contacting their nearest workforce center at (877) 509-6757 prior to the event. Registration is required to participate in virtual job fairs, regardless of previous participation. To register, click here.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

About the KANSASWORKS:

KANSASWORKS links businesses, job candidates and educational institutions to ensure that employers can find skilled workers. Services are provided to employers and job candidates through the state’s 27 workforce centers, online or virtual services KANSASWORKS is completely free for all Kansans to use. Learn more at KANSASWORKS.com. State employment opportunities can be found at jobs.ks.gov.

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TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland today announced that the popular Sunflower Summer program, which encourages young Kansans to explore and fall in love with Kansas, will return this summer. Designed for Kansas residents and families with school-aged children from Pre-K to Grade 12, Sunflower Summer will run from July 12 to August 3.

“The Sunflower Summer initiative is a great opportunity for our young and growing Kansans to explore all the things that make our state great,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “While encouraging exploration, the program also drives tourism, ushering in new dollars and new memories for families and communities alike.”

The program covers admission costs for eligible students and one adult guardian per attraction, per season. Tickets can be claimed through the free Sunflower Summer app and are later redeemed at the participating venues upon arrival.

“This program is a wonderful opportunity for Kansas attractions to welcome families from across the state,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “Sunflower Summer not only provides free admission to incredible destinations, it strengthens communities by making family adventures more accessible and extends the length of their vacations.”

Kansas Tourism is encouraging eligible tourism attractions to apply to be part of this year’s Sunflower Summer season. The application for attractions opens April 15 and will remain open through April 30. Participating attractions will be announced in early June.

Sunflower Summer has updated venue participation requirements and reimbursement guidelines for the 2025 season. For important updates, the attraction application and additional information, visit the program webpage here.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

About Kansas Tourism:

The mission of Kansas Tourism is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages both the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces the KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education and support.

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Governor Kelly Calls on Trump Administration
to Reinstate Federal Funds to Support Teachers, Child Care Providers

~ Governor Kelly sends letter to secretary of education requesting
restoration of $22.6 million in funding for Kansas students and educators ~

TOPEKA— Governor Laura Kelly announced Tuesday she has sent a letter to United States Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, requesting reinstatement of $22.6 million in federal pandemic relief funds. The United States Department of Education announced in late March that the federal government was recouping nearly $3 billion in pandemic relief funds from states. Many states, including Kansas, had already obligated these funds for programs and services benefiting students and educators.

“Abruptly stripping this funding is a disservice to the Kansas students and teachers who rely on it to excel in the classroom,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This funding is critical for our schools to continue setting Kansas children up for a strong start to life. I urge the Trump administration to reinstate this funding to ensure our students can continue to access these key resources they need to succeed.”

In Kansas, these funds have been critical for supporting student learning recovery and ensuring the education workforce is prepared to assist those students in their academic needs. Funds have been used to retrain teachers in the science of reading and other evidence-based interventions to support student learning, career and postsecondary exploration experiences for students, and to lower start-up costs for child care providers.

On April 3, 2025, the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) requested the Trump administration restore Kansas’ funding and allow for KSDE to continue using these funds toward its intended purposes. That request continues to be under consideration by the secretary of education.

In October 2024, Governor Kelly announced the state would cover the cost of licensure, fingerprinting, and background check fees for early childhood educators using these federal education funds. The Kelly administration began waiving these fees using federal and state funds in 2021.

Since 2021, these efforts have saved child care providers $3.34 million in fees and covered application costs of over 15,500 providers and background checks for over 39,400 providers. These fees will be reinstated until the Trump administration restores Kansas’ funding allocation.

Governor Kelly’s full letter to Secretary McMahon can be found here.

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TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced Thursday that Kansas has been recognized as an Innovation Champion, the highest-scoring category, in the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) 2025 Scorecard. This recognition highlights Kansas’ commitment to innovation, economic growth, and quality of life.

“Being named an Innovation Champion for the third time during my administration underscores our efforts to adopt policies that attract technological innovation across a variety of industries,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The advancements we’ve made in every part of our state demonstrate that Kansas is a premier state to live, work, and raise a family.”

CTA’s seventh edition of the U.S. Innovation Scorecard reviewed all 50 states by analyzing 54 indicators across 11 categories. Kansas is one of 12 states to receive the title of Innovation Champion and one of six that earned the honor on CTA’s previous Scorecard in 2023.

“This year’s U.S. Innovation Scorecard honorees prioritize technology infrastructure and create sophisticated solutions to empower innovation in their communities,” said CTA President Kinsey Fabrizio. “New innovations change the relationship between humans and technology, with advances in robotics, AI, smart home, and more improving the lives of millions of consumers.”

This year’s Scorecard features four new categories reflecting the expanding foundations required for technological innovation. The new categories assess:

• Blockchain, which assesses state legislation on policies toward blockchain technologies.

• Data Privacy, which measures indicators on businesses’ ability to innovate and compete without compromising sensitive data or legal clarity.

• Grid Preparedness, which measures a state’s energy demand in comparison to its energy supply.

• Manufacturing, which analyzes a state’s total number of manufacturers, its manufacturing percentage of GDP, and how it is attracting new manufacturing talent.

These new categories complement the seven categories carried over from the 2023 Scorecard, underscoring CTA’s intent to assess how states have continued to develop in key areas.

Learn more about CTA’s 2025 Global Innovation Scorecard here.

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The Kansas Department of Commerce’s Office of Innovation is proud to announce the launch of the Accelerating Concept to Commercialization in Kansas (ACCEL-KS) program, an initiative aimed at fast-tracking innovative ideas to market-ready solutions. The program is designed to empower entrepreneurs, foster collaboration, maximize diverse resources, and support Kansas businesses to drive economic growth and create high-quality jobs in target industries.

“ACCEL-KS embodies Kansas’ bold commitment to supporting innovators and entrepreneurs by providing the tools, resources and collaborative network they need to create home-grown wealth and products throughout the state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “By strengthening the pipeline from concept to commercialization, we are positioning our state as a hub for transformative technologies and additional economic growth.”

The Office of Innovation seeks to collaborate with existing incubators or innovation centers on Proof-of-Concept (PoC) programming. In partnership with Commerce, entities will be awarded up to $500,000 to develop and deliver a statewide PoC network. The awards require a 25% cash match.

“The ACCEL-KS partners will align with the Office of Innovation’s goals to accelerate the state’s innovation economy,” Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer Romaine Redman said. “Through this model, we are forging a partnership for excellence as we surround innovators and entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship and commercialization support needed to turn bold ideas into market-ready solutions.”

To be selected, innovation incubators and centers are required to outline a plan detailing how a statewide PoC program would work. The plans must be focused on identifying and supporting idea- and early-stage entrepreneurs through the development of high-impact PoC projects by providing technical assistance, mentorship, prototyping resources and commercialization support to innovators.

Proposals are due by 5:00 p.m. May 9. Interested organizations are encouraged to attend one of two virtual information sessions scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, and 3:00 p.m. April 23. To register for the April 11 webinar, click here; for the April 23 session, click here.

For additional information or questions about the program, visit the ACCEL-KS website here.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and was awarded the 2021 and 2022 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.

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Governor Kelly Signs Bipartisan Bill Expanding Whistleblower Protections to Local Government Employees   

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly has signed House Bill 2160, which establishes the Municipal Employee Whistleblower Act to extend legal protections for municipal employees who report or reveal unlawful or dangerous conduct.

“This bipartisan bill will enhance transparency and accountability in local government, ensuring that municipal employees can report wrongdoing without fear of retaliation,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Protecting whistleblowers is vital for maintaining public trust, safeguarding taxpayer resources, and promoting ethical governance.”

Historically, whistleblower protections have been limited to state and federal employees. These protections are aimed at protecting those who report misconduct or corruption from retaliatory actions. House Bill 2160 expands these protections, allowing government employees at the local level to report issues without fear of retaliation.

“I am pleased that stakeholders worked together on House Bill 2160 so that municipal employees will have the same whistleblower protections as state employees,” said Representative for House District 16 Linda Featherston. “This will help increase confidence in local government, which is a win for both Kansans and local government.”

By defining malfeasance and misappropriation as unlawful conduct, the legislation more effectively protects genuine whistleblowers who report legal violations. This clarification distinguishes whistleblowers from malcontents or disgruntled employees who are merely dissatisfied with an otherwise lawful decision or appropriation.

“Municipal employees don’t have to fear reprisal any more for exposing wrongdoing, unlawful behavior, or misappropriation of funds,” said Senate Vice President Tim Shallenburger. “This piece of legislation gives the necessary protection to those, who in good faith, bring to light what the government wants to keep in the dark.”

In addition to House Bill 2160, Governor Kelly also signed the following bipartisan bills:

Substitute for House Bill 2149: Modernizes state law around parallel generation, which entails the installation of solar panels on one’s home or business for the purpose of energy generation. The bill creates consumer protections for Kansas businesses and residents that are interested in installing rooftop solar, provides certainty to the solar industry and utilities, and will ultimately allow Kansans the opportunity for more energy independence.

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2054: Adjusts certain campaign contribution limits under the Campaign Finance Act.

House Bill 2206: Renames the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission to the Kansas Public Disclosure Commission and modernizes election law around political committees, cooperation and consent, and other topics.

Senate Bill 114: Authorizes nonpublic and virtual school students to participate in ancillary public-school activities.

House Bill 2050: Renames the Kansas Insurance Department to the Kansas Department of Insurance and makes the necessary updates in statute to implement this change. The bill also implements a number of technical changes impacting the insurance industry.

House Bill 2134: Updates the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) and Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) to ensure transparency and public accountability for government entities.

Senate Bill 241: Promotes workforce stability and protects employees and business owners from overly broad non-solicitation covenants.

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TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly has signed the state’s budget, Senate Bill 125, which allocates funding for Fiscal Years 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2028.

“While I appreciate the bipartisan effort that went into crafting this bill, I remain concerned about the long-term fiscal impact this budget will have on our ability to invest in programs and services that Kansas families rely on, given that this budget will put the state in the red by Fiscal Year 2028,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “I am also concerned that the Legislature will adjourn before the release of Consensus Revenue Estimates, meaning we won’t fully understand the fiscal impact of this budget until after the Legislature has left town.

“Despite my overall concerns, I appreciate that this budget includes funding for programs that improve state resources for Kansans. I will continue to prioritize fiscal responsibility and look forward to working with the Legislature to make commonsense investments that provide Kansans the resources they need to prosper without risking the future of our state.”

The budget:

• Invests in Kansas’ Water Quality and Quantity: Senate Bill 125 adds another $6 million annual investment to safeguard Kansas’ water supply. It includes $1.75 million to increase state matching dollars to local conservation districts, $1 million for sorghum research, and $3 million for a pilot project to manage sedimentation in the John Redmond Reservoir and secure that critical water source.
• Invests in Early Childhood and K-12 Education: The budget, as signed by Governor Kelly, fully funds K-12 education for a seventh consecutive year, providing additional funds for public schools across the state. Senate Bill 125 also invests an additional $10 million in special education state aid and $1.25 million to expand rural child care access.
• Advances Kansas’ Economy: The budget includes nearly $50 million to support Kansas’ aviation industry, providing opportunities to continue the state’s historic success in economic development. The budget also includes funding attract innovative businesses in the cybersecurity and biotechnology industries to Kansas. Additionally, it allocates $1 million for rural remote workplaces to support our rural workforce.
• Supports Higher Education: The budget includes more than $16 million to support student success and retention initiatives, more than $34 million in additional funding for community and technical colleges, and continues the state’s commitment to lowering costs for students through investments in need-based financial aid.
• Bolsters Intellectual and Developmental Disability Services Funding: The bill increases funding for the Intellectual and Developmental Disability (I/DD) waiver by allocating $14 million to offer services to 200 individuals and allocating $10.5 million to increase reimbursement rates for I/DD waiver providers in Fiscal Year 2026.

Governor Kelly also line-item vetoed aspects of the budget. Find more information and her veto messages here.

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