Category Archives: Kansas

Government, Kansas

Kansas June Tax Collections $1.07B, 3.2% Above Estimate

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TOPEKA – The State of Kansas ends June 2026 with total tax collections at $1.07 billion. That is $33.5 million, or 3.2%, above the estimate. Total tax collections were up 1.0% from June 2025.

Individual income tax collections were $490.0 million. That is $25.0 million, or 5.4% above the estimate. Individual income tax collections were up 4.0% from June 2025. Corporate income tax collections were $185.1 million. That is $7.1 million, or 4.0% above the estimate, and down 11.0% from June 2025.

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $296.8 million, which is $1.2 million, or 0.4%, below the estimate, and up 2.0% from June 2025.

Government, Kansas

Kansas Courts Launch Eviction Expungement Portal

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TOPEKA—People who’ve gone through an eviction case now have access to an online resource to request that the eviction be removed, or expunged, from the court record if certain criteria are met.

The Kansas judicial branch launched the new Eviction Expungement Portal on July 1. It allows people who are not represented by an attorney to file electronically to request the record of their eviction be removed if they meet certain qualifications under law.

Using the portal, a person can file a court motion to remove the record and submit a return of service to show the motion was served on the plaintiff in the case. The plaintiff has 30 days after the motion is delivered to them to file an objection with the court.

The portal walks the person through finding their eviction case and filing the motion to have the record of it removed. The portal also collects information that it uses to generate forms.

After the person submits the necessary forms through the portal, the documents are sent to the appropriate district court for filing in their eviction case.

The portal also connects the filer with forms created by the Kansas Judicial Council to help with the process.

If a person is represented by an attorney, their attorney would file the motion through the Kansas Courts eFiling system.

During the 2026 session, the Kansas Legislature passed 2026 Substitute for House Bill 2357. The bill created the option for someone to request that an eviction be removed from the court record and required that an electronic process be available for submitting that request.

Government, Kansas

Ks Dept. of Agriculture Announces Photo Contest

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MANHATTAN, Kansas — The beauty of Kansas agriculture can’t be captured by a camera, but we encourage you to try in the annual Kansas Department of Agriculture Photo Contest. KDA is now accepting photo entries, and will continue accepting entries through August 16.

This year’s KDA Photo Contest categories were selected to celebrate the hard work that happens all year long in Kansas agriculture by recognizing the seasons: Spring into the Fields, Life in the Summer, Fall on the Farm, and Winter at Work. These categories allow you to showcase Kansas agriculture in many ways — from spring planting through fall harvest, from the intense heat of summer to the bitter cold of winter. As always, there is a separate Youth division, for young photographers age 18 and under. And a video category will welcome drone footage, harvest videos, or other short clips of under 30 seconds that showcase Kansas agriculture. Prizes will be awarded to the top two winners in each of the six categories.

KDA serves to advocate for agriculture, the state’s largest industry and economic driver. Photos which best capture the categories will be used throughout the year as we tell the story of Kansas agriculture. After submission, KDA is granted permission to use any photograph for publications, social media, websites, displays, etc. without payment or other consideration from the photographer.

Photo entries should be sent in .jpg format to [email protected]. Videos should be sent in .mp4 or .mov format. Entries must include a title and brief description, where and when the photo/video was taken, the photographer’s full name and age, entry category, hometown, and email address.

Guidelines for the KDA Photo Contest, including deadlines, categories and prizes, can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/PhotoContest. Voting to select finalists will begin on KDA’s social media sites in mid-August. For more information, contact Heather Lansdowne, KDA director of communications, at [email protected] or 785-564-6706.

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Entries Now Open for KDA Photo Contest.pdf
Government, Kansas

KDOT Requests Comment on Statewide Transportation

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The Kansas Department of Transportation requests comments on an amendment to the Federal Fiscal Year 2026-2029 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) document.

The STIP is a project specific publication that lists all KDOT administered projects, regardless of funding source, and includes projects for counties and cities as well as projects on the State Highway System. The list of projects being amended to the STIP can be viewed at ksdot.gov/about/publications-and-reports/state-transportation-improvement-program-stip.

The approval of the STIP amendment requires a public comment period, which concludes July 9. To make comments on the amendment, contact KDOT’s Division of Program and Project Management at 785-296-2252.

This information is available in alternative accessible formats. To obtain an alternative format, contact the KDOT Division of Communications, 785-296-3585 (Voice/Hearing Impaired-711).

 

Kansas

K-146 West of Walnut to Close June 30

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K-146 west of Walnut to close June 30

WALNUT – K-146 west of Walnut will be closed on Tuesday, June 30, so a Kansas Department of Transportation crew can replace drainage pipes under the highway.

KDOT will close K-146 to through traffic from U.S. 59 east to the Neosho/Crawford county line for the day, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., conditions permitting. The drainpipes to be replaced are about 1.5 miles west of the Neosho/Crawford county line. Motorists should find an appropriate alternative route during this time.

KDOT urges motorists to stay alert and follow posted signs in all work zones. Check KDOT’s updated traveler information website, www.Kandrive.gov, for more highway condition and construction details. For updates on construction projects in southeast Kansas, visit ksdot.gov/southeastnews.

Contact: Ray Nolting | [email protected] | 620-902-6433

Jobs, Kansas

June 25: Explore Kansas Careers

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Commerce Invites Jobseekers to Explore New Careers at Upcoming Job Fair

TOPEKA – Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland encourages jobseekers and employers searching for available talent to take part in this month’s Virtual Statewide Job Fair, hosted by KANSASWORKS, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, June 25.

“Summer is in full effect — and this season is all about new adventures and new experiences. If you’re looking for a new career, now is the perfect time,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Whether you’re exploring opportunities or looking for your first job, Kansas employers are looking for the next best candidate — and one of them could be you.”

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

This month’s Virtual Statewide 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 they might be asked to engage in an 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 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.

Government, Kansas

KS Attorney General Opposes Clemency Requests For Death Row Inmates

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Kobach strongly opposes clemency for Kansas death row inmates, urges Gov. Kelly to reject requests and uphold jury verdicts

WICHITA – (June 9, 2026) – Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach today voiced strong opposition to clemency requests filed by nearly all of Kansas’s death row inmates. At a press conference today flanked by law enforcement, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett and victim family members, Kobach called on Governor Laura Kelly to reject the petitions and respect the jury verdicts that imposed the ultimate punishment for these heinous crimes.

“These clemency requests are an outrage to the victims of these killers and all Kansans. A jury sentenced them to death. I urge Gov. Kelly to reject clemency and deliver long-overdue justice for the families. As attorney general, I support the death penalty and oppose any effort to set aside the jurors’ decisions to impose this penalty,” Kobach said.

Between May 1 and May 30, eight of the nine individuals on Kansas’s death row initiated formal clemency proceedings. There is a limited window for the public to provide comment.

Kansas employs one of the highest standards in the nation for imposing a capital sentence. Every death row inmate seeking clemency was convicted and sentenced by a jury, upheld by a judge, and affirmed through multiple layers of appellate review. The state has not carried out an execution since 1965, underscoring the deliberate and painstaking nature of the process.

These cases represent some of the most brutal crimes in Kansas history, claiming the lives of students, law enforcement officers, mothers, fathers, teachers, and children including:

·       Carrie Williams, a 20-year-old Pittsburg State University student

·       Miki Martinez, a 19-year-old mother from Great Bend

·       Darren Wornkey, a 24-year-old father from Great Bend

·       Matt Samuels, a hero and the Sheriff of Greenwood County, Kansas

·       Jason Befort, originally from Pratt, a teacher and coach from Augusta

·       Brad Heyka, 27, originally from Dodge City, he worked at Koch Industries

·       Heather Muller, a preschool teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School

·       Aaron Sander, a 29-year-old who was studying to become a priest

·       Ann Walenta, a gifted cellist and member of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra

·       Dorothy Wight, a mother and grandmother from Burlingame

·       Karen Kahler, a mother and homemaker from Burlingame

·       Emily Kahler, an 18-year-old freshman studying at St. Louis College of Pharmacy

·       Lauren Kahler, a 16-year-old who played tennis and bass guitar in a rock band

·       Jodi Sanderholm, a 19-year-old dancer from Arkansas City

·       Kaylie Bailey, a 21-year-old mother from Ottawa

·       Lana Bailey, an 18-month-old toddler beloved by her family

·       Andrew Stout, a 30-year-old who loved frisbee golf and Mario Brothers

·       Steven White, a 31-year-old

·       Suzette Trouten, a 27-year-old nursing student

·       Izabela Lewicka, a 20-year-old born in Poland, studying at Purdue University

·       Lisa Stasi, a 20-year-old mother originally from Alabama

·       Beverly Bonner, a 49-year-old prison librarian

·       Sheila Faith, a 45-year-old mother

·       Debbie Lynn Faith, a 15-year-old daughter

“Granting clemency to multiple death row inmates — particularly in the final weeks of a gubernatorial term and based on personal opposition to the death penalty — would substitute one person’s policy preference for the considered judgment of juries, judges, and appellate courts,” Kobach emphasized. “Kansas law enforcement asks Governor Kelly to honor the verdicts of the juries, the families of the victims who have waited decades for finality, and the men and women in law enforcement whose safety depends on the strong message this state sends about the consequences of the most serious crimes. As the maxim holds: mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent. The victims and their families deserve justice.”

Letters opposing clemency may be sent to the Prison Review Board at 714 SW Jackson, Ste. 300, Topeka, KS 66603, or emailed to KDOC_Victim_Notification@ks.gov (mailto:_Victim_Notification@ks.gov). Comments may also be directed to Governor Laura Kelly at the Kansas Statehouse, 300 SW 10th Ave., Ste. 241S, Topeka, KS 66612, or by phone at 785-296-3232 or 785-368-8500.

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Government, Kansas

KS Tax Collections Above Estimates

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May Total Tax Collections at $703.8 Million;
6.4% Above Estimate


TOPEKA – The State of Kansas ends May 2026 with total tax collections at $703.8 million. That is $42.5 million, or 6.4%, above the estimate. Total tax collections were up 7.0% from May 2025.

Individual income tax collections were $367.7 million. That is $52.7 million, or 16.7% above the estimate. Individual income tax collections were up 16.8% from May 2025. Corporate income tax collections were $16.2 million. That is $8.8 million, or 35.2% below the estimate, and down 44.4% from May 2025.

“While total May tax collections were in line with projections, Kansas continues to see corporate income tax collections miss the mark,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “In the years and months ahead, we must continue to prioritize fiscal responsibility to ensure Kansas remains financially sound.”

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $290.9 million, which is $896,104, or 0.3%, above the estimate, and up 3.1% from May 2025.

Click here to view the May 2026 revenue numbers.

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Government, Kansas

Volunteers Needed to Help Track Kansas Bumble Bees

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PRATT–The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is seeking volunteers to help protect Kansas bumble bees for the fifth year of the Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas. The Bumble Bee Atlas is a community‑science project that trains volunteers to survey and document bumble bees and their habitats across the Great Plains.

With pollinator declines accelerating, the Bumble Bee Atlas gives people a way to take action conserving bumble bees. Training is available for anyone interested in getting involved.

The Bumble Bee Atlas is a nationwide effort spanning 21 states, where trained community scientists help researchers document bumble bees and the habitats they use. The data collected helps researchers, state and federal agencies, and policymakers better support these important pollinators.

Over the past four summers, Kansas participants have identified six bumble bee species, two of which are considered at risk of extinction. Since 2022, participants have recorded 2,300 bumble bees and conducted 263 surveys across the state.

This year, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and KDWP will host both online and in-person training events in May and June. The goal this summer is to survey unsampled areas in Kansas, particularly prairie habitat in the western part of the state.

“All you need to become a volunteer is an interest in pollinators and the ability to spare a couple of weekends between June and September,” said Katie Lamke, a conservation biologist for the Xerces Society. “We especially need volunteers who want to explore sparsely populated areas like the western prairies, where we have less information about bumble bees.”

To learn how to do bumble bee surveys, volunteers can watch the most recently recorded online training, review the project handbook, and attend one of the in-person training sessions. The in-person sessions provide hands-on experience with the project methods, including swinging a net and photographing bumble bees.

The two in-person training events will be held on June 6 at the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and on June 7 at the Sandsage Bison Range Wildlife Area.  The events are free, but preregistration is required. Visit BumbleBeeAtlas.org/pages/events to register.  Participants are encouraged to view the recorded online training webinar, available on the Xerces Society’s YouTube page, before attending an in-person training session.

“We are excited that the Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas is continuing in Kansas for the next two years,” said Diedre Kramer, wildlife diversity coordinator for KDWP.  “This is a great opportunity for volunteers to get out and appreciate the wild spaces we have in Kansas while also providing valuable information that will help inform conservation efforts in the future.”

To stay informed about the progress of the Bumble Bee Atlas, sign up for the mailing list and connect on Facebook and Instagram (@bumblebeeatlas).  For more information about the Great Plains Bumble Bee Atlas project, visit https://www.bumblebeeatlas.org/great-plains.

This project has been financed, in part, through the State Wildlife Grant Program under Grant #F25AF00897 from the Fish and Wildlife Service, a division of the United States Department of the Interior, which is administered by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

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About the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) is dedicated to the conservation and enhancement of Kansas’s natural resources for the benefit of both current and future generations. KDWP manages 29 state parks, 177 lakes and wildlife areas, more than 300 public waterbodies, and 5 nature centers. Other services include management of threatened, endangered, and at-risk species, law enforcement, and wildlife habitat programs. For more information about KDWP, visit ksoutdoors.gov.

About the Xerces Society

The Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. Established in 1971, the Society is a trusted source for science-based information and advice. We collaborate with people and institutions at all levels and our work to protect pollinators encompasses all landscapes. Our team draws together experts from the fields of habitat restoration, entomology, plant ecology, education, farming and conservation biology with a single focus: Protecting the life that sustains us.

To learn more about our work, please visit www.xerces.org or follow us @xercessociety on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Available for Interview:

Katie Lamke, Conservation Biologist, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation (402) 256-5252
[email protected]

Diedre Kramer, Wildlife Diversity Coordinator, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks; (620) 672-0792; [email protected]

Government, Kansas

KS Governor Appeals Trump Administrations Deployment of KS National Guard

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Governor Kelly Joins Multistate Coalition Urging Court to Uphold Block on Unlawful National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C.


TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly on Tuesday joined a coalition of 23 attorneys general and 2 governors in filing an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, urging the court to deny the Trump administration’s appeal and uphold a lower court’s ruling blocking the unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.

“I have previously stood against infringement of the nation’s governors’ authority to command their National Guards, and I join this brief to preserve the purpose of the National Guard,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Deploying the National Guard to serve as a domestic police force undermines fundamental tenets of our democracy and pulls National Guard servicemembers away from their primary responsibilities to their states and their communities.”

Governor Kelly and the coalition argue that the deployment undermines the sovereignty of states and local jurisdictions and threatens the foundational principle of American democracy that the military must remain under civilian control.

Courts have repeatedly rejected the administration’s deployments in American cities, and the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to deploy the National Guard in Illinois. Yet the President continues the deployment in Washington, D.C. and has stated his intent to send troops to more American cities, “one by one.” Continuing this deployment in defiance of those rulings poses an ongoing threat to civilian authority and democratic governance.

The brief documents serious harm in states that have already experienced these deployments, including disrupted law enforcement operations, economic damage to local communities, diverted National Guard resources, and increased civil unrest.

The coalition urges the D.C. Circuit to uphold the district court’s ruling and affirm that the President does not have the authority to deploy the National Guard as a domestic police force.

Governor Kelly is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, as well as the offices of the Governors of Kentucky and Pennsylvania in filing the brief.

A copy of the amicus brief can be found here.

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