September 11 2024

1 Kobach pushes for GOP supermajorities to reform Kansas judicial selection
2 Kansas State Fair opens strong, with record turnout and higher vendor satisfaction
3 Kansas audit reveals 40% decline in cash assistance spending amid rising costs
4 Farm bill unlikely to pass in 2024 as election-year politics stall negotiations
5 Mahomes declines to endorse Trump or Harris, stresses voter registration

1 Kobach pushes for GOP supermajorities to reform Kansas judicial selection

To Attorney General Kris Kobach, the 2024 election is about securing a Republican supermajority in the Legislature that can change how Kansas selects appellate judges. "Two words are dominating my thoughts about the upcoming election, and it's not Donald Trump," Kobach said. "It's about what we face in the attorney general's office, and that is hostile judges. So those two words ... veto-proof majority." Kobach was speaking to Shawnee County Republicans who opened a new election headquarters in downtown Topeka on Friday. He said the discussion touches on several issues, but "one of the biggest, of course, is abortion." "Our current state Supreme Court is selected in a manner that makes it one of the most progressive supreme courts in the United States," Kobach said. "I've argued in front of several of them, and our court is far to the left of the norm in state supreme courts. It's all because of the method we select our justices. We absolutely have to have a constitutional amendment to change that."

Article Source: Topeka Capitol-Journal

2 Kansas State Fair opens strong, with record turnout and higher vendor satisfaction

The Kansas State Fair opened with a strong weekend turnout, with Saturday’s attendance reaching 46,000, slightly higher than in 2023. Friday’s crowd of 26,000 marked a significant increase from last year, and 4,200 people attended a Judd concert that night. The Goo Goo Dolls show on Saturday drew 5,500 ticket sales. During a Sunday meeting, vendors expressed satisfaction with the weekend’s results, and it was reported that participation in the Grand Drive Youth Livestock Show, now in its 25th year, was notably higher than in previous years. Today, the fair highlights emergency preparedness with booths and displays near the administration building. It's also the first of three band days, with more performances scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. Additionally, today marks Dollar Day at the fair.

Source: Ad Astra Radio 

3 Kansas audit reveals 40% decline in cash assistance spending amid rising costs

Spending on Kansas’ cash assistance program for low-income families has dwindled by nearly 40% in the past 14 years while lawmakers limited eligibility and inflation surged, according to a new audit. State auditors presented findings to legislators Tuesday that show spending on cash assistance decreased from about $15.2 million in 2009 to $9.4 million in 2023. Spending on foster care and preventative services increased by an estimated $25 million over the same timespan, according to the audit, which involved reviewing five financial reports created between fiscal years 2009 and 2023. Kansas families with children or an expectant mother that make an insufficient income qualify for cash assistance, which is accessed through electronic benefit transfer cards, or EBT. The state’s cash assistance program is funded by the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, program, which also funds other state initiatives including employment support and child care assistance. The Kansas Department for Children and Families administers TANF funds and the cash assistance program. Legislative involvement in regulating cash assistance has been limited since the 2015 Hope, Opportunity and Prosperity for Everyone, or HOPE, Act, which restricted access to Kansas’ program. The federal government allows people to receive cash assistance for up to 60 months in their lifetime. Kansas’ maximum was 48 months, but the HOPE Act reduced it to 36 months.

Article Source: KS Reflector

4 Farm bill unlikely to pass in 2024 as election-year politics stall negotiations

The chances of passing a farm bill this year appear more unlikely as election year politics scramble negotiation efforts and threaten delays that could last well into 2025. Congress returned to Washington on Monday with a little less than three weeks to approve the sweeping $1.5 trillion spending bill, which includes management of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the farm safety net. While House negotiators had planned a concerted effort to approve the legislation before the Sept. 30 deadline, the threat of yet another government shutdown could throw farm bill discussions into disarray.

Article Source: Agriculture Dive

5 Mahomes declines to endorse Trump or Harris, stresses voter registration

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday he will not endorse either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, even as the former president continued to call Mahomes' wife, Brittany, a supporter of his campaign. “I don't want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way," Mahomes said before heading out to practice for Sunday's game against Cincinnati. "I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It's to inform people to do their own research and then make the best decision for them and their family.” The comments from the three-time Super Bowl champion came less than a day after Taylor Swift, who is dating his Chiefs teammate Travis Kelce and has become friends with the Mahomes family, endorsed Harris for the presidency. Swift's endorsement led Trump to say in a phone interview with Fox News on Wednesday: "I actually like Mrs. Mahomes much better, if you want to know the truth. She's a big Trump fan. I like Brittany. I think Brittany is great.”

Article Source: AP

Sources

1. https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2024/09/11/kris-kobach-says-kansas-gop-supermajorities-are-key-to-judicial-reform/75146384007/

2. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ad-astra-radio-daily/id1694025121?i=1000668868353

3. https://kansasreflector.com/2024/09/11/kansas-audit-examines-impact-of-restricting-access-to-cash-assistance-for-low-income-families/

4. https://www.agriculturedive.com/news/farm-bill-delay-election-congress/726726/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Issue:%202024-09-11%20Agriculture%20Dive%20%5Bissue:65764%5D&utm_term=Agriculture%20Dive

5. https://salinapost.com/posts/70386830-2d07-4460-a493-682e1621f334