CoreCivic will reopen its Leavenworth private prison to house ICE detainees after the city commission approved a permit. Angry protesters gathered outside.

I'm in Leavenworth to cover what is expected to be a final vote (other things could happen) on reopening CoreCivic's private prison as an ICE detention center. Expecting a late night but I'll update here and on TikTok when it's over. Last time it was after midnight!

Kansas Republican Sen. Mike Thompson has put forth a proposal that would change the state constitution to say life begins at conception. If it passes the House and Senate with two-thirds vote, the issue would be put on the ballot. kansasreflector.com/2026/03/10/p...

Mental health impacts and the risk of violence from being constantly outed will likely be the result of an anti-trans Kansas law, experts say. kansasreflector.com/2026/03/05/n...

Kansans on food assistance won't be able to buy candy or soda after a waiver was approved this week by the USDA. kansasreflector.com/2026/03/04/k...

Kansas Medicaid practices jeopardize vulnerable mental health clients and networks, therapist says | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas SNAP data won't be shared with foreign governments, the main issue that stopping the state from sharing the info with the USDA. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said today that the state reached agreement and also won't lose any money for withholding data. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/27/k...

Kansas Court of Appeals upheld an injunction that keeps CoreCivic from housing prisoners while it works through a permitting process with Leavenworth city officials. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/27/k...

Kansas will be back in court over laws that invalidate driver's licenses of trans people and restrict bathroom use to sex assigned at birth. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/27/t...

“This state has done nothing but break my heart. If this state was a romantic partner, I would definitely call this an abusive relationship at this point.” | #ksleg with @crazeywriter.bsky.social kansasreflector.com/2026/02/26/t...

After six years working in the foster care world, this is such important legislation!

CoreCivic is closer to reopening its Leavenworth prison facility to house ICE detainees. Commissioner Holly Pittman is concerned the city would violate property rights if they don't approve the company's special use permit. Still one more step before it's final. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/25/a...

I checked in with Texas government entities and others about the implementation of the state's bathroom bill, which isn't as far-reaching as the one passed in Kansas. It went into effect Dec. 4, and many are still working out how to comply. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/23/h...

The Kansas Senate overturned Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a "bathroom bill." It's likely the House will follow suit (maybe tomorrow), meaning that people will be forced to use the bathroom of their biological sex at birth in government buildings in Kansas. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/17/k...

The Republican-led Kansas Senate moved forward a bill that would force state officials to turn over the personal data requested by the federal government. (Will I be covering SNAP data stories forever?) kansasreflector.com/2026/02/17/s...

Seaplanes and Kansas? Yep! Pilots and business owners want Kansas to clarify its regulations about landing seaplanes on state waters, so they've proposed a bill to fix it. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/16/p...

Proposed Kansas legislation would allow women who weren't warned about consequences of abortion to sue providers without also filing a malpractice suit. This would shorten the process and make more women likely to take action, proponents said. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/16/k...

Kansas governor vetoes anti-trans bathroom bill, citing ‘numerous and significant consequences’ | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

One Kansas Republican said during a debate Wednesday that his colleagues were overreaching in their attempt to make schools ask for legislative approval to participate in a federal free meal program. #ksleg kansasreflector.com/2026/02/12/k...

Kansas local government leaders question ‘millions’ in costs, lack of detail in bathroom bill | #ksleg via @crazeywriter.bsky.social kansasreflector.com/2026/02/12/k...

Despite working through the permitting process in Leavenworth, CoreCivic continued its appeal to overturn an injunction that keeps the company from housing ICE detainees. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/10/c...

A Kansas bill would ban chatbots from forming human-like relationships with people, and would hold companies accountable if their AI bots encouraged suicide or murder. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/10/b...

I'll be there with senior reporters @crazeywriter.bsky.social and @kansascarpenter.bsky.social. Ask us anything! (Within reason.) #ksleg

In another angry debate where KS Dems accuse Republicans of silencing the voices of their constituents, the KS House passed a bill that would deny public benefits to people who aren't here legally but would allow Dreamers to get in-state post-secondary tuition. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/05/d...

Leavenworth's planning commission approved CoreCivic's permit to reopen its private prison to house immigration detainees -- the request now moves to the city commission. The public hearing brought out both sides, and a few police escorts when things got dicey. kansasreflector.com/2026/02/03/c...

Changes coming to Kansas educational savings plans lower costs, increase options | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Kansas House and Senate passed a bathroom bill forcing people to use the bathroom in government buildings that matches their biological sex at birth. Also stops gender marker changes on driver's licenses and birth certificates. The bill will go to the governor. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/28/t...

A proposed Kansas bill would make clergy mandated reporters of child abuse. It would allow for confidentiality in the clergy-penitent relationship (in other words, in situations such as confession) but otherwise, clergy would join the list of mandated reporters. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/28/b...

The anti-transgender “bathroom bill” made a comeback in Kansas politics Monday after a GOP-led committee pushed out legislation to force anyone using a bathroom in government buildings to use the facility matching their biological sex at birth. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/27/k...

Check out @timcarpenter.bsky.social's podcast w/Cynthia Lane, Blueprint for Literacy in KS. Love the science of reading knowledge we've acquired in the last few decades that has advanced how we help children love to read! (I'd rather read than do most things!) kansasreflector.com/2026/01/26/b...

Kansas lawmakers are considering increasing penalties for stealing livestock, horses, farm equipment, and grain so people who steal from farmers don't get away with a misdemeanor. Our state's laws set much lower penalties than other states. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/21/k...

Kansas legislators have been getting a lot of questions from their constituents about the Chiefs deal to move the stadium to the Sunflower State. They brought those questions to a Chiefs' attorney. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/22/k...

A Kansas judge called out Attorney General Kris Kobach and his solicitor general for filing in a court that they "should have known" didn't have jurisdiction. He fined them a symbolic $1 each. It's not the first time the AG has been questioned about his skills. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/20/k...

“The country with the Statue of Liberty deprived us of our liberty without any kind of evidence,” Leonardo José Colmenares Solórzano, a 31-year-old Venezuelan who was held in CECOT for months, said two days after he was returned to his family. (Published July 2025)

Kansas will not follow CDC vaccine recommendations, but will instead stay with the previous schedule -- going with scientific evidence instead. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/16/k...

A Kansas Democrat offered an amendment to a bill originally targeting the World Health Organization, the World Economic Forum and the United Nations --- she recommended deleting those organizations and instead inserting ICE. @anna-writes.bsky.social kansasreflector.com/2026/01/15/k...

A bill heard in #Kansas House Judiciary Tuesday would make Kansans use their biological sex at birth on their birth certificates and driver's licenses. More than 200 written comments from opponents flooded in, despite barely 24 hours notice of the hearing. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/14/p...

Environmental group seeks policy changes to support Kansas ranchers, grasslands and prairie chickens | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

Our Minnesota affiliate is covering the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman by an ICE agent today. Be aware -- the video is hard to watch. @minnesotareformer.com minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/07/i...

@anna-writes.bsky.social reported on proposal to up the seriousness of charges for people who endanger children. kansasreflector.com/2026/01/06/k...

Enjoyed digging into the details of the Chiefs' expected move to Kansas. Still lots of unknowns and more to cover.

A deeper dive into the details of the Kansas City Chiefs deal shows many items that still need to be set before a full financial effect can be determined. One big question: What will local governments do to support the project? kansasreflector.com/2026/01/02/c...

Kansas secures $221 million federal grant to boost rural health as federal cuts hit | via @crazeywriter.bsky.social #ksleg

The Prairie Band Potawatomi chair compared immigrant detention to Indian reservations. “We were placed here because we were treated as prisoners of war. So we must ask ourselves why we would ever participate in something that mirrors the harm and trauma once done to our people.”

I had no idea that imported honey sometimes contains cheap sweeteners -- until I spoke with Gary LaGrange of Valor Honey and Brian McCornack, KSU entomologist. Really interesting podcast! kansasreflector.com/2025/12/08/n...

Federal changes to food programs mean many refugees and human trafficking victims who are legally in the United States won't receive dollars. #obbb #SNAP kansasreflector.com/2025/12/05/f...

www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8U9Ey78/ Check out Capitol Conversations - Kansas interactions among legislators.

CoreCivic lost a battle to begin immediately housing ICE detainees in Leavenworth, Kansas, and now may consider going through the city's development process. kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/c...

I forgot to post this last week! Follow the science. . .

Topeka's St. Francis health system and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas haven't reached contract agreement, which could leave patients out of network. Matt All, head of KS BCBS, talks about health care challenges that need to be addressed, mostly cost control. kansasreflector.com/2025/12/01/k...