KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man was fatally shot Friday morning by deputies in southwest Missouri who responded to a convenience store theft near Springfield, the Greene County Sheriff's Office reported.

The shooting happened shortly after Green County Sheriff’s deputies were called around 8:15 a.m. to the store just southwest of Springfield for a report of a theft from the store, Deputy Paige Rippee said in a news release.

The store clerk said the woman had run across the road to an abandoned house, where deputies found and arrested her.

Sheriff Jim Arnott told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/04/07/man-killed-deputy-involved-shooting-greene-county-mo/">television station KY3</a>&nbsp;that they also encountered a man who was holding a gun to his head who told them, “shoot me, I’m not going back." The deputies shot the man when he lunged at them, the sheriff's office said.

Rippee identified the man as Michael Gann, 43, of Springfield, who died at the scene. Gann was wanted on an arrest warrant, Rippee said.

The Greene County and several other sheriff's departments are investigating the shooting, Arnott said.

The names of the deputies have not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680901053972.png" alt="Gann-photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>Gann-photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A man was fatally shot Friday morning by deputies in southwest Missouri who responded to a convenience store theft near Springfield, the Greene County Sheriff's Office reported.The shooting happened shortly after Green County Sheriff’s deputies were called around 8:15 a.m. to the store just southwest of Springfield for a report of a theft from the store, Deputy Paige Rippee said in a news release.The store clerk said the woman had run across the road to an abandoned house, where deputies found and arrested her.Sheriff Jim Arnott told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ky3.com/2023/04/07/man-killed-deputy-involved-shooting-greene-county-mo/">television station KY3</a>&nbsp;that they also encountered a man who was holding a gun to his head who told them, “shoot me, I’m not going back." The deputies shot the man when he lunged at them, the sheriff's office said.Rippee identified the man as Michael Gann, 43, of Springfield, who died at the scene. Gann was wanted on an arrest warrant, Rippee said.The Greene County and several other sheriff's departments are investigating the shooting, Arnott said.The names of the deputies have not been released.

Sheriff: Man fatally shot by deputies in southwest Missouri

WASHINGTON (AP) — Schools and colleges across the U.S. would be forbidden from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes under a proposal released Thursday by the Biden administration, but teams could create some limits in certain cases — for example, to ensure fairness.

The Kansas Legislature on Wednesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto in three years</a>&nbsp;of a bill to ban transgender athletes.

Biden's proposed rule sends a political counterpunch toward a wave of Republican-led states that have sought to ban trans athletes from competing in school sports that align with their gender identities. If finalized, the proposal would become enshrined as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/title-ix">a provision of Title IX</a>, the landmark gender-equity legislation enacted in 1972.

It must undergo a lengthy approval process, however, and it’s almost certain to face challenges. While opponents sharply criticized the proposal, some advocates for transgender athletes were concerned that it did not go far enough.

The proposal comes on the same day that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-sports-west-virginia-64d2fd48678afb1a62e5eb84d7762c31">Supreme Court said a 12-year-old transgender girl</a>&nbsp;in West Virginia can continue competing on her middle school track and cross-country teams while legal battles over the state’s transgender law continue. The law bans transgender athletes from female teams.

All told, at least 16 states now have bans in effect covering at least high school interscholastic sports. Some also extend to intramural, club or college sports. Enforcement of bans in at least three other states has been put on hold by courts, and one more has adopted a ban that doesn’t take effect until July.

Under the Education Department's proposed rule, no school or college that receives federal funding would be allowed to impose a “one-size-fits-all” policy that categorically bans trans students from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Such policies would be considered a violation of Title IX.

Still, the proposal leaves room for schools to develop team eligibility rules that could ultimately result in restrictions around trans athletes’ participation.

That would be allowed only if it serves “important educational objectives,” such as fairness in competition and reduction of injury risks.

Any limits would have to consider the sport, the level of competition and the age of students. Elementary school students would generally be allowed to participate on any teams consistent with their gender identity, for example. More competitive teams at high schools and colleges could add limits, but those would be discouraged in teams that don’t have tryouts or cuts.

“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” said Miguel Cardona, Biden’s education secretary, in a statement.

Biden's administration used “fairness of competition” as criteria, which has been part of the debate both in the U.S. and globally. But officials offered no specifics on how this could be done.

Of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372">tens of millions of high school students in the U.S</a>., about 300,000 youth between the ages of 13 to 17 identify as transgender, according to a 2022 study from the Williams Institute, a think tank at UCLA focused on LGBTQ+ issues. The number of athletes within that group is much smaller; a 2017 survey by Human Rights Campaign suggested fewer than 15% of all transgender youth play sports.

Asked about the proposal, Bobbie Hirsch, a transgender man and sophomore on the Wayne State men’s fencing team, said “anything helps.” But he feared the language in the rule would make it easier for schools to tell transgender athletes they can’t play on a team. “That’s the direction things have been going,” he said in a phone interview.

Hirsch competed on the women's team in the 2021-22 season, and began transitioning socially in high school and medically last summer.

Eli Bundy, an 18-year-old transgender resident of Charleston, South Carolina, said they welcomed the proposal but were stopping short of celebrating.

“I have a hard time feeling relief when positive stuff happens at the national level, because there’s still so much at the state level from the South Carolina Legislature that is antagonistic and sends a really harmful message to trans youth,” said Bundy, who testified in 2021 against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-government-and-politics-education-legislature-south-carolina-09f1bae4d74b583ed3a5a52cfdf989f1">the state’s ban on transgender students’ participation</a>&nbsp;in girls’ or women’s sports at public schools and colleges.

Asked about the state bans now in place, a senior Education Department official briefing reporters on condition of anonymity said Title IX is the law of the land and officials would work to ensure it’s being followed in all the states.

In the West Virginia case, the Supreme Court refused to undo an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s teams. The state's law on transgender athletes defines male and female by looking to the student’s “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It applies to middle and high schools, as well as colleges.

Elsewhere, Republican lawmakers insisted they had the right to set policies in their states. The Biden administration's announcement came a day after Kansas lawmakers succeeded in overriding Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s third veto in three years of a bill to ban transgender female athletes from girls' and women’s sports.

“At what point does the federal government not understand the U.S. Constitution that says we have states’ rights?” said Republican state Rep. Brenda Landwehr, of Wichita. “We can make decisions on our own.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-112a4f400a02597c0c33c470baa31863">Critics argue transgender athletes have an advantage</a>&nbsp;over cisgender women in competition. Last year, Lia Thomas became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming title. College sports’ governing body, however, adopted a sport-by-sport approach to transgender athletes in January 2002, though recently the NCAA’s board decided it won’t be fully implemented until 2023-24.

The NCAA released a statement Thursday night saying: "The NCAA’s current transgender student-athlete participation policy aligns with the Olympic movement and balances fairness, inclusion and safety for all student-athletes. That policy remains in place while the lengthy Title IX regulatory process plays out.”

At the same time, international sports-governing bodies are instituting policies that effectively ban the vast majority of trans women from track field and swimming events.

Donna de Varona, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and a member of the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, said her hope is to find a “nuanced approach” to finding space for transgender athletes while allowing for Title IX to make sure girls and women have “fairness, opportunity and safety.”

“There’s plenty of room. ... Why does it have to be in the women’s category? We’re already being compromised in our reproductive rights and now we have the other spectrum with sports,” de Varona said in a phone interview.

Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal senior attorney and director of the group's Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project, said the proposed rule provided “critical recognition of the importance of participating in sports for transgender youth." At the same time, she expressed concern about whether it would eliminate discrimination against transgender students.

But an attorney for cisgender runners decried the proposal as “a slap in the face to female athletes who deserve equal opportunity to compete in their sports.”

“The Biden administration’s rewriting Title IX degrades women and tells them that their athletic goals and placements do not matter,” said Christiana Kiefer, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. She represented Connecticut runners who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danbury-us-news-ap-top-news-hartford-sports-general-8fd300537131153cc44e0cf2ade3244b">sued over the participation of two transgender girls</a>&nbsp;in track and field events.

President Joe Biden's administration has made it a priority to bolster the rights of trans students. Last year it proposed a separate federal rule that for the first time would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-sexual-assault-rules-overhaul-title-IX-anniversary-518710ef2b76663c240dc0272903fe93">extend Title IX rights to LGBTQ+ students</a>, broadly protecting them from discrimination in education.

That rule — which drew more than 240,000 comments from the public and sharp opposition from conservatives — is expected to be finalized as soon as next month.

The new proposal doesn’t offer examples of acceptable limits that could be placed on school sports, but it clarifies that restrictions couldn't be directed at trans students only. Schools would be left to navigate that tricky legal terrain, with the knowledge that any violation could bring a federal civil rights investigation or lawsuits.

Schools that choose to impose limits must “minimize harms” to students who lose out on athletics opportunities, the proposal says. If a school can achieve objectives like fairness in ways that cause less harm, then the school could be deemed to be violating Title IX.

“Preventing students from participating on a sports team consistent with their gender identity can stigmatize and isolate them,” according to background information provided by the administration. “This is different from the experience of a student who is not selected for a team based on their skills.”

Schools that violate Title IX can face penalties up to a complete loss of federal funding, although no school has ever been dealt that punishment.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Schools and colleges across the U.S. would be forbidden from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes under a proposal released Thursday by the Biden administration, but teams could create some limits in certain cases — for example, to ensure fairness.The Kansas Legislature on Wednesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto in three years</a>&nbsp;of a bill to ban transgender athletes.Biden's proposed rule sends a political counterpunch toward a wave of Republican-led states that have sought to ban trans athletes from competing in school sports that align with their gender identities. If finalized, the proposal would become enshrined as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/title-ix">a provision of Title IX</a>, the landmark gender-equity legislation enacted in 1972.It must undergo a lengthy approval process, however, and it’s almost certain to face challenges. While opponents sharply criticized the proposal, some advocates for transgender athletes were concerned that it did not go far enough.The proposal comes on the same day that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-transgender-sports-west-virginia-64d2fd48678afb1a62e5eb84d7762c31">Supreme Court said a 12-year-old transgender girl</a>&nbsp;in West Virginia can continue competing on her middle school track and cross-country teams while legal battles over the state’s transgender law continue. The law bans transgender athletes from female teams.All told, at least 16 states now have bans in effect covering at least high school interscholastic sports. Some also extend to intramural, club or college sports. Enforcement of bans in at least three other states has been put on hold by courts, and one more has adopted a ban that doesn’t take effect until July.Under the Education Department's proposed rule, no school or college that receives federal funding would be allowed to impose a “one-size-fits-all” policy that categorically bans trans students from playing on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. Such policies would be considered a violation of Title IX.Still, the proposal leaves room for schools to develop team eligibility rules that could ultimately result in restrictions around trans athletes’ participation.That would be allowed only if it serves “important educational objectives,” such as fairness in competition and reduction of injury risks.Any limits would have to consider the sport, the level of competition and the age of students. Elementary school students would generally be allowed to participate on any teams consistent with their gender identity, for example. More competitive teams at high schools and colleges could add limits, but those would be discouraged in teams that don’t have tryouts or cuts.“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” said Miguel Cardona, Biden’s education secretary, in a statement.Biden's administration used “fairness of competition” as criteria, which has been part of the debate both in the U.S. and globally. But officials offered no specifics on how this could be done.Of the&nbsp;<a href="https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372">tens of millions of high school students in the U.S</a>., about 300,000 youth between the ages of 13 to 17 identify as transgender, according to a 2022 study from the Williams Institute, a think tank at UCLA focused on LGBTQ+ issues. The number of athletes within that group is much smaller; a 2017 survey by Human Rights Campaign suggested fewer than 15% of all transgender youth play sports.Asked about the proposal, Bobbie Hirsch, a transgender man and sophomore on the Wayne State men’s fencing team, said “anything helps.” But he feared the language in the rule would make it easier for schools to tell transgender athletes they can’t play on a team. “That’s the direction things have been going,” he said in a phone interview.Hirsch competed on the women's team in the 2021-22 season, and began transitioning socially in high school and medically last summer.Eli Bundy, an 18-year-old transgender resident of Charleston, South Carolina, said they welcomed the proposal but were stopping short of celebrating.“I have a hard time feeling relief when positive stuff happens at the national level, because there’s still so much at the state level from the South Carolina Legislature that is antagonistic and sends a really harmful message to trans youth,” said Bundy, who testified in 2021 against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-government-and-politics-education-legislature-south-carolina-09f1bae4d74b583ed3a5a52cfdf989f1">the state’s ban on transgender students’ participation</a>&nbsp;in girls’ or women’s sports at public schools and colleges.Asked about the state bans now in place, a senior Education Department official briefing reporters on condition of anonymity said Title IX is the law of the land and officials would work to ensure it’s being followed in all the states.In the West Virginia case, the Supreme Court refused to undo an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s teams. The state's law on transgender athletes defines male and female by looking to the student’s “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It applies to middle and high schools, as well as colleges.Elsewhere, Republican lawmakers insisted they had the right to set policies in their states. The Biden administration's announcement came a day after Kansas lawmakers succeeded in overriding Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s third veto in three years of a bill to ban transgender female athletes from girls' and women’s sports.“At what point does the federal government not understand the U.S. Constitution that says we have states’ rights?” said Republican state Rep. Brenda Landwehr, of Wichita. “We can make decisions on our own.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-college-112a4f400a02597c0c33c470baa31863">Critics argue transgender athletes have an advantage</a>&nbsp;over cisgender women in competition. Last year, Lia Thomas became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA swimming title. College sports’ governing body, however, adopted a sport-by-sport approach to transgender athletes in January 2002, though recently the NCAA’s board decided it won’t be fully implemented until 2023-24.The NCAA released a statement Thursday night saying: "The NCAA’s current transgender student-athlete participation policy aligns with the Olympic movement and balances fairness, inclusion and safety for all student-athletes. That policy remains in place while the lengthy Title IX regulatory process plays out.”At the same time, international sports-governing bodies are instituting policies that effectively ban the vast majority of trans women from track field and swimming events.Donna de Varona, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and a member of the Women’s Sports Policy Working Group, said her hope is to find a “nuanced approach” to finding space for transgender athletes while allowing for Title IX to make sure girls and women have “fairness, opportunity and safety.”“There’s plenty of room. ... Why does it have to be in the women’s category? We’re already being compromised in our reproductive rights and now we have the other spectrum with sports,” de Varona said in a phone interview.Sasha Buchert, Lambda Legal senior attorney and director of the group's Nonbinary and Transgender Rights Project, said the proposed rule provided “critical recognition of the importance of participating in sports for transgender youth." At the same time, she expressed concern about whether it would eliminate discrimination against transgender students.But an attorney for cisgender runners decried the proposal as “a slap in the face to female athletes who deserve equal opportunity to compete in their sports.”“The Biden administration’s rewriting Title IX degrades women and tells them that their athletic goals and placements do not matter,” said Christiana Kiefer, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. She represented Connecticut runners who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/danbury-us-news-ap-top-news-hartford-sports-general-8fd300537131153cc44e0cf2ade3244b">sued over the participation of two transgender girls</a>&nbsp;in track and field events.President Joe Biden's administration has made it a priority to bolster the rights of trans students. Last year it proposed a separate federal rule that for the first time would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-sexual-assault-rules-overhaul-title-IX-anniversary-518710ef2b76663c240dc0272903fe93">extend Title IX rights to LGBTQ+ students</a>, broadly protecting them from discrimination in education.That rule — which drew more than 240,000 comments from the public and sharp opposition from conservatives — is expected to be finalized as soon as next month.The new proposal doesn’t offer examples of acceptable limits that could be placed on school sports, but it clarifies that restrictions couldn't be directed at trans students only. Schools would be left to navigate that tricky legal terrain, with the knowledge that any violation could bring a federal civil rights investigation or lawsuits.Schools that choose to impose limits must “minimize harms” to students who lose out on athletics opportunities, the proposal says. If a school can achieve objectives like fairness in ways that cause less harm, then the school could be deemed to be violating Title IX.“Preventing students from participating on a sports team consistent with their gender identity can stigmatize and isolate them,” according to background information provided by the administration. “This is different from the experience of a student who is not selected for a team based on their skills.”Schools that violate Title IX can face penalties up to a complete loss of federal funding, although no school has ever been dealt that punishment.

After Kan. vote, Biden proposes new rule for trans student athletes

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposal designed to thwart investing that considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-esg-investing-3a98b6f584357b8e10c31b1ff93ce4b6">environmental, social and governance</a>&nbsp;factors has cleared the Kansas Legislature, but divisions within its GOP majorities kept the measure from being as strong as some conservatives wanted.

Lawmakers on Thursday approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccr_2023_hb2100_s_2085">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would prevent the state, its pension fund for teachers and government workers and its cities, counties and local school districts from using ESG principles in investing their funds or in awarding contracts. Such investment strategies have become the target of GOP lawmakers across the country who argue they are focused more on pushing political agendas rather than earning the best returns.

At least seven states, including Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, have enacted anti-ESG laws in the past two years. GOP Govs.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flgov.com/2022/08/23/governor-ron-desantis-eliminates-esg-considerations-from-state-pension-investments/">Ron DeSantis of Florida</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Governor_Gianforte_Board_of_Investments_Block_ESG_Investing_of_State_Funds">Greg Gianforte of Montana</a>&nbsp;also have moved to ensure their states’ funds aren’t invested using ESG principles.

Some conservatives lawmakers in Kansas wanted to require managers of private funds to either disclose to clients that ESG principles guide their investing or to get clients' written consent to use ESG. Republican state senators backed a plan to force the state pension fund to divest from nations identified by the U.S. government as foreign adversaries, including China.

But proposals to impose new rules for private money managers spurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/esg-woke-investing-big-business-backlash-be6dac7d7d25d823645525597b6f1782">a strong backlash</a>&nbsp;from influential business and banking groups. House members said the provision requiring the pension fund to divest from other nations was written so broadly that it would prevent investing in companies founded by immigrants fleeing oppression.

“We right here wanted to focus on what we control — state pensions, state investments, government contracts, stuff like that,” said Republican state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, of Wichita, chair of the House committee handling the legislation.

The votes to approve the bill were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406203524_377027/">76-47</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406151935_643567/">27-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate and sent the measure to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. While almost all of the state's Democratic lawmakers voted “no,” Kelly has not said what she will do. Supporters had the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto in the Senate, but not in the House.

“It’s still a panicked response to a fake issue that’s been created by right-wing media,” said state Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat.

About one-eighth of U.S. assets being professionally managed, or $8.4 trillion, are being managed in line with ESG principles, according&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ussif.org//Files/Trends/2022/Trends%202022%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">a report in December</a>&nbsp;from US SIF, which promotes sustainable investing.

Supporters of ESG principles in investing argue that it's financially more prudent to consider issues such as whether a shift to green energy makes investing in fossil fuel companies riskier. Last month, hundreds of investors, companies and institutions signed on to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomtoinvest.org/signatories/">“Freedom to Invest” statement</a>&nbsp;arguing that ignoring “the robust economic benefits" of clean energy represented a failure to build a stronger economy.

“Climate change poses a threat to the safety of our communities and the long-term value creation of the economy, and addressing its risks upholds investors’ fiduciary duty,” the statement said.

Xu said that even the mildest version of the bill still would hinder cities and counties when awarding contracts. Hoheisel said he's not worried about it being a problem.

Across the U.S., the criticism of ESG from Republicans has sometimes been heated.

Last month, 19 GOP governors, including DeSantis and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.sd.gov/doc/JointGovernors-Policy-StatementonESG_3-16-2023.pdf">a joint statement</a>&nbsp;calling ESG a “direct threat to the American economy, individual economic freedom, and our way of life.” And Utah’s Republican state treasurer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/03/14/utah-treasurer-marlo-oaks-tells/">told a GOP gathering</a>&nbsp;that ESG “opens the door to authoritarianism” and is “Satan’s plan.”

Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Kansas City-area Republican and chair of the Senate committee handling the legislation, backed the provisions on private managers and investments outside the U.S.

While he wouldn't go as far as the governors or Utah treasurer, Thompson argued that pushing investors away from lumber, mining, agriculture or fossil fuel companies harms industries critical to the economy and hurts national security.

Still, most of the Kansas debate centered on whether investment earnings drop when managers use ESG principles.

Kansas State Treasurer Steven Johnson, who supports the bill, said: "We’re interested in the highest and best return for Kansas.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposal designed to thwart investing that considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-esg-investing-3a98b6f584357b8e10c31b1ff93ce4b6">environmental, social and governance</a>&nbsp;factors has cleared the Kansas Legislature, but divisions within its GOP majorities kept the measure from being as strong as some conservatives wanted.Lawmakers on Thursday approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccr_2023_hb2100_s_2085">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would prevent the state, its pension fund for teachers and government workers and its cities, counties and local school districts from using ESG principles in investing their funds or in awarding contracts. Such investment strategies have become the target of GOP lawmakers across the country who argue they are focused more on pushing political agendas rather than earning the best returns.At least seven states, including Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia, have enacted anti-ESG laws in the past two years. GOP Govs.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.flgov.com/2022/08/23/governor-ron-desantis-eliminates-esg-considerations-from-state-pension-investments/">Ron DeSantis of Florida</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://news.mt.gov/Governors-Office/Governor_Gianforte_Board_of_Investments_Block_ESG_Investing_of_State_Funds">Greg Gianforte of Montana</a>&nbsp;also have moved to ensure their states’ funds aren’t invested using ESG principles.Some conservatives lawmakers in Kansas wanted to require managers of private funds to either disclose to clients that ESG principles guide their investing or to get clients' written consent to use ESG. Republican state senators backed a plan to force the state pension fund to divest from nations identified by the U.S. government as foreign adversaries, including China.But proposals to impose new rules for private money managers spurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/esg-woke-investing-big-business-backlash-be6dac7d7d25d823645525597b6f1782">a strong backlash</a>&nbsp;from influential business and banking groups. House members said the provision requiring the pension fund to divest from other nations was written so broadly that it would prevent investing in companies founded by immigrants fleeing oppression.“We right here wanted to focus on what we control — state pensions, state investments, government contracts, stuff like that,” said Republican state Rep. Nick Hoheisel, of Wichita, chair of the House committee handling the legislation.The votes to approve the bill were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406203524_377027/">76-47</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406151935_643567/">27-12</a>&nbsp;in the Senate and sent the measure to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. While almost all of the state's Democratic lawmakers voted “no,” Kelly has not said what she will do. Supporters had the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto in the Senate, but not in the House.“It’s still a panicked response to a fake issue that’s been created by right-wing media,” said state Rep. Rui Xu, a Kansas City-area Democrat.About one-eighth of U.S. assets being professionally managed, or $8.4 trillion, are being managed in line with ESG principles, according&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ussif.org//Files/Trends/2022/Trends%202022%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">a report in December</a>&nbsp;from US SIF, which promotes sustainable investing.Supporters of ESG principles in investing argue that it's financially more prudent to consider issues such as whether a shift to green energy makes investing in fossil fuel companies riskier. Last month, hundreds of investors, companies and institutions signed on to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.freedomtoinvest.org/signatories/">“Freedom to Invest” statement</a>&nbsp;arguing that ignoring “the robust economic benefits" of clean energy represented a failure to build a stronger economy.“Climate change poses a threat to the safety of our communities and the long-term value creation of the economy, and addressing its risks upholds investors’ fiduciary duty,” the statement said.Xu said that even the mildest version of the bill still would hinder cities and counties when awarding contracts. Hoheisel said he's not worried about it being a problem.Across the U.S., the criticism of ESG from Republicans has sometimes been heated.Last month, 19 GOP governors, including DeSantis and Kristi Noem of South Dakota, issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.sd.gov/doc/JointGovernors-Policy-StatementonESG_3-16-2023.pdf">a joint statement</a>&nbsp;calling ESG a “direct threat to the American economy, individual economic freedom, and our way of life.” And Utah’s Republican state treasurer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/03/14/utah-treasurer-marlo-oaks-tells/">told a GOP gathering</a>&nbsp;that ESG “opens the door to authoritarianism” and is “Satan’s plan.”Kansas state Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative Kansas City-area Republican and chair of the Senate committee handling the legislation, backed the provisions on private managers and investments outside the U.S.While he wouldn't go as far as the governors or Utah treasurer, Thompson argued that pushing investors away from lumber, mining, agriculture or fossil fuel companies harms industries critical to the economy and hurts national security.Still, most of the Kansas debate centered on whether investment earnings drop when managers use ESG principles.Kansas State Treasurer Steven Johnson, who supports the bill, said: "We’re interested in the highest and best return for Kansas.”___

Kansas passes anti-ESG bill, but it's milder than some want

Washington&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee member, released the following statement addressing President Biden's Veto of the Bipartisan Resolution to reverse the Administration's revised definition of 'Waters of the United States,' according to a statement from the Senator's office.

"President Biden has once again put D.C. Bureaucrats over our nation's Agricultural producers,"&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. "Farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of our land and are invested in protecting the quality of our nation's waterways."

"Kansans know that the unconstitutional Obama-era WOTUS ruling drastically expanded the federal government's involvement with minimal improvements in water quality – resulting in more red tape for our producers. The Biden rule was just as expansive, and that is why we sent bipartisan legislation to the president that would strike down his massive overstep."

"Consistent and clear guidelines and regulations are vital in protecting our waterways – we cannot keep moving the goalpost. Sadly, that is exactly what this Administration did this week,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall.

Washington&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, a U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee member, released the following statement addressing President Biden's Veto of the Bipartisan Resolution to reverse the Administration's revised definition of 'Waters of the United States,' according to a statement from the Senator's office.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I just vetoed a bill that attempted to block our Administration from protecting our nation&#39;s waterways – a resource millions of Americans depend on – from destruction and pollution. Let me be clear: Every American has a right to clean water. This veto protects that right. <a href="https://t.co/ozfOVu5HEq">pic.twitter.com/ozfOVu5HEq</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1644060920547627012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"President Biden has once again put D.C. Bureaucrats over our nation's Agricultural producers,"&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall. "Farmers and ranchers are the best stewards of our land and are invested in protecting the quality of our nation's waterways.""Kansans know that the unconstitutional Obama-era WOTUS ruling drastically expanded the federal government's involvement with minimal improvements in water quality – resulting in more red tape for our producers. The Biden rule was just as expansive, and that is why we sent bipartisan legislation to the president that would strike down his massive overstep.""Consistent and clear guidelines and regulations are vital in protecting our waterways – we cannot keep moving the goalpost. Sadly, that is exactly what this Administration did this week,”&nbsp;said Senator Roger Marshall.

Senator Marshall rips Biden on veto of WOTUS rule

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY —Rural firefighters responded to two controlled burns that got out of control within a matter of minutes of each other Thursday afternoon in Saline County.

Just before 4p.m., Sheriff's deputies and personnel from Rural Fire District No. 2 were sent to the 400 block of E. Water Well Road after a control burn reignited, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.

A 53-year-old Saline County man who had a burn permit had burned a pile of brush and thought he had put everything out afterward.

After the man left the property, the fire rekindled, setting some nearby grass on fire, Melander said. The fire spread to two wood piles, destroying them. The reignited fire was reported by neighbors.

Melander said that although the fire came close, no buildings were damaged. There was no damage estimate provided for the fire.

At 3:58 p.m. Thursday, a 45-year-old man who was conducting a controlled burn on some grass in the 9500 block of Forsse Road south of Falun called for help after the wind shifted, blowing embers onto a nearby wooden barn. Although the man had a water hose on hand, the water stream did not reach the top of the barn, Melander said.

Personnel from Rural Fire District No. 6 responded to the blaze and requested assistance from Rural Fire District No. 2 and the Marquette Fire Department. By the time they arrived, the fire had spread to a stubble field. The fire was extinguished, but not before the barn was destroyed and 100 yards of stubble had burned, Melander said. Additionally, a nearby Ford F150 had some fire damage.

Loss of the barn, which had some miscellaneous tools inside, was estimated at $15,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680883701718.jpeg" alt="The blaze in 400 block of E. Water Well Road south of Salina. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>The blaze in 400 block of E. Water Well Road south of Salina. Photos courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINE COUNTY —Rural firefighters responded to two controlled burns that got out of control within a matter of minutes of each other Thursday afternoon in Saline County.Just before 4p.m., Sheriff's deputies and personnel from Rural Fire District No. 2 were sent to the 400 block of E. Water Well Road after a control burn reignited, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.A 53-year-old Saline County man who had a burn permit had burned a pile of brush and thought he had put everything out afterward.After the man left the property, the fire rekindled, setting some nearby grass on fire, Melander said. The fire spread to two wood piles, destroying them. The reignited fire was reported by neighbors.Melander said that although the fire came close, no buildings were damaged. There was no damage estimate provided for the fire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680884064582.jpeg" alt="The fire destroyed this barn in the 9500 block of Forsse Road." />
 <figcaption>The fire destroyed this barn in the 9500 block of Forsse Road.</figcaption>
 </figure>At 3:58 p.m. Thursday, a 45-year-old man who was conducting a controlled burn on some grass in the 9500 block of Forsse Road south of Falun called for help after the wind shifted, blowing embers onto a nearby wooden barn. Although the man had a water hose on hand, the water stream did not reach the top of the barn, Melander said.Personnel from Rural Fire District No. 6 responded to the blaze and requested assistance from Rural Fire District No. 2 and the Marquette Fire Department. By the time they arrived, the fire had spread to a stubble field. The fire was extinguished, but not before the barn was destroyed and 100 yards of stubble had burned, Melander said. Additionally, a nearby Ford F150 had some fire damage.Loss of the barn, which had some miscellaneous tools inside, was estimated at $15,000.

Sheriff: Controlled burns cause damage in central Kansas

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities, as part of a traffic stop&nbsp; in western Douglas County recovered more than 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills, 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine and a suspected stolen firearm, according to sheriff's department spokesperson George Diepenbrock.

The arrest and subsequent investigation led to a search warrant being served in Shawnee County where the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office recovered additional methamphetamine and suspected fentanyl pills.

“The arrest and recovery of about 1,000 pills headed for Lawrence and marked with an M match the description of pills that are dressed up to look like legitimate Oxycodone pills, though they are laced with fentanyl,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said.

 “These pills are sold to kids and community members as something they are not, in order to get people addicted – deadly consequences aside. Cases like this show why it’s critical for law enforcement to disrupt the supply of these dangerous substances, while also educating our community and especially our youth about the dangers of taking what appears to be a legitimate prescription pill when something much more sinister and fatal lurks just beneath its surface.”

Armbrister added: “In addressing the opioid crisis, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is committed not only to education and enforcement but we will continue to advocate for policy-level changes like making and keeping Fentanyl testing supplies and Narcan legal and available to our community members.”

A DGSO deputy stopped an eastbound gray Chevrolet Tahoe for a traffic infraction just before 5 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. Highway 40 near the Shawnee County line. The DGSO K-9 unit was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics.

After searching the vehicle, deputies recovered 2.5 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and 1,002 suspected pressed fentanyl pills, the handgun and other property. 

Deputies have sent the suspected narcotics to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for formal identification and analysis.

The driver of the vehicle in Douglas County, a 32-year-old Topeka man, was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility on requested charges of two counts of felony drug distribution and one count of possession of stolen property related to the recovered handgun.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680810732040.png" alt="Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities, as part of a traffic stop&nbsp; in western Douglas County recovered more than 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills, 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine and a suspected stolen firearm, according to sheriff's department spokesperson George Diepenbrock.The arrest and subsequent investigation led to a search warrant being served in Shawnee County where the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office recovered additional methamphetamine and suspected fentanyl pills.“The arrest and recovery of about 1,000 pills headed for Lawrence and marked with an M match the description of pills that are dressed up to look like legitimate Oxycodone pills, though they are laced with fentanyl,” Sheriff Jay Armbrister said. “These pills are sold to kids and community members as something they are not, in order to get people addicted – deadly consequences aside. Cases like this show why it’s critical for law enforcement to disrupt the supply of these dangerous substances, while also educating our community and especially our youth about the dangers of taking what appears to be a legitimate prescription pill when something much more sinister and fatal lurks just beneath its surface.”Armbrister added: “In addressing the opioid crisis, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is committed not only to education and enforcement but we will continue to advocate for policy-level changes like making and keeping Fentanyl testing supplies and Narcan legal and available to our community members.”A DGSO deputy stopped an eastbound gray Chevrolet Tahoe for a traffic infraction just before 5 p.m. Wednesday on U.S. Highway 40 near the Shawnee County line. The DGSO K-9 unit was deployed and alerted to the presence of narcotics.After searching the vehicle, deputies recovered 2.5 pounds of suspected methamphetamine and 1,002 suspected pressed fentanyl pills, the handgun and other property. Deputies have sent the suspected narcotics to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation for formal identification and analysis.The driver of the vehicle in Douglas County, a 32-year-old Topeka man, was arrested and booked into the Douglas County Correctional Facility on requested charges of two counts of felony drug distribution and one count of possession of stolen property related to the recovered handgun.&nbsp;

Kan. deputies recover more than 1,000 suspected fentanyl pills

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion opponents pushed a bill through the Kansas Legislature early Friday to require providers to tell patients that a medication abortion can be “reversed” once it's started — a measure that could face a state court challenge if its supporters can overcome the governor's expected veto.

Republican lawmakers pursued the bill even though experts dispute abortion opponents' claims about medication abortions. Democrats argue the measure defies a decisive statewide vote in August affirming abortion rights. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a similar measure in 2019.

Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with GOP-controlled legislatures because its legal and political climate won't allow a ban on abortion, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">ruling in June 2022</a>&nbsp;that states can outlaw abortion. The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">last year's vote was to reject</a>&nbsp;stripping out that protection.

“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from the liberal northeastern Kansas community of Lawrence, home to the main University of Kansas campus, said during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”

Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion groups contend the vote last year doesn't preclude “reasonable” restrictions. They contend that the “abortion pill reversal” measure only ensures that patients have information.

“They need to be knowledgeable about what can happen,” Republican state Rep. Susan Humphries, of Wichita, during a debate on the issue last week.

The votes for the final version of the bill were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230407042712_286375/">80-38</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406233228_497570/">26-11</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. In both chambers, abortion opponents were short of the two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto but enough absent lawmakers might have voted “yes” for an override to be possible.

But even then, the measure still could be challenged in court by providers who believe it would force them to give patients inaccurate information. Lawsuits have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-lawsuits-kansas-3eb09cbcdfb18e06aee024e557f9814c">prevented Kansas from enforcing</a>&nbsp;a 2015 ban on a common second-trimester abortion procedure and a 2011 law imposing extra health and safety rules for abortion providers.

Meanwhile, legislators this week also approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/born-alive-abortion-bill-kansas-legislature-45f8c977187656d8340eae5a44d87de0">a bill dealing with live deliveries</a>&nbsp;during certain types of abortion procedures. Doctors could face criminal charges or lawsuits for monetary damages if they are accused of not providing reasonable care to an infant delivered alive during certain types of abortion procedures.

And lawmakers have included $2 million in state tax dollars in the next state budget for centers that provide free prenatal and post-birth counseling and other services as they seek to discourage women from having abortions. Abortion opponents also are pursuing creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-united-states-government-kansas-health-c0c8a6cbe211ca4970e3a38b3aa7faf9">an income tax credit</a>&nbsp;for donors to those centers, allowing up to $10 million total a year.

“This is not about abortion and it's not about a ban. We heard the vote. We get that,” House health committee Chair Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, told colleagues during a debate on the issue last week. “We also heard you say we don't care and now we're trying to step up to the plate.”

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says there is no scientific evidence that the “reversal” method, involving using the hormone progesterone in place of the second abortion medication, is safe or effective.

Two physicians started using the “reversal” method more than 15 years ago, and abortion opponents note that progesterone is often used to try to prevent women from miscarrying a pregnancy. One of the doctors who participated in a 2018 study said doctors followed more than 750 women who'd sought to reverse medication abortions and said a sizeable majority were successful.

Critics have said the study was flawed and couldn't show whether the women would have carried their pregnancies to term without progesterone.

“Kansas deserves providers who are free to stick to fact-based health care and not forced to spread scientific myths,” Democratic state Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Kansas City nurse practioner, said during Friday's debate.

But abortion opponents said it's not improper to promote what is essentially an off-label use for progesterone.

“Heck, we use a lot of things off label,” state Rep. John Eplee, a northeastern Kansas doctor, said during last week's debate. "Viagra — sildenafil — was used as a medication for pulmonary hypertension for five years until they found all the male patients woke up with complications, quote-unquote, from it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680876787570.png" alt="“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from Lawrence during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion opponents pushed a bill through the Kansas Legislature early Friday to require providers to tell patients that a medication abortion can be “reversed” once it's started — a measure that could face a state court challenge if its supporters can overcome the governor's expected veto.Republican lawmakers pursued the bill even though experts dispute abortion opponents' claims about medication abortions. Democrats argue the measure defies a decisive statewide vote in August affirming abortion rights. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a similar measure in 2019.Kansas has been an outlier on abortion among states with GOP-controlled legislatures because its legal and political climate won't allow a ban on abortion, despite the U.S. Supreme Court's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">ruling in June 2022</a>&nbsp;that states can outlaw abortion. The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">ruled in 2019</a>&nbsp;that access to abortion is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">last year's vote was to reject</a>&nbsp;stripping out that protection.“The people of Kansas have spoken,” state Rep. Christina Haswood, a Democrat from the liberal northeastern Kansas community of Lawrence, home to the main University of Kansas campus, said during Friday's brief debate. “They do not want us touching anything on abortion.”Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion groups contend the vote last year doesn't preclude “reasonable” restrictions. They contend that the “abortion pill reversal” measure only ensures that patients have information.“They need to be knowledgeable about what can happen,” Republican state Rep. Susan Humphries, of Wichita, during a debate on the issue last week.The votes for the final version of the bill were&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230407042712_286375/">80-38</a>&nbsp;in the House and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406233228_497570/">26-11</a>&nbsp;in the Senate. In both chambers, abortion opponents were short of the two-thirds majorities needed to override a veto but enough absent lawmakers might have voted “yes” for an override to be possible.But even then, the measure still could be challenged in court by providers who believe it would force them to give patients inaccurate information. Lawsuits have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-lawsuits-kansas-3eb09cbcdfb18e06aee024e557f9814c">prevented Kansas from enforcing</a>&nbsp;a 2015 ban on a common second-trimester abortion procedure and a 2011 law imposing extra health and safety rules for abortion providers.Meanwhile, legislators this week also approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/born-alive-abortion-bill-kansas-legislature-45f8c977187656d8340eae5a44d87de0">a bill dealing with live deliveries</a>&nbsp;during certain types of abortion procedures. Doctors could face criminal charges or lawsuits for monetary damages if they are accused of not providing reasonable care to an infant delivered alive during certain types of abortion procedures.And lawmakers have included $2 million in state tax dollars in the next state budget for centers that provide free prenatal and post-birth counseling and other services as they seek to discourage women from having abortions. Abortion opponents also are pursuing creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-politics-united-states-government-kansas-health-c0c8a6cbe211ca4970e3a38b3aa7faf9">an income tax credit</a>&nbsp;for donors to those centers, allowing up to $10 million total a year.“This is not about abortion and it's not about a ban. We heard the vote. We get that,” House health committee Chair Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, told colleagues during a debate on the issue last week. “We also heard you say we don't care and now we're trying to step up to the plate.”The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology says there is no scientific evidence that the “reversal” method, involving using the hormone progesterone in place of the second abortion medication, is safe or effective.Two physicians started using the “reversal” method more than 15 years ago, and abortion opponents note that progesterone is often used to try to prevent women from miscarrying a pregnancy. One of the doctors who participated in a 2018 study said doctors followed more than 750 women who'd sought to reverse medication abortions and said a sizeable majority were successful.Critics have said the study was flawed and couldn't show whether the women would have carried their pregnancies to term without progesterone.“Kansas deserves providers who are free to stick to fact-based health care and not forced to spread scientific myths,” Democratic state Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Kansas City nurse practioner, said during Friday's debate.But abortion opponents said it's not improper to promote what is essentially an off-label use for progesterone.“Heck, we use a lot of things off label,” state Rep. John Eplee, a northeastern Kansas doctor, said during last week's debate. "Viagra — sildenafil — was used as a medication for pulmonary hypertension for five years until they found all the male patients woke up with complications, quote-unquote, from it.”

Abortion pill plan clears Kansas Legislature

TOPEKA —Minimum-custody inmate Kyler K. Milbrandt turned himself in to the Wichita Work Release Facility several hours after being placed on escape status Thursday night, according to Kansas Department of Corrections spokesperson David Thompson.

Milbrandt, a 29-year-old American Indian male serving a sentence for a convictions of drug possession, theft and aggravated assault  out of Reno County, was reported missing when he did not return to the facility after work. He returned to the facility at 1:30am and was placed under arrest and will be charged with one count of escape.

TOPEKA, Kansas. –&nbsp;Minimum-custody inmate Kyler K. Milbrandt was placed on escape status at approximately 8:50 p.m. Thursday after it was reported that he walked away from Wichita Work Release Facility, according to a media release from the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Milbrandt, is a 29-year-old American Indian male serving a sentence for a convictions of drug possession, theft and aggravated assault &nbsp;out of Reno County.

Milbrandt is described as 6 feet tall, 209 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.

Anyone with information on Milbrandt can call the Kansas Department of Corrections at 316-779-5814, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680861490922.png" alt="Milbrandt-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Milbrandt-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Minimum-custody inmate Kyler K. Milbrandt turned himself in to the Wichita Work Release Facility several hours after being placed on escape status Thursday night, according to Kansas Department of Corrections spokesperson David Thompson.Milbrandt, a 29-year-old American Indian male serving a sentence for a convictions of drug possession, theft and aggravated assault out of Reno County, was reported missing when he did not return to the facility after work. He returned to the facility at 1:30am and was placed under arrest and will be charged with one count of escape.-------TOPEKA, Kansas. –&nbsp;Minimum-custody inmate Kyler K. Milbrandt was placed on escape status at approximately 8:50 p.m. Thursday after it was reported that he walked away from Wichita Work Release Facility, according to a media release from the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.Milbrandt, is a 29-year-old American Indian male serving a sentence for a convictions of drug possession, theft and aggravated assault &nbsp;out of Reno County.Milbrandt is described as 6 feet tall, 209 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.Anyone with information on Milbrandt can call the Kansas Department of Corrections at 316-779-5814, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at (800) 572-7463 or local law enforcement at 911.

Kan. Inmate who walked away from work release turns himself in

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers approved a bill Thursday aimed at helping parents opt their children out of public school lessons with LGBTQ-themed materials, as a Democratic lawmaker whose vote was crucial to banning transgender female athletes from girls' and women's sports faced calls to resign.

GOP conservatives also hadn’t given up on trying to pass a bill aimed at ending gender-affirming care for minors. They were working on a measure late Thursday night.

The Republican-controlled Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406112108_845512/">voted 76-46</a>&nbsp;to approve&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2236_02_0000.pdf">a “parental rights” measure</a>&nbsp;that would allow a parent to place their child in an alternative to a public K-12 school lesson or activity that “impairs the parent’s sincerely held beliefs, values or principles.” The GOP-dominated Senate approved the measure last week, so it goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

“If there is one family who are denied their rights, we need to address it,” said Republican state Rep. Susan Estes, of Wichita.

While the measure covers lessons and materials dealing with race and possibly even evolution, it also is in line with the push by Republicans in statehouses across the U.S. to roll back LGBTQ rights, particularly transgender rights. State Rep. Heather Meyer, a Kansas City-area Democrat, called the measure a “perfect vehicle” for anti-LGBTQ discrimination.

“We can see what’s been done in other states across the country where they have used this as a vehicle to attack the LGBTQ community,” said Meyer, who is bisexual and has a 13-year-old transgender son.

The Legislature on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-bill-kansas-cbdc14be5bf1fb6e1a0749cad52e8ebc">approved a broad bathroom bill</a>&nbsp;and on Wednesday voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-ban-kansas-08604c663518fb2538565f3e1ac3d4ba">override Kelly's veto</a>&nbsp;of the measure on transgender athletes. Kansas is the 20th state to enact such a sports ban, and its law applies to club and school sports from kindergarten through college starting July 1.

GOP lawmakers also hoped to pass&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2138_03_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;Thursday that would require Kansas public schools to keep transgender girls from rooming with cisgendered girls and transgender boys, with cisgendered boys, on overnight school trips.

Kelly&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2022/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb58_enrolled.pdf">vetoed a bill last year</a>&nbsp;that would have made it easier for parents to try to remove classroom or library materials. Supporters of this year's bill still were short of the two-thirds majorities in both chambers necessary to override a veto.

“What we heard in committee were parents who not only went to their teacher, they went to their principal and higher up in their school district and did not have their concerns addressed,” Estes said.

Meanwhile, conservative Republicans were able to override Kelly's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto</a>&nbsp;of a bill on transgender athletes in three years because of the “yes” vote from a single Democrat, freshman Rep. Marvin Robinson, of Kansas City.

That Kansas vote came a day before President Joe Biden's administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-athletes-sports-ban-2f6cf412d306e73e68efa2377fb5081a">announced a proposal</a>&nbsp;to bar schools and colleges from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes but allow them to set some limits to preserve fairness.

Robinson represents a heavily Democratic district and replaced a retiring lawmaker who voted against overriding Kelly's veto in 2022. Kansas Young Democrats and the state Democratic Party's LGBTQ+ and Progressive caucuses demanded that he step down after Wednesday's vote.

Robinson also supported the parents' rights measure. Kansas House Democratic Leader Vic Miller said he would be “pleased” if Robinson resigned.

“Right now, he’s voting more with the other party than he is with ours," Miller said. “He ran as a Democrat, but he doesn’t seem to be serving as a Democrat.”

Robinson told a conservative Kansas City radio talk show Thursday morning that he thought he was “on the same page” as Kelly because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-education-legislature-gay-rights-kansas-e32307ef93c0c64056e34f2d8a51efe2">a television commercial</a>&nbsp;she aired during her reelection campaign. In that ad, Kelly looked into the camera and said: “Of course men should not play girls’ sports. OK, we all agree there.”

At the time, Republicans accused Kelly of lying about her record. LGBTQ-rights advocates interpreted her comment as saying men playing girl's sports wasn't an issue because transgender girls and women are female.

Robinson told The Associated Press that no one in the Democratic Party told him last year that he was expected to vote against bills on transgender athletes. He also said a female Democratic colleague that he declined to name “told me I should die.”

He rejected criticism that his vote is "hurting people’s kids.”

“Who could mistreat and look down on anybody?” he said. “You know, everybody is God’s creation.”

He told the radio host that friends told him: “Man, you're up there with a bunch of demons.”

Meyer said “absolutely none" of Robinson's fellow Democrats would have told him after the vote that he should die.

“We care about mental health and we care about our colleagues, even if we disagree,” Meyer said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680815563129.png" alt="Rep. Susan Estes carried a bill that would allow parents to withdraw their students from learning material they objected to. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Susan Estes carried a bill that would allow parents to withdraw their students from learning material they objected to. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers approved a bill Thursday aimed at helping parents opt their children out of public school lessons with LGBTQ-themed materials, as a Democratic lawmaker whose vote was crucial to banning transgender female athletes from girls' and women's sports faced calls to resign.GOP conservatives also hadn’t given up on trying to pass a bill aimed at ending gender-affirming care for minors. They were working on a measure late Thursday night.The Republican-controlled Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230406112108_845512/">voted 76-46</a>&nbsp;to approve&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2236_02_0000.pdf">a “parental rights” measure</a>&nbsp;that would allow a parent to place their child in an alternative to a public K-12 school lesson or activity that “impairs the parent’s sincerely held beliefs, values or principles.” The GOP-dominated Senate approved the measure last week, so it goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.“If there is one family who are denied their rights, we need to address it,” said Republican state Rep. Susan Estes, of Wichita.While the measure covers lessons and materials dealing with race and possibly even evolution, it also is in line with the push by Republicans in statehouses across the U.S. to roll back LGBTQ rights, particularly transgender rights. State Rep. Heather Meyer, a Kansas City-area Democrat, called the measure a “perfect vehicle” for anti-LGBTQ discrimination.“We can see what’s been done in other states across the country where they have used this as a vehicle to attack the LGBTQ community,” said Meyer, who is bisexual and has a 13-year-old transgender son.The Legislature on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-bill-kansas-cbdc14be5bf1fb6e1a0749cad52e8ebc">approved a broad bathroom bill</a>&nbsp;and on Wednesday voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-ban-kansas-08604c663518fb2538565f3e1ac3d4ba">override Kelly's veto</a>&nbsp;of the measure on transgender athletes. Kansas is the 20th state to enact such a sports ban, and its law applies to club and school sports from kindergarten through college starting July 1.GOP lawmakers also hoped to pass&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/hb2138_03_0000.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;Thursday that would require Kansas public schools to keep transgender girls from rooming with cisgendered girls and transgender boys, with cisgendered boys, on overnight school trips.Kelly&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2022/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb58_enrolled.pdf">vetoed a bill last year</a>&nbsp;that would have made it easier for parents to try to remove classroom or library materials. Supporters of this year's bill still were short of the two-thirds majorities in both chambers necessary to override a veto.“What we heard in committee were parents who not only went to their teacher, they went to their principal and higher up in their school district and did not have their concerns addressed,” Estes said.Meanwhile, conservative Republicans were able to override Kelly's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto</a>&nbsp;of a bill on transgender athletes in three years because of the “yes” vote from a single Democrat, freshman Rep. Marvin Robinson, of Kansas City.That Kansas vote came a day before President Joe Biden's administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trans-athletes-sports-ban-2f6cf412d306e73e68efa2377fb5081a">announced a proposal</a>&nbsp;to bar schools and colleges from enacting outright bans on transgender athletes but allow them to set some limits to preserve fairness.Robinson represents a heavily Democratic district and replaced a retiring lawmaker who voted against overriding Kelly's veto in 2022. Kansas Young Democrats and the state Democratic Party's LGBTQ+ and Progressive caucuses demanded that he step down after Wednesday's vote.Robinson also supported the parents' rights measure. Kansas House Democratic Leader Vic Miller said he would be “pleased” if Robinson resigned.“Right now, he’s voting more with the other party than he is with ours," Miller said. “He ran as a Democrat, but he doesn’t seem to be serving as a Democrat.”Robinson told a conservative Kansas City radio talk show Thursday morning that he thought he was “on the same page” as Kelly because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-education-legislature-gay-rights-kansas-e32307ef93c0c64056e34f2d8a51efe2">a television commercial</a>&nbsp;she aired during her reelection campaign. In that ad, Kelly looked into the camera and said: “Of course men should not play girls’ sports. OK, we all agree there.”At the time, Republicans accused Kelly of lying about her record. LGBTQ-rights advocates interpreted her comment as saying men playing girl's sports wasn't an issue because transgender girls and women are female.Robinson told The Associated Press that no one in the Democratic Party told him last year that he was expected to vote against bills on transgender athletes. He also said a female Democratic colleague that he declined to name “told me I should die.”He rejected criticism that his vote is "hurting people’s kids.”“Who could mistreat and look down on anybody?” he said. “You know, everybody is God’s creation.”He told the radio host that friends told him: “Man, you're up there with a bunch of demons.”Meyer said “absolutely none" of Robinson's fellow Democrats would have told him after the vote that he should die.“We care about mental health and we care about our colleagues, even if we disagree,” Meyer said.

Kansas OKs bill on opting kids out of LGBTQ-themed lessons

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. review led by the National Security Council of the chaotic 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan largely lays the blame on former President Donald Trump, saying President Joe Biden was “severely constrained" by the decisions of his predecessor.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/US-Withdrawal-from-Afghanistan.pdf">CLICK here</a> to read the report

(Click below watch National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on the report.)

The White House on Thursday publicly released a 12-page summary of the results of the so-called “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-military-withdrawal-biden-government-review-f64d6ef65b1b892b00f0d830e5c11ddd">hotwash</a>&nbsp;” of U.S. policies around the ending of the nation's longest war, taking little responsibility for its own actions during some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-afghanistan-biden-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-92a61266ea72b54aeefe14fe2450792b">darkest moments of Biden's presidency</a>.

The administration said most of the after-action reviews, which were transmitted privately to Congress on Thursday, were highly classified and would not be released publicly.

“President Biden’s choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor,” the White House summary states, noting that when Biden entered office, “the Taliban were in the strongest military position that they had been in since 2001, controlling or contesting nearly half of the country.”

The report does fault overly optimistic intelligence community assessments about the Afghan army's willingness to fight, and says Biden followed military commanders' recommendations for the pacing of the drawdown of U.S. forces.

The White House asserts the mistakes of Afghanistan informed its handling of Ukraine, where the Biden administration has been credited for supporting Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s invasion. The White House says it simulated worst-case scenarios prior to the February 2022 invasion and moved to release intelligence about Moscow’s intentions months beforehand.

“We now prioritize earlier evacuations when faced with a degrading security situation,” the White House said.

In an apparent attempt to defend its national security decision-making, the Biden administration also notes that it released pre-war warnings over “strong objections from senior officials in the Ukrainian government.”

Republicans in Congress have sharply criticized the Afghanistan withdrawal, focusing on the deaths of 13 service members in a suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport.

Former Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who was badly wounded in the explosion, told a congressional hearing last month that the withdrawal “was a catastrophe” and “there was an inexcusable lack of accountability.”

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby credited U.S. forces for their actions in running the largest airborne evacuation of noncombatants in history during the chaos of Kabul's fall.

“They ended our nation’s longest war," he told reporters. “That was never going to be an easy thing to do. And as the president himself has said, it was never going to be low grade or low risk or low cost.”

Since the U.S. withdrawal, Biden has blamed the February 2020 agreement Trump reached with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, saying it boxed the U.S. into leaving the country. The agreement gave the Taliban significant legitimacy and has been blamed by analysts for undercutting the U.S.-backed government, which would collapse so quickly a year later.

But the agreement also gave the U.S. the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-taliban-doha-e6f48507848aef2ee849154604aa11be">right to withdraw</a>&nbsp;from the accord if Afghan peace talks failed — which they did.

The agreement required the U.S. to remove all forces by May 1, 2021. Biden pushed a full withdrawal to September but declined to delay further, saying it would prolong a war that had long needed to end.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630691600635.png" alt="U.S. Army soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021. -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Army soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2021. -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. review led by the National Security Council of the chaotic 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan largely lays the blame on former President Donald Trump, saying President Joe Biden was “severely constrained" by the decisions of his predecessor.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/US-Withdrawal-from-Afghanistan.pdf">CLICK here</a> to read the report(Click below watch National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on the report.)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1869887000041300%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=466" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The White House on Thursday publicly released a 12-page summary of the results of the so-called “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-military-withdrawal-biden-government-review-f64d6ef65b1b892b00f0d830e5c11ddd">hotwash</a>&nbsp;” of U.S. policies around the ending of the nation's longest war, taking little responsibility for its own actions during some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-afghanistan-biden-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-92a61266ea72b54aeefe14fe2450792b">darkest moments of Biden's presidency</a>.The administration said most of the after-action reviews, which were transmitted privately to Congress on Thursday, were highly classified and would not be released publicly.“President Biden’s choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor,” the White House summary states, noting that when Biden entered office, “the Taliban were in the strongest military position that they had been in since 2001, controlling or contesting nearly half of the country.”The report does fault overly optimistic intelligence community assessments about the Afghan army's willingness to fight, and says Biden followed military commanders' recommendations for the pacing of the drawdown of U.S. forces.The White House asserts the mistakes of Afghanistan informed its handling of Ukraine, where the Biden administration has been credited for supporting Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s invasion. The White House says it simulated worst-case scenarios prior to the February 2022 invasion and moved to release intelligence about Moscow’s intentions months beforehand.“We now prioritize earlier evacuations when faced with a degrading security situation,” the White House said.In an apparent attempt to defend its national security decision-making, the Biden administration also notes that it released pre-war warnings over “strong objections from senior officials in the Ukrainian government.”Republicans in Congress have sharply criticized the Afghanistan withdrawal, focusing on the deaths of 13 service members in a suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport.Former Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews, who was badly wounded in the explosion, told a congressional hearing last month that the withdrawal “was a catastrophe” and “there was an inexcusable lack of accountability.”National Security Council spokesman John Kirby credited U.S. forces for their actions in running the largest airborne evacuation of noncombatants in history during the chaos of Kabul's fall.“They ended our nation’s longest war," he told reporters. “That was never going to be an easy thing to do. And as the president himself has said, it was never going to be low grade or low risk or low cost.”Since the U.S. withdrawal, Biden has blamed the February 2020 agreement Trump reached with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, saying it boxed the U.S. into leaving the country. The agreement gave the Taliban significant legitimacy and has been blamed by analysts for undercutting the U.S.-backed government, which would collapse so quickly a year later.But the agreement also gave the U.S. the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-taliban-doha-e6f48507848aef2ee849154604aa11be">right to withdraw</a>&nbsp;from the accord if Afghan peace talks failed — which they did.The agreement required the U.S. to remove all forces by May 1, 2021. Biden pushed a full withdrawal to September but declined to delay further, saying it would prolong a war that had long needed to end.—

🎥Read Biden's report on Afghan withdrawal that blames Trump

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas approved a plan early Friday to end gender-affirming care for transgender youth, capping a week of intensifying efforts to rolling back LGBTQ rights like other states with GOP-controlled legislatures.

The Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230407023107_767743/">voted 70-52</a>&nbsp;to pass&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb26_02_040623.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;requiring the state's medical board to revoke the licenses of doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors, even though many professionals who deal with transgender youth see such care as vital to preserving their mental health and preventing suicides. The Senate then voted 23-12 to approve the measure, sending it to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.

The governor is expected to veto it, having promised LGBTQ youth during a Statehouse lobbying day last month that she would protect their rights and reject any measure "that aims to harm or discriminate against you.” Supporters were well short of the two-thirds majorities in both chambers needed to override a veto.

LGBTQ-rights advocates believe they're seeing a national effort to erase transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming and gender fluid people from American society, at least legally. Dr. Beth Oller, a family physician in a small northwestern Kansas town who provides gender-affirming care, saw GOP lawmakers going “in search of a dog whistle” to unite their party.

“This one was a winner because they found it palatable to strip rights from a population that was small and did not affect most of them,” she said in an email Thursday night. “They delude themselves with groupthink so that they can pretend this isn’t about hate but about protection, but we know the truth.”

Thirteen other states have enacted laws against gender-affirming care for minors, though federal judges have blocked enforcement of them in Alabama and Arkansas. Republican lawmakers across the U.S. have pursued several hundred proposals this year pushing back on LGBTQ rights.

Supporters of the Kansas ban argue it’s about protecting children medical care that comes with side effects or cannot be reversed later. They contend that only an adult — and not a minor’s parent — can consent to the treatments.

“We all now children change their minds,” Republican state Rep. Susan Humphries of Wichita said. “How many children know what they want to be when they grow up?”

The care falling under the bill would include puberty-blocking drugs and hormone therapy. While the bill would not keep transgender youth from receiving counseling or psychiatric therapy, the measure applies to acts performed or “causing” acts “to affirm the child’s perception of the child’s sex” if it differs from gender assigned at birth.

“Where I kind of part ways with some of this is with surgical procedures,” said state Rep. Steve Howe, a Republican from central Kansas. “I do agree that all kids have value, and that's why I'm going to support the bill.”

The Kansas vote came after its lawmakers on Thursday passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-children-kansas-schools-b249b1eb36409931a75eab1fbc80c15d">a “parents’ rights” bill</a>&nbsp;allowing families to pull their children out of lessons and activities involving LGBTQ-themed materials and another measure restricting rooming arrangements for transgender students on school trips.

Republicans on Tuesday approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-bill-kansas-cbdc14be5bf1fb6e1a0749cad52e8ebc">a broad bathroom bill</a>&nbsp;that would prevent transgender people from changing the gender on their driver’s licenses. On Wednesday they overrode Kelly’s veto of a bill banning transgender female athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.

“People are finally getting tired of this push toward trying to push our kids in the wrong direction, and I think that this is a pushback from parents, from people who see this as a big problem," said state Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative, Kansas City-area Republican who backed all of the measures. “For hundreds and hundreds and thousands of years, I think that this has not been a problem. Then all of a sudden it seems like it is."

Humphries suggested “a social contagion” driven by social media is helping increase “confused” young people's desire to transition do a different gender, repeating an idea that's been debunked by multiple studies.

Transgender medical treatments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-mental-ce8f5a9ee53768af03c3c65d5331045b">for children and teens</a>&nbsp;have been available in the U.S. for more than a decade and are endorsed by major medical associations.

“Gender-affirming medicine is lifesaving,” Jordan Smith, a Kansas City-area resident who identifies as gender fluid and is the Kansas chapter leader for Parasol Patrol, a group advocating for LGBTQ youth, said after a transgender-rights rally at the Statehouse last week.

“You know, the kids are trying to understand who they are and they’re supposed to look to the adults to have that guidance," they added, "and the adults are wanting to say, ‘No, you can’t be that way. No, that’s not right. You’re just confused.’"

After last week's transgender rights rally, Ian Benalcazar, a 13-year-old transgender northeastern Kansas boy, said his decision to socially transition to male was “one of the greatest decisions of my life.”

“I feel so much more free and so much more myself, and it’s allowed me to make so many great connections with people and just be authentically me,” he said.

Oller, the northwestern Kansas doctor, said she has patients who are “terrified” they won't be able to access care and she's worried enactment of a law against gender-affirming care could force her to leave her small town.

But she also said she would probably sue the state, “because I'm not going to take this lying down.” ___

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680642960114.png" alt=" Ian Benalcázar delivers a speech March 31, at the Statehouse as part of the March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Ian Benalcázar delivers a speech March 31, at the Statehouse as part of the March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators in Kansas approved a plan early Friday to end gender-affirming care for transgender youth, capping a week of intensifying efforts to rolling back LGBTQ rights like other states with GOP-controlled legislatures.The Kansas House&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/vote_view/je_20230407023107_767743/">voted 70-52</a>&nbsp;to pass&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/ccrb_sb26_02_040623.pdf">a bill</a>&nbsp;requiring the state's medical board to revoke the licenses of doctors who provide gender-affirming care to minors, even though many professionals who deal with transgender youth see such care as vital to preserving their mental health and preventing suicides. The Senate then voted 23-12 to approve the measure, sending it to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680363628831.png" alt=" A crowd passes March 31, in front of the Kansas Statehouse as part of the National March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> A crowd passes March 31, in front of the Kansas Statehouse as part of the National March for Queer and Trans Youth Autonomy. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The governor is expected to veto it, having promised LGBTQ youth during a Statehouse lobbying day last month that she would protect their rights and reject any measure "that aims to harm or discriminate against you.” Supporters were well short of the two-thirds majorities in both chambers needed to override a veto.LGBTQ-rights advocates believe they're seeing a national effort to erase transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming and gender fluid people from American society, at least legally. Dr. Beth Oller, a family physician in a small northwestern Kansas town who provides gender-affirming care, saw GOP lawmakers going “in search of a dog whistle” to unite their party.“This one was a winner because they found it palatable to strip rights from a population that was small and did not affect most of them,” she said in an email Thursday night. “They delude themselves with groupthink so that they can pretend this isn’t about hate but about protection, but we know the truth.”Thirteen other states have enacted laws against gender-affirming care for minors, though federal judges have blocked enforcement of them in Alabama and Arkansas. Republican lawmakers across the U.S. have pursued several hundred proposals this year pushing back on LGBTQ rights.Supporters of the Kansas ban argue it’s about protecting children medical care that comes with side effects or cannot be reversed later. They contend that only an adult — and not a minor’s parent — can consent to the treatments.“We all now children change their minds,” Republican state Rep. Susan Humphries of Wichita said. “How many children know what they want to be when they grow up?”The care falling under the bill would include puberty-blocking drugs and hormone therapy. While the bill would not keep transgender youth from receiving counseling or psychiatric therapy, the measure applies to acts performed or “causing” acts “to affirm the child’s perception of the child’s sex” if it differs from gender assigned at birth.“Where I kind of part ways with some of this is with surgical procedures,” said state Rep. Steve Howe, a Republican from central Kansas. “I do agree that all kids have value, and that's why I'm going to support the bill.”The Kansas vote came after its lawmakers on Thursday passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-children-kansas-schools-b249b1eb36409931a75eab1fbc80c15d">a “parents’ rights” bill</a>&nbsp;allowing families to pull their children out of lessons and activities involving LGBTQ-themed materials and another measure restricting rooming arrangements for transgender students on school trips.Republicans on Tuesday approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-bill-kansas-cbdc14be5bf1fb6e1a0749cad52e8ebc">a broad bathroom bill</a>&nbsp;that would prevent transgender people from changing the gender on their driver’s licenses. On Wednesday they overrode Kelly’s veto of a bill banning transgender female athletes from girls’ and women’s sports.“People are finally getting tired of this push toward trying to push our kids in the wrong direction, and I think that this is a pushback from parents, from people who see this as a big problem," said state Sen. Mike Thompson, a conservative, Kansas City-area Republican who backed all of the measures. “For hundreds and hundreds and thousands of years, I think that this has not been a problem. Then all of a sudden it seems like it is."Humphries suggested “a social contagion” driven by social media is helping increase “confused” young people's desire to transition do a different gender, repeating an idea that's been debunked by multiple studies.Transgender medical treatments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-mental-ce8f5a9ee53768af03c3c65d5331045b">for children and teens</a>&nbsp;have been available in the U.S. for more than a decade and are endorsed by major medical associations.“Gender-affirming medicine is lifesaving,” Jordan Smith, a Kansas City-area resident who identifies as gender fluid and is the Kansas chapter leader for Parasol Patrol, a group advocating for LGBTQ youth, said after a transgender-rights rally at the Statehouse last week.“You know, the kids are trying to understand who they are and they’re supposed to look to the adults to have that guidance," they added, "and the adults are wanting to say, ‘No, you can’t be that way. No, that’s not right. You’re just confused.’"After last week's transgender rights rally, Ian Benalcazar, a 13-year-old transgender northeastern Kansas boy, said his decision to socially transition to male was “one of the greatest decisions of my life.”“I feel so much more free and so much more myself, and it’s allowed me to make so many great connections with people and just be authentically me,” he said.Oller, the northwestern Kansas doctor, said she has patients who are “terrified” they won't be able to access care and she's worried enactment of a law against gender-affirming care could force her to leave her small town.But she also said she would probably sue the state, “because I'm not going to take this lying down.” ___

Kansas approves bill to end gender-affirming care for minors

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges for the fatal shooting of Carl Stewart on Tuesday night in a hotel room on Hillcrest in south Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Makail L. Rogers, 28, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court documents filed Wednesday, Kansas City police responded early Tuesday to a reported shooting in a Hillcrest Road hotel. 

Officers made entry into a hotel room and found the male victim. He had been shot multiple times and was confirmed deceased. Officers pursued a suspect in the shooting outside the hotel. He was reportedly armed with a handgun. 

Officers and the suspect exchanged gunfire at E. 87th Street underneath the Interstate 435 bridge overpass. The suspect was taken into custody and officers found a .40 caliber gun and spent shell casings under him. Surveillance video showed the defendant going out and attempting to go back in a window to the hotel room where the victim was found.

 A witness saw the defendant struggling with the victim inside the room when the door was open, then shots were heard.

A separate investigation of an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police is under investigation. Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680725917368.png" alt="Rogers-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Rogers-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man faces felony charges for the fatal shooting of Carl Stewart on Tuesday night in a hotel room on Hillcrest in south Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Makail L. Rogers, 28, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court documents filed Wednesday, Kansas City police responded early Tuesday to a reported shooting in a Hillcrest Road hotel. Officers made entry into a hotel room and found the male victim. He had been shot multiple times and was confirmed deceased. Officers pursued a suspect in the shooting outside the hotel. He was reportedly armed with a handgun. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680626757214.png" alt="Police on the scene of the gun fire -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the gun fire -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers and the suspect exchanged gunfire at E. 87th Street underneath the Interstate 435 bridge overpass. The suspect was taken into custody and officers found a .40 caliber gun and spent shell casings under him. Surveillance video showed the defendant going out and attempting to go back in a window to the hotel room where the victim was found. A witness saw the defendant struggling with the victim inside the room when the door was open, then shots were heard.A separate investigation of an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and police is under investigation. Prosecutors requested a $250,000 bond.

KC man charged for motel murder, gun battle with police

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday allowed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-west-virginia-patrick-morrisey-education-f8e1afd51c2729f31ce7d59bf1bc5d89">12-year-old transgender girl in West Virginia</a>&nbsp;to continue competing on her middle school’s girls sports teams while a lawsuit over a state ban continues.

Supreme Court Justices refused to disturb an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s track and cross-country teams, where she regularly finishes near the back of the pack.

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas would have allowed West Virginia to enforce its law against Pepper-Jackson.

Pepper-Jackson is in the middle of the outdoor track season. She had filed a lawsuit challenging the law, the Save Women’s Sports Act, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-west-virginia-college-sports-bills-2424d3b8aaeabed7840f2d2e25458847">West Virginia lawmakers adopted in 2021</a>. A federal appeals court had allowed her to compete while she appealed a lower court ruling that upheld the West Virginia law.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Thursday allowed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-west-virginia-patrick-morrisey-education-f8e1afd51c2729f31ce7d59bf1bc5d89">12-year-old transgender girl in West Virginia</a>&nbsp;to continue competing on her middle school’s girls sports teams while a lawsuit over a state ban continues.The Kansas Legislature on Wednesday overrode Gov. Laura Kelly’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-athletes-ban-kansas-711e121ea0ab00653d61f9dadf9b9c0e">third veto in three years</a>&nbsp;of a bill to ban transgender athletes.Supreme Court Justices refused to disturb an appeals court order that made it possible for the girl, Becky Pepper-Jackson, to continue playing on her school’s track and cross-country teams, where she regularly finishes near the back of the pack.Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas would have allowed West Virginia to enforce its law against Pepper-Jackson.Pepper-Jackson is in the middle of the outdoor track season. She had filed a lawsuit challenging the law, the Save Women’s Sports Act, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-legislature-west-virginia-college-sports-bills-2424d3b8aaeabed7840f2d2e25458847">West Virginia lawmakers adopted in 2021</a>. A federal appeals court had allowed her to compete while she appealed a lower court ruling that upheld the West Virginia law.Two weeks ago, track and field banned transgender athletes from international competitions. West Virginia is among 20 states that ban transgender athletes from participating in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to Movement Advancement Project, a pro-LGBTQ rights think tank.West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, a Republican, also recently signed legislation banning gender-affirming care for minors, part of an effort in Republican-led states across the country to curb LGBTQ+ rights this year.West Virginia’s law on schools sports competition bars transgender athletes from female teams. Signed by Justice, the law defines male and female by looking to the student’s “reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” It applies to middle and high schools, as well as colleges.Under the law, male athletes can play on male or co-ed teams and female athletes can play on all teams.Tennis great Martina Navratilova was among dozens of female athletes backing West Virginia at the Supreme Court, along with Republican attorneys general in 21 states.U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Goodwin initially barred West Virginia from enforcing its law and allowed Pepper-Jackson to compete on the girls’ teams while the case continued.But Goodwin ultimately found that the law does not violate the Constitution or Title IX, the landmark 1972 gender equity legislation. Goodwin, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, ruled the law could remain in place as appeals continued.Lawyers for the girl, known in the lawsuit by the initials B.P.J., appealed. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1, without issuing any opinion, to put the law on hold while it considers the case.The two appeals court judges who voted to put the law on hold were Pamela A. Harris, an appointee of former President Barack Obama’s, and Toby J. Heytens, an appointee of President Joe Biden’s. Judge G. Steven Agee, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, dissented.The Supreme Court provided no justification for its action Thursday.In dissent, Alito wrote, "I would grant the State’s application. Among other things, enforcement of the law at issue should not be forbidden by the federal courts without any explanation." Thomas joined the dissent.In asking the high court to allow the law to take effect while the case plays out, West Virginia told the justices that: “This case implicates a question fraught with emotions and differing perspectives. That is all the more reason to defer to state lawmakers pending appeal. ... The decision was the West Virginia Legislature’s to make. The end of this litigation will confirm that it made a valid one.”Pepper-Jackson is identified in court documents by her initials because of federal rules that prohibit identifying minors. But Pepper-Jackson and her mother have spoken out repeatedly about the issue.