By Sherman Smith | editor-in-chief
Good morning! We're reporting on state employees facing a rate hike for health insurance, confirmation of federal judges for Kansas, rising tuition at public universities, and the president's hunt for noncitizen voters.
I interviewed a "proud progressive" candidate for Congress for the latest episode of our weekly podcast.
And opinion editor Clay Wirestone continues to dig into the GOP legislation that could lead to an attempt to cancel U.S. Senate elections in Kansas.
Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector
OPINION
Kansas GOP leaders’ alarming plot to cancel U.S. Senate elections unfolded in plain sight last year
By Clay Wirestone
With the benefit of four days’ research and additional reporting, I can say that the possibility of GOP leaders executing an anti-democracy stunt to keep U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s seat in the party remains distressingly real.
Our focus here is a law passed in 2025 by Republican supermajorities in the Kansas House and Senate that seized appointment power from Democratic governor Laura Kelly. Senate Bill 105 goes further, though — it appears to open a loophole for eternal Republican control of the two U.S. Senate seats from Kansas.
That’s right, eternal. Hang onto your hats.
Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector
Kansas state employees to see 10% spike in health insurance if they stay with Blue Cross Blue Shield
TOPEKA — Kansas state employees choosing Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas health insurance next year will see rates rise by 10% while employees choosing Aetna won’t see an increase as the state encourages a shift to the less costly insurance.
Members of the Kansas State Employees Health Care Commission expressed dismay that state employees received just a 1% raise this year and spent more than three hours at their June meeting looking at ways to lessen the impact of rising health insurance costs.
To meet statutory requirements and make sure there are reserve funds in the state insurance plan, rates had to be raised, commissioners said, as they considered options to change plan deductibles and determine rates for the state and employees.
Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector
Gen Z congressional candidate believes ‘proud progressive’ views will appeal to Kansas voters
TOPEKA — Cole Epley isn’t afraid to run for Congress as a “proud progressive.”
The 28-year-old believes he’s the best choice for the Democratic nomination in the Wichita-area 4th District because moderate candidates have already shown they can’t defeat incumbent Republican Rep. Ron Estes.
In an appearance on the Kansas Reflector podcast, Epley said a lot of candidates hold progressive values but are “scared to actually go the distance and just take on the mantle of owning the label, and I’m not afraid of doing that.”
U.S. Senate votes to fill all Kansas federal district court judge positions with Trump nominees
TOPEKA — The U.S. Senate completed confirmation of President Donald Trump’s selections to fill all six U.S. District Court judge positions in Kansas.
The overhaul was marked by Senate approval of Anthony Powell of Wichita and Tony Mattivi of Topeka, who were nominated for the federal bench along with Jeff Kuhlman of Great Bend. Powell was confirmed 50-44 on June 10, Mattivi 51-46 on June 9 and Kuhlman 52-46 on June 2.
Kansas public university tuition increases range from 3.5% to 6% in upcoming academic year
TOPEKA — A 3.5% to 6% tuition increases for in-state undergraduate students adopted by the Kansas Board of Regents will partially close budget gaps at the state’s public universities that result from inflation in operating costs and millions of dollars in budget cuts.
Trump ‘trampled’ voter privacy by feeding info into Homeland Security system, judge says
The Trump administration illegally overhauled a U.S. Department of Homeland Security computer program in its hunt for noncitizen voters, a judge ruled Monday in a stinging decision that laid into federal officials for violating the privacy of millions of Americans.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Kansas Reflector staff will participate in the following free public forums.
6 p.m. June 24, Groover Labs in Wichita. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
6 p.m. June 25, Clint Bowyer Community Building in Emporia. Editor-in-chief Sherman Smith will lead a discussion on the proposed constitutional amendment to elect Kansas Supreme Court justices. Host: Kansas Appleseed. Register here.
7 p.m. June 27, Park City Senior Center. Host: Park City Community Pride.
1 p.m. July 11, South Branch Library in Kansas City, Kansas. Opinion editor Clay Wirestone joins a panel discussion: "Elected vs Appointed: Inform Your Choice." Hosts: Voter Rights Network of Wyandotte County, Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, and El Centro.
2 p.m. Sept. 27, Red Rocks Visitor Center in Emporia. Host: Red Rocks.
If you're interested in having us talk in your town, email Sherman Smith at [email protected].
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