By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/dale-hogg/">DALE HOGG</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/25/kansas-homeowners-carry-bigger-tax-burden-than-commercial-property-owners/">Kansas Reflector</a>

GREAT BEND — A yawning gap between surging home values and stagnant commercial assessments has fueled a significant shift in the Kansas property tax burden, forcing homeowners to shoulder a larger share of government needs, state and local officials say.

Driven by an overheated residential market and decades of commercial exemptions, a flip in the tax base has left families paying the lion’s share for schools, roads and emergency services.

Despite commercial property being taxed at more than double the rate of residential property, Rep. Adam Smith, a Weskan Republican and chair of the House Taxation Committee, said the “sheer velocity” of home price increases has outpaced the higher commercial rate.

“Value is whatever you are willing to pay for it,” Smith said.

Sean Robertson, Saline County appraiser and legislative liaison for the Kansas County Appraisers Association, said that residential and commercial property tax burdens shifted toward businesses after changes that began 40 years ago.

In 1985, the Legislature authorized a statewide reappraisal of all real estate properties. New valuations were set for 1989.

“Most properties at that time had not been revalued for many years, and sometimes decades, which created horrible inequities between similar properties in terms of valuation and taxes,” Robertson said.

Kansans passed a constitutional amendment by popular vote in 1990 that set the tax rate for residential properties at 11.5% of appraised value and the rate for commercial properties at 25%.

Although there are other property classifications — including agricultural, nonprofit, vacant and utility — residential and commercial are the largest revenue drivers by a wide margin.

“Once the dust settled” from these changes, Robertson said, residential property owners in 1997 paid 38% of total statewide property taxes while other classifications, primarily commercial, accounted for the remaining 62%.

“Over the past 30-plus years, though, those percentages have changed dramatically,” Robertson said.

In 2024, residential property owners paid 57% of all property taxes while commercial and other property owners paid 43%.

Three factors caused this shift, Robertson said.

“First, exempting properties from paying taxes does not simply absolve those properties from paying taxes,” he said. “Exemptions cause a shift of property tax responsibility onto other properties which are not exempted.”

In 2006, any newly acquired commercial or industrial machinery and equipment was exempted from property tax. This pushed commercial property owners to purchase new equipment that would then be exempt going forward.

Barton County Commissioner Barb Esfeld, the county’s former appraiser of 30 years, said the Kansas Legislature has systematically removed items from tax rolls, including certain business machinery, boats and personal property, often to attract new business.

“What they’ve done is taken that pie and put more of it on real estate and residential,” Esfeld said. “Residential feels it the most because it’s not income-generating.”

Commercial properties built with Industrial Revenue Bonds or given economic development exemptions by local boards can be avoid property taxes for up to 10 years.&nbsp;

“Although these exemptions are useful economic incentive tools that can be beneficial to a community in the long run, they remove possible revenue streams that pay for public services and transfer the tax burden to other property types for a period,” Robertson said.

Second, commercial properties are often given special considerations. For example, he said, if a commercial property has its value reduced as part of a hearing with the county appraiser or the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals, that value is maintained for an additional two years.

“This does not apply to residential properties that get a valuation reduced through the same process,” Robertson said. “That combination results in a wide swath of statutorily stagnant commercial values.”

Finally, home sale prices — driven by low supply, high demand, increased cost of building materials and low interest rates — have increased nearly 100% in the past eight years, from a median sale price of $159,000 in 2016 to $305,000 in 2024.

At the same time, commercial loan values (a measure of commercial sales activity) have increased by half that margin.

“The short version is that the market value of residential properties is rising at a much faster rate than the market value of commercial properties,” Robertson said.

“There have been two things in recent years that have kept the disparity between residential and commercial taxes at a relative minimum,” Robertson said.&nbsp;

In 2024, the median appraised valuation of residential properties for taxation purposes was lower than the median sale price in all 105 Kansas counties. So, despite still rising values, counties in Kansas are undervaluing residential properties, on the whole, compared to sale prices.

Additionally, there is an exemption of up to $172.50 currently taken off the property tax bill for every residential property in Kansas. This is an increase of the $46 exemption taken off each residential tax bill as recently as 2021.

“Without these two realities, residential property owners in Kansas would be paying an even greater share of taxes compared to commercial property owners than they already do,” he said. “This trend does not need to continue, though.”

Most of the solutions for narrowing the disparity between residential and commercial property taxes require legislative or constitutional changes, Robertson said.

Raising the exemption for residential properties from $172.50 would help reduce residential taxes, and, therefore, narrow the difference. Targeted circuit breakers or means-testing could be introduced to provide residential property owners with rebates or refunds.

“Also, a lower assessment rate for residential properties could be applied,” Robertson said. “A cousin to that approach is the Gallagher Amendment, which was used in Colorado for many years.”

This method (before its repeal in 2020) made it a requirement for residential properties to pay no more than 45% of the total property taxes in the state. This required a recalculation of the residential assessment rate each year, but kept the balance between residential and commercial taxes even.

In an effort to curb the effect of rising market values, Kansas lawmakers have proposed the Cap Assessed Value Protection Amendment, Esfeld said. This constitutional change would limit annual property tax assessment increases to 3% for most real estate and residential mobile homes beginning in 2027.

To address recent market volatility, the measure includes a look-back provision that would cap 2027 assessments at no more than 3% above their 2022 levels, effectively rolling back significant valuation spikes seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the cap would generally remain in place even after a property is sold, exceptions would be made for new construction, major improvements or assessment errors.

Critics like Esfeld argue the amendment is a superficial solution to a deeper systemic problem.

Because local government budgets for essential services are relatively fixed, Esfeld warns that capping valuations will simply force a mathematical spike in the mill levy to cover the funding gap. She said that the real issue is an eroding tax base caused by decades of state-level exemptions, which have steadily shifted the overall tax burden onto homeowners.

She said the cap acts as a “Band-Aid on a bleeding ulcer” that may offer temporary relief while potentially destabilizing local government funding and penalizing economic growth.

Also, by looking back to 2022 and its lower values for the 2027 tax year, it won’t take long before many properties are extremely undervalued, Smith said. That would lead to a painful correction for taxpayers, similar to the mass statewide reappraisal in the late 1980s.

This was a massive and costly undertaking designed to ensure all properties were valued at their fair market value. Today, state statute requires that appraisals remain within 10% of market value.

“We don’t want to go back to then,” Smith said.

Currently, the state collects 20 mills on each tax bill for school funding, Robertson said.&nbsp;

“It may be possible, depending on the courts’ interpretation of how a school funding plan is administered, to eliminate that portion of the property tax bill for Kansans and fund schools through some other mechanism” he said.

That would lower the tax rate on every property tax bill in Kansas by a significant amount.

“On the local level, budget equals tax. It is no more complicated than that; reducing a budget is the only way to reduce taxes,” Robertson said. But, here is the rub — reducing a budget at the local level likely means reducing or eliminating services.”

However, “citizens like police protection, fire protection, ambulance services, roads that are passable, parks that are clean, etc.,” he said. “What are citizens willing to forego in favor of lower taxes? That is a question that can only be answered by local taxing authority boards and their constituents.”

Ultimately, “it comes down to growth,” Smith said.&nbsp;“We have to grow our valuation. It’s a matter of economic development.”

Esfeld suggested that true relief would require a more drastic reduction in mill levies, perhaps supported by state-level sales tax transfers, rather than capping appraisals.

“I keep thinking that is the answer,” Esfeld said. “The only thing that would keep this from being a problem is new construction.”

This would include homes, businesses and industrial expansion. Not only would such construction spread the property tax burden out, but it would also generate sales taxes and hospitality taxes, she said.

Esfeld noted that even though the proposed cap looks back to 2022, properties that saw improvements between then and now would not qualify. This would remove any incentive for new building.

“Economic development might as well go out the window,” she said. “It penalizes growth.”

Kansas homeowners carry bigger tax burden than commercial property owners

Ellis County Jail bookings: Feb. 22-28, 2026

Ejoy the Spring Choral Concert, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 10 at&nbsp;Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center, Fort Hays State University Sheridan Hall.&nbsp;

Hear the FHSU Concert Choir sing their program that was sung at the Kansas Music Educators Association music convention on Feb. 26. Also appearing will be the Smoky Hill Chorale and the Fort Hays Singers. 

Free FHSU Spring Choral Concert with special guests on March 10

March events and activities in Hays 

Following weekend airstrikes in Iran, rising crude oil prices could push gasoline costs higher within weeks.

By RAFAEL GARCIA <a href="https://www.k-state.edu/news/articles/2026/03/economist-forecasts-gas-price-increase-following-iran-attacks.html">K-State News and Communications Services</a> It may be months or even years before the long-term geopolitical ramifications of this weekend's airstrikes in Iran become clear, but a Kansas State University agricultural economist says gas prices are likely to spike in the coming weeks.

<a href="https://www.ageconomics.k-state.edu/about/people/directory/faculty_directory/ibendahl/">Gregg Ibendahl</a>, associate professor of agricultural economics, specializes in agricultural production and finance, especially fuel pricing seasonality and impacts to the ag industry.

As a region, the Middle East is the world's leading producer of oil, and any uncertainty in the stability of the region's governments, economies and shipping capacity has typically resulted in price shocks, Ibendahl said.

Following airstrikes on Saturday that killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and subsequent reciprocal strikes, crude oil futures had already risen 8%, from $67 per barrel on Friday to $72 on Monday morning.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.agmanager.info/production-economics/prices-and-price-forecasts/what-does-middle-eastern-war-mean-gas-prices">analyzing 20 years of oil and gas price data</a>, Ibendahl found that in the immediate term, gas prices typically go up about 2.4 cents per gallon for every $1 increase in oil's price per barrel.

"Prior to this weekend, U.S. regular gasoline averaged $2.98 per gallon nationally," Ibendahl said. "With the baseline $6 per barrel increase, prices could rise to between $3.10 and $3.16 within a month. Remember too, oil prices rose to $130 per barrel shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, leading to gas prices of $5 per gallon."

Spikes in crude oil prices usually lead to a similar change in gasoline prices in the subsequent week, Ibendahl said. But crucially, crude oil movements can influence pump prices for more than a month, especially when uncertainty remains about the future stability of an oil-producing region.

Ibendahl's forecast, he pointed out, does not take into account other factors, such as extended violence or suspended traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — an Iranian-controlled 21-mile chokepoint through which about 20% of globally traded oil passes.

A shutdown of the strait could lead to oil prices that are well over $100 per barrel, or even more if warfare in the region starts targeting oil production facilities.

At that point, gas prices at the pump quickly start approaching $4 per gallon — or even more, if oil prices follow a similar trajectory to the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"Longer term, the price increase could be 4.2 cents per gallon for every dollar per barrel," Ibendahl said. "While conflict may be occurring in the Persian Gulf, the resulting impact on gas prices will be felt at stations nationwide before the end of the month."

Will gas hit $4? K-State economist breaks down numbers

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By&nbsp;ALEXANDRA MIDDLEWOOD and BRIAN AMOS Insight Kansas

As political scientists who study Kansas politics, election administration, and political participation—and as the coauthors of a recent statistical analysis of Kansas’ special elections—we are compelled to speak out against Kansas House Bill 2503.

The bill would repeal the state’s 1983 Mail Ballot Election Act and prohibit municipalities from conducting all-mail elections. This proposal is not merely a matter of administrative preference; it runs directly counter to what the data tell us about how Kansans, especially rural Kansans, participate in our democracy.

In our research on 39 Kansas special elections conducted in 2024 and 2025, we examined turnout under two different systems: traditional in-person elections and elections conducted entirely by mail. These contests, often focused on school bond issues or local tax proposals, represent some of the most consequential—but also least visible—governance decisions affecting Kansas communities.

When elections were conducted entirely by mail, turnout increased dramatically. After carefully matching rural and urban voters on demographics, party registration, and turnout history, we estimated that all-mail elections increased the probability of voting by 21.7 percentage points.

This is not a marginal difference. It is a structural one.

Just as important, the rural-urban turnout gap nearly disappeared. In traditionally administered elections, rural voters were 3.5 points less likely to participate than urban voters. But when provided an all-mail system, the rural-urban gap shrank to less than one percentage point.

In other words: all-mail elections do exactly what legislators claim to value—they promote equitable participation across all geographic regions of our state.

The data is clear: rural Kansans benefit from all-mail elections. The explanation is straightforward: voting is not costless, and those costs fall disproportionately on rural residents.

Rural Kansans often travel long distances to a polling location, rely on deteriorating roads and minimal public transportation, and live in jurisdictions that struggle to maintain sufficient polling places and staff. Political science research has long shown that even modest increases in the&nbsp;time or effort required to vote depress turnout. 

Put simply, rural Kansans face bigger hurdles when it comes to voting, and all-mail elections help remove those barriers.

Kansas has long embraced local control, particularly in election administration for special elections. County clerks and school districts understand their communities’ needs far better than legislators in Topeka. When local jurisdictions choose all-mail elections, they do so because it is the most accessible, cost-effective, and logistically feasible option.

HB 2503 would eliminate that choice. It strips local autonomy and silences rural voices.

If adopted, rural Kansans—who already face higher barriers to participation—would be pushed back into a system that statistically depresses their turnout. It is difficult to read the evidence and see this bill as anything other than a step backward for democratic participation in our state.

We argue that evidence, not assumptions, should drive Kansas’ election policy.

Much of the public debate around voting by mail has relied on speculation or rhetoric. But the state legislature need not speculate. 

We have Kansas data on Kansas voters in Kansas elections and the findings are clear. 

All-mail elections increase turnout. They mitigate geographic inequities. They ensure rural voters can make their voices heard on school funding, infrastructure, and public investments that directly affect their communities.

Lawmakers may disagree on many issues, but they should not ignore empirical evidence—especially when that evidence is produced by researchers in their own state examining their own elections.

As political scientists and Kansans, our conclusion is clear: HB 2503 would harm the very communities it claims to represent. If we are committed to a democratic process that includes all corners of Kansas—urban and rural alike—we must preserve municipalities’ ability to hold all-mail elections.

The Senate should reject House Bill 2503. Rural Kansans deserve better. They deserve a voting system grounded in evidence, not ideology.

Alexandra Middlewood and Brian Amos are associate professors of political science at Wichita State University. They co-founded IKE Lab in 2023 to offer data and analysis on Kansas elections.

Insight Kansas: Kansas HB 2503 ignores what our research shows about rural voters

The Ellis County Fire Department (ECFD) is proud to announce it has been officially recognized as a Gold Helmet Department for its participation in the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer. This honor places the ECFD as the 100th leading fire department in the nation dedicated to understanding and eliminating one of the greatest health threats in the fire service today, cancer.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to Rusty Lindsay, Company #5 Chief, whose leadership and dedication have been vital in introducing the NFR for Cancer to our department. He has initiated this effort for each fire department in Ellis County, but also in other departments in western Kansas.

Managed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the NFR for Cancer is the largest initiative focused on researching and mitigating cancer risks among firefighters. There are currently 111 departments participating in the registery, with a total of 42,729 firefighters enrolled. Kansas alone boasts 1,141 firefighters, ranking 5th in participation in the United States. The ECFD was the first volunteer fire department to achieve this recognition in Kansas.

By joining the registry, Ellis County firefighters are contributing essential data needed to develop better safeguards, improved personal protective equipment (PPE), and establish more effective prevention strategies. Participation in the NFR for Cancer is open to all U.S. firefighters, regardless of their department type (career or volunteer), status (active or retired), cancer history, or length of service. Participation is also completely voluntary.

For more information on the NFR for Cancer and how it is helping to save lives, we encourage everyone to visit: <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/registry/index.html">https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/firefighters/registry/index.html</a>.

Ellis County Fire Department recognized as gold helmet department for efforts in cancer prevention

By MICHELLE BERAN Cottonwood Extension District

While the weather can’t quite make up it’s mind about winter or spring, I’m excited about an annual program that is kicking off in a few weeks. 

Walk Kansas is an 8-week initiative designed to help participants build healthier habits through physical activity, nutrition, and overall wellness.

The program runs March 22 through May 16 and registration opens on March 1 for individuals and teams. Ideal team size is 4 and it can be a fun internal competition for offices to have several teams.

Participants track minutes of activity or steps through the program’s online portal. The system automatically converts activity to miles by counting each 15 minutes of activity as one mile or each 2,000 steps as one mile.

Walk Kansas is built on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. Moderate activity is described as working at a pace where a person can carry on a conversation, but not sing.

“It’s not just a leisurely stroll,” Sharolyn Jackson, Walk Kansas state leader of K-State Extension, said. “It’s picking up the pace a bit to get the heart rate going.”

The program also encourages participants to incorporate strengthening activities at least two days per week, such as resistance bands, light weights or body-weight exercises.

Participants can also track their fruit and vegetable intake which can lead to the realization that we are eating fewer servings than we think.

Each week, Walk Kansas Wednesdays will be featured on the Cottonwood Extension District Facebook page and will include top placing teams across the District as well as features from the Walk Kansas newsletters. Theses posts will include tips for increasing activity, managing stress, and improving sleep. Be on the lookout for some fun ways to interact!

A standard registration fee of $10 covers access to the online tracking system and program materials. Youth through high school may participate at no cost. More information is available at <a href="https://walkkansas.org/">walkkansas.org</a> or by calling one of our Cottonwood Extension District offices.

Gather up a group of friends, family, or co-workers and lace up your shoes to Walk Kansas!

Keep learning. Keep showing grace and kindness!

Michelle Beran is a Family and Community Wellness Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other K-State Extension resources, email Michelle at mberan@ksu.edu or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910.

BERAN: Walk Kansas kicks off March 22; register now

&nbsp;Fort Hays State University Sociology Program

The Fort Hays State University Sociology Program recently partnered with Ana’s Gift to support children in Ellis County experiencing difficult situations by collecting stuffed animals. This semester, the program invited the community to participate, and friends near and far showed up in a big way, delivering and mailing more than 150 stuffed animals to Rarick Hall, each one ready to offer a meaningful source of comfort.

Ana’s Gift began when 16-year-old Ana Hertel set out with a heartfelt mission: to provide stuffed animals to children navigating challenging circumstances. Though Ana passed away shortly after starting the effort, her vision lives on through her parents, Lori and Stan Hertel, and Ana’s Gift.

Each semester, Dr. Lori Hertel is a guest speaker in Dr. Kate McGonigal’s Sociology of Death and Dying class at FHSU, sharing her story and the work of Ana’s Gift. Students are invited to participate in the drive by donating a stuffed animal for children facing frightening situations, such as riding in an ambulance, to offer comfort in their most difficult moments.

“I’m struck by how many people took part in supporting Ana’s Gift during this drive,” McGonigal said. “It’s truly a community effort with students, faculty, staff, and supporters beyond campus all coming together to carry forward Ana’s mission.”

Ana Hertel’s mission of kindness continues to ripple through classrooms, campus hallways, and the broader Ellis County community. With each animal donated, Ana’s legacy of spreading joy remains very much alive, and the FHSU Sociology Program is grateful for the continued support that makes the effort possible to comfort Ellis County children. &nbsp;

For more information on how to help Ellis County children in crisis through Ana's Gift, please contact Lori Hertel at 785-650-1344.&nbsp;&nbsp;

FHSU Sociology Program teams up with Ana’s Gift for stuffed animal drive

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Three-day weather outlook

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Osborne County Community Foundation

March 11&nbsp;9:30-11 AM Lakeside High School Gym, Downs, KS Osborne County Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Public is invited to the Trade Show&nbsp;&nbsp;

March 13&nbsp;11:00-5:00 Osborne Public Library, 325 W. Main St., Osborne, KS Join us for Pi(e) Day! Get a piece of delicious pie or a whole one!&nbsp;&nbsp;

March 25 7-10 a.m. Osborne County Spring Health Fair, 115 N. 1st&nbsp;St., Osborne, KS Call 785-346-2412 to schedule an appointment

March 27-28 To Know and Be Known - Soul Infusion Work Shop and Retreat Osborne United Methodist Church, 105 N. 3rd&nbsp;St., Osborne, KS Friday 5:30-8:30 PM Join us in Learning self-defense basics with Stephanie!&nbsp; Saturday 9-3 Brunch Provided. Silvia and Stephanie will share a beautiful message. A soulful day to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover the God who is already with you. Take your faith from something you read to something you live!&nbsp;Call Traci at 785-346-4555 or Robin At 785-476-5396. Register by March 16.

March 27-29, West end of Main St. by the river, Osborne, KS South Fork of the Solomon Valley Muzzleloaders Annual Rendevous BB gun shoot, shotgun shoot, flintlock, rifle, pistol, archery, special shoot for kids 10 and under. Traders welcome, primitive dress encouraged, but not required.&nbsp; Bring the family! Dutch oven contest.

March 28 Osborne Easter Egg Hunt, Noon, Osborne Courthouse and City Park Lawns

March events in Osborne County

The City of Hays Fire Department will began its annual citywide fire hydrant inspection and flow testing program on Monday, March 2. This coordinated effort ensures the reliability of the city’s water and fire protection infrastructure.

Annual maintenance is critical for public safety and water quality.

Inspecting the hydrants ensures that all valves operate properly and identifies any damage or obstructions that could interfere with prompt use during an emergency.

Additionally, firefighters conduct flow testing to check the pressure and volume of water mains in each neighborhood, verifying the system is adequately prepared for firefighting operations.

The process also plays a vital role in maintaining the city's water quality.

The associated flushing of the water mains allows chlorine to be distributed thoroughly throughout the system, which eliminates bio-filming and prevents sediment buildup in the pipes.

"Regular hydrant flushing is a necessary component of our community's fire readiness and public health," said Fire Chief Ryan Hagans. "By flow testing and inspecting these hydrants annually, we can guarantee our crews have the pressure and volume they need when responding to emergencies, while simultaneously maintaining the integrity of our water delivery system."

While the visual of water discharging onto streets may raise conservation concerns, the actual volume used during this maintenance is minimal.

During the short flushing periods, residents may encounter a slight discoloration of their water supply.

This is a normal result of the process and poses no health risk to consumers.

The Hays Fire Department will take all reasonable efforts to minimize inconvenience to the public.

Drivers are asked to avoid driving through water discharging from fire hydrants to maintain safety and prevent property damage.

Specific flushing areas will be updated daily and posted to the City of Hays website and official social media channels. For more information, please contact the Hays Fire Department at 785-628-7330, or visit <a href="https://www.haysusa.com/">HaysUSA.com</a>.

Hays' annual fire hydrant inspection, flow testing started Monday

ELLIS — Ellis Knights of Columbus is having a Fish Fry on Friday, March 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the&nbsp;Knights of Columbus Hall in Ellis.

The manu includes fried and baked fish, scalloped potatoes, noodles, beans, coleslaw and bread. 

Cost is $15 for adults, children 12 to 6 is $8, and ages 6 and under are free.

Fish Fry Friday at Ellis Knights of Columbus 

The Thursday, March 5, 2026 Hays City Commission work session has been canceled.

No Hays City Commission work session this week

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

Fort Hays State University Online invites prospective students to explore their future during the annual Online Open House on Tuesday, March 10, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. CDT. This virtual, drop-in event is designed for prospective undergraduate and graduate students interested in either on-campus or online programs.

Participants can customize their experience by joining specific sessions that align with their unique academic and career goals.

• Live Department Presentations: Live sessions with faculty from Nursing, Psychology, Allied Health, Teacher Education, Leadership, History, and more. • Financial Aid Workshop: Expert guidance on applying for and securing aid. • Student Success Resources: Explore tutoring, career services, and health and wellness support. • Admissions Access: Get real-time answers on the application and enrollment process for all FHSU programs.

Scholarship Opportunities: All attendees will be entered into a scholarship drawing and may participate in the FHSU Discovery Quest Challenge for additional opportunities to earn scholarships toward their FHSU education.

Register today to reserve your spot: <a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.EWtdXdo3nx3t8ZlvSfKX0WVLClchqhJLUqQ6ybWXU0wg82py6NDKQIJ5hKhkFDVH4Pj-2FzMBsOmmTK7oROoJqyA-3D-3DBieP_ai5o7a2ztpywqx-2FSZEU1mC0k3plQ2hEmdQsqZCH-2FtSbSauz5CcYpHe7spQkrAj9oonHh7oZcNejpOknRccnjIjZMGdEhGHfAV483rKzz8fnp4deE4QqIJyNQYFQ-2FHopn-2F0pTN4PYUWJbjrfB2K0rl9sYs2ikk7ghQ8m0kzjVj0xzgKtevcDGjwHcuKlmBtX51e8m1bxlrEZMZQUzXAVXQ7w7lkyplYdav5Z8GZnUjDHOgYzekB75moiCOtyEacqu8I9IglkOhiQirn0H5FeL74zYjwyoXHVZWCGlhydaZLu-2FxZuBXHACrkoPGgib9XghY8j6Z0PdzKwI-2BDiF3mj7ELLa6pk9z027kwsnZF82TpTFUNN7wB38AFxkua605QO2">https://www.fhsu.edu/online/open-house/</a>

Fort Hays State University Online open house event

By:<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">Sherman Smith</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">Morgan Chilson</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — Attorneys will argue Friday in court over whether a judge should delay enforcement of a state law that invalidates driver’s licenses and birth certificates for those who changed their gender marker and restricts bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth.

Two trans men from Lawrence&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/27/trans-men-file-lawsuit-over-kansas-law-that-restricts-bathroom-use-and-invalidates-drivers-licenses/">filed a lawsuit last week</a>&nbsp;in Douglas County District Court to challenge&nbsp;<a href="https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb244/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 244</a>, which took effect Feb. 26. The unnamed plaintiffs say the law violates constitutional rights to personal autonomy, privacy, equity, due process and expression, could subject them to harassment and violence, and would jeopardize their mental health and employment.

Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union and the Philadelphia-based Ballard Spahr law firm, which represent the plaintiffs, appeared by Zoom for a scheduling conference Tuesday in Douglas County District Court with Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and other attorneys for the state. Journalists from Kansas Reflector and the Kansas City Star and an attorney from the University of Kansas observed the hearing from an otherwise empty courtroom.

Douglas County District Judge James McCabria told attorneys they needed to find a time this week to hold oral arguments on a motion by plaintiffs for a temporary restraining order, which would block enforcement of the law. He set the hearing for Friday afternoon.

McCabria could rule quickly on the motion. He acknowledged a restraining order would be an “extraordinary remedy” for a law that has “broad application.” He noted the ruling would not be “a determination of final merits” in the case, and that he could continue to “weigh things later.”

The plaintiffs in the case are identified in court documents as Daniel Doe and Matthew Moe. During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge questioned Kobach about the use of pseudonyms. Kobach said it wasn’t typical but that he wouldn’t object, “just to make this thing move along.”

McCabria, who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Sam Brownback in 2014, said the use of pseudonyms “raises some questions,” and that he was concerned about the public’s right to know. He said he would wait until Friday to see if a news outlet objects to the plaintiffs’ request to proceed unnamed.

“I do see a reasonable and articulated reason for the request,” McCabria said.

The GOP-led Legislature fast-tracked passage of the law this year while bending rules to avoid public input and silence debate. Every Republican except Emporia Rep. Mark Schreiber voted to pass the law and to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto, despite objections from Democrats about the cost to local governments, harm to transgender people, unclear provisions in the law, and constitutional problems.

Republicans argued, without evidence, that the bathroom provision of the law was necessary to ensure the safety of women. They ignored the reality that the law now requires trans men to use women’s facilities.

The law contains a bounty-style provision that allows individuals who feel “aggrieved” by someone’s bathroom use to sue the individuals for monetary gain. Any public entity that fails to properly police bathrooms could be subject to a $25,000 fine on first offense and $125,000 fines on subsequent offenses.

The Kansas Department of Revenue&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/26/trans-kansans-struggle-with-reality-of-legislatures-cruelty-as-drivers-licenses-are-invalidated/">sent a letter to trans people</a>&nbsp;shortly before the law took effect to inform them their driver’s licenses were invalid. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/kansas-republicans-sb-244-trans-drivers-licenses" target="_blank">independent journalist Marisa Kabas</a>&nbsp;reported&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ejihld4sywvvqwe67cdkn4jq/post/3mfucyhno7s2z" target="_blank">an internal KDOR memo</a>&nbsp;to DMVs says no records have been invalidated.

The memo also says the agency sent a letter to 300 Kansans, although the agency has publicly said 1,700 records were affected.

Zach Denney, a KDOR spokesman, told Kansas Reflector that while the new law invalidates licenses immediately,&nbsp;agency employees must look at each record to determine why the gender marker was changed, as some could have been changed because of data entry errors. He encouraged individuals to check their status on the KDOR website.

“The KDOR driver’s license status check page accurately reflects KDOR’s internal system, and what law enforcement entities will see if they check a license,” he said. “The system is being updated, and as it is, the status check website will reflect changes made within the system.”

Kansas judge orders Friday hearing on whether to tap brakes on anti-trans law

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of sexually assaulting a teen while she was waiting for a school bus in Wichita is due back in court Tuesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Gonzalo Ramirez, 31, will appear in Judge Rodger Woods courtroom for a preliminary hearing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney' office.

He was charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent solicitation of a child..&nbsp; The judge will determine if there is evidence to move the case forward.

Just before 6a.m. on Sept. 15, police were dispatched to a report of a sexual assault of a minor that occurred in the 1500 block of South Kansas in Wichita, according to a media release.

The investigation revealed that a minor was waiting for the school bus when they were approached by a 31-year-old male suspect, not known to her.&nbsp; The suspect, identified according to Sedgwick County booking records as Gonzalo Ramirez, lured the minor into a vehicle and committed the assault.

Officers quickly located Ramirez who was taken into custody and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp; He remains in custody on a $500,000.00 bond, according to online jail records.

Preliminary hearing for suspect in Kan. school bus stop sex assault

WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia man who gave his teenage son the gun he's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-high-school-lockdown-3969d34cf6a7adc787facf21c469ef4d">accused of using to kill two students and two teachers</a>&nbsp;at a high school was convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter on Tuesday.

Jurors took less than two hours to find Colin Gray guilty of all charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Gray now joins a growing number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-parents-charged-bbe07bf6f882fd44f893639dc36c0825">parents being held responsible in court after children were accused</a>&nbsp;in shootings across the country.

Colin Gray was found guilty of second-degree murder in the deaths of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Georgia law defines second-degree murder as causing the death of a child by committing the crime of cruelty to children. Gray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the killings of teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.

Another teacher and eight other students were wounded. Gray was also convicted of multiple counts of reckless conduct and cruelty to children.

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