By BECKY KISER Hays Post

The Hays City Commission is expected to award recommended low bids totaling $893,835 on Thursday for the&nbsp;2025 street maintenance program.

Projects include seal coat, polypatch, curb and brick repair, major rehab, asphalt mill and overlay, and pavement markings. 

The biggest project for this year is mill and overlay of East 17th Street.&nbsp;

No bid for the pavement marking project was received. Jesse Rohr, public works director, will advertise it again and bring it back for city commission approval at a later date.&nbsp;

Commissioners will also vote on two proposed joint road improvement projects with Ellis County.

 The first project would create a paved surface on East Vineyard Road and 270th Avenue. The second project is for mill and overlay of 48th Street. The city's cost share of the projects is $377,000.

Holly Dickman, water conservation specialist, will present results of the 2024 water conservation programs and look at an overview for 2025.

Also on the agenda are requests for a cereal malt beverage license for Wild West Festival Saloon and another request by the building owner to remove the marked loading zone at 12th and Vine. It would add two parking spaces to the downtown area.

The complete Feb. 27 agenda is available <a href="https://haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02272025-1530">here</a>. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740607149605.jpeg" alt="Photo by Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThe Hays City Commission is expected to award recommended low bids totaling $893,835 on Thursday for the&nbsp;2025 street maintenance program.Projects include seal coat, polypatch, curb and brick repair, major rehab, asphalt mill and overlay, and pavement markings. The biggest project for this year is mill and overlay of East 17th Street.&nbsp;No bid for the pavement marking project was received. Jesse Rohr, public works director, will advertise it again and bring it back for city commission approval at a later date.&nbsp;Commissioners will also vote on two proposed joint road improvement projects with Ellis County. The first project would create a paved surface on East Vineyard Road and 270th Avenue. The second project is for mill and overlay of 48th Street. The city's cost share of the projects is $377,000.Holly Dickman, water conservation specialist, will present results of the 2024 water conservation programs and look at an overview for 2025.Also on the agenda are requests for a cereal malt beverage license for Wild West Festival Saloon and another request by the building owner to remove the marked loading zone at 12th and Vine. It would add two parking spaces to the downtown area.The complete Feb. 27 agenda is available <a href="https://haysusa.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02272025-1530">here</a>. The meeting starts at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.

Street, road improvements on the agenda for Hays City Commission Thursday

SENATE HIGHLIGHTS Feb. 25, 2025

Last Thursday marked a critical deadline known as “turnaround,” marking the official halfway point for the 2025 Legislative session. 

It was a busy week for the Senate, as we spent two full days debating and voting on and passing out over 40 bills ahead of the Turnaround deadline. After being on the floor all day Tuesday and Wednesday, the Legislature broke until February 25 to give clerical staff time to process the significant amount of paperwork resulting from this week. 

By “turnaround,” a bill, with few exceptions, must have passed its Chamber of origin in order to be considered by the other Chamber before session is over for the year. 

When the Senate returns on Tuesday, the legislature is scheduled to meet for another month before our recess at the end of March. We will then return for a brief period to consider any vetoes prior to final adjournment. 

The focus for the next month will be to consider bills passed by the House Chamber and bills exempt from the Turnaround deadline. Under legislative rules, most bills must be adopted by one chamber in order to be considered by the other chamber. The major item we must complete prior to adjournment is passing the budget.

As of Thursday, February 20, 277 bills have been introduced in the Kansas Senate. Seventy-eight Senate bills have been sent to the House with 63 bills just last week. One Senate bill has become law (SB63). The Senate has confirmed 13 individuals since the session began on January 13.

SENATE FLOOR ACTION- WEEK 5 SB 84 would expand the criminal use of a financial card to include gift cards. The bill would provide that conduct involving a gift card would be classified and penalized in the same manner as conduct involving a financial card. It would be unlawful to use a gift card without the owner’s consent, possess or retain a gift card without authorization, or alter or tamper with a gift card. SB 84 passed 39-0. I voted yes.

SB 5 would prohibit the use of funds provided by the United States government for the conduct of elections and election-related activities unless approved by the legislature. SB 5 passed with a vote of 33-6. I voted yes.

SB 7 increase the bonding cap on general obligation bonds issued by townships for the reconstruction, repair, and equipment of township buildings in any township with a population of more than 5,000 and would increase the bonding cap for bond issues of a township fire department. SB 7 passed 39-0. I voted yes.

SB 8 requires the driver of a vehicle approaching a stopped vehicle displaying hazard warning signal lamps, road flares, or caution signals to proceed with caution and change lanes away from the stopped vehicle. If it is not safe or possible to change lanes away from the stopped vehicle, the bill would require the driver to proceed with due caution and reduce the speed of the vehicle and maintain a safe speed for the road, weather, and traffic conditions. SB 8 passed 39-0. I voted yes.

SB 9 would extend the time for land surveyors to file certain public land survey reports with the Secretary of the State Historical Society from 30 days to 90 days. SB 9 passed 39-0. I voted yes.

SB 36&nbsp;amends the law concerning conservation districts. The bill would change the date from September 1 to November 1 by which conservation districts are required to submit a certification to&nbsp; the Division of Conservation of the amount of moneys required for conservation district activities each year, and would increase the cap on the amount of funding that would be allocated by the Division to the conservation districts from $25,000 to $50,000 per district, beginning in FY 2026, subject to appropriation. The bill would also increase the State’s current matching funding from $1 to $2 state funding to $1 county funding. SB 36 passed 39-0. I voted yes.

SB 32 would reduce insurance company premium tax rates from 2.0% to 1.98% per year for tax year 2026 and subsequent years, lowering the tax rate on certain insurance companies by 1.0 percent. Beginning January 1, 2026, the bill would remove the requirement that the 1.0 percent of insurance company premium taxes received by the Insurance Commissioner be transferred to the State Treasurer to the credit of the Insurance Department Service Regulation Fund. SB 32 passed 39-0. I voted yes.

SB 125 authorized various claims against the state. SB 125 passed 39-0. I voted yes. SB 135 would make technical amendments to law concerning orders issued under the Protection from Abuse Act (PFAA) to reorganize the section to clarify how a protection order may be affected when a child-related order is issued pursuant to another legal action. SB 135 passed 39-0. I voted yes.

On Tuesday, February 18, the Kansas Senate voted 31-9 to override the governor’s veto of SB 63, the Help Not Harm Act. The House followed and the legislation is now law. Under the bill, the law took effect immediately.

The Kansas Senate adopted three bills passed out from the newly-formed Committee on Government Efficiency, or COGE: SB 77 would require an agency to provide written notice to businesses, local governments, and other known stakeholders regarding the agency’s proposed expedited revocation of a rule or regulation identified by the state agency as one that could be revoked. SB 77 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 85 would require the Secretary for Children and Families to enter into data-matching agreements with specified agencies to receive and review information from state and federal agencies for the purpose of verifying food assistance program eligibility and publish certain findings of noncompliance and fraud investigations on the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ website. SB 85 passed 30-10. I voted yes.

SB 161 would prohibit state agencies from seeking or implementing any public assistance program waiver or other federal government authorization that expands eligibility for any public assistance program or would increase costs to the state. The bill would also prohibit making certain changes to services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) without approval from either the Legislature or the Legislative Coordinating Council. SB 161 passed 30-10. I voted yes.

SB 2 would declare valid the result of the question-submitted election held May 21, 2024, approving issuance of not more than $4.6 million in general obligation bonds for USD 200 (Greeley County), for specified improvements to its facilities. SB 2 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 13 would eliminate several filing requirements with the Office of the Secretary of State and make several conforming and technical changes. SB 13 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 18 as amended, would authorize issuance of the Hunter Nation distinctive license plate on and after January 1, 2026, for use on a passenger vehicle or truck registered for a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less. SB 18 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 20 would grant the Commissioner of Insurance the ability to decrease the number of appointed board members on certain boards that fall under her appointing authority. The bill would remove the requirements for the Committee on Surety Bonds and Insurance to meet at least once per month and that the meetings be held in the office of the Commissioner. SB 20 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 21 would amend the Third-Party Administrators Act to require third-party administrators to maintain a separate fiduciary account for each payor and prohibit co-mingling of funds, either collected or held, in a fiduciary account by the administrator on behalf of multiple payors. SB 21 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 22 as amended, would amend law related to title insurance agent audits, surety bonds, and controlled business. SB 22 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 23 would establish a response time for agents and insurers to respond to inquiries from the Kansas Insurance Department and add the failure to respond to such inquiries to the list of actions that could lead to action against an agent or insurer’s license. The bill would also allow for an extension of one-year pilot programs with approval from the Commissioner for a specific period of time determined by the Commissioner. SB 23 passed 40-0. I voted yes

SB 24 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to set the amount of fees and fines for applications, license renewals, certificates of authority, and other required filings by certain insurance entities and public adjusters under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. The bill would set the fees and fines for insurance entities and public adjusters. SB 24 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 27 would amend certain reporting requirements for the Commissioner of Insurance and amend the definition of “person” in statute regarding enforcement of insurance law. SB 27 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 28 as amended, would amend the Uniform Insurance Agents Licensing Act and the Public Adjusters Licensing Act to provide the Commissioner of Insurance with the authority to consult the status of certain licenses or registrations in reviewing applications or renewals for insurance agents and public adjusters. SB 28 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 29 protects Kansans’ First Amendment right to assemble by removing the ability of government to restrict or prohibit public gatherings. Under the bill, public health officials could still recommend public gatherings but would not be able to prohibit them. The Kansas Senate voted 28-12. I voted yes.

SB 30 would require the Secretary of Labor to conduct state and national criminal history record checks on employees who have access to federal tax information received directly from the Internal Revenue Service. Such criminal record checks would require fingerprinting of the employee. SB 30 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 42 as amended, would enact the Kansas Real Time Motor Vehicle Insurance Verification Act. The Act would require the Commissioner of Insurance to establish a web-based system for online verification of motor vehicle insurance, and require motor vehicle insurers to cooperate with the&nbsp;Commissioner to establish and maintain the system as specified in the Act; and establish the web-based system created in the Act as the only electronic system to be used for the purpose of verifying motor vehicle liability insurance. SB 42 passed 38-2. I voted yes.

SB 44 would expand the eligibility requirements for postsecondary education institutions to participate in the Kansas Promise Scholarship Program and increase the maximum amount that could be appropriated to the program. SB 44 passed 37-3. I voted yes.

SB 45 would establish a statutory calculation, for purposes of accreditation, of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate for each school district and any schools within the district, including virtual. SB 45 passed 32-8. I voted yes.

SB 47 would require school districts to list names and email addresses of current school board members on their websites, allow members of the public to publicly comment in regularly scheduled or budgetary school board hearings, and allow school board members to access school district property during school hours or activities. The bill also would amend law regarding annual dues for membership in a not-for-profit organization. SB 47 passed 21-19. I voted no as this is local school board processes with elected board members.

SB 50 would establish uniform interest rates, repayment schedules, and fees for all scholarships, grants, or other student financial aid program established in law under the authority of the State Board of Regents. SB 50 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 51 would provide a generous sales tax exemption to certain firms making investments in a qualified data center, as defined by the bill. SB 51 passed 34-6. I voted yes.

SB 52 would enact the Kansas Film and Digital Media Production Development Act. The Act would create a sales tax exemption and nonrefundable income tax credits for qualifying film production activities to incentivize and promote the growth of film and digital media production and industry in Kansas. The bill would also create definitions pursuant to its implementation and specify reporting requirements on relevant tax incentives for the Secretary of Commerce. SB 52 passed 33-7. I voted yes.

SB 53 would amend law concerning the selection of attorney members of the county law library (CLL) boards of trustees and fees that may be used for enhancing and facilitating the functions of the district court in the county. SB 53 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 54 would amend the Kansas Code of Civil Procedure to require the disclosure of third-party litigation funding agreements and require reporting of such agreements to the Judicial Council for study. SB 54 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 58 would make various changes to multi-year flex accounts. SB 58 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 64 would amend the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) statutes. The bill would extend the timeline for a KPERS member to request an administrative hearing to appeal a decision made by the KPERS Board of Trustees without a hearing. The bill would also update KPERS statutes to align with federal Internal Revenue Code regulations relating to the applicable age for required minimum distribution of pension benefits, recalculation of life expectancy for determining benefits, distributions from a defined contribution or deferred compensation plan, and the addition of a&nbsp;SIMPLE IRA that meets specific rollover requirements to the list of eligible retirement plans. SB 64 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 67 would amend law regarding certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNA) to expand certain independent prescription authority to align the scope of practice more closely to an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). SB 67 passed 36-4. I voted yes.

SB 70 would require local units of government to have a public comment period, requires live streaming to cover all aspects of public meetings for the public to observe, as well as limiting the fees a government can charge for open records requests. The bill also would exempt disclosure of certain closed investigations and change the date for counties or district attorneys to report complaints regarding the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA) and the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA). SB 70 passed 26-14. I voted yes.

SB 71 would increase criminal penalties for buying sexual relations. It also would require certain offenders to complete an educational or treatment program regarding commercial sexual exploitation. Under current law, violation of buying sexual relations is a misdemeanor on a first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses. The bill would remove the crime’s misdemeanor classification and instead make all violations of buying sexual relations a severity level 9-person felony and increase the minimum fine amount from $1,200 to $2,000. SB 71 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 76 establishes the Given Name Act to prohibit school district employees from referring to a minor by a pronoun or name inconsistent with the minor’s biological sex or birth certificate without written parental permission. It would also prohibit school district or postsecondary education institution employees from suffering any adverse employment actions for declining to address an individual by a name or pronoun inconsistent with the individual’s birth certificate or biological sex. SB 76 passed 26-14.

SB 78 would require a governing body of a postsecondary educational institution to regularly review and update the institution’s accreditation policies, allow the institution greater freedom in selecting its accrediting agency, and prohibit accrediting agencies from compelling institutions to violate state laws. SB 78 passed 38-2. I voted yes.

SB 79 which would direct the Secretary for Children and Families to request a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to exclude candy and soft drinks from the definition of eligible foods for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SB 79 passed 29-11. I voted yes.

SB 82 would add provisions that would become part of and supplemental to the Rural Emergency Hospital Act. The bill would authorize the Secretary for Aging and Disability Service upon application by a rural emergency hospital and compliance with certain requirements, to grant a physical environment waiver for existing nursing facilities to a REH to provide skilled nursing facility care. SB 82 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 87 as amended, would expand eligibility requirements for students to receive scholarships under the same program to include kids who have been in foster care or placed in a kinship care placement at any time prior to graduation from high school or reaching the age of 21, a parent who is on active duty with any branch of the armed forces of the United States or who was killed in the line of duty; a parent who is an emergency medical service provider, firefighter, or law enforcement officer as&nbsp;defined by law. The bill also increased the current cap of the program to $15 million and potentially up to $25 million if the program continues to be popular. SB 87 passed 24-16. I voted yes.

SB 88 would amend the Long-term Care Ombudsman Act to require the State Long-term Care Ombudsman to include Alzheimer’s and other dementia training in the prescribed and provided training, as specified in the bill. The bill would require the training to address the needs and rights of long-term care residents with dementia, include strategies to care for and address the specific issues encountered by such residents, and include a list of specific topics to be addressed in such training. SB 88 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 89 would amend the Poultry Disease Control Act and establish fees related to the Act and the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP). SB 89 passed 38-2. I voted yes.

SB 92 would increase from 120 days to 180 days, the time in which the Kansas Corporation Commission must issue a final order on an electric transmission line siting permit application after the date the application was filed. SB 92 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 97 would require a vehicle dealer that obtains ownership of a used all-terrain, work-site utility, recreational off-highway vehicle, or motorcycle that would otherwise qualify as a nonhighway vehicle, to apply to the county treasurer for a dealer inventory-only title. SB 97 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 98 would authorize issuance of the Route 66 Association of Kansas distinctive license plate on and after January 1, 2026, for use on a passenger vehicle or truck registered for a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less. SB 98 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 104 would authorize, rather than require, creation of a citizens commission on local government in every county with a population of more than 170,000 and not more than 200,000.&nbsp;SB 104 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 105 would amend the process of filling such vacancies in the offices of U.S. Senator, State Treasurer, and Commissioner of Insurance. In most instances where a seat would become vacant, the bill would establish the Joint Committee on Vacancy Appointments, which would be made up of legislators from both parties in each chamber. The committee would recommend three names for the governor to pick from. If the legislature was in session, both chambers would vote on a resolution to send to the governor with said names and the governor would have to pick from among the names. If the legislature was not in session, the committee’s recommendations would go directly to the governor. The names on the resolution would have to be members of the vacating official’s political party for the last six years. SB 105 passed 31-9. I voted yes.

SB 114 would authorize non-public school students and virtual school students participating in a school activity governed by the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) to also participate in ancillary activities like pep rallies, award ceremonies, lettering events, and the like. SB 114 passed 32-8. I voted yes.

SB 117 would expand the property tax exemption for Strother Field Airport to include property owned by the political subdivisions comprising the Strother Field Airport Commission regardless of the date of acquisition and to specify the exempt uses for such property. SB 117 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 121 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to select and announce the version of insurance calculations, instructions promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), or other documents required by the NAIC to be in effect for the next calendar year and require the Commissioner to publish such an announcement in the Kansas Register by December 1. SB 121 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 126 would enact the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact. The Compact’s would facilitate the interstate practice of physician assistants (PAs) with the goal of improving public access to medical services and achieve a number of objectives that reduce administrative burden while increasing availability of licensed PAs as well as cooperation among member state licensing bodies. SB 126 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 128 would create an exception to certain mandatory reporting obligations for licensed social workers who are supervised by an attorney. The bill would permit such attorneys to require such social workers to maintain attorney client privilege. SB 128 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 138 would amend law concerning the issuance of search warrants to specify only law enforcement officers may provide sworn statements supporting a finding of probable cause to issue a search warrant. Under current law, any person may provide such statements. SB 138 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 139 would amend the State Banking Code. SB 139 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 156 would create the crime of unlawful use of a laser pointer and would establish related penalties in the Kansas Criminal Code. SB 156 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 157 would require warrants issued for failure to appear to be provided to a compensated surety, change the criteria for setting aside bond forfeitures, and require the return of a percentage of an appearance bond in certain circumstances. SB 157 passed 31-9. I voted yes.

SB 166 would create the Fostering Competitive Career Opportunities Act, which would prohibit state employers from making hiring decisions based solely on an applicant’s lack of a post-secondary degree. The bill would not apply to positions for which a postsecondary degree is justifiably necessary. SB 166 passed 39-1. I voted yes.

SB 175 would amend the Athletic Trainers Licensure Act to amend the definition of “athletic training,” provide a licensure exemption, make changes to the application for licensure as an athletic trainer, and make technical amendments. SB 175 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 186 would require affidavits or sworn testimony supporting probable cause in the issuance of a warrant or summons to be made available to law enforcement agencies prior to the execution of such warrant or summons. SB 186 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 193 would amend the Statewide Opioid Antagonist Protocol by exempting law enforcement agencies from the Protocol’s requirement to utilize a physician medical director or licensed pharmacist unless the agency was electing to use an emergency opioid antagonist dispensed or furnished pursuant to the Protocol. SB 193 passed 40-0.

SB 197 includes several reforms to the STAR bonds law. It can no longer use eminent domain; no State General Funds could be used to pay STAR Bonds; The Commerce Department must publish all&nbsp;STAR Bond documents and no tax increment revenue from one STAR Bond can fund another. It also adds malls to possible projects. SB 197 passed 32-8. I voted yes.

SB 199 would permit year-round fireworks sales under certain conditions and make additional changes to law related to the sale of fireworks. SB 199 passed 27-13. I voted no – wildfires are still a real concern to rural Kansas.

SB 204 would require the sealing of certain records relating to case information, warrants, and subpoenas in certain criminal and juvenile cases. SB 204 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 222 would return power to the people by prohibiting a state court or an administrative hearing officer from deferring to an executive branch agency’s interpretation of certain statutes, rules and regulations, and documents that have the force and effect of law. SB 222 passed 31-9. I voted yes.

SB 227 would increase tax credit amounts allowed for preservation of historic structures and make changes to the conditions under which different credit amounts are allowed. SB 227 passed 31-9. I voted yes.

SB 241 would prohibit certain restrictive covenants from being considered a restraint of trade pursuant to the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act and would presume such covenants are enforceable. SB 241 passed 40-0. I voted yes.

SB 244 would prohibit a compensated surety from making loans for the purpose of financing the minimum appearance bond premium required to be paid before posting a bond. SB 244 passed 37-3. I voted yes.

SB 250 would create the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments Act. The bill would authorize a manufacturer operating in an eligible facility to make available individualized investigative treatments and allow individuals with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses to request an individualized investigational drug, biologic product, or device from such manufacturers. SB 250 passed 36-4. I voted yes.

SB 260 would amend the Kansas Parimutuel Racing Act to change certain licensing requirements regarding live horse racing and to alter the distribution of moneys from certain funds. The bill would also make technical changes. SB 260 passed 36-4. I voted yes.

A full description of each bill can be found at <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/">www.kslegislature.org </a>as well as the Final Action vote on each measure.

PAGES FOR THE SENATE – February 18

On February 18, Taylor and Nathan Knoll, Osborne, paged for the Kansas Senate. The pages spent their day with us at the Capitol running errands, working in my office, and met with Lt. Governor David Toland in his Capitol Office.

Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org. 

For those who want to pursue a&nbsp;more in-depth analysis of bills, go to and pull up “Bills &amp; Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research &amp; reviser staff. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ or watch session at this website as well as reviewing past committee meetings and sessions.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785-296-7389 <a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

BOWERS: 2025 Senate Scene Week 5 & 6

On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/post-podcast" target="_blank">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipifinancialservices.com/" target="_blank">Insurance Planning, Inc.</a>&nbsp;account executives Brian Weimer and Mike&nbsp;Niernberger&nbsp;discuss long-term care insurance with Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Insurance Planning Incorporated: Long Term Care Insurance" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=ixgjr-1816bcf-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>On this episode of the&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/post-podcast" target="_blank">Post Podcast</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ipifinancialservices.com/" target="_blank">Insurance Planning, Inc.</a>&nbsp;account executives Brian Weimer and Mike&nbsp;Niernberger&nbsp;discuss long-term care insurance with Hays Post reporter Cristina Janney.&nbsp; &nbsp;

🎙 Post Podcast: Insurance Planning on planning for long-term care

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order mandating price transparency for all health care costs.

The order requires hospitals to post online the rates for some of their most common services, from MRI scans to caesarean section deliveries. Trump has long sought to address the secrecy that often surprises patients with treatment invoices.

The president calls the transparency requirement “one of the biggest things that can happen to reducing costs in health care.”

Trump issued a similar rule during the last year of his first term in office, but President Joe Biden did little to enforce it.

Hospitals and insurers had strongly opposed the rule, and many had not complied.

“It’s been unpopular in some circles because people make less money,” Trump said during a signing event in the Oval Office. “But it’s great for the patient. It’s great for the people in our country.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order mandating price transparency for all health care costs.The order requires hospitals to post online the rates for some of their most common services, from MRI scans to caesarean section deliveries. Trump has long sought to address the secrecy that often surprises patients with treatment invoices.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> for your steadfast leadership in issuing an executive order that mandates clear, accurate, and actionable healthcare pricing. This executive order will empower patients with the knowledge they need to make informed health decisions. At <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HHSgov</a>, we are fulfilling… <a href="https://t.co/HKmbgCa7rs">pic.twitter.com/HKmbgCa7rs</a>&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1894562386708672863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president calls the transparency requirement “one of the biggest things that can happen to reducing costs in health care.”Trump issued a similar rule during the last year of his first term in office, but President Joe Biden did little to enforce it.Hospitals and insurers had strongly opposed the rule, and many had not complied.“It’s been unpopular in some circles because people make less money,” Trump said during a signing event in the Oval Office. “But it’s great for the patient. It’s great for the people in our country.”

Trump order mandates price transparency rules for hospitals

Three unique types of art will be highlighted at the newest exhibition opening Friday at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th.

"These are three Hays professionals who have been retired from what their other careers were but are still the most amazing artists," said Brenda Meder, executive director of the Hays Art Council.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Layered, Frayed and Appliqued" aptly describes the fiber art by Paulette VonLintel Karlin, that will be displayed in the Front Gallery.&nbsp;

Meder describes Karlin's work as not quilts, but "brilliant fabric collage upcycled from other things. Just stunning with beautiful color and textures and form. ... You can see her strong ties to Florida where she used to live."

The Hall Gallery will feature a mixed-media collage assemblage exhibition, "Time for Collage," by Cal Mahin, a local award-winning artist and former Colby schools art teacher.&nbsp;

Mahin, in his artist's statement said philosophical, symbolism and social statements are the dominant subjects in his current works, with some humor finding its way into the narrative.&nbsp;

A body of work by photographer and former Hays Arts Council board member Leon Staab, "Close to Home," will grace the walls of the Founders Gallery.

Staab lives in a loft in downtown Hays and his exhibit "Close to Home" features many photos from taken from a second story perspective.

"It's not all that but there will be a lot of rooftop photography," Meder said.&nbsp;

The opening reception is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 28. The trio of exhibits will remain on display through April 16.&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="POST PODCAST: Hays Arts Council upcoming exhibitions" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=jtbg2-180e552-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>By BECKY KISER Hays PostThree unique types of art will be highlighted at the newest exhibition opening Friday at the Hays Arts Center, 112 E. 11th."These are three Hays professionals who have been retired from what their other careers were but are still the most amazing artists," said Brenda Meder, executive director of the Hays Art Council.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740603592005.jpeg" alt=""Sanibel Dolls" and other fiber art by Paulette VonLintel Karlin. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"Sanibel Dolls" and other fiber art by Paulette VonLintel Karlin. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740604750458.jpeg" alt=""Leopard &amp; Cobra" fiber art by Paulette VonLintel Karlin. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>"Leopard &amp; Cobra" fiber art by Paulette VonLintel Karlin. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>"Layered, Frayed and Appliqued" aptly describes the fiber art by Paulette VonLintel Karlin, that will be displayed in the Front Gallery.&nbsp;Meder describes Karlin's work as not quilts, but "brilliant fabric collage upcycled from other things. Just stunning with beautiful color and textures and form. ... You can see her strong ties to Florida where she used to live."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740603994895.jpeg" alt=""Catch a Falling Star Where the Red Tree Grows" by Cal Mahin. Photo by Becky Kiser" />
 <figcaption>"Catch a Falling Star Where the Red Tree Grows" by Cal Mahin. Photo by Becky Kiser</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740604442380.jpeg" alt=""The Dance is Over When the Drums Stop" by Cal Mahin. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"The Dance is Over When the Drums Stop" by Cal Mahin. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Hall Gallery will feature a mixed-media collage assemblage exhibition, "Time for Collage," by Cal Mahin, a local award-winning artist and former Colby schools art teacher.&nbsp;Mahin, in his artist's statement said philosophical, symbolism and social statements are the dominant subjects in his current works, with some humor finding its way into the narrative.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740604227674.jpeg" alt="Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director, and Leon Staab, Hays photographer, discuss the layout design of his photo exhibit which opens Friday evening. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Brenda Meder, Hays Arts Council executive director, and Leon Staab, Hays photographer, discuss the layout design of his photo exhibit which opens Friday evening. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740603221454.jpeg" alt=""Blue Moon" by Leon Staab" />
 <figcaption>"Blue Moon" by Leon Staab</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740604984672.jpeg" alt="Photo by Leon Staab" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Leon Staab</figcaption>
 </figure>A body of work by photographer and former Hays Arts Council board member Leon Staab, "Close to Home," will grace the walls of the Founders Gallery.Staab lives in a loft in downtown Hays and his exhibit "Close to Home" features many photos from taken from a second story perspective."It's not all that but there will be a lot of rooftop photography," Meder said.&nbsp;The opening reception is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Feb. 28. The trio of exhibits will remain on display through April 16.&nbsp;

🎙POST PODCAST: Opening reception Friday for Hays Arts Center new exhibitions

<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=13225">BOX SCORE</a>

HAYS, Kan. – Kaleb Hammeke scored 27 points in his final home game to lead Fort Hays State to a 79-57 win over Nebraska-Kearney Wednesday at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The win improved the Tigers to 19-8 overall and 12-6 in the MIAA and was their 10th-straight at home. FHSU built a 12-point lead by halftime and never let the Lopers closer than nine in the second half on their way to posting a 15-1 record at home in the regular season. Nebraska-Kearney moved to 11-15 overall on the season and 9-9 in the MIAA.

Nebraska-Kearney held a small lead for about the first five minutes of the game until FHSU moved in front for good with the score at 9-8. That triggered a 10-2 run to push the Tigers to a seven-point lead about midway through the first half. The Tigers saw their lead grow to 15 points twice in the half before leading 40-28 at halftime.

After UNK got the lead down to nine with about 17 minutes to go in the game, FHSU went on a 9-0 run to double the lead up to 18 points. The Tigers cruised from that point, getting the lead out to the final margin of 22 twice.

Kaleb Hammeke made&nbsp; nine of his 12 shots from the field with three 3-point field goals. He was also a perfect 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. He added five assists and tied for the team high in rebounds with five. Hammeke is now just three points shy of the 2,000-point mark for his career.

Kyle Grill&nbsp;(14), Traejon Davis&nbsp;(10), and Dan Makuna&nbsp;(10) also finished in double figures for scoring. Grill was perfect shooting the ball for the night, going 4-of-4 beyond the 3-point line and 2-of-2 at the free-throw line. All five FHSU starters had at least seven points in the game.

Allen Taylor led the Lopers with 19 points, followed by Ja'Bryant Hill with 13 and Clayton Moore with 10.FHSU shot a blistering 56.8 percent from the field, while UNK shot 42.9 percent. The Tigers were a solid 19-of-22 at the free-throw line for the night as well.

With the win, FHSU moved up into a tie for second in the MIAA standings with Rogers State and Pittsburg State.

Fort Hays State gets a couple days of rest before having to take on Nebraska-Kearney again on Saturday, this time in Kearney. Tipoff will be at 4 p.m. at the Health and Sports Center. FHSU will be seeking its 13th&nbsp;20-win season under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mark-johnson/1330">Mark Johnson</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740632164234.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&amp;id=13225">BOX SCORE</a>HAYS, Kan. – Kaleb Hammeke scored 27 points in his final home game to lead Fort Hays State to a 79-57 win over Nebraska-Kearney Wednesday at Gross Memorial Coliseum. The win improved the Tigers to 19-8 overall and 12-6 in the MIAA and was their 10th-straight at home. FHSU built a 12-point lead by halftime and never let the Lopers closer than nine in the second half on their way to posting a 15-1 record at home in the regular season. Nebraska-Kearney moved to 11-15 overall on the season and 9-9 in the MIAA.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2042994260&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/mark-johnson-postgame-v-unk-feb-26-2025" title="Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Nebraska-Kearney (February 26, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Mark Johnson Postgame vs. Nebraska-Kearney (February 26, 2025)</a></div></div>Nebraska-Kearney held a small lead for about the first five minutes of the game until FHSU moved in front for good with the score at 9-8. That triggered a 10-2 run to push the Tigers to a seven-point lead about midway through the first half. The Tigers saw their lead grow to 15 points twice in the half before leading 40-28 at halftime.After UNK got the lead down to nine with about 17 minutes to go in the game, FHSU went on a 9-0 run to double the lead up to 18 points. The Tigers cruised from that point, getting the lead out to the final margin of 22 twice.Kaleb Hammeke made&nbsp; nine of his 12 shots from the field with three 3-point field goals. He was also a perfect 6-of-6 at the free-throw line. He added five assists and tied for the team high in rebounds with five. Hammeke is now just three points shy of the 2,000-point mark for his career.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2042994036&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/kaleb-hammeke-post-v-unk" title="Kaleb Hammeke Postgame vs. Nebraska-Kearney (February 26, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Kaleb Hammeke Postgame vs. Nebraska-Kearney (February 26, 2025)</a></div></div>Kyle Grill&nbsp;(14), Traejon Davis&nbsp;(10), and Dan Makuna&nbsp;(10) also finished in double figures for scoring. Grill was perfect shooting the ball for the night, going 4-of-4 beyond the 3-point line and 2-of-2 at the free-throw line. All five FHSU starters had at least seven points in the game.Allen Taylor led the Lopers with 19 points, followed by Ja'Bryant Hill with 13 and Clayton Moore with 10.FHSU shot a blistering 56.8 percent from the field, while UNK shot 42.9 percent. The Tigers were a solid 19-of-22 at the free-throw line for the night as well.<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/2042993889&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/fhsu-mbkb-highlights-v-unk-feb" title="Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Nebraska-Kearney (February 26, 2025)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Fort Hays State MBB Highlights vs. Nebraska-Kearney (February 26, 2025)</a></div></div>With the win, FHSU moved up into a tie for second in the MIAA standings with Rogers State and Pittsburg State.UP NEXTFort Hays State gets a couple days of rest before having to take on Nebraska-Kearney again on Saturday, this time in Kearney. Tipoff will be at 4 p.m. at the Health and Sports Center. FHSU will be seeking its 13th&nbsp;20-win season under head coach&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/mark-johnson/1330">Mark Johnson</a>.

🏀 Hammeke scores 27 in final game at GMC, Tigers cruise past Lopers

TOPEKA February 23, 2025

Last&nbsp; week, the Kansas Legislature reached “halftime,” the mid-point of the legislative session commonly referred to inside the Capitol as “turnaround.” 

It is when most legislation needs to be passed out of one chamber in order to be “turned around” and considered in the other. This weekend, we were now on a brief four-day break to allow legislative staff time to process legislation.

Currently, if there is a vacancy from any of our statewide elected officials, the governor has complete authority to fill the seat with anyone she wants. This anti-democratic process has the potential of instantly and radically shifting the balance of power, especially as it pertains to the United States Senate, where in recent years, the body has been divided 50-50.&nbsp;

SB105 would amend the process of filling such vacancies in the offices of U.S. Senator, State Treasurer, and Commissioner of Insurance.

In most instances where a seat would become vacant, the bill would establish the Joint Committee on Vacancy Appointments, which would be made up of legislators from both parties in each chamber. The committee would recommend three names for the governor to pick from. 

If the legislature was in session, both chambers would vote on a resolution to send to the governor with said names and the governor would have to pick from among the names. If the legislature was not in session, the committee’s recommendations would go directly to the governor. The names on the resolution would have to be members of the vacating official’s political party for the last six years.

 With the terrible airplane crash of the passenger jet from Wichita to Washington, D.C., this highlighted the fact that makes this legislation more urgent than ever. Our U.S. Senators and Congressman travel frequently from Kansas to Washington, D.C.

SB250 passed the Senate: New breakthroughs in medicine are happening every day and have the potential of helping Kansans who are suffering from life-threatening or debilitating diseases. To help provide hope, the Senate passed SB250, which would create the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments Act. The bill would authorize a manufacturer operating in an eligible facility to make available individualized investigative&nbsp;treatments and allow individuals with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses to request an individualized investigational drug, biologic product, or device from such manufacturers.

SB161 would prohibit state agencies from seeking or implementing any public assistance program waiver or other federal government authorization that expands eligibility for any public assistance program or would increase costs to the state. The bill would also prohibit making certain changes to services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) without approval from either the Legislature or the Legislative Coordinating Council. SB161 passed 30-10.

The Kansas Senate took a unanimous stand against prostitution and against sex trafficking by passing SB71, which would increase criminal penalties for buying sexual relations. It also would require certain offenders to complete an educational or treatment program regarding commercial sexual exploitation. Under current law, violation of buying sexual relations is a misdemeanor on a first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses. The bill would remove the crime’s misdemeanor classification and instead make all violations of buying sexual relations a severity level 9-person felony and increase the minimum fine amount from $1,200 to $2,000.

The Kansas Senate voted 28-12 to approve SB29, which protects Kansans’ First Amendment right to assemble by removing the ability of government to restrict or prohibit public gatherings. Under the bill, public health officials could still recommend against public gatherings but would not be able to prohibit them.

On Tuesday, the Kansas Senate voted 31-9 to override the governor’s veto of SB63, the Help Not Harm Act. The House quickly followed, and the legislation is now law.

SB85 passed the Senate and will require the Secretary for Children and Families to enter into data-matching agreements with specified agencies to receive and review information from state and federal agencies for the purpose of verifying food assistance program eligibility and publish certain findings of noncompliance and fraud investigations on the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ website.

These are just a few of the bills passed by the Senate this last week. In my next newsletter I will address future bills.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell number is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office, room 545-S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644852447177.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA February 23, 2025Last&nbsp; week, the Kansas Legislature reached “halftime,” the mid-point of the legislative session commonly referred to inside the Capitol as “turnaround.” It is when most legislation needs to be passed out of one chamber in order to be “turned around” and considered in the other. This weekend, we were now on a brief four-day break to allow legislative staff time to process legislation.Currently, if there is a vacancy from any of our statewide elected officials, the governor has complete authority to fill the seat with anyone she wants. This anti-democratic process has the potential of instantly and radically shifting the balance of power, especially as it pertains to the United States Senate, where in recent years, the body has been divided 50-50.&nbsp;SB105 would amend the process of filling such vacancies in the offices of U.S. Senator, State Treasurer, and Commissioner of Insurance. In most instances where a seat would become vacant, the bill would establish the Joint Committee on Vacancy Appointments, which would be made up of legislators from both parties in each chamber. The committee would recommend three names for the governor to pick from. If the legislature was in session, both chambers would vote on a resolution to send to the governor with said names and the governor would have to pick from among the names. If the legislature was not in session, the committee’s recommendations would go directly to the governor. The names on the resolution would have to be members of the vacating official’s political party for the last six years. With the terrible airplane crash of the passenger jet from Wichita to Washington, D.C., this highlighted the fact that makes this legislation more urgent than ever. Our U.S. Senators and Congressman travel frequently from Kansas to Washington, D.C.SB250 passed the Senate: New breakthroughs in medicine are happening every day and have the potential of helping Kansans who are suffering from life-threatening or debilitating diseases. To help provide hope, the Senate passed SB250, which would create the Right to Try for Individualized Treatments Act. The bill would authorize a manufacturer operating in an eligible facility to make available individualized investigative&nbsp;treatments and allow individuals with life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses to request an individualized investigational drug, biologic product, or device from such manufacturers.SB161 would prohibit state agencies from seeking or implementing any public assistance program waiver or other federal government authorization that expands eligibility for any public assistance program or would increase costs to the state. The bill would also prohibit making certain changes to services for persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) without approval from either the Legislature or the Legislative Coordinating Council. SB161 passed 30-10.The Kansas Senate took a unanimous stand against prostitution and against sex trafficking by passing SB71, which would increase criminal penalties for buying sexual relations. It also would require certain offenders to complete an educational or treatment program regarding commercial sexual exploitation. Under current law, violation of buying sexual relations is a misdemeanor on a first offense and a felony on subsequent offenses. The bill would remove the crime’s misdemeanor classification and instead make all violations of buying sexual relations a severity level 9-person felony and increase the minimum fine amount from $1,200 to $2,000.The Kansas Senate voted 28-12 to approve SB29, which protects Kansans’ First Amendment right to assemble by removing the ability of government to restrict or prohibit public gatherings. Under the bill, public health officials could still recommend against public gatherings but would not be able to prohibit them.On Tuesday, the Kansas Senate voted 31-9 to override the governor’s veto of SB63, the Help Not Harm Act. The House quickly followed, and the legislation is now law.SB85 passed the Senate and will require the Secretary for Children and Families to enter into data-matching agreements with specified agencies to receive and review information from state and federal agencies for the purpose of verifying food assistance program eligibility and publish certain findings of noncompliance and fraud investigations on the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ website.These are just a few of the bills passed by the Senate this last week. In my next newsletter I will address future bills.I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell number is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office, room 545-S.

BILLINGER: Senate Scene Feb. 25, 2025

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

Hays hit a new record high Tuesday with a high of 76, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.

Hays is forecast to see a slight decrease in temperature in the coming days, with chances of rain beginning Sunday.

The forecast for today is sunny and breezy, with a high of 60 and winds 17 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

The warm trend continues on Thursday, with a high of 64. The high for Friday is forecast to be 67, 58 on Saturday and 54 on Sunday, with a 30% chance of rain.

By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostHays hit a new record high Tuesday with a high of 76, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.The low for Tuesday night was 34.Hays is forecast to see a slight decrease in temperature in the coming days, with chances of rain beginning Sunday.The forecast for today is sunny and breezy, with a high of 60 and winds 17 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.The warm trend continues on Thursday, with a high of 64. The high for Friday is forecast to be 67, 58 on Saturday and 54 on Sunday, with a 30% chance of rain.

Hays sets record high on Tuesday; warming trend to continue

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Fort Hays State men's wrestling's Connor Padgett&nbsp;was named second team All-MIAA at 174 pounds, announced Wednesday (Feb. 26) by the league office.

The redshirt-freshman is tied for the team lead with 16 wins on the year, posting a 16-13 record. Padgett was 4-1 in conference duals, including one technical fall victory and three decisions.

He is also tied for the team lead with 10 bonus point wins while leading all Tigers with five technical falls on the year.

Padgett and his Tiger teammates will next enter the postseason when they travel to Gunnison, Colo. for the Super Region VI Championships on Saturday. Action is set to begin at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. MT).

2024-25 WRESTLING POSTSEASON AWARDS &amp; ALL-MIAA TEAMS CO-WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Studd Morris, Central Oklahoma CO-WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Crew Howard, Nebraska Kearney FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Torin Forsyth, Central Missouri COACH OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Todd Steidley, Central Oklahoma

ALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM 125&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Studd Morris, Central Oklahoma 133&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;James Anderson, Ouachita 141&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Joseph Airola, Nebraska Kearney 149&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dylan Brown, Central Oklahoma 157&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gabe Johnson, Central Oklahoma 165&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hunter Jump, Central Oklahoma 174&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jacobi Deal, Nebraska Kearney 184&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Garrett Wells, Central Oklahoma 197&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jackson Kinsella, Nebraska Kearney 285&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crew Howard, Nebraska Kearney

ALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM 125&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jakason Burks, Central Missouri 133&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hector Serratos, Nebraska Kearney 141&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Josh Taylor, Central Oklahoma 149&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brady Collins, Nebraska Kearney 157&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;John Ridle, Central Missouri 165&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trenton Munoz, Nebraska Kearney 174&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/wrestling/roster/connor-padgett/8304">Connor Padgett</a>, Fort Hays State 184&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jacari Deal, Nebraska Kearney 197&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Emmanuel Skillings, Central Oklahoma 285&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Caleb Wunsch, Newman&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740589646086.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU AthleticsKANSAS CITY, Mo. - Fort Hays State men's wrestling's Connor Padgett&nbsp;was named second team All-MIAA at 174 pounds, announced Wednesday (Feb. 26) by the league office.The redshirt-freshman is tied for the team lead with 16 wins on the year, posting a 16-13 record. Padgett was 4-1 in conference duals, including one technical fall victory and three decisions.He is also tied for the team lead with 10 bonus point wins while leading all Tigers with five technical falls on the year.Padgett and his Tiger teammates will next enter the postseason when they travel to Gunnison, Colo. for the Super Region VI Championships on Saturday. Action is set to begin at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. MT).2024-25 WRESTLING POSTSEASON AWARDS &amp; ALL-MIAA TEAMS CO-WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Studd Morris, Central Oklahoma CO-WRESTLER OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Crew Howard, Nebraska Kearney FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Torin Forsyth, Central Missouri COACH OF THE YEAR:&nbsp;Todd Steidley, Central OklahomaALL-MIAA FIRST TEAM 125&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Studd Morris, Central Oklahoma 133&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;James Anderson, Ouachita 141&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Joseph Airola, Nebraska Kearney 149&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dylan Brown, Central Oklahoma 157&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Gabe Johnson, Central Oklahoma 165&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hunter Jump, Central Oklahoma 174&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jacobi Deal, Nebraska Kearney 184&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Garrett Wells, Central Oklahoma 197&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jackson Kinsella, Nebraska Kearney 285&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Crew Howard, Nebraska KearneyALL-MIAA SECOND TEAM 125&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jakason Burks, Central Missouri 133&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Hector Serratos, Nebraska Kearney 141&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Josh Taylor, Central Oklahoma 149&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Brady Collins, Nebraska Kearney 157&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;John Ridle, Central Missouri 165&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Trenton Munoz, Nebraska Kearney 174&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://fhsuathletics.com/sports/wrestling/roster/connor-padgett/8304">Connor Padgett</a>, Fort Hays State 184&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jacari Deal, Nebraska Kearney 197&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Emmanuel Skillings, Central Oklahoma 285&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Caleb Wunsch, Newman&nbsp;&nbsp;

🤼‍♂️ FHSU's Padgett earns All-MIAA recognition

#6/#10 Fort Hays State (24-2, 15-2 MIAA) vs. Nebraska-Kearney (19-7, 12-5 MIAA) Wednesday, February 26, 2025 • 5:30 p.m. Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial Coliseum

Radio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>

The sixth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team plays at home for the final time during the regular season on Wednesday when the Tigers host long-time rival Nebraska-Kearney. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.

It is the first of two meetings this week between the Tigers (24-2, 15-2 MIAA) and Lopers (19-7, 12-5 MIAA), with the teams also wrapping up the regular season with another game in Kearney in just three days. Wednesday's game was originally scheduled to be played on January 7 but was postponed due to winter weather.

This is not the first time the Lopers and Tigers have played twice in one week. Just four years ago the teams played twice in three days during the COVID-altered 2020-21 season. The unranked Tigers handed No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney its first and second losses of the season, winning 61-49 in Hays on a Thursday (1/28/21) and coming away victorious 68-60 two days later in Kearney (1/30/21).

Both the Tigers and Lopers were listed as under consideration for selection into the 2025 NCAA Division II Central Region Championships in the first release of the Central Region rankings last Wednesday. Since that date the Tigers have won twice, including a double-digit win against then-No. 5 Pittsburg State. The Lopers, meanwhile, lost to both Missouri Southern and PSU last week.

The Tigers still trail Pittsburg State in the latest update of the&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaa.com/images/2025/2/24/2025_wbb_kpi_3.png">MIAA KPI Standings</a>, which will be used for seeding for the 2025 MIAA Basketball Championship presented by Southern Bank. FHSU now holds a rating of .183 (up from .152 a week ago), while the Gorillas' rating is .191. Missouri Western is third with a rating of .151, while UNK is fourth at .093. This rating system assigns point values to wins and losses based on opponent and location, etc.

Fort Hays State continues to rank among the nation's best in numerous categories, including assist/turnover ratio (second, 1.39), assists per game (fourth, 18.6), scoring margin (fifth, plus-19.0), field goal percentage (sixth, 46.1 percent), winning percentage (seventh, 92.3 percent) and field goal percentage defense (11th, 34.7 percent).

After opening the year with 12-straight wins and winning 11 in a row since January 18, the Tigers now have multiple 10-game winning streaks in a season for the third time in team history (1990-91, 2018-19). This is the 16th double-digit winning streak in school history.

Fort Hays State has surpassed the 20-win plateau for a 14th-consecutive season, the longest active streak in DII (Drury second with 11) and the fifth-longest streak in all NCAA women's basketball. The next-best stretch in the MIAA is just three seasons (MWSU, MSSU, PSU).Fort Hays State leads Division II in attendance this season, averaging 2,105 fans per home contest. That total would rank 84th in Division I and is more than 282 DI programs.

Brooke Loewe is now the school's single-season assists leader with 177 this season, breaking a 34-year old record (1990-91). She has dished out 10 or more assists five times this season, a feat only one other MIAA player has accomplished more than once.

Fort Hays State has had a Tiger student-athlete earn MIAA Athlete of the Week honors four times this season, more than any other school in the league (UCM, PSU three each). Both Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;and Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;have earned the recognition two times.

DeGarmo has been named MIAA Athlete of the week each of the last two weeks, averaging 18.3 points and 11.0 rebounds over the last four games. She earned the award on February 17 after posting a pair of double-doubles in road wins at Emporia State (13p, 14r) and Newman (16p, 10r), averaging 14.5 ppg and 12.0 rpg for the week. She then put up season-highs with 27 points and 15 rebounds against Missouri Southern before tallying 17 points and five rebounds against No. 5 Pittsburg State to earn the award on February 24, averaging 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds for the week. She has now earned the conference's weekly award seven times in her career and has done so multiple times in each of the last three seasons.

Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;has also been named MIAA Athlete of the Week twice this season. The graduate student picked up the first honor of the season in November after averaging 24.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.5 steals per game in a pair of wins in St. Joseph, Mo. The graduate student opened the year with 29 points against Augustana, including 25 after halftime. She then averaged 24.5 points on 76 percent shooting (19-of-25) in a pair of home wins in February, including 22 points against NSU and 27 and four blocks against UAFS.

The Tigers have both played and beaten UNK more than any other school in program history. Fort Hays State is 62-42 all-time against Nebraska-Kearney, including a 36-15 record at home and wins in the last two meetings. The Tigers are 2-0 against the Lopers under head coach talia Kahrs, including a 1-0 record at home. The Tigers are 18-6 against UNK in regular season MIAA meetings and 5-3 in games that reach overtime, including wins in the last five overtime meetings.

The Lopers enter the week 19-7 overall and 12-5 in conference action, including a 7-4 record on the road. Nebraska-Kearney averages 72.5 points per night, sixth-best in the MIAA. Their scoring margin of plus-14.9 is third-best in the league. The Lopers average 26.8 points off the bench per game, best in the league and 25th-best in Division II. Jillian Aschoff leads a balanced offense with just 11.0 points per game, however five players average at least nine points per game with two more scoring more than six points per outing. Bailee Sobczak leads the conference with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740574011686.png" alt="2025-02-26.png" />
 <figcaption>2025-02-26.png</figcaption>
 </figure>FHSU Athletics#6/#10 Fort Hays State (24-2, 15-2 MIAA) vs. Nebraska-Kearney (19-7, 12-5 MIAA) Wednesday, February 26, 2025 • 5:30 p.m. Hays, Kan. • Gross Memorial ColiseumRadio:&nbsp;KJLS (103.3)&nbsp;<a href="https://mix103fm.com/">CLICK HERE TO LISTEN</a> Video:&nbsp;MIAA Network:&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaanetwork.com/fhsutigers/">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ($)</a>The sixth-ranked Fort Hays State women's basketball team plays at home for the final time during the regular season on Wednesday when the Tigers host long-time rival Nebraska-Kearney. Tipoff is slated for 5:30 p.m. inside Gross Memorial Coliseum.It is the first of two meetings this week between the Tigers (24-2, 15-2 MIAA) and Lopers (19-7, 12-5 MIAA), with the teams also wrapping up the regular season with another game in Kearney in just three days. Wednesday's game was originally scheduled to be played on January 7 but was postponed due to winter weather.This is not the first time the Lopers and Tigers have played twice in one week. Just four years ago the teams played twice in three days during the COVID-altered 2020-21 season. The unranked Tigers handed No. 4 Nebraska-Kearney its first and second losses of the season, winning 61-49 in Hays on a Thursday (1/28/21) and coming away victorious 68-60 two days later in Kearney (1/30/21).Both the Tigers and Lopers were listed as under consideration for selection into the 2025 NCAA Division II Central Region Championships in the first release of the Central Region rankings last Wednesday. Since that date the Tigers have won twice, including a double-digit win against then-No. 5 Pittsburg State. The Lopers, meanwhile, lost to both Missouri Southern and PSU last week.The Tigers still trail Pittsburg State in the latest update of the&nbsp;<a href="https://themiaa.com/images/2025/2/24/2025_wbb_kpi_3.png">MIAA KPI Standings</a>, which will be used for seeding for the 2025 MIAA Basketball Championship presented by Southern Bank. FHSU now holds a rating of .183 (up from .152 a week ago), while the Gorillas' rating is .191. Missouri Western is third with a rating of .151, while UNK is fourth at .093. This rating system assigns point values to wins and losses based on opponent and location, etc.Fort Hays State continues to rank among the nation's best in numerous categories, including assist/turnover ratio (second, 1.39), assists per game (fourth, 18.6), scoring margin (fifth, plus-19.0), field goal percentage (sixth, 46.1 percent), winning percentage (seventh, 92.3 percent) and field goal percentage defense (11th, 34.7 percent).After opening the year with 12-straight wins and winning 11 in a row since January 18, the Tigers now have multiple 10-game winning streaks in a season for the third time in team history (1990-91, 2018-19). This is the 16th double-digit winning streak in school history.Fort Hays State has surpassed the 20-win plateau for a 14th-consecutive season, the longest active streak in DII (Drury second with 11) and the fifth-longest streak in all NCAA women's basketball. The next-best stretch in the MIAA is just three seasons (MWSU, MSSU, PSU).Fort Hays State leads Division II in attendance this season, averaging 2,105 fans per home contest. That total would rank 84th in Division I and is more than 282 DI programs.Brooke Loewe is now the school's single-season assists leader with 177 this season, breaking a 34-year old record (1990-91). She has dished out 10 or more assists five times this season, a feat only one other MIAA player has accomplished more than once.Fort Hays State has had a Tiger student-athlete earn MIAA Athlete of the Week honors four times this season, more than any other school in the league (UCM, PSU three each). Both Katie DeGarmo&nbsp;and Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;have earned the recognition two times.DeGarmo has been named MIAA Athlete of the week each of the last two weeks, averaging 18.3 points and 11.0 rebounds over the last four games. She earned the award on February 17 after posting a pair of double-doubles in road wins at Emporia State (13p, 14r) and Newman (16p, 10r), averaging 14.5 ppg and 12.0 rpg for the week. She then put up season-highs with 27 points and 15 rebounds against Missouri Southern before tallying 17 points and five rebounds against No. 5 Pittsburg State to earn the award on February 24, averaging 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds for the week. She has now earned the conference's weekly award seven times in her career and has done so multiple times in each of the last three seasons.Olivia Hollenbeck&nbsp;has also been named MIAA Athlete of the Week twice this season. The graduate student picked up the first honor of the season in November after averaging 24.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2.5 steals per game in a pair of wins in St. Joseph, Mo. The graduate student opened the year with 29 points against Augustana, including 25 after halftime. She then averaged 24.5 points on 76 percent shooting (19-of-25) in a pair of home wins in February, including 22 points against NSU and 27 and four blocks against UAFS.The Tigers have both played and beaten UNK more than any other school in program history. Fort Hays State is 62-42 all-time against Nebraska-Kearney, including a 36-15 record at home and wins in the last two meetings. The Tigers are 2-0 against the Lopers under head coach talia Kahrs, including a 1-0 record at home. The Tigers are 18-6 against UNK in regular season MIAA meetings and 5-3 in games that reach overtime, including wins in the last five overtime meetings.The Lopers enter the week 19-7 overall and 12-5 in conference action, including a 7-4 record on the road. Nebraska-Kearney averages 72.5 points per night, sixth-best in the MIAA. Their scoring margin of plus-14.9 is third-best in the league. The Lopers average 26.8 points off the bench per game, best in the league and 25th-best in Division II. Jillian Aschoff leads a balanced offense with just 11.0 points per game, however five players average at least nine points per game with two more scoring more than six points per outing. Bailee Sobczak leads the conference with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game.

🏀🎧 LISTEN: #6 Tiger women conclude home schedule Wednesday vs. Lopers

Reporter Cristina Janney talks with Women Who Lead board member Nancy Jeter about their annual Power of the Purse fundraiser and their past and present projects on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.

Tickets can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://womenwholead.org/">womenwholead.org</a>. The deadline to purchase tickets is Friday.

<div><iframe title="Post Podcast: Women Who Lead - Power of the Purse" allowtransparency="true" height="300" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:300px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?from=embed&i=qy9du-1816c09-pb&square=1&share=1&download=1&fonts=Arial&skin=3267a3&font-color=auto&rtl=0&logo_link=podcast_page&btn-skin=60a0c8&size=300" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>Reporter Cristina Janney talks with Women Who Lead board member Nancy Jeter about their annual Power of the Purse fundraiser and their past and present projects on this episode of the Hays Post Podcast.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740507392723.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Tickets can be purchased at&nbsp;<a href="http://womenwholead.org/">womenwholead.org</a>. The deadline to purchase tickets is Friday.

🎙 Post Podcast: Women Who Lead prepares for Power of Purse fundraiser

LONDON (AP) — Apple is fixing a bug within the dictation feature on some iPhones that briefly suggests the word “Trump” when a word with an R consonant is spoken, including “racist.”

The company is responding to the controversy after some iPhone owners posted videos on social media this week to detail how the glitch works.

When users activated the dictation feature and said the word “racist,” the word “Trump” appears in the text window before quickly being replaced by the correct word, according to various videos posted online.

“We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” Apple said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

The company said that the speech recognition models that power the voice-to-text feature might show words with some phonetic overlap.

It also said that other words that have an “r” consonant were also erroneously triggering the bug. The Associated Press could not duplicate the problem on Wednesday, a day after it emerged.

This week the company announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-us-investment-texas-factory-78c761e50f3f3f8186db99899efefb7c">plan to invest more than $500 billion</a>&nbsp;and hire 20,000 people in the United States over the next four years as well as build a new factory in Texas, amid Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on imports. Separately, Apple shareholders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-dei-shareholder-proposal-annual-meeting-96637c8d4fa3d5e2a73dc59a59c2485b">rebuffed an attempt</a>&nbsp;to pressure the company into joining Trump’s push to scrub corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740578182045.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Apple is fixing a bug within the dictation feature on some iPhones that briefly suggests the word “Trump” when a word with an R consonant is spoken, including “racist.”The company is responding to the controversy after some iPhone owners posted videos on social media this week to detail how the glitch works.When users activated the dictation feature and said the word “racist,” the word “Trump” appears in the text window before quickly being replaced by the correct word, according to various videos posted online.“We are aware of an issue with the speech recognition model that powers Dictation and we are rolling out a fix today,” Apple said in a statement sent to The Associated Press on Wednesday.The company said that the speech recognition models that power the voice-to-text feature might show words with some phonetic overlap.It also said that other words that have an “r” consonant were also erroneously triggering the bug. The Associated Press could not duplicate the problem on Wednesday, a day after it emerged.This week the company announced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-us-investment-texas-factory-78c761e50f3f3f8186db99899efefb7c">plan to invest more than $500 billion</a>&nbsp;and hire 20,000 people in the United States over the next four years as well as build a new factory in Texas, amid Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on imports. Separately, Apple shareholders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-dei-shareholder-proposal-annual-meeting-96637c8d4fa3d5e2a73dc59a59c2485b">rebuffed an attempt</a>&nbsp;to pressure the company into joining Trump’s push to scrub corporate programs designed to diversify its workforce.

Apple to fix iPhone dictation bug that replaces word ‘racist’ with ‘Trump’

Ellis County EMS is mapping the locations of Automated External Defibrillators across the county using an app.

The PulsePoint AED app, available for download on <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pulsepoint-aed/id867150971">iOS</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.pulsepoint.aeds.android&amp;hl=en_US">Android</a>, maps community AED locations and alerts trained responders to nearby emergencies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1735914191342.jpg" alt="Courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostEllis County EMS is mapping the locations of Automated External Defibrillators across the county using an app.The PulsePoint AED app, available for download on <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pulsepoint-aed/id867150971">iOS</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.pulsepoint.aeds.android&amp;hl=en_US">Android</a>, maps community AED locations and alerts trained responders to nearby emergencies.Ellis County EMS Director Danita Schroeder said the Kansas Board of EMS adopted the app in January 2024, emphasizing its potential to save lives.“If you have CPR done early, then somebody arrives with an AED, and they’re able to give that shock and restart the heart, your chances of survival are so much greater with that,” Schroeder said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739995962242.jpeg" alt="The map of the PulsePoint AED app over Fort Hays State University" />
 <figcaption>The map of the PulsePoint AED app over Fort Hays State University</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739995984258.jpeg" alt="The map of the PulsePoint AED app over the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays" />
 <figcaption>The map of the PulsePoint AED app over the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739996011793.jpeg" alt="A description of the AED located at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays" />
 <figcaption>A description of the AED located at the Sternberg Museum of Natural History in Hays</figcaption>
 </figure>The app monitors users' locations and sends alerts when a nearby AED is needed, assisting first responders in quickly accessing the devices.Schroeder said the map does not show all AEDs in the area, as private units designated for staff use may not be publicly accessible."For instance, the Kansas Highway Patrol has one in their office, but they're a police entity, and it's not really open to the public," she said.Businesses and public spaces can obtain AEDs without special permission. Schroeder said many organizations secure them through grants, while others purchase them for home use.Each county appoints an administrator to oversee AED tracking, with Schroeder managing the process in Ellis County.Businesses and organizations can list their AEDs on the PulsePoint <a href="https://www.pulsepoint.org/">website</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739996218002.jpeg" alt="Guides on how to conduct CPR and use an AED in the PulsePoint AED app" />
 <figcaption>Guides on how to conduct CPR and use an AED in the PulsePoint AED app</figcaption>
 </figure>The app includes features like CPR and AED instructions. Ellis County EMS also provides AED training and offers CPR classes throughout February for&nbsp;American Heart Month.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/28be10df-aaaf-4c16-abb8-1dcd22d94570">SEE RELATED STORY:&nbsp;Ellis County EMS to host CPR classes this month in Hays</a>