
Blaise Mesa
Reporter, Kansas City BeaconBlaise Mesa is based in Topeka, where he covers the Legislature and state government for the Kansas City Beacon. He previously covered social services and criminal justice for the Kansas News Service. He also worked as a reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal.
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Although noncitizens don’t vote and aren’t eligible for federal social services programs, they still use resources in the community. Because Census results are used to allocate federal and state resources, smaller counted populations mean less money for municipalities and states.
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The "Second Look Act" in the 2024 Kansas legislative session would resentence eligible inmates after a certain amount of time in prison. It doesn’t guarantee their release, just another look at the length of their sentence.
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The GOP has tried and failed to pass a ban on puberty blockers and hormone treatments, as well as gender-affirming surgery, for children with gender dysphoria. But this year, Republicans have an even stronger majority in the Kansas Statehouse.
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Medical marijuana is becoming a perennial debate in Topeka, and it’s annually unclear how likely it is for a bill to pass. The Kansas House has passed a plan before, but it's the Senate where the roadblock remains.
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State lawmakers want to cut property taxes after doing so last year. The governor worries about the cost of another cut.
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Kansas created an evidence-based fund to help minors avoid the criminal justice system. With some community groups struggling to access the money, lawmakers are looking to make more changes.
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Cities, counties, courts and everyday Kansans are struggling to find legal help in rural Kansas. But there is a blueprint to fix it.
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Kansas Rep. Jarrod Ousley and Missouri Rep. Patty Lewis are introducing bills that would let people voluntarily exclude themselves from gun sales. Experts say such laws save lives.
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Statehouse wins appear to give Kansas Republicans an even stronger majority in the Legislature they can use to override the Democratic governor.
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Kansas Republicans have a veto-proof supermajority in both the House and Senate, meaning they can steamroll Democrats on any issue — and override the governor's veto — if they stand united. But Democrats could change that by flipping seats in Johnson County.