Page 9 - Mark Samsel News Today

John Hanna, Associated Press Updated at 7:25 p.m. Monday TOPEKA — Conservative Kansas legislators, still smarting over actions Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly took early in the coronavirus pandemic, pushed Monday to prevent the state from restricting religious gatherings or keeping abortion providers open during emergencies. But Republicans are deeply split over how much to limit the power of state and local officials during future pandemics. Kelly kept a statewide stay-at-home order in place for...

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports Alabama Tuscaloosa: Students across the three-campus University of Alabama System will return to in-person instruction for the fall semester with no limits on class size in Birmingham, Huntsville or Tuscaloosa to guard against COVID-19, officials said Monday. The system, which has held classes in multiple formats since the pandemic began a year ago, said in a statement that current models show it should be safe to resume traditional teaching after the sum...

The House Judiciary Committee heard a bill on Feb. 18 that, if passed, would allow student athletes at postsecondary educational institutions to receive compensation for the use of their name, image, likeness rights or athletic reputation. The bill prohibits an athletic association from preventing, restricting, or imposing a condition or penalty on the student athlete in regard to the third-party compensation. The state is looking at this legislation due to National Collegiate Athletic Assoc...

Sherman Smith, Kansas Reflector Rep. Boog Highberger, D-Lawrence, addresses colleagues without his jacket Thursday to make a point about rules that maintain a dress code but dont include a mask mandate. (Pool photo by Evert Nelson/Topeka Capital-Journal) TOPEKA — Rep. Boog Highberger took his jacket off before addressing colleagues Thursday on the House floor. “Don’t we have any rules around here?” he asked. The Lawrence Democrat was trying to make a point with his flagrant violation of...