2022 Policy Priorities for the Kansas Legislative Session
As communities across our state continue to weather the pandemic and its impacts, we know we are strongest when we work together.
It is possible to end hunger in Kansas. It is possible to confront flaws in our state’s justice and child welfare systems. It is possible for all members of our community to participate and have their voices heard. To build the strong state we all deserve, Kansas Legislators must act.
These are the policy solutions Kansas Appleseed is working toward during the 2022 Legislative Session for a more thriving, inclusive, and just Kansas.
From increasing access to SNAP food assistance to working with partners to combat state food sales tax, our team will be heading to the statehouse in 2022, ready to build a more thriving Kansas. SNAP is proven to reduce hunger, improve health, bolster local economies, create jobs, and help people out of poverty. Limiting access to food assistance negatively impacts families and is also strongly correlated with more kids entering foster care in Kansas.
In 2022, the Kansas Legislature should reduce hunger and increase access to SNAP for Kansas families by eliminating the child support enforcement requirement and ending the lifetime drug felony ban.
In 2022, the Kansas Legislature should reduce hunger and increase access to SNAP for Kansas families by eliminating the child support enforcement requirement and ending the lifetime drug felony ban.
When Kansans are civically engaged, our entire communities benefit. Voting restrictions and/or unfairly drawn legislative districts get in the way of making Kansas a better place for everyone to live, prevent voter engagement, and lead to lower representation among communities most impacted by policy decisions.
In 2022, the Kansas Legislature should work to strengthen voting access and ensure a fair redistricting process.
In 2022, the Kansas Legislature should work to strengthen voting access and ensure a fair redistricting process.
Young people are our state's future. Supporting youth and their success leads to a strong outlook for Kansas. The following solutions are key ways the Kansas Legislature can support justice-involved youth:
- Passing the Debt Free Justice for Youth Act legislation would end the practice of imposing unaffordable fines and fees on youth and their families.
- Protecting the 2016 youth justice reforms and the dedicated funding for continued investment in youth supports and programming are essential parts of moving Kansas's youth justice work forward.
- The Kansas Legislature should establish a clear presumption against youth shackling. The United States Supreme Court has established this for adults, but Kansas youth do not have the same protection.
Kansans deserve fair and effective systems of justice.
In 2021, Kansas made significant progress on limiting the harmful impact of driver's license suspensions. Kansas can harness this momentum and continue to strengthen our state and its workforce by ending driver's license suspensions for unpaid fines or fees once and for all.
In Kansas, a person can be designated a gang member without having any criminal record, arrests, or other direct interactions with law enforcement. Once designated as a 'gang member', the same $50,000 bail applies to all person felonies regardless of the severity level. The Legislature must address the consistent use of this presumptive bail, which disproportionately impacts Black and Brown Kansans.
In 2021, Kansas made significant progress on limiting the harmful impact of driver's license suspensions. Kansas can harness this momentum and continue to strengthen our state and its workforce by ending driver's license suspensions for unpaid fines or fees once and for all.
In Kansas, a person can be designated a gang member without having any criminal record, arrests, or other direct interactions with law enforcement. Once designated as a 'gang member', the same $50,000 bail applies to all person felonies regardless of the severity level. The Legislature must address the consistent use of this presumptive bail, which disproportionately impacts Black and Brown Kansans.
Youth in our state’s child welfare system deserve accountability and improved outcomes. The Division of the Child Advocate, which was established in Fall 2021, is an important step in providing the truly transparent and independent oversight our kids, families, social workers, and communities need. Kansas Appleseed will continue to bolster reforms to improve foster care in Kansas.