NEW YORK (AP) — The financial institution best known for its relationships with high-flying world technology startups and venture capital,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">Silicon Valley Bank,</a>&nbsp;experienced one of the oldest problems in banking — a bank run — which led to its failure on Friday.

Its downfall is the largest failure of a financial institution since Washington Mutual collapsed at the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. And it had immediate effects. Some startups that had ties to the bank scrambled to pay their workers, and feared they might have to pause projects or lay off or furlough employees until they could access their funds.&nbsp; Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sundty the federal government won't bail out Silicon Valley Bank, but is working to help depositors who are concerned about their money.

How did this happen? Here's what to know about why the bank failed, who was affected most, and what to know about how it may, and may not affect, the wider banking system in the U.S.

<a href="https://www.svb.com/">Silicon Valley Bank</a>&nbsp;was hit hard by the downturn in technology stocks over the past year as well as the Federal Reserve's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-powell-inflation-rates-economy-debt-89c49a1032527f2d2f1d6d674bafe187">aggressive plan</a>&nbsp;to increase interest rates to combat inflation.

The bank bought billions of dollars worth of bonds over the past couple of years, using customers' deposits as a typical bank would normally operate. These investments are typically safe, but the value of those investments fell because they paid lower interest rates than what a comparable bond would pay if issued in today's higher interest rate environment.

Typically that's not an issue, because banks hold onto those for a long time — unless they have to sell them in an emergency.

But Silicon Valley's customers were largely startups and other tech-centric companies that started becoming more needy for cash over the past year. Venture capital funding was drying up, companies were not able to get additional rounds of funding for unprofitable businesses, and therefore had to tap their existing funds — often deposited with Silicon Valley Bank, which sat in the center of the tech startup universe.

So Silicon Valley customers started withdrawing their deposits. Initially that wasn't a huge issue, but the withdrawals started requiring the bank to start selling its own assets to meet customer withdrawal requests. Because Silicon Valley customers were largely businesses and the wealthy, they likely were more fearful of a bank failure since their deposits were over $250,000, which is the government-imposed limit on deposit insurance.

That required selling typically safe bonds at a loss, and those losses added up to the point that Silicon Valley Bank became effectively insolvent. The bank tried to raise additional capital through outside investors, but was unable to find them.

The fancy tech-focused bank was brought down by the oldest issue in banking: a good ol' run on the bank. Bank regulators had no other choice but to seize Silicon Valley Bank's assets to protect the assets and deposits still remaining at the bank.

There are two large problems remaining with Silicon Valley Bank, but both could lead to further issues if not resolved quickly.

The most immediate problem is Silicon Valley Bank's large deposits. The Federal government insures deposits to $250,000, but anything above that level is considered uninsured. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said insured deposits would be available on Monday morning. However the vast majority of Silicon Valley Bank's deposits were uninsured, a unique characteristic of the bank due to its customers being largely startups and wealthy tech workers.

At the moment, all of that money can't be accessed and likely will have to be released in an orderly process. But many businesses cannot wait weeks to get access to funds to meet payroll and office expenses. It could lead to furloughs or layoffs.

Two, there's no buyer of Silicon Valley Bank. Typically bank regulators look for a stronger bank to take on the assets of a failing bank, but in this case, another bank hasn't stepped forward. A bank buying Silicon Valley Bank could go a long way to resolving some of the problems tied with the money that startups can't get to right now.

IS THIS A SIGN THAT WE COULD REPEAT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2008?

At the moment, no, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-united-states-government-federal-reserve-system-financial-markets-d5182432ffb51114d779c085fd1506b9">experts don't expect</a>&nbsp;there to be any issues spreading to the broader banking sector.

Silicon Valley Bank was large but had a unique existence by servicing nearly exclusively the technology world and VC-backed companies. It did a lot of work with the particular part of the economy that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-job-cuts-18fe0c9b8c9ff856e932e075161b1f43">hit hard in the past year</a>.

Other banks are far more diversified across multiple industries, customer bases and geographies. The most recent round of “stress tests” by the Federal Reserve of the largest banks and financial institutions showed that all of them would survive a deep recession and a significant rise in unemployment.

However there might be economic ripple effects in the Bay Area and in the technology start up world if the remaining money can't be released quickly.

NEW YORK (AP) — Regulators rushed Friday to seize the assets of one of Silicon Valley's top banks, marking the largest failure of a U.S. financial institution since the height of the financial crisis almost 15 years ago.

Silicon Valley Bank, the nation’s 16th-largest bank, failed after depositors hurried to withdraw money this week amid anxiety over the bank’s health. It was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history after the collapse of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;in 2008.

The bank served mostly technology workers and venture capital-backed companies, including some of the industry's best-known brands.

“This is an extinction-level event for startups,” said Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, a startup incubator that launched Airbnb, DoorDash and Dropbox and has referred hundreds of entrepreneurs to the bank.

“I literally have been hearing from hundreds of our founders asking for help on how they can get through this. They are asking, ‘Do I have to furlough my workers?’”

There appeared to be little chance of the chaos spreading in the broader banking sector, as it did in the months leading up to the Great Recession. The biggest banks — those most likely to cause an economic meltdown — have healthy balance sheets and plenty of capital.

Nearly half of the U.S. technology and health care companies that went public last year after getting early funding from venture capital firms were Silicon Valley Bank customers, according to the bank’s website.

The bank also boasted of its connections to leading tech companies such as Shopify, ZipRecruiter and one of the top venture capital firms, Andreesson Horowitz.

Tan estimated that nearly one-third of Y Combinator’s startups will not be able to make payroll at some point in the next month if they cannot access their money.

Internet TV provider Roku was among casualties of the bank collapse. It said in a regulatory filing Friday that about 26% of its cash — $487 million — was deposited at Silicon Valley Bank.

Roku said its deposits with SVB were largely uninsured and it didn’t know “to what extent” it would be able to recover them.

As part of the seizure, California bank regulators and the FDIC transferred the bank's assets to a newly created institution — the Deposit Insurance Bank of Santa Clara. The new bank will start paying out insured deposits on Monday. Then the FDIC and California regulators plan to sell off the rest of the assets to make other depositors whole.

There was unease in the banking sector all week, with shares tumbling by double digits. Then news of Silicon Valley Bank's distress pushed shares of almost all financial institutions even lower Friday.

The failure arrived with incredible speed. Some industry analysts suggested Friday that the bank was still a good company and a wise investment. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley Bank executives were trying to raise capital and find additional investors. However, trading in the bank’s shares was halted before stock market's opening bell due to extreme volatility.

Shortly before noon, the FDIC moved to shutter the bank. Notably, the agency did not wait until the close of business, which is the typical approach. The FDIC could not immediately find a buyer for the bank's assets, signaling how fast depositors cashed out.

The White House said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was “watching closely.” The administration sought to reassure the public that the banking system is much healthier than during the Great Recession.

“Our banking system is in a fundamentally different place than it was, you know, a decade ago,” said Cecilia Rouse, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. “The reforms that were put in place back then really provide the kind of resilience that we’d like to see.”

In 2007, the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression rippled across the globe after mortgage-backed securities tied to ill-advised housing loans collapsed in value. The panic on Wall Street led to the demise of Lehman Brothers, a firm founded in 1847. Because major banks had extensive exposure to one another, the crisis led to a cascading breakdown in the global financial system, putting millions out of work.

At the time of its failure, Silicon Valley Bank, which is based in Santa Clara, California, had $209 billion in total assets, the FDIC said. It was unclear how many of its deposits were above the $250,000 insurance limit, but previous regulatory reports showed that lots of accounts exceeded that amount.

The bank announced plans Thursday to raise up to $1.75 billion in order to strengthen its capital position. That sent investors scurrying and shares plunged 60%. They tumbled lower still Friday before the opening of the Nasdaq, where the bank's shares were traded.

As its name implied, Silicon Valley Bank was a major financial conduit between the technology sector, startups and tech workers. It was seen as good business sense to develop a relationship with the bank if a startup founder wanted to find new investors or go public.

Conceived in 1983 by co-founders Bill Biggerstaff and Robert Medearis during a poker game, the bank leveraged its Silicon Valley roots to become a financial cornerstone in the tech industry.

Bill Tyler, director of operations for TWG Supply in Grapevine, Texas, said he first realized something was wrong when his employees texted him at 6:30 a.m. Friday to complain that they did not receive their paychecks.

TWG, which has just 18 employees, had already sent the money for the checks to a payroll services provider that used Silicon Valley Bank. Tyler was scrambling to figure out how to pay his workers.

"We’re waiting on roughly $27,000," he said. "It’s already not a timely payment. It’s already an uncomfortable position. I don’t want to ask any employees, to say, ‘Hey, can you wait until mid-next week to get paid?’”

Silicon Valley Bank's ties to the tech sector added to its troubles. Technology stocks have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-amazoncom-inc-europe-software-business-b23cd72310f20ce2320a36eadc26eded">hit hard in the past 18 months</a>&nbsp;after a growth surge during the pandemic, and layoffs have spread throughout the industry. Venture capital funding has also been declining.

At the same time, the bank was hit hard by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-powell-unemployment-79b7ead4530ab381a17638a6c9df2d90">Federal Reserve's fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and an aggressive series of interest rate hikes to cool the economy.

As the Fed raises its benchmark interest rate, the value of generally stable bonds starts to fall. That is not typically a problem, but when depositors grow anxious and begin withdrawing their money, banks sometimes have to sell those bonds before they mature to cover the exodus.

That is exactly what happened to Silicon Valley Bank, which had to sell $21 billion in highly liquid assets to cover the sudden withdrawals. It took a $1.8 billion loss on that sale.

Ashley Tyrner, CEO of FarmboxRx, said she had spoken to several friends whose businesses are backed by venture capital. She described them as being “beside themselves” over the bank's failure. Tyrner's chief operating officer tried to withdraw her company's funds on Thursday but failed to do so in time.

“One friend said they couldn't make payroll today and cried when they had to inform 200 employees because of this issue,” Tyrner said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678567122405.png" alt="Silicon Vally Bank branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Silicon Vally Bank branch in Santa Clara, California -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The financial institution best known for its relationships with high-flying world technology startups and venture capital,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/svb-fed-bonds-rates-banks-inflation-a24b28b3caeede91c76cd120aa9b7966?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_01">Silicon Valley Bank,</a>&nbsp;experienced one of the oldest problems in banking — a bank run — which led to its failure on Friday.Its downfall is the largest failure of a financial institution since Washington Mutual collapsed at the height of the financial crisis more than a decade ago. And it had immediate effects. Some startups that had ties to the bank scrambled to pay their workers, and feared they might have to pause projects or lay off or furlough employees until they could access their funds.&nbsp; Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Sundty the federal government won't bail out Silicon Valley Bank, but is working to help depositors who are concerned about their money.How did this happen? Here's what to know about why the bank failed, who was affected most, and what to know about how it may, and may not affect, the wider banking system in the U.S.WHY DID SILICON VALLEY BANK FAIL?<a href="https://www.svb.com/">Silicon Valley Bank</a>&nbsp;was hit hard by the downturn in technology stocks over the past year as well as the Federal Reserve's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-powell-inflation-rates-economy-debt-89c49a1032527f2d2f1d6d674bafe187">aggressive plan</a>&nbsp;to increase interest rates to combat inflation.The bank bought billions of dollars worth of bonds over the past couple of years, using customers' deposits as a typical bank would normally operate. These investments are typically safe, but the value of those investments fell because they paid lower interest rates than what a comparable bond would pay if issued in today's higher interest rate environment.Typically that's not an issue, because banks hold onto those for a long time — unless they have to sell them in an emergency.But Silicon Valley's customers were largely startups and other tech-centric companies that started becoming more needy for cash over the past year. Venture capital funding was drying up, companies were not able to get additional rounds of funding for unprofitable businesses, and therefore had to tap their existing funds — often deposited with Silicon Valley Bank, which sat in the center of the tech startup universe.So Silicon Valley customers started withdrawing their deposits. Initially that wasn't a huge issue, but the withdrawals started requiring the bank to start selling its own assets to meet customer withdrawal requests. Because Silicon Valley customers were largely businesses and the wealthy, they likely were more fearful of a bank failure since their deposits were over $250,000, which is the government-imposed limit on deposit insurance.That required selling typically safe bonds at a loss, and those losses added up to the point that Silicon Valley Bank became effectively insolvent. The bank tried to raise additional capital through outside investors, but was unable to find them.The fancy tech-focused bank was brought down by the oldest issue in banking: a good ol' run on the bank. Bank regulators had no other choice but to seize Silicon Valley Bank's assets to protect the assets and deposits still remaining at the bank.WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?There are two large problems remaining with Silicon Valley Bank, but both could lead to further issues if not resolved quickly.The most immediate problem is Silicon Valley Bank's large deposits. The Federal government insures deposits to $250,000, but anything above that level is considered uninsured. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said insured deposits would be available on Monday morning. However the vast majority of Silicon Valley Bank's deposits were uninsured, a unique characteristic of the bank due to its customers being largely startups and wealthy tech workers.At the moment, all of that money can't be accessed and likely will have to be released in an orderly process. But many businesses cannot wait weeks to get access to funds to meet payroll and office expenses. It could lead to furloughs or layoffs.Two, there's no buyer of Silicon Valley Bank. Typically bank regulators look for a stronger bank to take on the assets of a failing bank, but in this case, another bank hasn't stepped forward. A bank buying Silicon Valley Bank could go a long way to resolving some of the problems tied with the money that startups can't get to right now.IS THIS A SIGN THAT WE COULD REPEAT WHAT HAPPENED IN 2008?At the moment, no, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-united-states-government-federal-reserve-system-financial-markets-d5182432ffb51114d779c085fd1506b9">experts don't expect</a>&nbsp;there to be any issues spreading to the broader banking sector.Silicon Valley Bank was large but had a unique existence by servicing nearly exclusively the technology world and VC-backed companies. It did a lot of work with the particular part of the economy that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/microsoft-job-cuts-18fe0c9b8c9ff856e932e075161b1f43">hit hard in the past year</a>.Other banks are far more diversified across multiple industries, customer bases and geographies. The most recent round of “stress tests” by the Federal Reserve of the largest banks and financial institutions showed that all of them would survive a deep recession and a significant rise in unemployment.However there might be economic ripple effects in the Bay Area and in the technology start up world if the remaining money can't be released quickly.--------NEW YORK (AP) — Regulators rushed Friday to seize the assets of one of Silicon Valley's top banks, marking the largest failure of a U.S. financial institution since the height of the financial crisis almost 15 years ago.Silicon Valley Bank, the nation’s 16th-largest bank, failed after depositors hurried to withdraw money this week amid anxiety over the bank’s health. It was the second biggest bank failure in U.S. history after the collapse of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/08aeb5a6c9d542ccb6d6154d4fa1e3a6">Washington Mutual</a>&nbsp;in 2008.The bank served mostly technology workers and venture capital-backed companies, including some of the industry's best-known brands.“This is an extinction-level event for startups,” said Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator, a startup incubator that launched Airbnb, DoorDash and Dropbox and has referred hundreds of entrepreneurs to the bank.“I literally have been hearing from hundreds of our founders asking for help on how they can get through this. They are asking, ‘Do I have to furlough my workers?’”There appeared to be little chance of the chaos spreading in the broader banking sector, as it did in the months leading up to the Great Recession. The biggest banks — those most likely to cause an economic meltdown — have healthy balance sheets and plenty of capital.Nearly half of the U.S. technology and health care companies that went public last year after getting early funding from venture capital firms were Silicon Valley Bank customers, according to the bank’s website.The bank also boasted of its connections to leading tech companies such as Shopify, ZipRecruiter and one of the top venture capital firms, Andreesson Horowitz.Tan estimated that nearly one-third of Y Combinator’s startups will not be able to make payroll at some point in the next month if they cannot access their money.Internet TV provider Roku was among casualties of the bank collapse. It said in a regulatory filing Friday that about 26% of its cash — $487 million — was deposited at Silicon Valley Bank.Roku said its deposits with SVB were largely uninsured and it didn’t know “to what extent” it would be able to recover them.As part of the seizure, California bank regulators and the FDIC transferred the bank's assets to a newly created institution — the Deposit Insurance Bank of Santa Clara. The new bank will start paying out insured deposits on Monday. Then the FDIC and California regulators plan to sell off the rest of the assets to make other depositors whole.There was unease in the banking sector all week, with shares tumbling by double digits. Then news of Silicon Valley Bank's distress pushed shares of almost all financial institutions even lower Friday.The failure arrived with incredible speed. Some industry analysts suggested Friday that the bank was still a good company and a wise investment. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley Bank executives were trying to raise capital and find additional investors. However, trading in the bank’s shares was halted before stock market's opening bell due to extreme volatility.Shortly before noon, the FDIC moved to shutter the bank. Notably, the agency did not wait until the close of business, which is the typical approach. The FDIC could not immediately find a buyer for the bank's assets, signaling how fast depositors cashed out.The White House said Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was “watching closely.” The administration sought to reassure the public that the banking system is much healthier than during the Great Recession.“Our banking system is in a fundamentally different place than it was, you know, a decade ago,” said Cecilia Rouse, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers. “The reforms that were put in place back then really provide the kind of resilience that we’d like to see.”In 2007, the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression rippled across the globe after mortgage-backed securities tied to ill-advised housing loans collapsed in value. The panic on Wall Street led to the demise of Lehman Brothers, a firm founded in 1847. Because major banks had extensive exposure to one another, the crisis led to a cascading breakdown in the global financial system, putting millions out of work.At the time of its failure, Silicon Valley Bank, which is based in Santa Clara, California, had $209 billion in total assets, the FDIC said. It was unclear how many of its deposits were above the $250,000 insurance limit, but previous regulatory reports showed that lots of accounts exceeded that amount.The bank announced plans Thursday to raise up to $1.75 billion in order to strengthen its capital position. That sent investors scurrying and shares plunged 60%. They tumbled lower still Friday before the opening of the Nasdaq, where the bank's shares were traded.As its name implied, Silicon Valley Bank was a major financial conduit between the technology sector, startups and tech workers. It was seen as good business sense to develop a relationship with the bank if a startup founder wanted to find new investors or go public.Conceived in 1983 by co-founders Bill Biggerstaff and Robert Medearis during a poker game, the bank leveraged its Silicon Valley roots to become a financial cornerstone in the tech industry.Bill Tyler, director of operations for TWG Supply in Grapevine, Texas, said he first realized something was wrong when his employees texted him at 6:30 a.m. Friday to complain that they did not receive their paychecks.TWG, which has just 18 employees, had already sent the money for the checks to a payroll services provider that used Silicon Valley Bank. Tyler was scrambling to figure out how to pay his workers."We’re waiting on roughly $27,000," he said. "It’s already not a timely payment. It’s already an uncomfortable position. I don’t want to ask any employees, to say, ‘Hey, can you wait until mid-next week to get paid?’”Silicon Valley Bank's ties to the tech sector added to its troubles. Technology stocks have been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-amazoncom-inc-europe-software-business-b23cd72310f20ce2320a36eadc26eded">hit hard in the past 18 months</a>&nbsp;after a growth surge during the pandemic, and layoffs have spread throughout the industry. Venture capital funding has also been declining.At the same time, the bank was hit hard by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-federal-reserve-interest-rates-powell-unemployment-79b7ead4530ab381a17638a6c9df2d90">Federal Reserve's fight against inflation</a>&nbsp;and an aggressive series of interest rate hikes to cool the economy.As the Fed raises its benchmark interest rate, the value of generally stable bonds starts to fall. That is not typically a problem, but when depositors grow anxious and begin withdrawing their money, banks sometimes have to sell those bonds before they mature to cover the exodus.That is exactly what happened to Silicon Valley Bank, which had to sell $21 billion in highly liquid assets to cover the sudden withdrawals. It took a $1.8 billion loss on that sale.Ashley Tyrner, CEO of FarmboxRx, said she had spoken to several friends whose businesses are backed by venture capital. She described them as being “beside themselves” over the bank's failure. Tyrner's chief operating officer tried to withdraw her company's funds on Thursday but failed to do so in time.“One friend said they couldn't make payroll today and cried when they had to inform 200 employees because of this issue,” Tyrner said.

2nd-biggest bank collapse in U.S. history; what you need to know

JOHNSON COUNTY —The standoff that started Friday involving federal law enforcement agents at a Kansas apartment complex and included an exchange of gunfire finally ended Saturday.

Law enforcement eventually entered the apartment and made verbal contact with the suspect who&nbsp; shot himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to John Lacy of the Overland Park Police Department.

U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI attempted to serve a felony warrant around 5 p.m. Friday at the Villa Medici apartments in the 9600 Block of Rosewood.

As the suspect drove toward the complex exit, federal agents stopped the vehicle. During the attempt to make the arrest, the suspect fired shots toward the agents. The agents returned fire and the suspect was injured. The suspect ran from his vehicle, entered his apartment and barricaded himself.&nbsp; Police have not released the suspect's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678539308842.png" alt="Police on the scene of the standoff Friday night =photo courtesy Fox4Kansas CIty" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the standoff Friday night =photo courtesy Fox4Kansas CIty</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —The standoff that started Friday involving federal law enforcement agents at a Kansas apartment complex and included an exchange of gunfire finally ended Saturday.Law enforcement eventually entered the apartment and made verbal contact with the suspect who&nbsp; shot himself. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to John Lacy of the Overland Park Police Department.U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI attempted to serve a felony warrant around 5 p.m. Friday at the Villa Medici apartments in the 9600 Block of Rosewood.As the suspect drove toward the complex exit, federal agents stopped the vehicle. During the attempt to make the arrest, the suspect fired shots toward the agents. The agents returned fire and the suspect was injured. The suspect ran from his vehicle, entered his apartment and barricaded himself.&nbsp; Police have not released the suspect's name.

 Standoff in Kan. ends after gunfire between US Marshals, suspect

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/07/kansas-state-representative-calls-rainbow-drawings-proof-of-indoctrination-at-leavenworth-school/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A new bill would divert an estimated $1.7 million in state funding away from low-income families and into programs that promote childbirth, in an effort to reduce abortions statewide.

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2429/">House Bill 2429</a>, heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday, would require the Department for Children and Families to establish programs increasing awareness of abortion alternatives.

It is one of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/06/as-kansas-lawmakers-target-abortion-rights-opposition-unites-at-statehouse/">several anti-abortion</a>&nbsp;bills currently introduced in the Legislature by Republicans, despite a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">landslide defeat</a>&nbsp;in August of a constitutional amendment on abortion. Other bills include a proposed ban on an abortion pill and a tax credit proposal for nonprofit pregnancy centers.

Committee chairwoman Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, felt the program would help bolster adoption as an alternative to abortion.

“My husband wouldn’t be here today if he’d been aborted,” Landwehr said. “Some of these women just don’t realize how there is help for them out there to get to that path.”

The program would include resources such as pregnancy support assistance, maternity homes and adoption assistance, with the goal of having pregnant women who are considering abortion think of other options.

A nonprofit organization contracted by the state treasurer would provide these services, and DCF would coordinate with the treasurer in the program’s implementation. To fund the program, an estimated $1.7 million would be diverted from families currently receiving federal aid through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, according to the bill’s fiscal note.

Several anti-abortion organizations spoke in favor of the bill, including Jeanne Gadwun with Kansans for Life, who said pregnancy resource centers would offer more opportunities for women.

“PRCs empower women with the support and the resources they need to not only choose life for their children, but also to improve their own lives as well,” Gadwun said.

Critics of the bill&nbsp;have questioned the necessity of this legislation, as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment already has a state grant program designed to help low-income women with pregnancies.&nbsp;The program&nbsp;granted $338,846 in FY 2022 to 10 agencies that provided educational and vocational support, prenatal care, and postnatal services to 834 program participants, according to the bill’s fiscal note.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes spokeswoman Katie Baylie brought up the lack of oversight over the nonprofit organizations in her opposition to the proposal.

“The program would divert such funding intended to directly support the most vulnerable Kansans to anti-abortion organizations who target these individuals,” Baylie said in written testimony. “Instead of this money going to essential needs, the money, at best, would be used to coerce and mislead individuals and contribute to increased inequalities.”

The legislation doesn’t stipulate a need for the nonprofit to track funding or provide the state with data on the program’s impact. In other states where similar programs have been implemented, a lack of nonprofit regulation has led to financial abuse.

Baylie mentioned a Texas pregnancy crisis center that operated under a similar program and allegedly used state funds to travel to Vegas and buy motorcycles.

Landwehr said she and others would look into oversight measures for the proposed program.

During the meeting, lawmakers also voted to favorably pass&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, called a “women’s bill of rights,” out of committee. The bill, which would designate the “biological sex” of an individual at birth for purposes of applying state laws, rules or regulations, was approved by the Senate on a vote of 26-11,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/06/transgender-kansans-alarmed-by-bills-seeking-to-undermine-constitutional-rights/">despite heavy opposition from Kansans&nbsp;</a>who felt the legislation was sexist as well as transphobic.

The legislation would use assigned sex to decide who could use spaces such as restrooms, locker rooms and rape crisis centers, among others. Under the bill, only women with reproductive systems designed to produce ova would be allowed in these spaces, leaving out intersex and transgender women.

Rep. Christina Haswood, a Lawrence Democrat, said the bill was outdated.

“It’s 2023,” Haswood said. “Women, we are so much better than this and this bill is at its core attacking trans women. It’s very sad to see.”

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office has said the constitutionality of the legislation is likely to be challenged and the dispute could take years before validity of the law could be established through the appellate courts.

Landwehr said the bill wasn’t perfect, but it was about upholding women’s rights, and she didn’t feel transgender women were targeted by the bill.

“I really wish people would not take it that we’re targeting another group of people,” Landwehr said. “We’re just saying as women that we want to be respected. We want to be identified for the things that we have fought for and not have our rights eroded as well.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/P3071290-1024x768.jpg" alt="- Rep. Brenda Landwehr says adoption should be promoted as an alternative to abortion. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- Rep. Brenda Landwehr says adoption should be promoted as an alternative to abortion. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/07/kansas-state-representative-calls-rainbow-drawings-proof-of-indoctrination-at-leavenworth-school/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A new bill would divert an estimated $1.7 million in state funding away from low-income families and into programs that promote childbirth, in an effort to reduce abortions statewide.<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2429/">House Bill 2429</a>, heard in the House Health and Human Services Committee Tuesday, would require the Department for Children and Families to establish programs increasing awareness of abortion alternatives.It is one of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/06/as-kansas-lawmakers-target-abortion-rights-opposition-unites-at-statehouse/">several anti-abortion</a>&nbsp;bills currently introduced in the Legislature by Republicans, despite a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">landslide defeat</a>&nbsp;in August of a constitutional amendment on abortion. Other bills include a proposed ban on an abortion pill and a tax credit proposal for nonprofit pregnancy centers.Committee chairwoman Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, felt the program would help bolster adoption as an alternative to abortion.“My husband wouldn’t be here today if he’d been aborted,” Landwehr said. “Some of these women just don’t realize how there is help for them out there to get to that path.”The program would include resources such as pregnancy support assistance, maternity homes and adoption assistance, with the goal of having pregnant women who are considering abortion think of other options.A nonprofit organization contracted by the state treasurer would provide these services, and DCF would coordinate with the treasurer in the program’s implementation. To fund the program, an estimated $1.7 million would be diverted from families currently receiving federal aid through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, according to the bill’s fiscal note.Several anti-abortion organizations spoke in favor of the bill, including Jeanne Gadwun with Kansans for Life, who said pregnancy resource centers would offer more opportunities for women.“PRCs empower women with the support and the resources they need to not only choose life for their children, but also to improve their own lives as well,” Gadwun said.Critics of the bill&nbsp;have questioned the necessity of this legislation, as the Kansas Department of Health and Environment already has a state grant program designed to help low-income women with pregnancies.&nbsp;The program&nbsp;granted $338,846 in FY 2022 to 10 agencies that provided educational and vocational support, prenatal care, and postnatal services to 834 program participants, according to the bill’s fiscal note.Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes spokeswoman Katie Baylie brought up the lack of oversight over the nonprofit organizations in her opposition to the proposal.“The program would divert such funding intended to directly support the most vulnerable Kansans to anti-abortion organizations who target these individuals,” Baylie said in written testimony. “Instead of this money going to essential needs, the money, at best, would be used to coerce and mislead individuals and contribute to increased inequalities.”The legislation doesn’t stipulate a need for the nonprofit to track funding or provide the state with data on the program’s impact. In other states where similar programs have been implemented, a lack of nonprofit regulation has led to financial abuse.Baylie mentioned a Texas pregnancy crisis center that operated under a similar program and allegedly used state funds to travel to Vegas and buy motorcycles.Landwehr said she and others would look into oversight measures for the proposed program.During the meeting, lawmakers also voted to favorably pass&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb180/">Senate Bill 180</a>, called a “women’s bill of rights,” out of committee. The bill, which would designate the “biological sex” of an individual at birth for purposes of applying state laws, rules or regulations, was approved by the Senate on a vote of 26-11,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/06/transgender-kansans-alarmed-by-bills-seeking-to-undermine-constitutional-rights/">despite heavy opposition from Kansans&nbsp;</a>who felt the legislation was sexist as well as transphobic.The legislation would use assigned sex to decide who could use spaces such as restrooms, locker rooms and rape crisis centers, among others. Under the bill, only women with reproductive systems designed to produce ova would be allowed in these spaces, leaving out intersex and transgender women.Rep. Christina Haswood, a Lawrence Democrat, said the bill was outdated.“It’s 2023,” Haswood said. “Women, we are so much better than this and this bill is at its core attacking trans women. It’s very sad to see.”The Kansas Attorney General’s Office has said the constitutionality of the legislation is likely to be challenged and the dispute could take years before validity of the law could be established through the appellate courts.Landwehr said the bill wasn’t perfect, but it was about upholding women’s rights, and she didn’t feel transgender women were targeted by the bill.“I really wish people would not take it that we’re targeting another group of people,” Landwehr said. “We’re just saying as women that we want to be respected. We want to be identified for the things that we have fought for and not have our rights eroded as well.”

 Kan. lawmakers propose state funding of anti-abortion advocacy programs

KANSAS CITY —A jury this week convicted a Kansas City woman for severely beating a child while the child was in her care in a Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Nancy Russell, 41,&nbsp; was found guilty of four Class B felonies of Domstic Assault 1st Degree and four counts of Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp;

According to court records, in October 2017, police in Kansas City were alerted by Arkansas police of possible child abuse. A family member had come forward to say that one of the children had been abused at a home in Kansas City in the area of 53rd and Hardesty. 

The child was reportedly walking with a limp and had gashes on the head. Forensic interviews in Arkansas disclosed the defendant struck the child with a cord and metal pipe. Russell will be sentenced at a future hearing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678322605798.png" alt="Russell-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Russell-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A jury this week convicted a Kansas City woman for severely beating a child while the child was in her care in a Kansas City residence, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Nancy Russell, 41,&nbsp; was found guilty of four Class B felonies of Domstic Assault 1st Degree and four counts of Armed Criminal Action.&nbsp;According to court records, in October 2017, police in Kansas City were alerted by Arkansas police of possible child abuse. A family member had come forward to say that one of the children had been abused at a home in Kansas City in the area of 53rd and Hardesty. The child was reportedly walking with a limp and had gashes on the head. Forensic interviews in Arkansas disclosed the defendant struck the child with a cord and metal pipe. Russell will be sentenced at a future hearing.

Jury: Kansas City woman guilty of using metal pipe to beat child

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a double murder made another court appearance in the case this week.

David Baeza, 43 of Wichita, is now charged with 2 counts of 1st degree murder, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of opiate (fentanyl) with the intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

Just after 5 a.m. July 3, 2022, sheriff's deputies were sent to a shooting call in the 4400 block of south Rock Road in rural Sedgwick County, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp;

During a search of the rural property, deputies found the bodies of 29-year-old Gerardo Ruvalcaba-Ulloam and&nbsp;  43-year-old Saren Negrete-Perez of California. deceased in the backyard of a residence the 4300 block of South Rock Road. They died from apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp;

At the scene, first responders also found David Baeza, 42 of Wichita, on the side of the road suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Colonel Brian White with the sheriff's department. EMS transported Baeza to an area hospital for treatment and later arrested him.

Initially, Baeza and Joseph Ponse, 43 of Wichita were charged with attempted 1st degree murder in connection with the deaths.

Hieu Luong, 42 of Wichita, was charged with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Baeza remains jailed on a $500,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1656781809875.png" alt="Portions of Rock Road were closed during the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Portions of Rock Road were closed during the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a double murder made another court appearance in the case this week.David Baeza, 43 of Wichita, is now charged with 2 counts of 1st degree murder, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of opiate (fentanyl) with the intent to distribute, and possession of cocaine, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657051675461.png" alt="Baeza-photo Sedgwick County." />
 <figcaption>Baeza-photo Sedgwick County.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 5 a.m. July 3, 2022, sheriff's deputies were sent to a shooting call in the 4400 block of south Rock Road in rural Sedgwick County, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.&nbsp;During a search of the rural property, deputies found the bodies of 29-year-old Gerardo Ruvalcaba-Ulloam and&nbsp; 43-year-old Saren Negrete-Perez of California. deceased in the backyard of a residence the 4300 block of South Rock Road. They died from apparent gunshot wounds.&nbsp;At the scene, first responders also found David Baeza, 42 of Wichita, on the side of the road suffering from gunshot wounds, according to Colonel Brian White with the sheriff's department. EMS transported Baeza to an area hospital for treatment and later arrested him.Initially, Baeza and Joseph Ponse, 43 of Wichita were charged with attempted 1st degree murder in connection with the deaths.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657051599579.png" alt="Ponse-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Ponse-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hieu Luong, 42 of Wichita, was charged with attempted 1st degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657823720573.png" alt="Luong-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Luong-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>Baeza remains jailed on a $500,000 bond, according to the district attorney's office.&nbsp;

Kansas man charged with double-murder, drug possession

KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to illegally possessing the firearm used in the fatal shooting of an Independence, Mo., firefighter during an altercation in a liquor store parking lot, according to the United State's Attorney.

Ja’Von L. Taylor, 23, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a machine gun. Taylor has been detained in federal custody without bond since his arrest.

By pleading guilty, Taylor admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber handgun, which had been converted to a machine gun. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Taylor has prior felony convictions for robbery and distributing marijuana.

According to court documents, Independence police officers were dispatched to Liquor Land, 11100 E. U.S. 40 Highway in Independence, on a reported shooting of an Independence firefighter on Oct. 6, 2022. &nbsp;Taylor was located across the street and taken into custody.

Officers searched Taylor’s vehicle and found the Glock machine gun, a broken extended magazine, and a 15-round magazine. Taylor told investigators that he bought the gun from a guy off the street a few months ago for $500.

Under federal statutes, Taylor is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Aug. 3, 2023.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678402127365.png" alt="The weapon owned by Ja’Von L. Taylor used in the fatal shooting -image from the video of the incident released by police" />
 <figcaption>The weapon owned by Ja’Von L. Taylor used in the fatal shooting -image from the video of the incident released by police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A Kansas City man pleaded guilty in federal court this week to illegally possessing the firearm used in the fatal shooting of an Independence, Mo., firefighter during an altercation in a liquor store parking lot, according to the United State's Attorney.Ja’Von L. Taylor, 23, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possessing a machine gun. Taylor has been detained in federal custody without bond since his arrest.By pleading guilty, Taylor admitted he was in possession of a Glock .40-caliber handgun, which had been converted to a machine gun. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Taylor has prior felony convictions for robbery and distributing marijuana.According to court documents, Independence police officers were dispatched to Liquor Land, 11100 E. U.S. 40 Highway in Independence, on a reported shooting of an Independence firefighter on Oct. 6, 2022. &nbsp;Taylor was located across the street and taken into custody.Officers searched Taylor’s vehicle and found the Glock machine gun, a broken extended magazine, and a 15-round magazine. Taylor told investigators that he bought the gun from a guy off the street a few months ago for $500.Under federal statutes, Taylor is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing is scheduled on Aug. 3, 2023.

KC man admits owning machine gun used in killing fireman

By CHLOE ANDERSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/09/theyre-trying-to-silence-people-university-of-kansas-group-rallies-in-support-of-iranian-women/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — Members of the University 
of Kansas Iranian Community Association gathered Wednesday in front of 
Wescoe Hall to rally in support of Iranian women.

People across the globe held International Women’s Day rallies to highlight recent <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/25/in-iran-women-have-put-their-lives-on-the-line-for-basic-rights-in-kansas-we-barely-notice/">violence against Iranian women</a> and demand equal rights. Iranians started protesting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s
 regime following the Sept. 13, 2022, arrest of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
 Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab unlawfully, died in 
police custody three days later.

Iranian security forces have killed 
hundreds of civilians since the protests began. Still, women and 
schoolgirls risk their lives every day to stand up against the 
injustices. But because independent news media were banned from 
reporting in Iran and authorities have disrupted internet usage, many 
outside of the country remain unaware of the situation.

In addition to extreme measures used 
to suppress Iranian protesters, authorities also have been poisoning 
schoolgirls with mysterious gas. According to the BBC, more than 1,000 
students <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64816750">have been hospitalized</a> since the attacks started in November.

“There’s not a lot of information 
that’s known, because that’s what the government’s trying to do — 
they’re trying to silence people,” said Mercedeh Tavacoli, a dual 
citizen born in Kansas with family in Iran. “That’s an even bigger 
issue, because this is the first ever women-led revolution.”

According to an article from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/women-life-freedom">History Today</a>, “women, life, freedom” became the revolution’s slogan during Amini’s funeral on Sept. 17 in Saqqez.

Following her death, Iranian women 
took to the streets, removing and burning their hijabs and even cutting 
their hair. By continuing to do so, they’re risking their lives by 
defying the country’s “morality police,” an Islamic religious force 
designed to enforce the strict laws regarding women’s behavior.

Young Iranian girls and teenagers are
 involved in the uprising, removing their hijabs in schoolyards and 
chanting “women, life, freedom” in classrooms.

In the months following the uprising, Khamenei threatened punishment for protesters, saying the punishment for young women would be “special.” On Monday, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/06/iran-supreme-leader-schoolgirl-poisonings-unforgivable">he publicly acknowledged the gas attacks</a> for the first time, calling them “unforgivable” and saying the culprits should be “severely punished.”

Khamenei has downplayed the attacks 
on protesters and alleged that demonstrations were orchestrated by 
Iranian enemies like the United States and Israel. Authorities have 
denied killing peaceful demonstrators, but video footage has captured 
them shooting at civilians during protests.

Several of the KU students, staff and
 community members gathered in front of Wescoe Hall have family members 
in Iran and fear for their loved ones’ safety as tensions escalate.

“There are a lot of people who have been shot and killed who weren’t even protesting,” Tavacoli said. “They were kind of collateral damage.”

Neda Hejazi, a postdoctoral 
researcher from Isfahan, said members of her extended family are 
terrified to send their children to school following the gas attack 
Monday on the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences campus, but 
government officials won’t allow them to keep their children home.

“They’re forced — by government 
authorities — to attend in-person classes,” Hejazi said.&nbsp; “It doesn’t 
make any sense. They’re just kids.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678372901239.png" alt="Retired University of Kansas faculty Susan Elkins and Jack Winerock hold a sign reading “Iran is bleeding” during a rally March 8, 2023, in front of Wescoe Hall. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Retired University of Kansas faculty Susan Elkins and Jack Winerock hold a sign reading “Iran is bleeding” during a rally March 8, 2023, in front of Wescoe Hall. (Chloe Anderson for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CHLOE ANDERSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/09/theyre-trying-to-silence-people-university-of-kansas-group-rallies-in-support-of-iranian-women/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — Members of the University 
of Kansas Iranian Community Association gathered Wednesday in front of 
Wescoe Hall to rally in support of Iranian women.People across the globe held International Women’s Day rallies to highlight recent <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/10/25/in-iran-women-have-put-their-lives-on-the-line-for-basic-rights-in-kansas-we-barely-notice/">violence against Iranian women</a> and demand equal rights. Iranians started protesting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s
 regime following the Sept. 13, 2022, arrest of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
 Amini, who was arrested for wearing her hijab unlawfully, died in 
police custody three days later.Iranian security forces have killed 
hundreds of civilians since the protests began. Still, women and 
schoolgirls risk their lives every day to stand up against the 
injustices. But because independent news media were banned from 
reporting in Iran and authorities have disrupted internet usage, many 
outside of the country remain unaware of the situation.In addition to extreme measures used 
to suppress Iranian protesters, authorities also have been poisoning 
schoolgirls with mysterious gas. According to the BBC, more than 1,000 
students <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-64816750">have been hospitalized</a> since the attacks started in November.“There’s not a lot of information 
that’s known, because that’s what the government’s trying to do — 
they’re trying to silence people,” said Mercedeh Tavacoli, a dual 
citizen born in Kansas with family in Iran. “That’s an even bigger 
issue, because this is the first ever women-led revolution.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678372965859.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>According to an article from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.historytoday.com/archive/history-matters/women-life-freedom">History Today</a>, “women, life, freedom” became the revolution’s slogan during Amini’s funeral on Sept. 17 in Saqqez.Following her death, Iranian women 
took to the streets, removing and burning their hijabs and even cutting 
their hair. By continuing to do so, they’re risking their lives by 
defying the country’s “morality police,” an Islamic religious force 
designed to enforce the strict laws regarding women’s behavior.Young Iranian girls and teenagers are
 involved in the uprising, removing their hijabs in schoolyards and 
chanting “women, life, freedom” in classrooms.In the months following the uprising, Khamenei threatened punishment for protesters, saying the punishment for young women would be “special.” On Monday, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/06/iran-supreme-leader-schoolgirl-poisonings-unforgivable">he publicly acknowledged the gas attacks</a> for the first time, calling them “unforgivable” and saying the culprits should be “severely punished.”Khamenei has downplayed the attacks 
on protesters and alleged that demonstrations were orchestrated by 
Iranian enemies like the United States and Israel. Authorities have 
denied killing peaceful demonstrators, but video footage has captured 
them shooting at civilians during protests.Several of the KU students, staff and
 community members gathered in front of Wescoe Hall have family members 
in Iran and fear for their loved ones’ safety as tensions escalate.“There are a lot of people who have been shot and killed who weren’t even protesting,” Tavacoli said. “They were kind of collateral damage.”Neda Hejazi, a postdoctoral 
researcher from Isfahan, said members of her extended family are 
terrified to send their children to school following the gas attack 
Monday on the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences campus, but 
government officials won’t allow them to keep their children home.“They’re forced — by government 
authorities — to attend in-person classes,” Hejazi said.&nbsp; “It doesn’t 
make any sense. They’re just kids.”

University of Kansas group rallies in support of Iranian women

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/22/house-passes-kansas-bill-creating-method-of-anonymously-surrendering-an-infant/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas House approved a $17 million sales tax exemption on equipment purchases by telecommunication companies after rejecting amendments to exclude hygiene products from the state’s 6.5% sales tax and to increase an exemption on state property tax collected to finance K-12 public schools.

The House also sent the Senate a bill Thursday requiring counties to alter annual property tax notices to include information about the previous four tax years rather than a single year. Another bill moved across the Capitol rotunda would require the state to pay for mailing notices to taxpayers when a county intended to raise more tax revenue.

Haysville Rep. Brian Bergkamp, who described himself as a skeptic of sales tax breaks, said a sense of fairness compelled him to speak up for House Bill 2106’s concession to the telecommunication industry. Kansas chose not to assess a general sales tax on business-to-business machinery and equipment transactions, he said, but that treatment hadn’t been extended to communications companies.

He said 24 states had a comparable sales tax exemption for equipment acquisitions by telecommunication businesses.

“Some of you might be asking, ‘Why in the wide world am I up here talking about a sales tax exemption?'” Bergkamp said. “To me, one of the most important things we can do as a body is to create fairness across the playing field. It’s about creating parity across different industries.”

Rep. Randy Garber, a Sabetha Republican, said he understood reasoning for the new exemption, but was weary of steady growth in the state’s roster of sales tax exemptions. He said exemptions from sales tax cost the state treasury an estimated $8 billion annually.

“Now, we’re going to add another one,” Garber said. “When are we going to stop giving sales tax exemptions to just a certain group of people?”

To punctuate the point, Garber proposed an amendment setting a five-year expiration date on the telecommunication sales tax exemption. The House approved his idea 64-47, despite arguments the industry’s timeline for infrastructure projects extended went well beyond five years and a 2028 expiration would be a nuisance for the industry’s lobbyists.

The GOP-led House rejected the $20 million sales tax exemption on hygiene products sought by Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka. He said tax relief approved by the Legislature ought to be directed at people who would benefit most from changes in the tax code.

Miller also was rebuffed when he proposed an amendment to House Bill 2201 that would raise the exemption on residential property taxes assessed to finance K-12 public schools. The state collects a 20-mill tax for education. For years, the first $20,000 of a home’s valuation was exempted. The 2022 Legislature doubled the exemption to $40,000. In his amendment, Miller wanted to boost the exemption to $65,000.

The House didn’t have a chance to vote on Miller’s property tax relief idea because a parliamentary maneuver led to a ruling the amendment wasn’t germane to the underlying bill.

Rep. Francis Awerkamp, R-St. Marys, said House Bill 2201 would simply require annual property valuation notices to include appraised and assessed values for each property for the current year and the previous four years. County officials are currently required to provide information on the current and last tax year.

“It’s a decent amount of information for the property owner just so they can better see the trends over five years,” Awerkamp said.

Miller, in collaboration with other House Democrats, complained Republicans were tone deaf to spiking home property tax valuations in Kansas. Here are average increases for selected counties: Wallace County, 20%; Leavenworth County, 14.8%; Shawnee County, 13%; Johnson County, 12%; and Douglas County, 9%.

“I am certain my colleagues across the aisle are hearing from their constituents about property valuations just as much as I’m hearing from mine, if not more,” Miller said.

The House approved a bill advocated by Rep. Brett Fairchild, R-St. John, that shifted the burden of paying for notices to taxpayers whenever county governments wanted to raise property taxes

Existing law required the state pay printing and postage costs of notifications in tax years 2022 and 2023. The bill would permanently place responsibility with the state government for the estimated $1.3 million annual cost of the notices, he said.

More than 100 House members voted for that bill, but Topeka GOP Rep. Ken Corbet said the state was sending counties the wrong message by picking up the tab for mailings related to county plans to hike spending. The idea for the disclosure law, he said, was to put pressure on counties to contain expenditures.

“Whoever in the county that busts that line should pay for the mailing,” Corbet said. “It’s silly for us to reward people in the county for raising your taxes.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/P3031908-2-1024x576.jpg" alt="- Rep. Brian Bergkamp, R-Haysville, seen during a March 2021 committee hearing, convinced the House to pass a bill delivering a sales tax exemption on equipment purchases by the telecommunications industry. Two dozen states have comparable laws, and if implemented in Kansas it would cost the state about $17 million annually. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>- Rep. Brian Bergkamp, R-Haysville, seen during a March 2021 committee hearing, convinced the House to pass a bill delivering a sales tax exemption on equipment purchases by the telecommunications industry. Two dozen states have comparable laws, and if implemented in Kansas it would cost the state about $17 million annually. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/22/house-passes-kansas-bill-creating-method-of-anonymously-surrendering-an-infant/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas House approved a $17 million sales tax exemption on equipment purchases by telecommunication companies after rejecting amendments to exclude hygiene products from the state’s 6.5% sales tax and to increase an exemption on state property tax collected to finance K-12 public schools.The House also sent the Senate a bill Thursday requiring counties to alter annual property tax notices to include information about the previous four tax years rather than a single year. Another bill moved across the Capitol rotunda would require the state to pay for mailing notices to taxpayers when a county intended to raise more tax revenue.Haysville Rep. Brian Bergkamp, who described himself as a skeptic of sales tax breaks, said a sense of fairness compelled him to speak up for House Bill 2106’s concession to the telecommunication industry. Kansas chose not to assess a general sales tax on business-to-business machinery and equipment transactions, he said, but that treatment hadn’t been extended to communications companies.He said 24 states had a comparable sales tax exemption for equipment acquisitions by telecommunication businesses.“Some of you might be asking, ‘Why in the wide world am I up here talking about a sales tax exemption?'” Bergkamp said. “To me, one of the most important things we can do as a body is to create fairness across the playing field. It’s about creating parity across different industries.”Rep. Randy Garber, a Sabetha Republican, said he understood reasoning for the new exemption, but was weary of steady growth in the state’s roster of sales tax exemptions. He said exemptions from sales tax cost the state treasury an estimated $8 billion annually.“Now, we’re going to add another one,” Garber said. “When are we going to stop giving sales tax exemptions to just a certain group of people?”To punctuate the point, Garber proposed an amendment setting a five-year expiration date on the telecommunication sales tax exemption. The House approved his idea 64-47, despite arguments the industry’s timeline for infrastructure projects extended went well beyond five years and a 2028 expiration would be a nuisance for the industry’s lobbyists.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/P2130962-1024x576.jpg" alt="-Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka, was unable to convince the Kansas House to support a $20 million state sales tax exemption on hygiene products and expansion of a residential property tax exemption tied to state funding of K-12 public education. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>-Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka, was unable to convince the Kansas House to support a $20 million state sales tax exemption on hygiene products and expansion of a residential property tax exemption tied to state funding of K-12 public education. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Property, sales tax ideas</h2>The GOP-led House rejected the $20 million sales tax exemption on hygiene products sought by Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka. He said tax relief approved by the Legislature ought to be directed at people who would benefit most from changes in the tax code.Miller also was rebuffed when he proposed an amendment to House Bill 2201 that would raise the exemption on residential property taxes assessed to finance K-12 public schools. The state collects a 20-mill tax for education. For years, the first $20,000 of a home’s valuation was exempted. The 2022 Legislature doubled the exemption to $40,000. In his amendment, Miller wanted to boost the exemption to $65,000.The House didn’t have a chance to vote on Miller’s property tax relief idea because a parliamentary maneuver led to a ruling the amendment wasn’t germane to the underlying bill.Rep. Francis Awerkamp, R-St. Marys, said House Bill 2201 would simply require annual property valuation notices to include appraised and assessed values for each property for the current year and the previous four years. County officials are currently required to provide information on the current and last tax year.“It’s a decent amount of information for the property owner just so they can better see the trends over five years,” Awerkamp said.Miller, in collaboration with other House Democrats, complained Republicans were tone deaf to spiking home property tax valuations in Kansas. Here are average increases for selected counties: Wallace County, 20%; Leavenworth County, 14.8%; Shawnee County, 13%; Johnson County, 12%; and Douglas County, 9%.“I am certain my colleagues across the aisle are hearing from their constituents about property valuations just as much as I’m hearing from mine, if not more,” Miller said.<h2>Taxpayer notices</h2>The House approved a bill advocated by Rep. Brett Fairchild, R-St. John, that shifted the burden of paying for notices to taxpayers whenever county governments wanted to raise property taxesExisting law required the state pay printing and postage costs of notifications in tax years 2022 and 2023. The bill would permanently place responsibility with the state government for the estimated $1.3 million annual cost of the notices, he said.More than 100 House members voted for that bill, but Topeka GOP Rep. Ken Corbet said the state was sending counties the wrong message by picking up the tab for mailings related to county plans to hike spending. The idea for the disclosure law, he said, was to put pressure on counties to contain expenditures.“Whoever in the county that busts that line should pay for the mailing,” Corbet said. “It’s silly for us to reward people in the county for raising your taxes.”

Kan. House blocks residential property tax break, passes telecom sales tax exemption

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office received information concerning a Detention Deputy being involved in illegal activity, according to a media release from Sheriff Jeff Easter.

The Investigation’s Division and the Professional Standards Unit, investigated the complaint and determined enough probable cause existed to arrest 27-year-old Detention Deputy Victor Garcia for three felony charges in regards to unlawful acts concerning computers: "knowingly exceeding the limits of authorization and damage, modify, alter, destroy, copy, disclose or take possession of a computer, computer system, computer network or any other property."

Just before 5:30p.m. Thursday, he was booked into the jail and bonded out later in the day, according to online jail records.

Garcia, began employment with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office in July of 2015. He has been placed on suspension without pay, pending the outcome of judicial proceeding, according to the release. In December 2019, the sheriff's office recognized Garcia as the Detention Bureau Employee of the Month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678463330024.png" alt="Garcia-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Garcia-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office received information concerning a Detention Deputy being involved in illegal activity, according to a media release from Sheriff Jeff Easter.The Investigation’s Division and the Professional Standards Unit, investigated the complaint and determined enough probable cause existed to arrest 27-year-old Detention Deputy Victor Garcia for three felony charges in regards to unlawful acts concerning computers: "knowingly exceeding the limits of authorization and damage, modify, alter, destroy, copy, disclose or take possession of a computer, computer system, computer network or any other property."Just before 5:30p.m. Thursday, he was booked into the jail and bonded out later in the day, according to online jail records.Garcia, began employment with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office in July of 2015. He has been placed on suspension without pay, pending the outcome of judicial proceeding, according to the release. In December 2019, the sheriff's office recognized Garcia as the Detention Bureau Employee of the Month.

Kansas jail deputy accused of computer crimes

WASHINGTON— As political gridlock puts the government at risk of defaulting, President Joe Biden on Thursday made an opening bid with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-deficit-trillion-republicans-economy-810ff80dcd8812f2138eef571f2444f3">budget plan</a>&nbsp;that he says would cut deficits by $2.9 trillion over the next decade — a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-budget-highlights-taxes-deficits-medicare-3f0d64293eb6bf84d114d937627119b8">proposal that Republicans already intend to reject</a>.

The White House released additional specifics on the plan. Lowering Costs and Giving Families More Breathing Room As our economy transitions from a historically strong recovery to stable and steady growth, the President has remained laser-focused on continuing to lower costs for families and giving them more breathing room, without giving up the historic economic gains we’ve made. While more work remains, there are clear signs that the President’s strategy is working. Annual inflation is lower than it was seven months ago, gas prices are down $1.60 per gallon since their peak last summer, and unemployment remains at its lowest level in 54 years, while take home pay has gone up. And the Biden-Harris Administration has taken historic action to lower the costs of health care, clean energy, and prescription drugs, eliminate junk fees that make it harder for families to make ends meet, promote greater competition to lower costs, and address pandemic-driven supply chain bottlenecks. While some Congressional Republicans have proposed repealing the Inflation Reduction Act and taken other actions that would raise costs for working families, the President’s Budget takes a very different approach—proposing a package of policies to continue lowering everyday costs for the American people. Cuts Taxes for Families with Children and American Workers.&nbsp;

The President is calling for the restoration of the full Child Tax Credit enacted in the American Rescue Plan, which cut child poverty in half in 2021, to the lowest level in history. The Budget would expand the credit from $2,000 per child to $3,000 per child for children six years old and above, and to $3,600 per child for children under six. The Budget would also permanently reform the credit to make it fully refundable. The President also calls on the Congress to make the Earned Income Tax Credit expansion for childless workers permanent, which would help pull low-paid workers out of poverty. Lowers Health Care Costs.&nbsp;

The President believes that health care should be a right, not a privilege. With enrollment in affordable health coverage at an all-time high, the Budget builds on the remarkable success of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), by making permanent the average $800 per year premium cuts through expanded premium tax credits that the Inflation Reduction Act extended. It also provides Medicaid-like coverage to individuals in States that have not adopted Medicaid expansion under the ACA, paired with financial incentives to ensure States maintain their existing expansions.&nbsp; Reduces Prescription Drug Costs for All Americans.&nbsp;

The Budget builds upon the Inflation Reduction Act to continue lowering the cost of prescription drugs. For Medicare, this includes further strengthening the newly established negotiation power by extending it to more drugs and bringing drugs into negotiation sooner after they launch. The Budget also proposes to limit Medicare Part D cost-sharing for high-value generic drugs used for certain chronic conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol to no more than $2. For Medicaid, the Budget includes proposals to ensure Medicaid and CHIP programs are prudent purchasers of prescription drugs, authorizing HHS to negotiate supplemental drug rebates on behalf of interested States in order to pool purchasing power. For the commercial market, the Budget includes proposals to curb inflation in prescription drug prices and cap the prices of insulin products at $35 for a monthly prescription.&nbsp; Expands Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care.&nbsp;

The Budget invests $150 billion over 10 years to improve and expand Medicaid home and community-based services, such as personal care services, which would allow seniors and individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes and stay active in their communities as well as improve the quality of jobs for home care workers. And because community health centers—which provide comprehensive services regardless of ability to pay—serve one in three people living in poverty and one in five rural residents, the Budget puts the Health Center Program on a path to double its size and expand its reach. To bolster the health care workforce, the Budget provides a total of $966 million in 2024 to expand the National Health Service Corps, which provides loan repayment and scholarships to health care professionals in exchange for practicing in underserved areas, and a total of $350 million to expand programs that train and support the nursing workforce.&nbsp;&nbsp; Expands Access to Affordable, High-Quality Early Child Care and Learning.&nbsp;

Too many families across America cannot access high-quality, affordable child care—preventing parents from working and holding back our entire economy. The President’s Budget enables states to increase child care options for more than 16 million young children and lowers costs so that parents can afford to send their children to high-quality child care. The Budget also funds a Federal-State partnership that provides high-quality, universal, free preschool to support healthy child development and ensure children enter kindergarten ready to succeed. Lowers Housing Costs by Increasing Affordable Housing Supply and Expanding Access to Homeownership and Affordable Rent.&nbsp;

The President believes that everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to live. To address the critical shortage of affordable housing in communities throughout the country that has exacerbated inflation, the Budget includes $59 billion in mandatory funding and tax incentives aimed at increasing the affordable housing supply, including for extremely low-income households. The Budget also includes $10 billion in mandatory funding to incentivize State, local, and regional jurisdictions to make progress in removing barriers to affordable housing developments, such as restrictive zoning. By expanding the supply of housing, the Budget would help prevent the kind of rapid increases in rental and homeownership costs we have seen in recent years. The Budget also includes $10 billion in mandatory funding for a new First-Generation Down Payment Assistance program to help address racial and ethnic homeownership and wealth gaps—making homeownership more attainable for Americans who have been locked out of the generational wealth building that can come with owning a home. And the Budget expands access to affordable rent through the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program to well over 200,000 additional households. In addition to assisting all current voucher recipients and providing new vouchers for tens of thousands of additional families, the Budget includes mandatory funding to support two populations that are particularly vulnerable to homelessness—guaranteed assistance for all 20,000 youth who age out of foster care annually and an incremental expansion to cover the 450,000 extremely low-income (ELI) veteran families nationwide. Improves College Affordability and Expands Free Community College.&nbsp;

The Budget proposes to increase the discretionary maximum Pell Grant by $500—helping more than 6.8 million students pay for college, building on successful bipartisan efforts to increase the maximum Pell Grant award by $900 over the past two years, and laying out a path to double the award by 2029. The Budget also invests mandatory and discretionary funding to expand free community college, and provides mandatory funding for two years of subsidized tuition for students from families earning less than $125,000 enrolled in a participating four-year Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Tribally-Controlled College or University (TCCU), or Minority-Serving Institution (MSI).&nbsp; Lowers Home Energy and Water Costs.&nbsp;

The Budget provides $4.1 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), building on the $13 billion provided in the Inflation Reduction Act to reduce energy bills for families, expand clean energy, transform rural power production, and create thousands of good-paying jobs for people across rural America. Since the Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) expires at the end of 2023, the Budget proposes to expand LIHEAP funding and allow States the option to use a portion of their LIHEAP funds to provide water bill assistance to low-income households. Increases Food Security.&nbsp;

As called for in the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, the Budget provides over $15 billion to allow more States and schools to leverage participation in the Community Eligibility Program and provide healthy and free school meals to an additional 9 million children. The Budget also includes $6.3 billion to support the 6.5 million individuals expected to participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Protecting and Strengthening Medicare and Social Security The President has always believed that Medicare and Social Security are a promise—a rock-solid guarantee generations of Americans have counted on to be able to retire with dignity and security. The President will reject any efforts to cut the Medicare or Social Security benefits that seniors and people with disabilities have earned and paid into their entire working lives. The Budget honors that ironclad commitment—not only by rejecting benefit cuts, but by embracing reforms and investments that will protect and strengthen both programs. The President is committed to working with Congress to ensure Medicare and Social Security remain strong for their beneficiaries, now and in the future. Protects and Strengthens Medicare.&nbsp;The Budget strengthens Medicare by extending the solvency of the Medicare Trust Fund by at least 25 years, without cutting any benefits or raising costs for beneficiaries. The Budget includes key reforms to the tax code to ensure high-income individuals pay their fair share into the Medicare HI trust fund. It also directs the revenue from the Net Investment Income Tax into the HI trust fund as was originally intended. Finally, the Budget directs the savings from the Budget’s proposed Medicare drug reforms into the HI trust fund.&nbsp; Protects the Social Security Benefits that Americans Have Earned.&nbsp;

The Administration is committed to protecting and strengthening Social Security and opposes any attempt to cut Social Security benefits for current or future recipients. The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress to responsibly strengthen Social Security by ensuring that high-income individuals pay their fair share. The Budget also invests in staff, information technology, and other improvements at the Social Security Administration, providing an increase of $1.4 billion, a 10 percent increase, over the 2023 enacted level.&nbsp; These funds would improve customer service at Social Security Administration field offices, State disability determination services, and teleservice centers for retirees, individuals with disabilities, and their families. Growing the Economy from the Bottom up and Middle Out by Investing in America and Its People The Budget proposes smart, targeted investments to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out, not the top down, by investing in America and its people—investing in the foundations of our country’s economic strength; confronting the climate crisis while creating clean energy jobs; and advancing equity, dignity, and opportunity and strengthening our democracy. Investing in the Foundations of Our Economic Strength Invests in American Manufacturing.&nbsp;The Budget provides $375 million for the National Institutes of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Industrial Technology Services to support the progress of NIST’s existing manufacturing institute, fund a new institute to be launched in 2023, and promote domestic production of institute-developed technologies. The Budget also includes $277 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a public-private partnership that offers advisory services to small and medium enterprises. Makes Historic Investments in Innovation and Cutting-Edge Research.&nbsp;

The Budget provides almost $21 billion in discretionary spending for CHIPS and Science Act-authorized activities. This funding includes $1.2 billion for the CHIPS and Science Act-authorized Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships to help accelerate and translate scientific research into innovations, industries, and jobs, as well as $300 million for NSF’s Regional Innovation Engines program to galvanize use-inspired research, technology translation, and workforce development. Within DOE’s Office of Science, the Budget also supports cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence, quantum information sciences, microelectronics, and isotope production at the national laboratories and universities. In addition, the Budget requests $4 billion in new mandatory funding for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program at the Economic Development Administration. And the Budget provides $210 billion for Federal research and development, an historic level of investment in American science, technology and innovation. Provides National, Comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave and Calls for Paid Sick Leave for All Workers.&nbsp;

Workers power our economy—and when they thrive, our economy thrives. The Budget proposes to establish a national, comprehensive paid family and medical leave program, providing up to 12 weeks of leave to allow eligible workers to take time off to care and bond with a new child; care for a seriously ill loved one; heal from their own serious illness; address circumstances arising from a loved one’s military deployment; or find safety from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. The President also calls on Congress to require employers to provide seven job-protected paid sick days each year to all workers. Expands Workforce Training that Provides Pathways to Good Jobs.&nbsp;

The Budget invests in evidence-based training models to ensure all workers—including women, workers of color, and workers in rural areas—have the skills they need for the good jobs being created by the President’s historic legislative accomplishments. The Budget invests $335 million in Registered Apprenticeship, an earn-and-learn model, to provide debt-free pathways to careers in construction, clean energy, semiconductor manufacturing, and other in-demand industries. The Budget also provides $200 million for the new Sectoral Employment through Career Training for Occupational Readiness (SECTOR) program, which will support development and expansion of public-private partnerships to equitably deliver high-quality training in growing industries, and invests $100 million to help community colleges partner with employers and the public workforce system to design and deliver effective training models in communities across the Nation. Invests in High-Poverty Schools.&nbsp;

The Budget provides $20.5 billion for Title I, a $2.2 billion increase above the 2023 enacted level, delivering critical funding to 90 percent of school districts across the Nation and helping them provide students in low-income communities the academic opportunities and support they need to succeed. This increase in funding addresses chronic funding gaps between high-poverty schools—which disproportionately serve students of color—and their wealthier counterparts.&nbsp;&nbsp; Taking Historic Action to Cut Energy Bills for Families and Confront the Climate Crisis While Creating Clean Energy Jobs Across America Cuts Energy Bills for Families and Creates Jobs Building Clean Energy Infrastructure.&nbsp;The Budget invests $4.5 billion in clean energy across America, bringing jobs to rural communities and cities, leaving no one behind. The Budget supports clean energy workforce development and sustainable infrastructure projects across the country, including $1.8 billion to weatherize and retrofit low-income Americans’ homes, and $83 million to electrify Tribal homes and transition Tribal Colleges and universities to renewable energy. Makes Historic Investments in Science &amp; Research to Continue to Cut the Cost of Clean Energy.&nbsp;

To boost American innovation and sustain American leadership in research and scientific discovery, the Budget also provides a historic investment of $16.5 billion in climate science and clean energy innovation. The Budget includes $3.5 billion of the $8.8 billion total for DOE’s Office of Science and $1.6 billion at NSF, and makes advancements toward the CHIPS and Science Act authorizations, including $1 billion for fusion, the largest ever investment in the promise of a clean energy power source. Cuts Global Warming Pollution.&nbsp;

The Budget invests in reducing global warming pollution and achieving the President’s target to cut greenhouse gas emissions 50-52 percent by 2030. These investments include an additional $64.4 million at EPA to implement the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act and continue phasing out potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The Budget supports $1.2 billion in DOE industrial decarbonization activities. Helps Increase Climate Resilience and Bolsters Conservation.&nbsp;

The Budget invests more than $24 billion to help build communities’ resilience to floods, wildfires, storms, extreme heat, and drought brought on by climate change, expand conservation and ecosystem management, strengthen America’s natural disaster response capabilities, increase the resilience of rural housing to the impacts of climate change while reducing rent burdens, and ensure the resilience of our nation’s defense to climate change. Advances Equity and Environmental Justice.&nbsp;

The Administration continues to prioritize efforts to deliver environmental justice in communities across the United States, including meeting the President’s Justice40 Initiative to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of Federal investments in climate and clean energy reach disadvantaged communities, including rural and Tribal communities. The Budget bolsters these efforts by investing nearly $1.8 billion at EPA across numerous programs that will support securing environmental justice for communities that bear the brunt of toxic pollution and climate change. The Budget also provides EPA $219 million to help remediate lead contamination in water, an increase of $163 million over the 2023 enacted level. Increases Global Energy Security, Infrastructure, and Resilience.&nbsp;

The Budget supports the President’s pledges to more than quadruple international climate finance and to provide more than $3 billion for the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience (PREPARE). This includes a $1.6 billion contribution to the Green Climate Fund and a $1.2 billion loan to the Clean Technology Fund. The Budget also advances new tools, such as loan guarantees, to re-assert U.S. leadership in the Indo-Pacific to finance energy security and infrastructure projects and reduce reliance on volatile energy supplies and prices. Expanding Access to High-Quality Health Care and Improving Health Outcomes Advances Maternal Health and Health Equity.&nbsp;The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations, and rates are disproportionately high for Black and American Indian and Alaska Native women. The Budget includes $471 million to reduce maternal mortality and morbidity rates; expand maternal health initiatives in rural communities; implement implicit bias training for health care providers; create pregnancy medical home demonstration projects; and address the highest rates of perinatal health disparities, including by supporting the perinatal health workforce. In addition, the Budget requires all States to provide continuous Medicaid coverage for 12 months postpartum, eliminating gaps in health insurance at a critical time. Advances Cancer Moonshot Goals.

&nbsp;The Cancer Moonshot aims to reduce the cancer death rate by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years and improve the experience of people who are living with or have survived cancer, their families, and caregivers. The Budget includes $1.7 billion for dedicated Cancer Moonshot activities across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in addition to targeted investments at the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Defense, Agriculture, and other Cancer Cabinet agencies, and a total investment of $7.8 billion at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to drive progress on ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer. The Budget also provides an increase of $1 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), for a total of $2.5 billion, to drive innovative health research and speed the implementation of breakthroughs that would transform the treatment, prevention, and early detection of cancer and other diseases. Transforms Behavioral Health Care.&nbsp;

The United States is facing a mental health crisis. While recently enacted legislation takes significant steps to address this crisis, much more can be done. For people with private health insurance, the Budget expands coverage of mental health benefits and strengthens the network of behavioral health providers. For people with Medicare, the Budget lowers patients’ costs for mental health services, requires parity in coverage between behavioral health and medical benefits, and expands coverage for behavioral health providers. The Budget provides historic investments in the behavioral health workforce, youth mental health care, Certified Community Based Behavioral Health Clinics, Community Mental Health Centers, and mental health research. Making Our Communities Safer, Advancing Equity and Opportunity, and Strengthening American Democracy Invests in Federal Law Enforcement, Community Violence Interventions, and Prevention to Combat Gun Violence and Other Violent Crime.&nbsp;The Budget continues to fund the President’s comprehensive Safer America Plan, including funding to put 100,000 additional police officers on our streets for accountable, community-oriented policing; $19.4 billion over 10 years for crime prevention strategies; and $5 billion over 10 years for community violence interventions. The Budget also includes $17.8 billion for DOJ law enforcement, including a total of nearly $2 billion for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to expand multijurisdictional gun trafﬁcking strike forces with additional personnel, increase regulation of the ﬁrearms industry, and implement the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The Budget also includes $1.9 billion for the U.S. Marshals Service to support personnel dedicated to ﬁghting violent crime, as well as $51 million to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to support the continued implementation of enhanced background checks required by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Prioritizes Efforts to End Gender-Based Violence.&nbsp;

The Budget proposes $1 billion to support implementation of programs through the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA), which was recently reauthorized and strengthened in 2022. The Budget supports substantial increases for longstanding VAWA programs, including key investments in legal assistance for victims, transitional housing, and sexual assault services. The Budget also includes $519 million for the Family Violence Prevention and Services (FVPSA) program and the National Domestic Violence Hotline to support domestic violence survivors—double the 2023 enacted level. Advances Child and Family Well-Being in the Child Welfare System.&nbsp;The Budget proposes to expand and incentivize the use of evidence-based foster care prevention services to keep families safely together and reduce the number of children entering foster care. The Budget provides States with support to place more foster children with relatives or other adults who have an existing emotional bond with the children, while also providing additional funding to support youth who age out of care without a permanent caregiver. In addition, the Budget proposes to make the adoption tax credit refundable and to extend the credit to legal guardianships. This would reduce the financial burden on low- and moderate-income families wishing to pursue adoption, as well as for families who opt for legal guardianship. Strengthens Our Democracy.&nbsp;

To continue efforts to restore and strengthen American democracy, the Budget proposes $5 billion in new election assistance funding to be allocated over 10 years, $1.5 billion to support increasing the living allowance provided to AmeriCorps members so that national service is a more accessible pathway to success, and $73 million to support American history and civics education programs. Keeping America Safe and Confronting Global Challenges Even as he has taken decisive action to strengthen America at home, the President has worked with allies and partners to confront pressing global challenges. The Budget builds on that progress through proposals to continue addressing threats to global security and strengthening the U.S. military, addressing pressing global challenges, strengthening border security and the U.S. immigration system, and honoring America’s commitment to veterans, servicemembers, families, caregivers, and survivors. Supports Ukraine, European Allies, and Partners.&nbsp;

The Budget continues support for Ukraine, the United States’ strong alliance with the states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and other European partner states by prioritizing funding to enhance the capabilities and readiness of U.S. forces, NATO allies, and regional partners in the face of continued Russian aggression. Invests in New Ways to Out-Compete China and Deepens Alliances and Partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.

&nbsp;China is the United States’ only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military, and technological power to do it. During these unprecedented and extraordinary times, the Budget requests both discretionary and mandatory resources to out-compete China and advance American prosperity globally. The mandatory proposal will strengthen the U.S. role in the Indo-Pacific, and advance the U.S. economy by investing $2 billion to create a new International Infrastructure Fund to support “hard” critical infrastructure; $2 billion to create a new equity revolving fund at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation to support equity investments; and $2 billion to make game-changing investments in the Indo-Pacific to strengthen partner economies and support their efforts in pushing back against predatory efforts. As part of this mandatory proposal, the Budget also requests a total of $7.1 billion over the next 20 years for the Compacts of Free Association with the Freely Associated States of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. Promotes Integrated Deterrence in the Indo-Pacific and Globally.&nbsp;

The Budget prioritizes China as America’s pacing challenge in line with the 2022 National Defense Strategy. The Department of Defense’s 2024 Pacific Deterrence Initiative highlights $9.1 billion of targeted investments the Department is making to U.S. force posture, infrastructure, presence, and readiness as well as efforts to bolster the capacity and capabilities of U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Strengthens Democracy and Promotes Human Rights Globally.&nbsp;

The Budget provides more than $3.4 billion to advance democratic governance and foster democratic renewal globally. The Budget would strengthen free and independent media, fight corruption, bolster democratic institutions, advance technology for democracy, promote gender equality and women’s civic and political participation, and defend free and fair elections and political processes. Enhances Border Security and Immigration Enforcement.&nbsp;

Strengthening border security and providing safe, lawful pathways for migration remain top priorities for the Administration. The Budget includes nearly $25 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Budget includes funds for CBP to hire an additional 350 Border Patrol Agents, $535 million for border technology at and between ports of entry, $40 million to combat fentanyl trafficking and disrupt transnational criminal organizations, and funds to hire an additional 460 processing assistants at CBP and ICE. Expands Health Care, Benefits, and Services for Military Environmental Exposures.&nbsp;

The PACT Act represents the most significant expansion of VA health care and disability compensation benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other environmental exposures in more than 30 years. As part of the PACT Act, the Congress authorized the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) to fund increased costs above 2021 funding levels for health care and benefits delivery for veterans exposed to a number of environmental hazards—and ensure there is sufficient funding available to cover these costs without shortchanging other elements of veteran medical care and benefit delivery. The Budget provides $20.3 billion for the TEF in 2024, which is $15.3 billion above the 2023 enacted level. Reducing Deficits by Nearly $3 Trillion by Making the Wealthy and Big Corporations Pay Their Fair Share and Cutting Wasteful Spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Special Interests After inheriting historically high deficits from the previous Administration, President Biden told the American people he would reduce the deficit, pay for his proposals, and ensure that no one making less than $400,000 a year would pay a penny more in new taxes. That’s exactly what he has done—and exactly what he will continue to do. The President’s Budget builds on the record-breaking deficit reduction he achieved during his first two years in office.&nbsp;It more than fully pays for its investments, reduces deficits by nearly $3 trillion over the next decade by making the wealthy and big corporations pay their fair share and cutting wasteful spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and other special interests, and ensures that no one making less than $400,000 per year will pay a penny more in new taxes. The Budget reflects the President’s ironclad belief that we need a tax system that rewards work, not wealth—and that ensures the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations don’t pay lower tax rates than teachers or firefighters. That’s in sharp contrast with Congressional Republicans, who in recent months have proposed policies that would add $3 trillion to the debt over the next decade while handing out tax giveaways to the wealthy and big corporations. Building on the progress the President has already made to promote a fairer tax code, the Budget proposes additional reforms that would ensure the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share while cutting wasteful spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and other special interests. Proposes a Minimum Tax on Billionaires.&nbsp;

The tax code currently offers special treatment for the types of income that wealthy people enjoy. While the wages and salaries that everyday Americans earn are taxed as ordinary income, billionaires make their money in ways that are taxed at lower rates, and sometimes not taxed at all. This special treatment, combined with sophisticated tax planning and giant loopholes, allows many of the wealthiest Americans to pay lower rates on their full income than many middle-class households pay. To finally address this glaring problem, the Budget includes a 25 percent minimum tax on the wealthiest 0.01 percent. Ensures Corporations Pay Their Fair Share.&nbsp;

The Budget includes an increase to the rate that corporations pay in taxes on their profits. Corporations received an enormous tax break in 2017, cutting effective U.S. tax rates for U.S. corporations to a low of less than 10 percent. While their profits soared, their investment in the economy did not. Their shareholders and top executives reaped the benefits, without the promised trickle down to workers, consumers, or communities. The Budget would set the corporate tax rate at 28 percent, still well below the 35 percent rate that prevailed prior to the 2017 tax law. This tax rate change is complemented by other proposals to incentivize job creation and investment in the United States and ensure large corporations pay their fair share. Stops the Race to the Bottom in International Corporate Tax and End Tax Breaks for Offshoring.&nbsp;

For decades, countries have competed for multinational business by slashing tax rates, at the expense of having adequate revenues to finance core services. Thanks in part to the Administration’s leadership, more than 130 nations signed on to a global tax framework to finally address this race to the bottom. Building on that framework, the Budget proposes to reform the international tax system to reduce the incentives to book profits in low-tax jurisdictions, stop corporate inversions to tax havens, and raise the tax rate on U.S. multinationals’ foreign earnings from 10.5 percent to 21 percent. These reforms will ensure that profitable multinational corporations pay their fair share. Quadruples the Stock Buybacks Tax.&nbsp;

Last year, the President signed into law a surcharge on corporate stock buybacks, which reduces the differential tax treatment between buybacks and dividends and encourages businesses to invest and grow as opposed to funneling tax-preferred profits to foreign shareholders. The Budget proposes quadrupling the stock buybacks tax from one percent to four percent to address the continued tax advantage for buybacks and encourage corporations to invest in productivity and the broader economy. Repeals Trump Tax Cuts for the Wealthy and Reform Capital Gains Tax to Ensure the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share.&nbsp;

The 2017 tax law lowered rates for the wealthiest Americans, delivering massive tax cuts to the top one percent. The Budget repeals the Trump tax cuts for the highest-income Americans, restoring the top tax rate of 39.6 percent for single filers making more than $400,000 a year and married couples making more than $450,000 per year. It also proposes taxing capital gains at the same rate as wage income for those with more than $1 million in income and finally closes the carried interest loophole that allows some wealthy investment fund managers to pay tax at lower rates than their secretaries. Cuts Wasteful Spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Other Special Interests, Combats Fraud, and Makes Programs More Efficient.&nbsp;

The Budget puts forward reforms that cut wasteful spending on Big Pharma, Big Oil, and other special interests, crack down on fraud, and strengthen program integrity—saving taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. For example, the Budget cuts Federal spending by $160 billion—and saves billions of dollars for seniors—by increasing the number of drugs Medicare can select for negotiation and bringing more drugs into the negotiation process sooner, building on the Inflation Reduction Act’s reforms. It also includes a package of reforms to crack down on systemic fraud—combatting identity theft and other fraud in Unemployment Insurance, increasing funding for the Anti-Pandemic Fraud Strike Force, and investing in Inspectors General.

White House details specifics of Biden's $6.8T budget plan

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Federal law enforcement agents were involved in a standoff at a Kansas apartment complex Friday evening after a suspect and an agent exchanged gunfire while authorities attempted to serve a warrant, police said.

John Lacy of the Overland Park Police Department said the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI attempted to serve a felony warrant around 5 p.m. at the Villa Medici apartments,&nbsp;WDAF-TV reported.

Officers barricaded the suspect into the complex and the man fired a gun at agents before running into an apartment, Lacy said.

A U.S. Marshal returned fire but it was unclear if the suspect was hit, police said. The man remained inside the apartment as of 7 p.m. Friday, the station reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678539308842.png" alt="Police on the scene of the standoff Friday night =photo courtesy Fox4Kansas CIty" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the standoff Friday night =photo courtesy Fox4Kansas CIty</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Federal law enforcement agents were involved in a standoff at a Kansas apartment complex Friday evening after a suspect and an agent exchanged gunfire while authorities attempted to serve a warrant, police said.John Lacy of the Overland Park Police Department said the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI attempted to serve a felony warrant around 5 p.m. at the Villa Medici apartments,&nbsp;WDAF-TV reported.Officers barricaded the suspect into the complex and the man fired a gun at agents before running into an apartment, Lacy said.A U.S. Marshal returned fire but it was unclear if the suspect was hit, police said. The man remained inside the apartment as of 7 p.m. Friday, the station reported.

U.S. Marshals involved in Kan. standoff after exchange of gunfire

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — U.S. government regulators have stopped allowing a large part of the Keystone oil pipeline to operate at higher-than-normal pressures following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">a massive oil spill</a>&nbsp;in northeastern Kansas in December.

The order this week from the U.S. Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm covers 1,220 miles (1,963 kilometers) of the Keystone pipeline in seven U.S. states. Regulators already had ordered the system's operator, Canada-based TC Energy, to reduce the pressure on a 96-mile (155-kilometer) segment of the pipeline from southern Nebraska near the Kansas border into central Kansas, where the spill occurred.

The regulators' action came ahead of the first hearings in the Kansas Legislature on the spill. A TC Energy official is set to face questions from lawmakers Tuesday during a joint meeting of two House committees.

TC Energy said in a statement Friday that it was already operating within the pressure limits set by this week's order and that it would continue to comply.

“Our commitment to the safe operations of our system is unwavering,” the company said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676492082551.png" alt="The regulators' action came ahead of the first hearings in the Kansas Legislature on the spill.-EPA photo" />
 <figcaption>The regulators' action came ahead of the first hearings in the Kansas Legislature on the spill.-EPA photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — U.S. government regulators have stopped allowing a large part of the Keystone oil pipeline to operate at higher-than-normal pressures following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">a massive oil spill</a>&nbsp;in northeastern Kansas in December.The order this week from the U.S. Department of Transportation's pipeline safety arm covers 1,220 miles (1,963 kilometers) of the Keystone pipeline in seven U.S. states. Regulators already had ordered the system's operator, Canada-based TC Energy, to reduce the pressure on a 96-mile (155-kilometer) segment of the pipeline from southern Nebraska near the Kansas border into central Kansas, where the spill occurred.The regulators' action came ahead of the first hearings in the Kansas Legislature on the spill. A TC Energy official is set to face questions from lawmakers Tuesday during a joint meeting of two House committees.TC Energy said in a statement Friday that it was already operating within the pressure limits set by this week's order and that it would continue to comply.“Our commitment to the safe operations of our system is unwavering,” the company said.But Zack Pistora, a lobbyist in Kansas for the Sierra Club, said Friday that perhaps regulators should reconsider the Keystone pipeline’s operation “in its entirety.” The system has had more than 20 spills since it began operations in 2010, and the one in Kansas was the system's largest and the largest U.S. onshore spill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">in nine years,</a>&nbsp;according to the regulators.”There’s no confidence that this pipeline won’t be breaking again in the near future, even with less pressure," Pistora said.The latest order from regulators directed TC Energy to lower the maximum pressure by 10% on the pipeline from North Dakota's border with Canada to northern Oklahoma, as well as the system's spur from southern Nebraska through Missouri into central Illinois. That would bring the maximum pressure into line with what's normally allowed after TC Energy had received a special permit to exceed it six years ago.A pipeline rupture Dec. 7 dumped nearly 13,000 barrels — each with enough crude to fill a standard household bathtub — in a creek through rural pasture land in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City.No one was evacuated following the spill, and officials said it did not affect the two larger rivers and reservoir downstream from the affected creek. With regulators’ permission, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-kansas-climate-and-environment-business-75a71d7cb8d59546d9c49efbedffbe6d">reopened the affected segment</a>&nbsp;a little more than three weeks after the spill.However, in a separate Jan. 6 cleanup order, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the amount of oil spilled was “a harmful quantity” violating the nation's clean water laws. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the EPA order through a Freedom of Information Act request.TC Energy must notify the state and the EPA's on-site coordinator before shipping out any hazardous materials. Also, the company will pay the U.S. government's costs from the cleanup and faces a fine of nearly $52,000 a day if it violates the EPA order.<a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21-588.pdf">A U.S. Governmental Accountability Office report</a>&nbsp;to Congress in July 2021 noted that pipeline regulators had allowed the higher-than-normal maximum pressure on the Keystone system starting in 2017. The regulators concluded the operating at the higher pressures was safe if TC Energy met more than 50 conditions.TC Energy said last month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-kansas-climate-and-environment-business-a836f44e3d07a840a0313209eef051bf">a flawed weld</a>&nbsp;caused a crack that grew over time because of the stress on a bend in the pipeline where the rupture occurred. The company has estimated that the cleanup will cost $480 million, and it has an average of 800 people on site in any given 24-hour period.“We continue to progress,” on the cleanup and investigating the root cause of the pipeline rupture, the company said in its statement.The 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system carries heavy crude oil extracted from tar sands in western Canada to the Gulf Coast and to central Illinois.Concerns that spills could pollute waterways spurred opposition to plans by TC Energy to build another crude oil pipeline in the same system, the 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) Keystone XL, across Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. President Joe Biden’s cancelation of a permit led the company to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">pull the plug on the project</a>&nbsp;in 2021.The pipeline regulators' order this week also requires TC Energy to review the pipeline pressure and consider potential problems each month on the 291-mile (468-kilometer) Keystone segment from southern Nebraska into northern Oklahoma.The order said that not reducing the pressure on more of the pipeline and requiring other measures would make pipeline operations “hazardous to life, property or the environment.”___