KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area police association has pulled the plug on its plan to raffle off an AR-15 rifle in the wake of recent mass shootings.

The Belton Police Athletic Association had planned to raffle off the gun as part of its annual fundraiser supporting an anti-drug education program in schools in the community about 20 miles south of Kansas City.

Organizers said the decision to include the rifle in this year’s event was made months ago — before a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-shootings-269e29c931877db88b70cdf4c461ab10">gunman killed 19 students and two teachers</a>&nbsp;last week at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-politics-shootings-indictments-1ce595dbd268f0d6550c2dee2652b38e">a May 14 racist attack at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket</a>&nbsp;that killed 10 people. Police say both shooters had AR-15-style rifles.

“After recent tragic events, the Belton Police Athletic Association decided that it would be inappropriate to continue with the raffle as planned,” the association said in a statement posted Wednesday to the Belton Police Department's Facebook page.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Kansas City-area police association has pulled the plug on its plan to raffle off an AR-15 rifle in the wake of recent mass shootings.The Belton Police Athletic Association had planned to raffle off the gun as part of its annual fundraiser supporting an anti-drug education program in schools in the community about 20 miles south of Kansas City.Organizers said the decision to include the rifle in this year’s event was made months ago — before a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-shootings-269e29c931877db88b70cdf4c461ab10">gunman killed 19 students and two teachers</a>&nbsp;last week at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-politics-shootings-indictments-1ce595dbd268f0d6550c2dee2652b38e">a May 14 racist attack at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket</a>&nbsp;that killed 10 people. Police say both shooters had AR-15-style rifles.“After recent tragic events, the Belton Police Athletic Association decided that it would be inappropriate to continue with the raffle as planned,” the association said in a statement posted Wednesday to the Belton Police Department's Facebook page.

KC-area police group pulls plug on raffle of AR-15 rifle

WASHINGTON (AP) — A House panel advanced legislation Thursday that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21 as Democrats moved quickly to put their stamp on gun legislation in response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-politics-texas-shootings-e3975aebf393ca7c122cc117d29059c4">mass shootings in Texas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-politics-shootings-indictments-1ce595dbd268f0d6550c2dee2652b38e">New York</a>&nbsp;by assailants who used such weapons to kill 31 people, including 19 children.

The vote came as President Joe Biden gave a prime-time speech about the shootings and told Americans, “Let’s hear the call and the cry, let’s meet the moment, let us finally do something.”

Partisan positions were clear at the Judiciary Committee hearing, which lasted more than nine hours. In addition to raising the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles, the bill also would make it a federal offense to import, manufacture or possess large-capacity magazines and would create a grant program to buy back such magazines.

It also builds on the administration’s executive action banning fast-action “bump-stock” devices and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">“ghost guns”</a>&nbsp;that are assembled without serial numbers.

The final vote to advance the bill was 25-19, with Democrats accounting for all the yes votes and Republicans accounting for all the no votes.

The Democratic legislation, called the Protecting Our Kids Act, was quickly added to the legislative docket after last week’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., promised in a letter to Democratic colleagues Thursday that the House will vote on the measure next week, and she promised other votes in the weeks ahead, including on a bill to to create an Amber Alert-style notification during a mass shooting. Pelosi also pledged a hearing on a bill banning military-style semiautomatic rifles.

But with Republicans nearly all in opposition, the House action will mostly be symbolic, merely putting lawmakers on record about gun control ahead of this year’s elections. The Senate is taking a different course, with a bipartisan group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-texas-school-shooting-gun-politics-0a290e15634cf11aa0faa53ed44caeb0">striving toward a compromise</a>&nbsp;on gun safety legislation that can win enough GOP support to become law. Those talks are making “rapid progress,” according to Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of the Republican negotiators.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, defended his chamber’s proposals as popular with most Americans. He dismissed Republican criticism.

“You say that it is too soon to take action? That we are ‘politicizing’ these tragedies to enact new policies?” Nadler said. “It has been 23 years since Columbine. Fifteen years since Virginia Tech. Ten years since Sandy Hook. Seven years since Charleston. Four years since Parkland and Santa Fe and Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.”

“Too soon? My friends, what the hell are you waiting for?”

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the committee, said no one wants another tragedy. But he insisted the House bill would do nothing to stop mass shootings.

“We need to get serious about understanding why this keeps happening. Democrats are always fixated on curtailing the rights of law-abiding citizens rather than trying to understand why this evil happens,” Jordan said. “Until we figure out the why, we will always mourn losses without facing the problem. Our job is to figure out the why.”

A chief feature of the House bill requires those buying semi-automatic weapons to be at least 21. Only six states require someone to be at least 21 years old to buy rifles and shotguns. The shooters in Uvalde and Buffalo, New York, both were 18 and used an AR-15-style weapon.

Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said that it should be a red flag when an 18-year-old wants to buy “an assault weapon.”

“That’s what they want on their 18th birthday is an assault weapon? They’ve got a problem, which means we’ve got a problem, which means those 19 kids and their parents and those two teachers have a problem, forever,” Cohen said, referring to the victims in Uvalde.

Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., pointed to a U.S. appeals court ruling last month, however, that found California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 unconstitutional.

“I can tell you this, and let me be clear, you are not going to bully your way to stripping Americans of fundamental rights,” Bishop said.

The hearing featured emotional pleas from Democratic lawmakers for Congress to respond to the mass shootings after years of gridlock on gun issues, one of the most riveting coming from Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia.

She recalled how her son, Jordan, was shot and killed at a gas station by a man who complained about the loud music he was listening to. She said she dreams of who he would have become. She said racial bias led to his death and those of 10 Black Americans in Buffalo last month and is “being replayed with casual callousness and despicable frequency” in the United States.

“We all understand that the murder of our children cannot continue,” McBath said. “And we have solutions that a majority of American people believe in. They are common-sense compromises that will keep American children alive.”

Several lawmakers participated in the hearing remotely, including Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., who brandished various pistols in arguing that the bill’s provision banning large-capacity magazines of more than 10 rounds amounted to stopping law-abiding citizens from purchasing guns of their choice.

When Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, remarked that she hoped one of the guns Steube was holding was not loaded, Steube replied, “I’m in my house, I can do whatever I want with my guns.” It was one of several pointed exchanges during the hearing.

Any legislative response to the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings will have to get through the evenly divided Senate, where support from at least 10 Republicans would be needed to advance the measure to a final vote. A group of senators has been working privately this week in hopes of finding a consensus.

Ideas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-buffalo-united-states-gun-politics-ab8294ecb4b8f3c6fdc8761d8581ce7e">under discussion</a>&nbsp;include expanding background checks for gun purchases and incentivizing red-flag laws that allow family members, school officials and others to go into court and secure orders requiring the police to seize guns from people considered threats to themselves or others.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654192080985.png" alt="Texas Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee during Thursday's hearing" />
 <figcaption>Texas Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee during Thursday's hearing</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A House panel advanced legislation Thursday that would raise the age limit for purchasing a semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21 as Democrats moved quickly to put their stamp on gun legislation in response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-politics-texas-shootings-e3975aebf393ca7c122cc117d29059c4">mass shootings in Texas</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/buffalo-supermarket-shooting-politics-shootings-indictments-1ce595dbd268f0d6550c2dee2652b38e">New York</a>&nbsp;by assailants who used such weapons to kill 31 people, including 19 children.The vote came as President Joe Biden gave a prime-time speech about the shootings and told Americans, “Let’s hear the call and the cry, let’s meet the moment, let us finally do something.”Partisan positions were clear at the Judiciary Committee hearing, which lasted more than nine hours. In addition to raising the age limit for purchasing semi-automatic rifles, the bill also would make it a federal offense to import, manufacture or possess large-capacity magazines and would create a grant program to buy back such magazines.It also builds on the administration’s executive action banning fast-action “bump-stock” devices and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-bureau-of-alcohol-tobacco-firearms-and-explosives-gun-politics-5f0f26cdb5d3bcbc6f9c5daf471c118d">“ghost guns”</a>&nbsp;that are assembled without serial numbers.The final vote to advance the bill was 25-19, with Democrats accounting for all the yes votes and Republicans accounting for all the no votes.The Democratic legislation, called the Protecting Our Kids Act, was quickly added to the legislative docket after last week’s school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., promised in a letter to Democratic colleagues Thursday that the House will vote on the measure next week, and she promised other votes in the weeks ahead, including on a bill to to create an Amber Alert-style notification during a mass shooting. Pelosi also pledged a hearing on a bill banning military-style semiautomatic rifles.But with Republicans nearly all in opposition, the House action will mostly be symbolic, merely putting lawmakers on record about gun control ahead of this year’s elections. The Senate is taking a different course, with a bipartisan group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-texas-school-shooting-gun-politics-0a290e15634cf11aa0faa53ed44caeb0">striving toward a compromise</a>&nbsp;on gun safety legislation that can win enough GOP support to become law. Those talks are making “rapid progress,” according to Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of the Republican negotiators.Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, defended his chamber’s proposals as popular with most Americans. He dismissed Republican criticism.“You say that it is too soon to take action? That we are ‘politicizing’ these tragedies to enact new policies?” Nadler said. “It has been 23 years since Columbine. Fifteen years since Virginia Tech. Ten years since Sandy Hook. Seven years since Charleston. Four years since Parkland and Santa Fe and Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.”“Too soon? My friends, what the hell are you waiting for?”Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the committee, said no one wants another tragedy. But he insisted the House bill would do nothing to stop mass shootings.“We need to get serious about understanding why this keeps happening. Democrats are always fixated on curtailing the rights of law-abiding citizens rather than trying to understand why this evil happens,” Jordan said. “Until we figure out the why, we will always mourn losses without facing the problem. Our job is to figure out the why.”A chief feature of the House bill requires those buying semi-automatic weapons to be at least 21. Only six states require someone to be at least 21 years old to buy rifles and shotguns. The shooters in Uvalde and Buffalo, New York, both were 18 and used an AR-15-style weapon.Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said that it should be a red flag when an 18-year-old wants to buy “an assault weapon.”“That’s what they want on their 18th birthday is an assault weapon? They’ve got a problem, which means we’ve got a problem, which means those 19 kids and their parents and those two teachers have a problem, forever,” Cohen said, referring to the victims in Uvalde.Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., pointed to a U.S. appeals court ruling last month, however, that found California’s ban on the sale of semiautomatic weapons to adults under 21 unconstitutional.“I can tell you this, and let me be clear, you are not going to bully your way to stripping Americans of fundamental rights,” Bishop said.The hearing featured emotional pleas from Democratic lawmakers for Congress to respond to the mass shootings after years of gridlock on gun issues, one of the most riveting coming from Rep. Lucy McBath of Georgia.She recalled how her son, Jordan, was shot and killed at a gas station by a man who complained about the loud music he was listening to. She said she dreams of who he would have become. She said racial bias led to his death and those of 10 Black Americans in Buffalo last month and is “being replayed with casual callousness and despicable frequency” in the United States.“We all understand that the murder of our children cannot continue,” McBath said. “And we have solutions that a majority of American people believe in. They are common-sense compromises that will keep American children alive.”Several lawmakers participated in the hearing remotely, including Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., who brandished various pistols in arguing that the bill’s provision banning large-capacity magazines of more than 10 rounds amounted to stopping law-abiding citizens from purchasing guns of their choice.When Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, remarked that she hoped one of the guns Steube was holding was not loaded, Steube replied, “I’m in my house, I can do whatever I want with my guns.” It was one of several pointed exchanges during the hearing.Any legislative response to the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings will have to get through the evenly divided Senate, where support from at least 10 Republicans would be needed to advance the measure to a final vote. A group of senators has been working privately this week in hopes of finding a consensus.Ideas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-school-shooting-texas-buffalo-united-states-gun-politics-ab8294ecb4b8f3c6fdc8761d8581ce7e">under discussion</a>&nbsp;include expanding background checks for gun purchases and incentivizing red-flag laws that allow family members, school officials and others to go into court and secure orders requiring the police to seize guns from people considered threats to themselves or others.--------

House panel advances gun bill after recent mass shootings

By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/covid-vaccine-for-kids-under-5-could-be-available-as-soon-as-june-21/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The Biden 
administration is preparing to ship out to the states millions of 
COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 in the coming weeks, likely 
ending months of waiting for parents and caregivers.

White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha said Thursday 
that if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use 
of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids after its June 15 
meeting, the federal government would immediately begin shipping the 
specialty doses.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would need to 
recommend emergency use of the vaccines before health care providers 
could begin administering them, but Jha said he expects vaccinations for
 children under 5 could begin as soon as Tuesday, June 21.

Jha said he wasn’t making the announcement as a pre-judgment of what 
the FDA or CDC would decide on the vaccines, but to detail how the Biden
 administration has been planning for eventual approval.

“We have asked states to distribute the initial tranche of doses to 
their highest priority sites, including those serving the highest-risk 
children and hardest-to-reach areas,” Jha said. “We’ve also asked them 
to prioritize sites that can handle large volumes, such as children’s 
hospitals.”

Jha said state governments can begin ordering from the initial 10 million doses on Friday, June 3.

While some vaccinations for children under 5 would begin the week of 
June 21, Jha said, it would take “some time to ramp up the program and 
for vaccinations to be more widely available.”

The “good news,” Jha said, is that the federal government has plenty of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids.

Approval of a vaccines for young children would come more than seven 
months after the FDA authorized emergency use of a Pfizer vaccine for 
children between 5 and 11 years old.

Pfizer originally&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-ok-sought-two-dose-covid-vaccine-kids-under-5">asked</a>&nbsp;the federal government in early February to begin the approval process for a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5.

The very next day, then-White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/white-house-plans-speedy-delivery-states-covid-vaccine-littlest-kids">detailed</a>&nbsp;how
 the federal government would ship out vaccines for young kids, saying 
it would likely take several days or a week before the first shots could
 begin.

About a week later, the White House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/covid-vaccine-kids-under-5-delayed-until-least-april">announced</a>&nbsp;that
 the earliest a COVID-19 vaccine for young kids would be available was 
in April, giving ​​Pfizer additional time to gather information on a 
three-dose regimen.

The approval process for the Moderna vaccine for young kids has also had several starts and stops along the way.

At the moment, the Biden administration seems optimistic that it 
could begin shipping doses of both vaccines for young kids within three 
weeks, as long as the FDA authorizes the vaccines and the CDC issues a 
recommendation.

Once that happens, Jha said, ​​the White House expects “that within 
weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able 
to get an appointment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="COVID vaccine for children photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>COVID vaccine for children photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>By JENNIFER SHUTT <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/covid-vaccine-for-kids-under-5-could-be-available-as-soon-as-june-21/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The Biden 
administration is preparing to ship out to the states millions of 
COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5 in the coming weeks, likely 
ending months of waiting for parents and caregivers.White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Ashish Jha said Thursday 
that if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes emergency use 
of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids after its June 15 
meeting, the federal government would immediately begin shipping the 
specialty doses.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would need to 
recommend emergency use of the vaccines before health care providers 
could begin administering them, but Jha said he expects vaccinations for
 children under 5 could begin as soon as Tuesday, June 21.Jha said he wasn’t making the announcement as a pre-judgment of what 
the FDA or CDC would decide on the vaccines, but to detail how the Biden
 administration has been planning for eventual approval.“We have asked states to distribute the initial tranche of doses to 
their highest priority sites, including those serving the highest-risk 
children and hardest-to-reach areas,” Jha said. “We’ve also asked them 
to prioritize sites that can handle large volumes, such as children’s 
hospitals.”Jha said state governments can begin ordering from the initial 10 million doses on Friday, June 3.While some vaccinations for children under 5 would begin the week of 
June 21, Jha said, it would take “some time to ramp up the program and 
for vaccinations to be more widely available.”The “good news,” Jha said, is that the federal government has plenty of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for young kids.Approval of a vaccines for young children would come more than seven 
months after the FDA authorized emergency use of a Pfizer vaccine for 
children between 5 and 11 years old.Pfizer originally&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-ok-sought-two-dose-covid-vaccine-kids-under-5">asked</a>&nbsp;the federal government in early February to begin the approval process for a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5.The very next day, then-White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Jeffrey Zients&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/white-house-plans-speedy-delivery-states-covid-vaccine-littlest-kids">detailed</a>&nbsp;how
 the federal government would ship out vaccines for young kids, saying 
it would likely take several days or a week before the first shots could
 begin.About a week later, the White House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/covid-vaccine-kids-under-5-delayed-until-least-april">announced</a>&nbsp;that
 the earliest a COVID-19 vaccine for young kids would be available was 
in April, giving ​​Pfizer additional time to gather information on a 
three-dose regimen.The approval process for the Moderna vaccine for young kids has also had several starts and stops along the way.At the moment, the Biden administration seems optimistic that it 
could begin shipping doses of both vaccines for young kids within three 
weeks, as long as the FDA authorizes the vaccines and the CDC issues a 
recommendation.Once that happens, Jha said, ​​the White House expects “that within 
weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able 
to get an appointment.”

COVID vaccine for kids under 5 could be available this month

By FRANK MORRIS <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-06-02/ford-motor-co-s-plant-in-kansas-city-is-adding-1-100-people-to-meet-demand-for-electric-vehicles">Kansas News Service</a>

It’s a good time to be in the electric vehicle business.

Ford Motor Co. announced on Thursday that it’s launching a major expansion here.

The
 company said its Claycomo plant northeast of Kansas City will add a 
third shift producing its popular Transit and E-Transit delivery vans, 
requiring 1,100 new workers and a $95 million investment to keep the van
 production side of the plant running almost around the clock.

The news came as part of an announcement detailing a major expansion of Ford’s manufacturing operations in the Midwest.

“We’re
 going to create 6,200 new UAW (United Auto Workers) jobs and invest 
$3.7 billion in Ford plants across the Midwest,” Kumar Galhotra, a top 
Ford executive, said at a news conference in Ohio this morning.

Most
 of the new jobs, 3,200 of them, will be added in Michigan, where Ford 
produces the Ford Ranger pickup truck, Ford Mustang and the popular 
F-150 Lightning electric pickup.

Ford’s Claycomo Assembly plant in
 in the Northland also makes F-150s, but not the battery-powered 
variant. Today’s announcement does not affect F-150 production there.

An
 assembly plant in Ohio will add 1,800 union jobs to start production of
 a new electric commercial vehicle, details about which are still under 
wraps.

Ford also unveiled good news for its current workers.

“We are committing $1 billion over 5 years to improve the work experience in our factories,” Kumar said.

Ford
 said it will provide better break rooms and stock them with healthier 
food, as well as improve lighting and other conditions. 

It said it's also converting 3,000 temporary workers to full-time status with full benefits.

General
 Motors and the automotive group Stellantis have also recently announced
 multi-billion dollar investments in domestic electric vehicle 
production.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654196271230.png" alt="The new E-Transit is produced at Claycomo, the first Ford plant in the U.S. to assemble both batteries and all-electric vehicles in-house. DAVID KAUP / Ford Motor Company" />
 <figcaption>The new E-Transit is produced at Claycomo, the first Ford plant in the U.S. to assemble both batteries and all-electric vehicles in-house. DAVID KAUP / Ford Motor Company</figcaption>
 </figure>By FRANK MORRIS <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-06-02/ford-motor-co-s-plant-in-kansas-city-is-adding-1-100-people-to-meet-demand-for-electric-vehicles">Kansas News Service</a>It’s a good time to be in the electric vehicle business.Ford Motor Co. announced on Thursday that it’s launching a major expansion here.The
 company said its Claycomo plant northeast of Kansas City will add a 
third shift producing its popular Transit and E-Transit delivery vans, 
requiring 1,100 new workers and a $95 million investment to keep the van
 production side of the plant running almost around the clock.The news came as part of an announcement detailing a major expansion of Ford’s manufacturing operations in the Midwest.“We’re
 going to create 6,200 new UAW (United Auto Workers) jobs and invest 
$3.7 billion in Ford plants across the Midwest,” Kumar Galhotra, a top 
Ford executive, said at a news conference in Ohio this morning.Most
 of the new jobs, 3,200 of them, will be added in Michigan, where Ford 
produces the Ford Ranger pickup truck, Ford Mustang and the popular 
F-150 Lightning electric pickup.Ford’s Claycomo Assembly plant in
 in the Northland also makes F-150s, but not the battery-powered 
variant. Today’s announcement does not affect F-150 production there.An
 assembly plant in Ohio will add 1,800 union jobs to start production of
 a new electric commercial vehicle, details about which are still under 
wraps.Ford also unveiled good news for its current workers.“We are committing $1 billion over 5 years to improve the work experience in our factories,” Kumar said.Ford
 said it will provide better break rooms and stock them with healthier 
food, as well as improve lighting and other conditions. It said it's also converting 3,000 temporary workers to full-time status with full benefits.General
 Motors and the automotive group Stellantis have also recently announced
 multi-billion dollar investments in domestic electric vehicle 
production.

Ford adding 1,100 jobs in KC to meet electric vehicle demand

By KYLIE CAMERON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-06-01/kansas-sanctuary-cities-law-creates-issues-for-municipalities-wanting-to-create-id-programs">Kansas News Service</a>

The “sanctuary cities” bill that was passed during this year’s 
legislative session is causing issues for some municipalities — 
including Wichita.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-11/kansas-governor-kelly-signs-sanctuary-city-bill-dealing-harsh-blow-to-immigration-activists" target="_blank">Soon to become a state law</a>,
 the bill also prohibited the use of municipal IDs. That has stalled the
 city of Wichita’s plans to create a municipal ID program to assist 
those who don’t have state-issued identification.

“If it ain’t 
broke, the Legislature will fix it until it’s broke,” said Mayor Brandon
 Whipple, a former legislator. “They were trying to play politics with a
 federal level issue and the casualty is they robbed us and other cities
 of our ability to respond to the needs of our public.”

The bill was introduced by the Kansas Attorney General’s office in response to the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-11/wyandotte-county-passes-safe-and-welcoming-act-providing-municipal-ids-for-immigrants" target="_blank">"Safe and Welcoming Act"</a> that was passed in Wyandotte County earlier this year.

The
 act blocked local police from cooperating with Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement authorities unless there is a public safety emergency or 
they have a warrant signed by a judge.

It also helped those 
without legal identification receive a municipal ID to obtain services 
where identification would be required — such as going to the bank or 
receiving medical care.

During testimony for the bill, proponents 
said the way state statute was written would have allowed those who 
aren’t able to legally vote to try to use municipal IDs at the polls.

That includes Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who’s running for governor.

“I’m
 just saying it’s an obvious loophole in the statute,” Schmidt said, 
“and we suggested fixing it, and the secretary of state suggested fixing
 it more explicitly, and that’s the bill that you have in front of you.”

Municipal
 IDs through the city of Wichita would have been issued by the city’s 
libraries — some of which already serve as passport centers.

Now 
the plan has stalled and will likely have an impact on the unhoused, 
elderly or younger people who don’t or can’t drive, as well as survivors
 of domestic violence.

“Isolation is a very common tool used by 
batterers and perpetrators to subject and control their victims and keep
 them from seeking services, seeking help,” Lindsie Ford with the Kansas
 Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence said during testimony 
against the bill.

If the city were able to issue identification, 
survivors who had their property taken away or bank accounts locked by 
their abuser could have gotten help.

“Under this, we could have 
actually gotten you an ID by going to the library,” Whipple said, “and 
then you would have had access to open a bank account, to go ahead and 
get to our Section 8 program so that you can get affordable housing even
 though your abuser took the money.”

Unhoused people also struggle
 to receive legal identification if they don’t have documentation like a
 birth certificate or Social Security card. That makes it difficult for 
them to receive some services such as housing or food.

“You have 
to have something to get something; you have to be able to prove who you
 are,” said Alleshia Benward with Breakthrough Episcopal Services.

Benward
 said not having identification is an issue her clients face every day —
 including a client she recently worked with to obtain their driver's 
license.

“Both the shelter and us working on this step, and the 
email I just got from the shelter case manager was, ‘We achieved the 
impossible!’ " Benward said. "People . . . (whose) days are 
designated to doing these steps, for us to perceive it as impossible 
tells you how many barriers there are.”

The many barriers to receive state-issued identification is an issue everyone should be concerned about," Benward said.

“It’s
 really easy for just about anybody to lose their identification," she 
said. "So it applies to all of us to have accessible ways to regain 
that.”

For now, Whipple said the city is doing more research to 
try to help those who need identification and get the services they need
 – but the outlook is grim.

“I really wish that this wasn’t a 
partisan issue like it was,” Whipple said, “because getting access to 
the services that a victim of domestic violence, that someone who is 
experiencing homelessness needs, that shouldn’t be partisan.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654188027054.png" alt="A bill prohibiting the use of municipal IDs was introduced by the Kansas Attorney General's office during the 2022 legislative session. Kansas News Service file photo" />
 <figcaption>A bill prohibiting the use of municipal IDs was introduced by the Kansas Attorney General's office during the 2022 legislative session. Kansas News Service file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By KYLIE CAMERON <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/news/2022-06-01/kansas-sanctuary-cities-law-creates-issues-for-municipalities-wanting-to-create-id-programs">Kansas News Service</a>The “sanctuary cities” bill that was passed during this year’s 
legislative session is causing issues for some municipalities — 
including Wichita.<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-11/kansas-governor-kelly-signs-sanctuary-city-bill-dealing-harsh-blow-to-immigration-activists" target="_blank">Soon to become a state law</a>,
 the bill also prohibited the use of municipal IDs. That has stalled the
 city of Wichita’s plans to create a municipal ID program to assist 
those who don’t have state-issued identification.“If it ain’t 
broke, the Legislature will fix it until it’s broke,” said Mayor Brandon
 Whipple, a former legislator. “They were trying to play politics with a
 federal level issue and the casualty is they robbed us and other cities
 of our ability to respond to the needs of our public.”The bill was introduced by the Kansas Attorney General’s office in response to the <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-11/wyandotte-county-passes-safe-and-welcoming-act-providing-municipal-ids-for-immigrants" target="_blank">"Safe and Welcoming Act"</a> that was passed in Wyandotte County earlier this year.The
 act blocked local police from cooperating with Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement authorities unless there is a public safety emergency or 
they have a warrant signed by a judge.It also helped those 
without legal identification receive a municipal ID to obtain services 
where identification would be required — such as going to the bank or 
receiving medical care.During testimony for the bill, proponents 
said the way state statute was written would have allowed those who 
aren’t able to legally vote to try to use municipal IDs at the polls.That includes Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who’s running for governor.“I’m
 just saying it’s an obvious loophole in the statute,” Schmidt said, 
“and we suggested fixing it, and the secretary of state suggested fixing
 it more explicitly, and that’s the bill that you have in front of you.”Municipal
 IDs through the city of Wichita would have been issued by the city’s 
libraries — some of which already serve as passport centers.Now 
the plan has stalled and will likely have an impact on the unhoused, 
elderly or younger people who don’t or can’t drive, as well as survivors
 of domestic violence.“Isolation is a very common tool used by 
batterers and perpetrators to subject and control their victims and keep
 them from seeking services, seeking help,” Lindsie Ford with the Kansas
 Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence said during testimony 
against the bill.If the city were able to issue identification, 
survivors who had their property taken away or bank accounts locked by 
their abuser could have gotten help.“Under this, we could have 
actually gotten you an ID by going to the library,” Whipple said, “and 
then you would have had access to open a bank account, to go ahead and 
get to our Section 8 program so that you can get affordable housing even
 though your abuser took the money.”Unhoused people also struggle
 to receive legal identification if they don’t have documentation like a
 birth certificate or Social Security card. That makes it difficult for 
them to receive some services such as housing or food.“You have 
to have something to get something; you have to be able to prove who you
 are,” said Alleshia Benward with Breakthrough Episcopal Services.Benward
 said not having identification is an issue her clients face every day —
 including a client she recently worked with to obtain their driver's 
license.“Both the shelter and us working on this step, and the 
email I just got from the shelter case manager was, ‘We achieved the 
impossible!’ " Benward said. "People . . . (whose) days are 
designated to doing these steps, for us to perceive it as impossible 
tells you how many barriers there are.”The many barriers to receive state-issued identification is an issue everyone should be concerned about," Benward said.“It’s
 really easy for just about anybody to lose their identification," she 
said. "So it applies to all of us to have accessible ways to regain 
that.”For now, Whipple said the city is doing more research to 
try to help those who need identification and get the services they need
 – but the outlook is grim.“I really wish that this wasn’t a 
partisan issue like it was,” Whipple said, “because getting access to 
the services that a victim of domestic violence, that someone who is 
experiencing homelessness needs, that shouldn’t be partisan.”

Kan. ‘Sanctuary Cities’ law creates issues for cities wanting to create ID programs

By TOMMY REZAC <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — While the Missouri Legislature was unable to legalize sports betting during this past session, Kansas has signed a sports betting bill into law.

SB 84 
received bipartisan support in Kansas' house and senate, and the bill 
was signed into law by governor Laura Kelly earlier in May.

State 
representative John Eplee, who represents Doniphan and Atchison County, 
Kansas says this bill cracks down on any illegal betting going on in the
 state.

"It does allow people to do this in a legal fashion 
through our casinos and Kansas Lottery," Eplee told St. Joseph Post. "It
 will be starting up here soon, because it was signed by the governor."

The
 Kansas Lottery has until January 1st of 2023 to create a regulatory 
environment for sports betting, and wagering is expected to start in 
spring of next year as well.

Around 80 percent of all funds from 
sports betting in Kansas would be funneled into the "Attracting 
Professional Sports to Kansas Fund" as an attempt to lure any sports 
team into the state.

Eplee says this includes but is not limited to the Kansas City Chiefs.

"It
 could be for any other team or a new team," he said. "Let's say there 
was expansion of the NFL and there was a new team. Kansas would have an 
opportunity to get that. Obviously, people think it's a fund to lure the
 Chiefs across the state line. I'm not sure that's a really good 
characterization."

Kansas is now the 35th state to legalize sports betting in the United States.

Residents of the state will be allowed to place bets on college and professional teams beginning in the spring of 2023.

Eplee says this legislation will especially beneficial to the state's casinos.

"We
 included casinos in this so they have an opportunity to be a part of 
it," he said. "This took a lot of compromise on both sides to get this 
to the finish line. It's been a long time coming."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654085095636.png" alt="State Rep. John Eplee&nbsp; represents Doniphan and Atchison County, Kansas " />
 <figcaption>State Rep. John Eplee&nbsp; represents Doniphan and Atchison County, Kansas </figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZAC <a href="https://stjosephpost.com">St. Joseph Post</a>ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — While the Missouri Legislature was unable to legalize sports betting during this past session, Kansas has signed a sports betting bill into law.SB 84 
received bipartisan support in Kansas' house and senate, and the bill 
was signed into law by governor Laura Kelly earlier in May.State 
representative John Eplee, who represents Doniphan and Atchison County, 
Kansas says this bill cracks down on any illegal betting going on in the
 state."It does allow people to do this in a legal fashion 
through our casinos and Kansas Lottery," Eplee told St. Joseph Post. "It
 will be starting up here soon, because it was signed by the governor."The
 Kansas Lottery has until January 1st of 2023 to create a regulatory 
environment for sports betting, and wagering is expected to start in 
spring of next year as well.Around 80 percent of all funds from 
sports betting in Kansas would be funneled into the "Attracting 
Professional Sports to Kansas Fund" as an attempt to lure any sports 
team into the state.Eplee says this includes but is not limited to the Kansas City Chiefs."It
 could be for any other team or a new team," he said. "Let's say there 
was expansion of the NFL and there was a new team. Kansas would have an 
opportunity to get that. Obviously, people think it's a fund to lure the
 Chiefs across the state line. I'm not sure that's a really good 
characterization."Kansas is now the 35th state to legalize sports betting in the United States.Residents of the state will be allowed to place bets on college and professional teams beginning in the spring of 2023.Eplee says this legislation will especially beneficial to the state's casinos."We
 included casinos in this so they have an opportunity to be a part of 
it," he said. "This took a lot of compromise on both sides to get this 
to the finish line. It's been a long time coming."

State rep: Kan. sports betting bill not only about luring Chiefs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is planning for “dire” contingencies that could include rationing supplies of vaccines and treatments this fall if Congress doesn’t approve more money for fighting COVID-19.

In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.

Biden administration officials have been warning for weeks that the country has spent nearly all the money in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that was dedicated directly to COVID-19 response.

A small pool of money remains, and the administration faces critical decisions about how to spend it. That means tough decisions, like weighing whether to use it to secure the next generation of vaccines to protect the highest risk populations or giving priority to a supply of highly effective therapies that dramatically reduce the risks of severe illness and death.

That decision may be made in the coming week, according to the administration, as the White House faces imminent deadlines to begin placing orders for vaccines and treatments before other nations jump ahead of the U.S. in accessing supply.

Jha has warned that without more money, vaccines will be harder to come by, tests will once again be scarce, and the therapeutics that are helping the country weather the current omicron-driven surge in cases without a commensurate increase in deaths could be sold overseas before Americans can access them.

“I think we would see a lot of unnecessary loss of life if that were to happen,” Jha said this past week. “But we’re looking at all the scenarios and planning for all of them.”

He said the administration was “getting much more into the scenario-planning business to make sure that we know what may be ahead of us so we can plan for it and obviously also lay those out in front of Congress.”

Jha, who declined to put a specific projection on potential loss of life, has become the face of the Biden administration’s efforts to persuade Congress to approve an additional $22.5 billion for COVID-19 response.

“The scenarios that we’re planning for are for things like what if Congress gives us no money and we don’t have adequate vaccines,” Jha told the AP in a May 12 interview. “We run out of therapies. We don’t have enough tests. What might things look like? Obviously, that’s a pretty dire situation.”

Already, the domestic production of at-home testing is slowing, with workers beginning to be laid off. In the coming weeks, Jha said, manufacturers will sell off equipment and “get out of this business,” leaving the U.S. once again dependent on overseas suppliers for rapid test.

Drug manufactures and the Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, are working on evaluating the next generation of vaccines, potentially including ones that are targeted at the dominant omicron strain. But getting them ready before the predicted case surge in the fall means placing orders now, since they take two to three months to produce.

Jha said this week that the U.S. has yet to start negotiations with drugmakers because of the lack of money.

“We’ve had some very preliminary conversations with the manufacturers,” he said. “But the negotiations around it have not yet begun, partly because we’re waiting for resources.” He added: “The truth is that other countries are in conversations with the manufacturers and starting to kind of advance their negotiations.”

The U.S., he said, doesn’t have enough money to purchase additional booster vaccines for anyone who wants one. Instead, the supplies of those vaccines may be restricted to just the most vulnerable — not unlike the chaotic early days of the COVID-10 vaccine roll-out.

“Without additional funding from Congress, we will not be able to buy enough vaccines for every American who wants one once these new generation of vaccines come out in the fall and winter,” he said.

And while the U.S. has built up a stockpile of the antiviral pill Paxlovid, which has been widely effective at reducing severe disease and death, it’s running out of money to purchase new doses — or other, even more effective therapies that are in the final stages of development.

“If we don’t get more resources from Congress, what we will find in the fall and winter is we will find a period of time where Americans can look around and see their friends in other countries — in Europe and Canada — with access to these treatments that Americans will not have,” Jha said.

A congressional deal for a slimmed-down COVID-19 response package of about $10 billion fell apart in March over the Biden administration’s plans to lift virus-related restrictions on migration at U.S. borders. But a federal judge on Friday put that plan on hold, just days before it was to take effect on Monday.

There is no guarantee of swift action on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers — particularly Republicans — have grown newly wary of deficit spending. On Thursday, a $40 billion measure to assist restaurants that struggled during the pandemic failed on those grounds. GOP lawmakers have also objected to additional funding for the global pandemic response, and called for any new virus response funding to come from unspent economic relief money in the $1.9 trillion rescue plan.

The administration is preparing to lay the blame on lawmakers if there are tough consequences this fall due to lack of money. Still, it could be perilous for Biden, who has struggled to fulfill his promise to voters to get control of the pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654192646776.png" alt="In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is planning for “dire” contingencies that could include rationing supplies of vaccines and treatments this fall if Congress doesn’t approve more money for fighting COVID-19.In public comments and private meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus coordinator,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-congress-a05afb7ebfa102992c354c99619fa944">has painted a dark picture in which the U.S. could be forced to cede many of the advances made against the coronavirus</a>&nbsp;over the last two years and even the most vulnerable could face supply shortages.Biden administration officials have been warning for weeks that the country has spent nearly all the money in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan that was dedicated directly to COVID-19 response.A small pool of money remains, and the administration faces critical decisions about how to spend it. That means tough decisions, like weighing whether to use it to secure the next generation of vaccines to protect the highest risk populations or giving priority to a supply of highly effective therapies that dramatically reduce the risks of severe illness and death.That decision may be made in the coming week, according to the administration, as the White House faces imminent deadlines to begin placing orders for vaccines and treatments before other nations jump ahead of the U.S. in accessing supply.Jha has warned that without more money, vaccines will be harder to come by, tests will once again be scarce, and the therapeutics that are helping the country weather the current omicron-driven surge in cases without a commensurate increase in deaths could be sold overseas before Americans can access them.“I think we would see a lot of unnecessary loss of life if that were to happen,” Jha said this past week. “But we’re looking at all the scenarios and planning for all of them.”He said the administration was “getting much more into the scenario-planning business to make sure that we know what may be ahead of us so we can plan for it and obviously also lay those out in front of Congress.”Jha, who declined to put a specific projection on potential loss of life, has become the face of the Biden administration’s efforts to persuade Congress to approve an additional $22.5 billion for COVID-19 response.“The scenarios that we’re planning for are for things like what if Congress gives us no money and we don’t have adequate vaccines,” Jha told the AP in a May 12 interview. “We run out of therapies. We don’t have enough tests. What might things look like? Obviously, that’s a pretty dire situation.”Already, the domestic production of at-home testing is slowing, with workers beginning to be laid off. In the coming weeks, Jha said, manufacturers will sell off equipment and “get out of this business,” leaving the U.S. once again dependent on overseas suppliers for rapid test.Drug manufactures and the Food and Drug Administration, meanwhile, are working on evaluating the next generation of vaccines, potentially including ones that are targeted at the dominant omicron strain. But getting them ready before the predicted case surge in the fall means placing orders now, since they take two to three months to produce.Jha said this week that the U.S. has yet to start negotiations with drugmakers because of the lack of money.“We’ve had some very preliminary conversations with the manufacturers,” he said. “But the negotiations around it have not yet begun, partly because we’re waiting for resources.” He added: “The truth is that other countries are in conversations with the manufacturers and starting to kind of advance their negotiations.”The U.S., he said, doesn’t have enough money to purchase additional booster vaccines for anyone who wants one. Instead, the supplies of those vaccines may be restricted to just the most vulnerable — not unlike the chaotic early days of the COVID-10 vaccine roll-out.“Without additional funding from Congress, we will not be able to buy enough vaccines for every American who wants one once these new generation of vaccines come out in the fall and winter,” he said.And while the U.S. has built up a stockpile of the antiviral pill Paxlovid, which has been widely effective at reducing severe disease and death, it’s running out of money to purchase new doses — or other, even more effective therapies that are in the final stages of development.“If we don’t get more resources from Congress, what we will find in the fall and winter is we will find a period of time where Americans can look around and see their friends in other countries — in Europe and Canada — with access to these treatments that Americans will not have,” Jha said.A congressional deal for a slimmed-down COVID-19 response package of about $10 billion fell apart in March over the Biden administration’s plans to lift virus-related restrictions on migration at U.S. borders. But a federal judge on Friday put that plan on hold, just days before it was to take effect on Monday.There is no guarantee of swift action on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers — particularly Republicans — have grown newly wary of deficit spending. On Thursday, a $40 billion measure to assist restaurants that struggled during the pandemic failed on those grounds. GOP lawmakers have also objected to additional funding for the global pandemic response, and called for any new virus response funding to come from unspent economic relief money in the $1.9 trillion rescue plan.The administration is preparing to lay the blame on lawmakers if there are tough consequences this fall due to lack of money. Still, it could be perilous for Biden, who has struggled to fulfill his promise to voters to get control of the pandemic.

US sees risk of COVID supply rationing without more funds

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman has been charged with exhibiting a weapon in her encounter with Kansas City police officers, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Leonna M. Hale, 26, faces Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and the misdemeanor of Resisting A Lawful Detention.

According to court records filed Wednesday, Kansas City police responded on the evening of May 27,&nbsp; to 6th and Prospect Avenue in Kansas City regarding a vehicle involved in a robbery in Kansas City, Kan. 

The officers located the vehicle at Family Dollar, 634 Prospect Avenue and conducted a car check. 

A male driver exited and ran from the scene. Two officers gave chase. A second occupant, identified as Hale, exited the passenger side and went to the rear of the vehicle. 

Officers attempted to give her commands. They determined she was armed and stated that she pointed a firearm at them and they discharged their firearms at her. 

Video surveillance from body cameras showed Hale being told to drop the firearm and pointing it at the officers before the officers fired three shots. One officer told investigators she feared that Hale was going to shoot her and she discharged her firearm one time. 

A second officer also told investigators that he believed the defendant had a firearm pointed at him. Hale was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said, "Some false narratives about what happened last Friday night at 6th and Prospect Avenue, unfortunately, were relied upon by some media and other sources. Our job, as prosecutors, is to remain neutral and review all evidence. Our review of body cam videos provided the actual accounting of events that night."

"Our review of the investigation revealed the defendant, although she denied having a weapon at the time of the encounter with law enforcement officers, continually displayed a weapon during her encounter with police officers and also appeared to be attempting to flee. The two officers stated that she was armed with what they believed to be a handgun. Body camera footage confirms the officers’ statements that Hale was holding a handgun. &nbsp;Still photos, taken from body cam footage, of this encounter also demonstrate a weapon was present and in the hands of the defendant."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654165107373.png" alt="Police body camera photo Jackson County prosecutor's office" />
 <figcaption>Police body camera photo Jackson County prosecutor's office</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City woman has been charged with exhibiting a weapon in her encounter with Kansas City police officers, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Leonna M. Hale, 26, faces Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Unlawful Use of a Weapon and the misdemeanor of Resisting A Lawful Detention.According to court records filed Wednesday, Kansas City police responded on the evening of May 27,&nbsp; to 6th and Prospect Avenue in Kansas City regarding a vehicle involved in a robbery in Kansas City, Kan. The officers located the vehicle at Family Dollar, 634 Prospect Avenue and conducted a car check. A male driver exited and ran from the scene. Two officers gave chase. A second occupant, identified as Hale, exited the passenger side and went to the rear of the vehicle. Officers attempted to give her commands. They determined she was armed and stated that she pointed a firearm at them and they discharged their firearms at her. Video surveillance from body cameras showed Hale being told to drop the firearm and pointing it at the officers before the officers fired three shots. One officer told investigators she feared that Hale was going to shoot her and she discharged her firearm one time. A second officer also told investigators that he believed the defendant had a firearm pointed at him. Hale was taken to an area hospital for treatment.Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said, "Some false narratives about what happened last Friday night at 6th and Prospect Avenue, unfortunately, were relied upon by some media and other sources. Our job, as prosecutors, is to remain neutral and review all evidence. Our review of body cam videos provided the actual accounting of events that night.""Our review of the investigation revealed the defendant, although she denied having a weapon at the time of the encounter with law enforcement officers, continually displayed a weapon during her encounter with police officers and also appeared to be attempting to flee. The two officers stated that she was armed with what they believed to be a handgun. Body camera footage confirms the officers’ statements that Hale was holding a handgun. &nbsp;Still photos, taken from body cam footage, of this encounter also demonstrate a weapon was present and in the hands of the defendant."

Kansas woman shot by police pointed handgun at officers

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A 69-year-old Saline County woman is out $1,900 after she was scammed via Facebook Messenger.

On May 22, the woman was contacted via Facebook Messenger by someone claiming to be with Publishers Clearing House, according to&nbsp;Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander.

 The person told her that if she wanted to get the $100,000 she had won from Publishers Clearing House, she would need to buy gift cards and send the card information to the person.

According to the Fraud Protection page on the Publishers Clearing House website, "At PCH the winning is always free and you NEVER have to pay to claim a prize. Recognizing the difference between legitimate sweepstakes and other types of offers that may not be legitimate will help you protect yourself and your family. If someone contacts you claiming to be from PCH, and tells you that you’ve won a prize– then asks you to send a payment or money card in order to claim the prize – STOP! You have not heard from the real PCH."

Melander said the woman went to multiple stores and bought $1,900 worth of gift cards and then provided the information to the person who contacted her. Once she did that, her money was gone, and the alleged prize notification disappeared shortly there after. 

Melander said that in such situations, there is little, if anything, law enforcement can do to get the money back and arrest the wrongdoers. He urged people to be vigilant when contacted by people claiming prizes have been won.

He also encouraged business to pay closer attention when they see people, especially older people who might seem confused, purchasing gift cards with large amounts and asked that the businesses contact law enforcement.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA 69-year-old Saline County woman is out $1,900 after she was scammed via Facebook Messenger.On May 22, the woman was contacted via Facebook Messenger by someone claiming to be with Publishers Clearing House, according to&nbsp;Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander. The person told her that if she wanted to get the $100,000 she had won from Publishers Clearing House, she would need to buy gift cards and send the card information to the person.According to the Fraud Protection page on the Publishers Clearing House website, "At PCH the winning is always free and you NEVER have to pay to claim a prize. Recognizing the difference between legitimate sweepstakes and other types of offers that may not be legitimate will help you protect yourself and your family. If someone contacts you claiming to be from PCH, and tells you that you’ve won a prize– then asks you to send a payment or money card in order to claim the prize – STOP! You have not heard from the real PCH."<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kWbx3MRawjM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Melander said the woman went to multiple stores and bought $1,900 worth of gift cards and then provided the information to the person who contacted her. Once she did that, her money was gone, and the alleged prize notification disappeared shortly there after. Melander said that in such situations, there is little, if anything, law enforcement can do to get the money back and arrest the wrongdoers. He urged people to be vigilant when contacted by people claiming prizes have been won.He also encouraged business to pay closer attention when they see people, especially older people who might seem confused, purchasing gift cards with large amounts and asked that the businesses contact law enforcement.

🎥Kansas woman lost $1,900 in Facebook Messenger scam

PAWNEE COUNTY—A Kansas man accused of passing a forged payroll check at a bank in Larned made another court appearance in the case Wednesday.

Adam Collinge, 42 of Topeka,&nbsp;is charged with Forgery and Theft by Deception of at least $1,500, but less than $25,00, according to Pawnee County Attorney County Doug McNett.

The charges stem from an allegation that on or about January 20, 2022, the defendant passed at a forged payroll check at a bank in Larned, Kansas.

During the preliminary hearing on April 26th, Collinge asked the Court to remove appointed attorney, waived his right to counsel, and demanded the Court proceed with an immediate Preliminary Hearing. 

The Magistrate granted the requests. The State offered testimony that the defendant presented payroll checks for a Lawrence based business to four separate bank branches in Central Kansas. 

It was later determined Collinge had never been employed by the business. Collinge testified on his own behalf at the hearing and advised the Court that he had been picked up by two unknown men in Topeka and offered construction work in Western Kansas. 

When they arrived in Central Kansas, he was told all they needed him to do was cash checks. He testified he was paid $200 for each check cashed. He further testified he was told the excess money was going to be used to pay undocumented workers who had actually performed the discussed construction work.

New counsel was subsequently appointed for the defendant. On the advice of counsel, the defendant did not respond when asked how he wished to plead. Accordingly, the court entered a Not Guilty plea on defendant’s behalf. A Pretrial Hearing has been scheduled for July 21, according to McNett.

Following the Arraignment, the Court granted the defendant’s request for a supervised bond release. He remains subject to a hold from Rush County. He faces similar charges in Rush and Barton County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654102566248.png" alt="Collinge-photo Pawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Collinge-photo Pawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY—A Kansas man accused of passing a forged payroll check at a bank in Larned made another court appearance in the case Wednesday.Adam Collinge, 42 of Topeka,&nbsp;is charged with Forgery and Theft by Deception of at least $1,500, but less than $25,00, according to Pawnee County Attorney County Doug McNett.The charges stem from an allegation that on or about January 20, 2022, the defendant passed at a forged payroll check at a bank in Larned, Kansas.During the preliminary hearing on April 26th, Collinge asked the Court to remove appointed attorney, waived his right to counsel, and demanded the Court proceed with an immediate Preliminary Hearing. The Magistrate granted the requests. The State offered testimony that the defendant presented payroll checks for a Lawrence based business to four separate bank branches in Central Kansas. It was later determined Collinge had never been employed by the business. Collinge testified on his own behalf at the hearing and advised the Court that he had been picked up by two unknown men in Topeka and offered construction work in Western Kansas. When they arrived in Central Kansas, he was told all they needed him to do was cash checks. He testified he was paid $200 for each check cashed. He further testified he was told the excess money was going to be used to pay undocumented workers who had actually performed the discussed construction work.New counsel was subsequently appointed for the defendant. On the advice of counsel, the defendant did not respond when asked how he wished to plead. Accordingly, the court entered a Not Guilty plea on defendant’s behalf. A Pretrial Hearing has been scheduled for July 21, according to McNett.Following the Arraignment, the Court granted the defendant’s request for a supervised bond release. He remains subject to a hold from Rush County. He faces similar charges in Rush and Barton County.

Kan. man allegedly tried to cash forged payroll check at 4 banks

By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/what-gun-control-proposals-will-the-u-s-house-consider-heres-the-list/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Democrats on the 
U.S. House Judiciary Committee have unveiled a gun control legislative 
package that they plan to mark up Thursday morning.

&nbsp;(Watch the House Judiciary markup&nbsp;9a.m. CDT)

The package, named the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,
 is made up of eight bills related to gun control, all first introduced 
in 2021 by Democratic lawmakers. Only one had any Republican 
co-sponsors, and it’s unlikely the package will find much GOP support.

Horrific mass shootings this month in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, 
Texas have propelled the White House and Democrats to push for some type
 of gun control legislation. While this package will likely pass the 
House, it’s expected to go nowhere in the evenly divided Senate.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/06/01/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">A small group of bipartisan senators</a>&nbsp;is working on some type of gun control legislation, but no bill has been unveiled.

None of the bills to be debated in the House would ban assault-style 
weapons, which were used in the New York and Texas shootings. One 
measure does bar the purchase of certain semiautomatic rifles by anyone 
under the age of 21. Others deal with gun trafficking, gun storage and 
so-called ghost guns.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LeaderHoyer/status/1529541327930773506">said</a>&nbsp;on Twitter that the House separately will take up Georgia Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mcbath.house.gov/2021/10/legislation-led-by-mcbath-to-enact-federal-red-flag-laws-passes-house-committee">“red flag” bill</a>&nbsp;this
 month.&nbsp;Red flag laws allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily
 remove a firearm from an individual who is adjudged to pose a threat to
 themselves or others.

Here are the eight bills combined in the House Judiciary package:

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3015/BILLS-117hr3015ih.pdf">H.R.3015:&nbsp;Raise&nbsp;the&nbsp;Age&nbsp;Act</a>

Introduced by Rep. Anthony Brown, Democrat of Maryland.

This bill would prohibit the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles to 
anyone under 21. Currently, a person needs to be 18 to purchase one.

There are exceptions under the bill. They would include members of 
the armed forces or a full-time employee of the U.S. government who is 
authorized to carry a firearm.

This bill had two Republican co-sponsors, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr2280/BILLS-117hr2280ih.pdf">H.R. 2280: Prevent Gun Trafficking Act</a>

Introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly, Democrat of Illinois.

This bill would establish a new federal penalty for gun trafficking, 
which could range from a fine to up to 10 years in prison. The bill also
 allows for the seizure of firearms and ammunition involved in the 
offense.

It would also be “unlawful to sell or dispose of a firearm or 
ammunition to any person knowing or having reason to believe that the 
person intends to sell or dispose of the firearm in violation of a 
federal law, or to sell or dispose of the firearm to a person in another
 state in violation of that state’s law.”

This measure had no Republican co-sponsors.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3088/BILLS-117hr3088ih.pdf">Bill: H.R. 3088: The Untraceable Firearms Act</a>

Introduced by Rep. David Cicilline, Democrat of Rhode Island.

This bill aims to curb ghost guns, which are&nbsp;homemade guns that lack a
 serial number, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace the 
owner of the weapon if it’s found at a crime scene.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/04/11/doj-rule-cracks-down-on-untraceable-firearms-known-as-ghost-guns/">The Biden administration directed the Justice Department</a>&nbsp;to issue a final rule to ban manufacturers from making ghost gun kits.

The measure would require that all firearms need to be traceable, 
including guns that are made with a 3D printer. Only gun manufacturers 
are allowed to issue a serial number for a firearm, according to the 
bill.

In terms of penalties, a first violation of this law would result in a
 fine, no more than a year in prison, or both. If there is a repeat 
offense, a person would be fined, serve up to five years in prison, or 
both.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 748: Ethan’s Law&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut.

This bill aims to regulate the storage of firearms, particularly in 
homes with children, by setting federal, state and tribal requirements. 
The bill establishes “requirements for firearms on residential premises 
to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without 
permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm.”

A person could be fined up to $500, per violation, and if a minor or 
someone who does not possess a firearm obtains a firearm in the home and
 is injured or causes injury, the person to whom the firearm belongs can
 be fined, imprisoned for up to five years, or both.

There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 6370: The Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan.

This bill would establish federal requirements for the storage of 
firearms on residential properties. The bill would make it unlawful if a
 person who has a firearm “knows, or reasonably should know, that a 
minor is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of 
the parent or guardian,” and if “a minor obtains the firearm and uses 
the firearm in the commission of a crime or causes injury or death to 
such minor, or any other individual.”

There were no Democratic or Republican co-sponsors for this bill.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/130/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22H.R.+130%22%2C%22H.R.%22%2C%22130%22%5D%7D&amp;r=1&amp;s=3&amp;format=txt">H.R. 130: The Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act&nbsp;</a>

Introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas.

This bill would establish federal requirements for firearms and 
ammunition on residential properties by requiring firearms and 
ammunition to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access 
without permission to the firearm.

The firearms would need to be secured, unloaded and separated in a 
safe and locked, or the firearms would need to be off the residential 
property and stored at a storage facility or gun range. The bill would 
also require those safes and storage facilities to be certified by the 
Department of Justice.

If someone violates this law in connection with a civil charge, and 
there is no discharge of the firearm, they can be fined up to $5,000.

If someone violates this law in a criminal action, and there is a 
discharge of the firearm, they would be fined a minimum of $50,000 and 
no more than $100,000, imprisoned for no more than 20 years, or both.

Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr5427/BILLS-117hr5427ih.pdf">H.R. 5427: Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act&nbsp;</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654174364797.png" alt="The House Judiciary Committee debates and votes on a package of gun control proposal Thursday -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The House Judiciary Committee debates and votes on a package of gun control proposal Thursday -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By ARIANA FIGUEROA <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/what-gun-control-proposals-will-the-u-s-house-consider-heres-the-list/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Democrats on the 
U.S. House Judiciary Committee have unveiled a gun control legislative 
package that they plan to mark up Thursday morning.&nbsp;(Watch the House Judiciary markup&nbsp;9a.m. CDT)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ImbwUgI7Ad4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The package, named the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU00/20220602/114852/BILLS-117HRih.pdf">Protecting Our Kids Act</a>,
 is made up of eight bills related to gun control, all first introduced 
in 2021 by Democratic lawmakers. Only one had any Republican 
co-sponsors, and it’s unlikely the package will find much GOP support.Horrific mass shootings this month in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, 
Texas have propelled the White House and Democrats to push for some type
 of gun control legislation. While this package will likely pass the 
House, it’s expected to go nowhere in the evenly divided Senate.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/06/01/gun-control-bills-to-be-taken-up-by-u-s-house-panel-in-emergency-meeting/">A small group of bipartisan senators</a>&nbsp;is working on some type of gun control legislation, but no bill has been unveiled.None of the bills to be debated in the House would ban assault-style 
weapons, which were used in the New York and Texas shootings. One 
measure does bar the purchase of certain semiautomatic rifles by anyone 
under the age of 21. Others deal with gun trafficking, gun storage and 
so-called ghost guns.House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/LeaderHoyer/status/1529541327930773506">said</a>&nbsp;on Twitter that the House separately will take up Georgia Democratic Rep. Lucy McBath’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mcbath.house.gov/2021/10/legislation-led-by-mcbath-to-enact-federal-red-flag-laws-passes-house-committee">“red flag” bill</a>&nbsp;this
 month.&nbsp;Red flag laws allow the courts or law enforcement to temporarily
 remove a firearm from an individual who is adjudged to pose a threat to
 themselves or others.<h2>Here are the eight bills combined in the House Judiciary package:</h2>Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3015/BILLS-117hr3015ih.pdf">H.R.3015:&nbsp;Raise&nbsp;the&nbsp;Age&nbsp;Act</a>Introduced by Rep. Anthony Brown, Democrat of Maryland.This bill would prohibit the sale of certain semiautomatic rifles to 
anyone under 21. Currently, a person needs to be 18 to purchase one.There are exceptions under the bill. They would include members of 
the armed forces or a full-time employee of the U.S. government who is 
authorized to carry a firearm.This bill had two Republican co-sponsors, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr2280/BILLS-117hr2280ih.pdf">H.R. 2280: Prevent Gun Trafficking Act</a>Introduced by Rep. Robin Kelly, Democrat of Illinois.This bill would establish a new federal penalty for gun trafficking, 
which could range from a fine to up to 10 years in prison. The bill also
 allows for the seizure of firearms and ammunition involved in the 
offense.It would also be “unlawful to sell or dispose of a firearm or 
ammunition to any person knowing or having reason to believe that the 
person intends to sell or dispose of the firearm in violation of a 
federal law, or to sell or dispose of the firearm to a person in another
 state in violation of that state’s law.”This measure had no Republican co-sponsors.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr3088/BILLS-117hr3088ih.pdf">Bill: H.R. 3088: The Untraceable Firearms Act</a>Introduced by Rep. David Cicilline, Democrat of Rhode Island.This bill aims to curb ghost guns, which are&nbsp;homemade guns that lack a
 serial number, making it difficult for law enforcement to trace the 
owner of the weapon if it’s found at a crime scene.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/04/11/doj-rule-cracks-down-on-untraceable-firearms-known-as-ghost-guns/">The Biden administration directed the Justice Department</a>&nbsp;to issue a final rule to ban manufacturers from making ghost gun kits.The measure would require that all firearms need to be traceable, 
including guns that are made with a 3D printer. Only gun manufacturers 
are allowed to issue a serial number for a firearm, according to the 
bill.In terms of penalties, a first violation of this law would result in a
 fine, no more than a year in prison, or both. If there is a repeat 
offense, a person would be fined, serve up to five years in prison, or 
both.This bill had no Republican co-sponsors.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 748: Ethan’s Law&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Democrat of Connecticut.This bill aims to regulate the storage of firearms, particularly in 
homes with children, by setting federal, state and tribal requirements. 
The bill establishes “requirements for firearms on residential premises 
to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without 
permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm.”A person could be fined up to $500, per violation, and if a minor or 
someone who does not possess a firearm obtains a firearm in the home and
 is injured or causes injury, the person to whom the firearm belongs can
 be fined, imprisoned for up to five years, or both.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr748/BILLS-117hr748ih.pdf">H.R. 6370: The Safe Guns, Safe Kids Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin, Democrat of Michigan.This bill would establish federal requirements for the storage of 
firearms on residential properties. The bill would make it unlawful if a
 person who has a firearm “knows, or reasonably should know, that a 
minor is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of 
the parent or guardian,” and if “a minor obtains the firearm and uses 
the firearm in the commission of a crime or causes injury or death to 
such minor, or any other individual.”There were no Democratic or Republican co-sponsors for this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/130/text?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%5B%22H.R.+130%22%2C%22H.R.%22%2C%22130%22%5D%7D&amp;r=1&amp;s=3&amp;format=txt">H.R. 130: The Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Democrat of Texas.This bill would establish federal requirements for firearms and 
ammunition on residential properties by requiring firearms and 
ammunition to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access 
without permission to the firearm.The firearms would need to be secured, unloaded and separated in a 
safe and locked, or the firearms would need to be off the residential 
property and stored at a storage facility or gun range. The bill would 
also require those safes and storage facilities to be certified by the 
Department of Justice.If someone violates this law in connection with a civil charge, and 
there is no discharge of the firearm, they can be fined up to $5,000.If someone violates this law in a criminal action, and there is a 
discharge of the firearm, they would be fined a minimum of $50,000 and 
no more than $100,000, imprisoned for no more than 20 years, or both.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr5427/BILLS-117hr5427ih.pdf">H.R. 5427: Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Dina Titus, Democrat of Nevada.This bill would classify bump stocks as machine guns and require them
 to be registered under the National Firearms Act and prevents the 
manufacture, sale, or possession of new bump stocks for civilian use.A bump stock&nbsp;allows “a semiautomatic firearm to shoot more than one 
shot with a single pull of the trigger by harnessing the recoil energy 
of the semiautomatic firearm to which it is affixed so that the trigger 
resets and continues firing without additional physical manipulation of 
the trigger by the shooter,” according to the Bureau of Alcohol, 
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.Bill:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/hr2510/BILLS-117hr2510ih.pdf">H.R. 2510: The Keep Americans Safe Act&nbsp;</a>Introduced by Rep. Ted Deutch, Democrat of Florida.This bill would make it unlawful for the import, sale, manufacture, 
transfer or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, 
which can be a&nbsp;magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that 
has a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition. However, the bill 
allows existing magazines to be “grandfathered” in, so they can still be
 held in possession, but prohibits the sale or transfer of 
“grandfathered” large capacity ammunition feeding devices.This bill also allows for the use of&nbsp;&nbsp;funds from the Edward Byrne 
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program&nbsp;for buy-back programs for such
 devices.&nbsp;Individuals who surrender a LCAFD under a buy-back program 
receive compensation.There were no Republican co-sponsors to this bill.