TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly Thursday signed House Bill 2237 to help address the state’s housing shortage by investing in and incentivizing residential development – especially in rural areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA1MDUuNTc0NjE1OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjIzNy8ifQ.vGnXoVrd5d9Iqr7V9ydPmC0-0vl2iugn2aQ3SsO2keY/s/1303160919/br/130867869944-l" target="_blank">Click here for more information about HB 2237&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;.&nbsp;

“By expanding access to quality, affordable housing, communities and businesses can better recruit and retain workers, families, and entrepreneurs in rural Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“This bill gives our rural communities more tools to spur economic growth vital to the economy.”&nbsp;

When Governor Kelly took office, she created the Office of Rural Prosperity to address the needs of rural Kansas communities. That included conducting the first statewide housing needs assessment completed in nearly 30 years which highlighted the need for the expansion of affordable housing, especially in rural communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Living in Montgomery County, I know how important it is for rural communities to have available the tools needed to redevelop their historic main streets and provide new and renovated housing options for their workforce, seniors, and young families,”&nbsp;Representative Jim Kelly, Chair of the House Committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Development, said.&nbsp;“I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of a team with so many engaged and dedicated leaders who contributed to this bill. With this Mega Housing Package, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, and the new housing investments made in this year’s budget, a huge step forward has been taken to improve the lives of Kansans for many years to come.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

“The Wichita Area Builders Association, in conjunction with the Kansas Building Industry Association, appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Kelly and the Office of Rural Prosperity in choosing to undertake a statewide housing study last year,”&nbsp;Wess Galyon, President &amp; CEO of the Wichita Area Builders Association, said.&nbsp;“That study identified a host of changes necessary to jumpstart the development of workforce housing that is so critical to the continued economic development of our state. We were excited to work with other stakeholders, the Legislature, and the governor to craft a housing package that eliminates barriers and creates immediate growth opportunities. When combined with targeted housing funding provided by state leaders, HB 2237 provides an opportunity for Kansas communities, large and small, urban, and rural, to attract new businesses by incentivizing the housing opportunities necessary to meet the needs of its citizens.”&nbsp;

Beyond that, the bill also expands eligibility for the Child Day Care Services Assistance Tax Credit so even more Kansas businesses can assist employees with child care services.&nbsp;

“One of the major barriers to entry in the workforce is the incredibly high cost of child care,”&nbsp;Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes said.&nbsp;“The expanded child care tax credit provides incentives for employers from C corps to mom-and-pop operations to ensure employees don’t have to choose between having a career and having a family. Policies like these are crucial to ensuring that all Kansans – and particularly Kansas women – have the opportunity to participate fully in our society and economy.”   &nbsp;

“By taking advantage of these opportunities, investors, developers, and businesses across the state will play an important role in helping Kansas communities thrive,”&nbsp;Senator Rob Olson, Chair of the Senate Committee on Federal &amp; State Affairs, said.&nbsp;“I am proud to be part of the bipartisanship effort to help our rural communities grow.”&nbsp;

“We’ve consistently heard from the business community that access to childcare is a challenge for their employees. We applaud the Kansas Legislature and Governor Kelly for enacting HB 2237 and providing another tool to help employers secure the staffing they need to resume full operational capacity,”&nbsp;Kevin Walker, Senior Vice President of Public Policy for the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, said.&nbsp;

“The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce strongly believes a robust and quality childcare and early childhood education infrastructure is not only vital to ensuring folks can find and retain work, but is also critical for our future workforce,”&nbsp;Joe Reardon,&nbsp;President &amp; CEO, The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, said.&nbsp;“HB2337 will allow more employers to offer childcare for their employees which will help hardworking families stay employed and help drive innovative solutions to the childcare-shortage crisis facing our communities.  It's also a sound economic investment:  studies show that, for every dollar spent, there is a return on investment of $13.00."  &nbsp;&nbsp;

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly Thursday signed House Bill 2237 to help address the state’s housing shortage by investing in and incentivizing residential development – especially in rural areas.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjA1MDUuNTc0NjE1OTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmtzbGVnaXNsYXR1cmUub3JnL2xpL2IyMDIxXzIyL21lYXN1cmVzL2hiMjIzNy8ifQ.vGnXoVrd5d9Iqr7V9ydPmC0-0vl2iugn2aQ3SsO2keY/s/1303160919/br/130867869944-l" target="_blank">Click here for more information about HB 2237&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;.&nbsp;“By expanding access to quality, affordable housing, communities and businesses can better recruit and retain workers, families, and entrepreneurs in rural Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“This bill gives our rural communities more tools to spur economic growth vital to the economy.”&nbsp;When Governor Kelly took office, she created the Office of Rural Prosperity to address the needs of rural Kansas communities. That included conducting the first statewide housing needs assessment completed in nearly 30 years which highlighted the need for the expansion of affordable housing, especially in rural communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Living in Montgomery County, I know how important it is for rural communities to have available the tools needed to redevelop their historic main streets and provide new and renovated housing options for their workforce, seniors, and young families,”&nbsp;Representative Jim Kelly, Chair of the House Committee on Financial Institutions and Rural Development, said.&nbsp;“I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to be a part of a team with so many engaged and dedicated leaders who contributed to this bill. With this Mega Housing Package, passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, and the new housing investments made in this year’s budget, a huge step forward has been taken to improve the lives of Kansans for many years to come.”&nbsp;&nbsp;“The Wichita Area Builders Association, in conjunction with the Kansas Building Industry Association, appreciate the leadership shown by Governor Kelly and the Office of Rural Prosperity in choosing to undertake a statewide housing study last year,”&nbsp;Wess Galyon, President &amp; CEO of the Wichita Area Builders Association, said.&nbsp;“That study identified a host of changes necessary to jumpstart the development of workforce housing that is so critical to the continued economic development of our state. We were excited to work with other stakeholders, the Legislature, and the governor to craft a housing package that eliminates barriers and creates immediate growth opportunities. When combined with targeted housing funding provided by state leaders, HB 2237 provides an opportunity for Kansas communities, large and small, urban, and rural, to attract new businesses by incentivizing the housing opportunities necessary to meet the needs of its citizens.”&nbsp;Beyond that, the bill also expands eligibility for the Child Day Care Services Assistance Tax Credit so even more Kansas businesses can assist employees with child care services.&nbsp;“One of the major barriers to entry in the workforce is the incredibly high cost of child care,”&nbsp;Senate Democratic Leader Dinah Sykes said.&nbsp;“The expanded child care tax credit provides incentives for employers from C corps to mom-and-pop operations to ensure employees don’t have to choose between having a career and having a family. Policies like these are crucial to ensuring that all Kansans – and particularly Kansas women – have the opportunity to participate fully in our society and economy.”   &nbsp;“By taking advantage of these opportunities, investors, developers, and businesses across the state will play an important role in helping Kansas communities thrive,”&nbsp;Senator Rob Olson, Chair of the Senate Committee on Federal &amp; State Affairs, said.&nbsp;“I am proud to be part of the bipartisanship effort to help our rural communities grow.”&nbsp;“We’ve consistently heard from the business community that access to childcare is a challenge for their employees. We applaud the Kansas Legislature and Governor Kelly for enacting HB 2237 and providing another tool to help employers secure the staffing they need to resume full operational capacity,”&nbsp;Kevin Walker, Senior Vice President of Public Policy for the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, said.&nbsp;“The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce strongly believes a robust and quality childcare and early childhood education infrastructure is not only vital to ensuring folks can find and retain work, but is also critical for our future workforce,”&nbsp;Joe Reardon,&nbsp;President &amp; CEO, The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, said.&nbsp;“HB2337 will allow more employers to offer childcare for their employees which will help hardworking families stay employed and help drive innovative solutions to the childcare-shortage crisis facing our communities.  It's also a sound economic investment:  studies show that, for every dollar spent, there is a return on investment of $13.00."  &nbsp;&nbsp;

Kan. governor signs bill to address housing shortage in rural areas

GRAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal fire at a home in Gray County.

According to the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, an adult was found deceased inside a residence.

Deputies are working in coordination with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, The State Fire Marshall’s Office and Cimarron Fire and EMS.

Authorities released no additional details late Thursday.

GRAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal fire at a home in Gray County.According to the Gray County Sheriff’s Office, an adult was found deceased inside a residence.Deputies are working in coordination with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, The State Fire Marshall’s Office and Cimarron Fire and EMS.Authorities released no additional details late Thursday.

Sheriff: Fatal SW Kansas house fire under investigation

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged assault.

Just after 3:30a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center (Dispatch) received information about two individuals wearing dark clothing walking on Interstate 70, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 Deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office arrived in the area near SW Valencia Road and located two individuals.&nbsp; During the investigation, one individual later identified as 47-year-old Eric J. Amundsen, of St. Louis, struck a deputy with his fist.&nbsp; Deputies quickly placed him into custody. Amundsen was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of battery against a law enforcement officer, interference with law enforcement and disobeying official traffic-control devices.

The other individual, a 17-year-old boy was transported to the Kansas Children’s Service League, according to Christian.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651760417484.png" alt="Amundsen-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Amundsen-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged assault.Just after 3:30a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center (Dispatch) received information about two individuals wearing dark clothing walking on Interstate 70, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office arrived in the area near SW Valencia Road and located two individuals.&nbsp; During the investigation, one individual later identified as 47-year-old Eric J. Amundsen, of St. Louis, struck a deputy with his fist.&nbsp; Deputies quickly placed him into custody. Amundsen was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of battery against a law enforcement officer, interference with law enforcement and disobeying official traffic-control devices.The other individual, a 17-year-old boy was transported to the Kansas Children’s Service League, according to Christian.

Man allegedly punched Kan. deputy during dispute on I-70 

SEDGWICK COUNTY (AP) —Some residents in rural Sedgwick County did not hear sirens going off before an EF-3 tornado struck the Wichita area. While most attention after Friday's tornado centered on the heavily populated Wichita suburb of Andover, rural areas also suffered significant damage. 

Several homes were damaged and two people were injured in a rural neighborhood called Gypsum Township less than a mile outside Wichita city limits. Sedgwick County officials acknowledge many residents in rural areas might not have heard tornado sirens that are often miles away. 

They say several factors go into where the sirens are placed and it is not realistic to expect that all rural areas will be covered by tornado sirens.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651760459335.png" alt="Tornado image courtesy city of Andover security camera" />
 <figcaption>Tornado image courtesy city of Andover security camera</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY (AP) —Some residents in rural Sedgwick County did not hear sirens going off before an EF-3 tornado struck the Wichita area. While most attention after Friday's tornado centered on the heavily populated Wichita suburb of Andover, rural areas also suffered significant damage. Several homes were damaged and two people were injured in a rural neighborhood called Gypsum Township less than a mile outside Wichita city limits. Sedgwick County officials acknowledge many residents in rural areas might not have heard tornado sirens that are often miles away. They say several factors go into where the sirens are placed and it is not realistic to expect that all rural areas will be covered by tornado sirens.

Some rural areas near Kansas tornado had no siren coverage

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas police officer accused of shooting a man to death five years ago while on duty will face a new trial next month after his first trial ended in mistrial.

Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said Wednesday that Matthew Harrington’s new trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge will begin June 6,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article261085597.html#subtopper" target="_blank">the Kansas City Star reported</a>.

Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-crime-police-shootings-kansas-bcd076b4edc2f6245a592961ad4e7d76">a mistrial was declared in Harrington’s first trial</a>&nbsp;after a jury in Leavenworth could not reach a unanimous verdict. Harrington is charged in the July 2017 shooting of 47-year-old Antonio Garcia Jr. as Garcia sat inside a vehicle in Leavenworth.

The shooting occurred when Harrington responded to a domestic dispute at a Leavenworth home, police said. Garcia left, but later returned and was sitting in his vehicle when Harrington approached.

Prosecutors said Garcia had a knife but didn’t threaten Harrington, who fired several times into the vehicle after the two men struggled, according to video from Harrington’s body camera.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1572909716608.png" alt=" Matthew Harrington-photo Leavenworth Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption> Matthew Harrington-photo Leavenworth Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas police officer accused of shooting a man to death five years ago while on duty will face a new trial next month after his first trial ended in mistrial.Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said Wednesday that Matthew Harrington’s new trial on an involuntary manslaughter charge will begin June 6,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article261085597.html#subtopper" target="_blank">the Kansas City Star reported</a>.Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-crime-police-shootings-kansas-bcd076b4edc2f6245a592961ad4e7d76">a mistrial was declared in Harrington’s first trial</a>&nbsp;after a jury in Leavenworth could not reach a unanimous verdict. Harrington is charged in the July 2017 shooting of 47-year-old Antonio Garcia Jr. as Garcia sat inside a vehicle in Leavenworth.The shooting occurred when Harrington responded to a domestic dispute at a Leavenworth home, police said. Garcia left, but later returned and was sitting in his vehicle when Harrington approached.Prosecutors said Garcia had a knife but didn’t threaten Harrington, who fired several times into the vehicle after the two men struggled, according to video from Harrington’s body camera.

Ex-Kansas police officer to face new manslaughter trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Thursday strictly limited who can receive Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine due to the ongoing risk of rare but serious blood clots.

The Food and Drug Administration said the shot should only be given to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or specifically request J&amp;J’s vaccine. U.S. authorities for months have recommended that Americans starting their COVID-19 vaccinations use the Pfizer or Moderna shots instead.

FDA officials said in a statement that they decided to restrict J&amp;J’s vaccine after taking another look at data on the risk of life-threatening blood clots within two weeks of vaccination.

J&amp;J’s vaccine was initially considered an important tool in fighting the pandemic because it required only one shot. But the single-dose option proved less effective than two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended prioritizing Moderna and Pfizer shots over J&amp;J’s because of its safety issues. Previously, U.S. officials had treated all three vaccines similarly because they’d each been shown to offer strong protection.

But follow-up studies have consistently shown lower effectiveness for J&amp;J’s vaccine. And while the blood clots seen with J&amp;J’s shot are rare, officials say they’re still occurring.

Federal scientists identified 60 cases, including nine that were fatal, as of mid-March. That amounts to one blood clot case per 3.23 million J&amp;J shots administered, the FDA said Thursday. The vaccine will carry a starker warning about potential “long-term and debilitating health consequences” of the side effect.

Under the new FDA instructions, J&amp;J’s vaccine could still be given to people who had a severe allergic reaction to one of the other vaccines and can’t receive an additional dose. J&amp;J’s shot could also be an option for people who refuse to receive the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, and therefore would otherwise remain unvaccinated, the agency said.

A J&amp;J spokesman said in an emailed statement: “Data continue to support a favorable benefit-risk profile for the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in adults, when compared with no vaccine.”

Despite the restriction, FDA’s vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said J&amp;J’s vaccine “still has a role in the current pandemic response in the United States and across the global community.”

The FDA based its decision on “our safety surveillance systems and our commitment to ensuring that science and data guide our decisions.”

The clotting problems first came up last spring, with the J&amp;J shot in the U.S. and with a similar vaccine made by AstraZeneca that is used in other countries. At that time, U.S. regulators decided the benefits of J&amp;J’s one-and-done vaccine outweighed what was considered a very rare risk — as long as recipients were warned.

COVID-19 causes deadly blood clots, too. But the vaccine-linked kind is different, believed to form because of a rogue immune reaction to the J&amp;J and AstraZeneca vaccines because of how they’re made. It forms in unusual places, such as veins that drain blood from the brain, and in patients who also develop abnormally low levels of the platelets that form clots. Symptoms of the unusual clots include severe headaches a week or two after the J&amp;J vaccination — not right away — as well as abdominal pain and nausea.

The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based company announced last month that it didn’t expect a profit from the vaccine this year and was suspending sales projections.

The rollout of the company’s vaccine was hurt by a series of troubles, including manufacturing problems at a Baltimore factory that forced J&amp;J to import millions of doses from overseas.

Additionally, regulators added warnings about the blood clots and a rare neurological reaction called Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Pfizer and Moderna have provided the vast majority of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. More than 200 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the companies’ two-dose shots while less than 17 million Americans got the J&amp;J shot.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Thursday strictly limited who can receive Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine due to the ongoing risk of rare but serious blood clots.The Food and Drug Administration said the shot should only be given to adults who cannot receive a different vaccine or specifically request J&amp;J’s vaccine. U.S. authorities for months have recommended that Americans starting their COVID-19 vaccinations use the Pfizer or Moderna shots instead.FDA officials said in a statement that they decided to restrict J&amp;J’s vaccine after taking another look at data on the risk of life-threatening blood clots within two weeks of vaccination.J&amp;J’s vaccine was initially considered an important tool in fighting the pandemic because it required only one shot. But the single-dose option proved less effective than two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended prioritizing Moderna and Pfizer shots over J&amp;J’s because of its safety issues. Previously, U.S. officials had treated all three vaccines similarly because they’d each been shown to offer strong protection.But follow-up studies have consistently shown lower effectiveness for J&amp;J’s vaccine. And while the blood clots seen with J&amp;J’s shot are rare, officials say they’re still occurring.Federal scientists identified 60 cases, including nine that were fatal, as of mid-March. That amounts to one blood clot case per 3.23 million J&amp;J shots administered, the FDA said Thursday. The vaccine will carry a starker warning about potential “long-term and debilitating health consequences” of the side effect.Under the new FDA instructions, J&amp;J’s vaccine could still be given to people who had a severe allergic reaction to one of the other vaccines and can’t receive an additional dose. J&amp;J’s shot could also be an option for people who refuse to receive the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, and therefore would otherwise remain unvaccinated, the agency said.A J&amp;J spokesman said in an emailed statement: “Data continue to support a favorable benefit-risk profile for the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in adults, when compared with no vaccine.”Despite the restriction, FDA’s vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said J&amp;J’s vaccine “still has a role in the current pandemic response in the United States and across the global community.”The FDA based its decision on “our safety surveillance systems and our commitment to ensuring that science and data guide our decisions.”The clotting problems first came up last spring, with the J&amp;J shot in the U.S. and with a similar vaccine made by AstraZeneca that is used in other countries. At that time, U.S. regulators decided the benefits of J&amp;J’s one-and-done vaccine outweighed what was considered a very rare risk — as long as recipients were warned.COVID-19 causes deadly blood clots, too. But the vaccine-linked kind is different, believed to form because of a rogue immune reaction to the J&amp;J and AstraZeneca vaccines because of how they’re made. It forms in unusual places, such as veins that drain blood from the brain, and in patients who also develop abnormally low levels of the platelets that form clots. Symptoms of the unusual clots include severe headaches a week or two after the J&amp;J vaccination — not right away — as well as abdominal pain and nausea.The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based company announced last month that it didn’t expect a profit from the vaccine this year and was suspending sales projections.The rollout of the company’s vaccine was hurt by a series of troubles, including manufacturing problems at a Baltimore factory that forced J&amp;J to import millions of doses from overseas.Additionally, regulators added warnings about the blood clots and a rare neurological reaction called Guillain-Barré syndrome.Pfizer and Moderna have provided the vast majority of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. More than 200 million Americans have been fully vaccinated with the companies’ two-dose shots while less than 17 million Americans got the J&amp;J shot.___

FDA restricts J&J's COVID-19 vaccine due to blood clot risk

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-05/a-15-year-old-runaway-foster-child-was-found-dead-in-kansas-city-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA — A foster child was found dead last month in 
an empty lot in Kansas City, Kansas, days after running away from foster
 care, The Kansas City Star reported.

The child, 15-year-old Ace 
Scott, ran from a Cornerstones of Care Office in mid-April. The cause of
 death was not determined, but The Kansas City Star <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article261119202.html" target="_blank">reported Ace had medical problems</a>.

Ace
 had run away from placement in March. After being found, the child was 
admitted to a hospital for “concerns related to a known medical 
condition,” the Kansas Department for Children and Families told the 
Star.

Multiple records requests the Kansas News Service filed in 
recent weeks about Ace were denied because the investigation into the 
death is still ongoing.

“Ace was well known as a leader amongst 
their friends and was very social,” said an obituary for the child. “Ace
 cared greatly for their sister, their best friends, and their pet rat 
Moon.”

Ace, a transgender youth, had they/them pronouns in <a href="https://www.thatcherfuneralhome.com/obituary/Annika-Scott" target="_blank">their obituary</a>. The Star described the child as a transgender male. The Star reported state employees had conducted searches for the child.

On Thursday, state officials made their first public statement about the death.

“Know,
 too, that DCF is taking all actions at our disposal to better 
understand the circumstances of this case and to identify the types of 
services or supports that might prevent a tragedy like this from 
happening in the future,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said in a 
statement.

Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social 
services for the Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on 
Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651778759924.png" alt="Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-05-05/a-15-year-old-runaway-foster-child-was-found-dead-in-kansas-city-kansas">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA — A foster child was found dead last month in 
an empty lot in Kansas City, Kansas, days after running away from foster
 care, The Kansas City Star reported.The child, 15-year-old Ace 
Scott, ran from a Cornerstones of Care Office in mid-April. The cause of
 death was not determined, but The Kansas City Star <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article261119202.html" target="_blank">reported Ace had medical problems</a>.Ace
 had run away from placement in March. After being found, the child was 
admitted to a hospital for “concerns related to a known medical 
condition,” the Kansas Department for Children and Families told the 
Star.Multiple records requests the Kansas News Service filed in 
recent weeks about Ace were denied because the investigation into the 
death is still ongoing.“Ace was well known as a leader amongst 
their friends and was very social,” said an obituary for the child. “Ace
 cared greatly for their sister, their best friends, and their pet rat 
Moon.”Ace, a transgender youth, had they/them pronouns in <a href="https://www.thatcherfuneralhome.com/obituary/Annika-Scott" target="_blank">their obituary</a>. The Star described the child as a transgender male. The Star reported state employees had conducted searches for the child.On Thursday, state officials made their first public statement about the death.“Know,
 too, that DCF is taking all actions at our disposal to better 
understand the circumstances of this case and to identify the types of 
services or supports that might prevent a tragedy like this from 
happening in the future,” DCF Secretary Laura Howard said in a 
statement.Blaise Mesa reports on criminal justice and social 
services for the Kansas News Service in Topeka. You can follow him on 
Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email him at blaise@kcur.org.

15-year-old runaway foster child found dead in Kansas City 

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/moran-elizabeth-dole-pay-tribute-to-250000th-honor-flight-to-d-c-memorials/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of
 Kansas paid tribute to the 250,000 veterans who have taken an Honor 
Flight to the nation’s capital to visit memorials created in their 
honor.

“This place is special,” Moran said 
during a service at the World War II Memorial. “This place is important 
to our veterans, but it’s important to Americans. Today, we honor the 
Honor Flight Network – its creators, its founders, its inventors, its 
volunteers, its workforce – for making it possible for WWII veterans and
 now every other veteran to see the nation’s capital and to see the 
country that they served pay them the respect they deserve.”

He recalled a walk several days before the ribbon cutting event for 
the World War II Memorial in 2004, which was built with donations 
generated in part due to persistence of the late U.S. Sen. Robert Dole, 
also of Kansas.

Moran said he stepped around a security fence to get a look at the 
near-completed memorial. He located the Kansas marker before stepping 
away to telephone his father, Ray, in Plainville. His call went to voice
 mail rather than directly to the 90-plus-year-old World War II veteran 
of battlefields in the North Africa, Sicily and Italy.

Moran recalled: “I said to the answering machine — it was so useful 
that the answering machine picked up because these are things that kids 
don’t easily say to their moms or dads — but I said, ‘Dad, I’m at the 
WWII memorial. It was built in your honor. I hope someday you can see 
it. And Dad, I want you to know that I respect you, I thank you for your
 service, and Dad, I love you.'”

Four years later, the elder Moran took part in an Honor Flight Network flight to see the World War II Memorial.

Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, wife of Robert Dole, said her 
husband was proud to serve as co-chair of the World War II Memorial 
campaign. He spend many Saturdays meeting veterans who were on Honor 
Flights to Washington.

“I hope you take pride in seeing how your country has consecrated 
these precious grounds with memorials build in your honor,” she said. 
“This memorial is especially meaningful to me.”

She said the Honor Flight Network’s delivery of 250,000 veterans to 
Washington during the past 17 years was a testament to what American 
could be. Originally, the focus was on World War II veterans. It was 
later broadened to veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars as well as 
others.

“The story of Honor Flight is a wonderful reminder of what America is
 still capable of accomplishing when we rise to our best,” Dole said. 
“Recently, it has seemed like our nation has needed these reminders.”

Moran, who said his father had since passed away, said he made a 
habit of walking on the Mall when frustrated by serving in Congress. He 
searches for a different perspective by taking in the Lincoln Memorial, 
World War II Memorial, Vietnam Wall and Korean War Memorial.

“In each of those settings, I am reminded that we honor those who for
 no partisan, Republican or Democrat reason, served their country,” 
Moran said. “It’s a reminder to those of us who serve in Congress, and 
us as American citizens, there is a much higher calling than Republican 
this or Democrat that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651771774074.png" alt="Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, wife of the late U.S. Sen. Robert Dole, and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran spoke during a celebration of the 250,000th veteran to participate in an Honor Flight Network trip to Washington, D.C. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Honor Flight Network)" />
 <figcaption>Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, wife of the late U.S. Sen. Robert Dole, and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran spoke during a celebration of the 250,000th veteran to participate in an Honor Flight Network trip to Washington, D.C. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Honor Flight Network)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/moran-elizabeth-dole-pay-tribute-to-250000th-honor-flight-to-d-c-memorials/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of
 Kansas paid tribute to the 250,000 veterans who have taken an Honor 
Flight to the nation’s capital to visit memorials created in their 
honor.“This place is special,” Moran said 
during a service at the World War II Memorial. “This place is important 
to our veterans, but it’s important to Americans. Today, we honor the 
Honor Flight Network – its creators, its founders, its inventors, its 
volunteers, its workforce – for making it possible for WWII veterans and
 now every other veteran to see the nation’s capital and to see the 
country that they served pay them the respect they deserve.”He recalled a walk several days before the ribbon cutting event for 
the World War II Memorial in 2004, which was built with donations 
generated in part due to persistence of the late U.S. Sen. Robert Dole, 
also of Kansas.Moran said he stepped around a security fence to get a look at the 
near-completed memorial. He located the Kansas marker before stepping 
away to telephone his father, Ray, in Plainville. His call went to voice
 mail rather than directly to the 90-plus-year-old World War II veteran 
of battlefields in the North Africa, Sicily and Italy.Moran recalled: “I said to the answering machine — it was so useful 
that the answering machine picked up because these are things that kids 
don’t easily say to their moms or dads — but I said, ‘Dad, I’m at the 
WWII memorial. It was built in your honor. I hope someday you can see 
it. And Dad, I want you to know that I respect you, I thank you for your
 service, and Dad, I love you.'”Four years later, the elder Moran took part in an Honor Flight Network flight to see the World War II Memorial.Former U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, wife of Robert Dole, said her 
husband was proud to serve as co-chair of the World War II Memorial 
campaign. He spend many Saturdays meeting veterans who were on Honor 
Flights to Washington.“I hope you take pride in seeing how your country has consecrated 
these precious grounds with memorials build in your honor,” she said. 
“This memorial is especially meaningful to me.”She said the Honor Flight Network’s delivery of 250,000 veterans to 
Washington during the past 17 years was a testament to what American 
could be. Originally, the focus was on World War II veterans. It was 
later broadened to veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars as well as 
others.“The story of Honor Flight is a wonderful reminder of what America is
 still capable of accomplishing when we rise to our best,” Dole said. 
“Recently, it has seemed like our nation has needed these reminders.”Moran, who said his father had since passed away, said he made a 
habit of walking on the Mall when frustrated by serving in Congress. He 
searches for a different perspective by taking in the Lincoln Memorial, 
World War II Memorial, Vietnam Wall and Korean War Memorial.“In each of those settings, I am reminded that we honor those who for
 no partisan, Republican or Democrat reason, served their country,” 
Moran said. “It’s a reminder to those of us who serve in Congress, and 
us as American citizens, there is a much higher calling than Republican 
this or Democrat that.”

Moran, Dole pay tribute to 250,000th honor flight to D.C. memorials

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/05/late-night-deal-rewrites-kansas-public-health-laws-on-masks-vaccines-and-quarantines/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — In the waning hours of the veto session, the Kansas 
Legislature approved a rewrite of the state’s public health laws, 
disregarding bipartisan concerns the bill was too restrictive.

After weeks of conversation and modifications to proposed legislation, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb34/">Senate Bill 34</a>
 came together shortly before the House and Senate debated the bill. The
 response to government actions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic 
targets mask mandates, quarantine orders and vaccination requirements.

For example, no governmental body or public official can mandate face
 masks to prevent the spread of any infectious disease. Certain health 
care professionals, like surgeons, would be exempt from this 
restriction, but nursing home employees could not be required to wear a 
mask.

While bill backers argued the bill 
was a must after what they felt was drastic government overreach during 
the pandemic, the bill’s application to infectious diseases beyond just 
COVID-19 alarmed some lawmakers. Legislators on both sides of the aisle 
pointed to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=184">tuberculosis outbreak in Wyandotte County</a> and potential impacts on the Department of Corrections during an outbreak as blind spots in the bill.

“You didn’t want to wear a mask and 
you didn’t want to get a vaccine,” said Rep. Boog Highberger, 
D-Lawrence. “Neither did I. I also didn’t want my fellow citizens to die
 from an infectious disease.”

The bill passed the House by a 64-53 margin, with just one more vote 
than needed to pass. The Senate passed the bill on a 23-17 vote. Gov. 
Laura Kelly will now have the chance to weigh in on the bill, knowing 
the support feel well short of the two-thirds support needed to override
 a veto.

“We went over this bill and it just didn’t feel like it was ready,” 
said Rep. Chuck Smith, R-Pittsburg. “I hate masks personally but in some
 events they need to be used.”

Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, said this was a bill Kansans wanted to
 see passed during the hearings for the 2021 Special Committee on 
Government Overreach and the Impact of COVID-19 mandates, which held a 
series of hearings in advance of the special session in November.

“We heard for days from Kansans across this state about the impact on
 their daily lives, on their families and on their jobs,” Warren said. 
“What we heard was not pretty.”

Other legislators argued even with the best intentions, the bill protects Kansans from government overreach.

“The way future historians are going to look at how we as a nation 
surrendered our rights because we were afraid is not going to be a 
bright spot in our history,” said Rep. Pat Proctor, R-Fort Leavenworth. 
“I want these measures in place, if for no other reason than to speak to
 those future historians that we did something to repair the damage.”

Removed from the bill was a provision that would have allowed 
off-label prescriptions of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, a 
sought-after provision for some Sen. Mark Steffen and other GOP 
lawmakers.

Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican and anesthesiologist, admitted to 
prescribing ivermectin to COVID-19 patients and being investigated by 
the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.

If the bill should become law, government entities, except medical 
facilities, would not be allowed to require a vaccine passport or to 
discriminate based on vaccination status. In addition, the Kansas 
Department of Health and Environment would only be able to add a vaccine
 to the list of immunizations needed for school if it has full FDA 
approval.

All vaccines currently on the list received approval from the FDA. 
The COVID-19 vaccines are currently under emergency use authorization in
 younger children and are only fully approved for adults.

Another provision would strip the health officer’s authority to 
require law enforcement to assist with quarantine enforcement. Sen. 
Richard Hildebrand, R-Baxter Springs, said this had yet to occur in 
Kansas but that law enforcement groups had told him they were not 
comfortable with the possibility.

Hilderbrand said this would prevent the state from a lockdown like those in other countries.

“I do not think our state of Kansas should have the ability to do the
 same thing that’s happening to those poor people in Shanghai, and this 
would do that,” Hilderbrand said.

“What has been going on in China has been totally different than 
what’s been going on in Kansas in the last two years,” said Sen. Pat 
Pettey, D-Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651771608327.png" alt="Rep. Boog Highberger, D-Lawrence, says he didn’t want to wear a mask or get a vaccine, but “I also didn’t want my fellow citizens to die from an infectious disease.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Boog Highberger, D-Lawrence, says he didn’t want to wear a mask or get a vaccine, but “I also didn’t want my fellow citizens to die from an infectious disease.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/05/late-night-deal-rewrites-kansas-public-health-laws-on-masks-vaccines-and-quarantines/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — In the waning hours of the veto session, the Kansas 
Legislature approved a rewrite of the state’s public health laws, 
disregarding bipartisan concerns the bill was too restrictive.After weeks of conversation and modifications to proposed legislation, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb34/">Senate Bill 34</a>
 came together shortly before the House and Senate debated the bill. The
 response to government actions taken during the COVID-19 pandemic 
targets mask mandates, quarantine orders and vaccination requirements.For example, no governmental body or public official can mandate face
 masks to prevent the spread of any infectious disease. Certain health 
care professionals, like surgeons, would be exempt from this 
restriction, but nursing home employees could not be required to wear a 
mask.While bill backers argued the bill 
was a must after what they felt was drastic government overreach during 
the pandemic, the bill’s application to infectious diseases beyond just 
COVID-19 alarmed some lawmakers. Legislators on both sides of the aisle 
pointed to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=184">tuberculosis outbreak in Wyandotte County</a> and potential impacts on the Department of Corrections during an outbreak as blind spots in the bill.“You didn’t want to wear a mask and 
you didn’t want to get a vaccine,” said Rep. Boog Highberger, 
D-Lawrence. “Neither did I. I also didn’t want my fellow citizens to die
 from an infectious disease.”The bill passed the House by a 64-53 margin, with just one more vote 
than needed to pass. The Senate passed the bill on a 23-17 vote. Gov. 
Laura Kelly will now have the chance to weigh in on the bill, knowing 
the support feel well short of the two-thirds support needed to override
 a veto.“We went over this bill and it just didn’t feel like it was ready,” 
said Rep. Chuck Smith, R-Pittsburg. “I hate masks personally but in some
 events they need to be used.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651771677773.png" alt="While Rep. Chuck Smith said he does not like masks, he could see situations in which a bill blocking government entities and public officials from issuing mask mandates could be problematic. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>While Rep. Chuck Smith said he does not like masks, he could see situations in which a bill blocking government entities and public officials from issuing mask mandates could be problematic. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Sen. Kellie Warren, R-Leawood, said this was a bill Kansans wanted to
 see passed during the hearings for the 2021 Special Committee on 
Government Overreach and the Impact of COVID-19 mandates, which held a 
series of hearings in advance of the special session in November.“We heard for days from Kansans across this state about the impact on
 their daily lives, on their families and on their jobs,” Warren said. 
“What we heard was not pretty.”Other legislators argued even with the best intentions, the bill protects Kansans from government overreach.“The way future historians are going to look at how we as a nation 
surrendered our rights because we were afraid is not going to be a 
bright spot in our history,” said Rep. Pat Proctor, R-Fort Leavenworth. 
“I want these measures in place, if for no other reason than to speak to
 those future historians that we did something to repair the damage.”Removed from the bill was a provision that would have allowed 
off-label prescriptions of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, a 
sought-after provision for some Sen. Mark Steffen and other GOP 
lawmakers.Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican and anesthesiologist, admitted to 
prescribing ivermectin to COVID-19 patients and being investigated by 
the Kansas Board of Healing Arts.If the bill should become law, government entities, except medical 
facilities, would not be allowed to require a vaccine passport or to 
discriminate based on vaccination status. In addition, the Kansas 
Department of Health and Environment would only be able to add a vaccine
 to the list of immunizations needed for school if it has full FDA 
approval.All vaccines currently on the list received approval from the FDA. 
The COVID-19 vaccines are currently under emergency use authorization in
 younger children and are only fully approved for adults.Another provision would strip the health officer’s authority to 
require law enforcement to assist with quarantine enforcement. Sen. 
Richard Hildebrand, R-Baxter Springs, said this had yet to occur in 
Kansas but that law enforcement groups had told him they were not 
comfortable with the possibility.Hilderbrand said this would prevent the state from a lockdown like those in other countries.“I do not think our state of Kansas should have the ability to do the
 same thing that’s happening to those poor people in Shanghai, and this 
would do that,” Hilderbrand said.Some senators balked at this comparison.“What has been going on in China has been totally different than 
what’s been going on in Kansas in the last two years,” said Sen. Pat 
Pettey, D-Kansas City.

Late-night deal rewrites Kan. laws on masks, vaccines, quarantines

Hays —Allegations of sexual misconduct against a longtime Hays Capuchin friar have been found to be unsubstantiated, according to a news release issued to&nbsp;dioceses&nbsp;by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America.

Father Mike Scully, who served at St. Joseph’s parish and Thomas More Prep-Marian High School during his time in Hays, had been suspended from the ministry during the investigation, which began in late February. He most recently served in the Lawrence area.

"After a thorough investigation of the allegation by an independent investigator and review by the Province’s Independent Review Board the allegation was found to be 'unsubstantiated,' which means the allegation was not credible based on investigative findings," the release stated. "As a result, Fr. Scully is cleared of this allegation."

Scully strongly denied the allegation, which dated back to the 1970s, from the outset.

"The province treats any allegation with great respect and concern," the release said. "Upon notice of the allegation, the province immediately notified law enforcement of the accusation and commenced a thorough investigation and review in accordance with the province’s standard procedures.

"When an allegation of sexual abuse is brought to our attention, we recognize the pain experienced by the victims and their families, the accused, the entire church community, and our own community of brothers. We continue to hold in our prayers all those involved in this case."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651776765846.png" alt="www.frmikescully.com" />
 <figcaption>www.frmikescully.com</figcaption>
 </figure>Hays —Allegations of sexual misconduct against a longtime Hays Capuchin friar have been found to be unsubstantiated, according to a news release issued to&nbsp;dioceses&nbsp;by the Capuchin Province of Mid-America.Father Mike Scully, who served at St. Joseph’s parish and Thomas More Prep-Marian High School during his time in Hays, had been suspended from the ministry during the investigation, which began in late February. He most recently served in the Lawrence area."After a thorough investigation of the allegation by an independent investigator and review by the Province’s Independent Review Board the allegation was found to be 'unsubstantiated,' which means the allegation was not credible based on investigative findings," the release stated. "As a result, Fr. Scully is cleared of this allegation."Scully strongly denied the allegation, which dated back to the 1970s, from the outset.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FStNicksHays%2Fposts%2F5153196171383677&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="216" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>"The province treats any allegation with great respect and concern," the release said. "Upon notice of the allegation, the province immediately notified law enforcement of the accusation and commenced a thorough investigation and review in accordance with the province’s standard procedures."When an allegation of sexual abuse is brought to our attention, we recognize the pain experienced by the victims and their families, the accused, the entire church community, and our own community of brothers. We continue to hold in our prayers all those involved in this case."

Accusation against longtime Kan. priest unsubstantiated

WASHINGTON (AP) — Little doubt remains about what the Supreme Court plans to do with Roe v. Wade. But uncertainty abounds about ripple effects as the court nears a final opinion expected to overturn the landmark 1973 case that created a nationwide right to abortion.

(click below to listen to the President's comments)

A leaked first draft of the majority opinion in the case, authenticated Tuesday by the Supreme Court,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-samuel-alito-da04e9a762148eca89bfb198efa86b7b">suggests that a majority of justices are poised to toss out Roe.</a>&nbsp;The draft’s provocative rhetoric also is generating concern that LGTBQ advances and other matters based on the right to privacy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-business-health-lifestyle-6cd65e467da1e0786968adf6b1e9078b">could be vulnerable in a newly hostile political environment.</a>

“This is about a lot more than abortion,” President Joe Biden warned Wednesday, saying the court’s draft opinion could jeopardize same-sex marriage, access to contraception and LGBTQ rights.

“What are the next things that are going to be attacked? Because this MAGA crowd is really the most extreme political organization that’s existed in recent American history,” Biden said.

Court opinions can change in ways big and small throughout the drafting process. So while the eventual ruling in the abortion case appears all but assured, the written rationale — and its implications — may still be a hotly debated subject inside the court’s private chambers.

The draft’s potentially sweeping impact could be tempered by the other justices, or it could emerge largely unchanged — with what advocates and Biden say could bring even more severe consequences.

The draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, argues that unenumerated constitutional rights — those not explicitly mentioned in the document — must be “deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and traditions.” And it says abortion doesn’t meet that standard.

Biden and others are sounding alarms that the same logic could be used to toss out other protections.

The president said he believed the conservative justices on today’s court would, like failed Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork in 1987, disagree with the court’s ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut, which said that a right to privacy exists that bars states from interfering in married couples’ right to buy and use contraceptives.

Cases like Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down sodomy laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy, and Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage, are based at least in part on that same right to privacy.

Alito, in the draft opinion, explicitly states that the court is only targeting the right to abortion, not those other matters.

“We emphasize that our decision concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right,” the draft states. “Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.”

Obergefell is different from Roe in that hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples have relied on it to wed and created legal bonds, like shared property, inheritance rights and “settled expectations about the future,” said Teresa Collett, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law and director of its Prolife Center.

Courts are usually loath to undo that kind of precedent. It stands in contrast to abortion, which is usually “a response to unplanned circumstances,” Collett said.

Obergefell, moreover, relies on the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause as well as the right to privacy.

The current Supreme Court abortion case specifically concerns a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks — before the “viability” standard set in the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which itself moved beyond Roe’s initial trimester framework for regulating abortion.

At arguments in December, all six conservative justices signaled they would uphold the Mississippi law, and five asked questions suggesting they supported overturning the right to abortion nationwide, leaving the issue up to individual states.

Only Chief Justice John Roberts seemed prepared to take the smaller step of upholding the 15-week ban, in essence overturning the court’s ruling in Casey, while leaving in place the right to an abortion in Roe.

Until now, the court has allowed states to regulate but not ban abortion before the point of viability, around 24 weeks. The court’s three liberal justices appeared certain to be in dissent.

Still, the language and tone Alito uses overall could encourage more challenges, said Jason Pierceson, professor of political science at the University of Illinois, Springfield. “If the right to privacy is deconstructed or is hollowed out, or is minimized, then those cases in particular have less standing,” Pierceson said.

A challenge to same-sex marriage could come before the high court on religious liberty grounds, for example, such as someone arguing their religious faith prevents them from recognizing same-sex marriage. Cases along those lines have been mostly about exceptions to anti-discrimination laws so far, Pierceson said, “but one could see potentially a broadening of the argument to the fact that maybe same-sex marriage laws are unconstitutional in the first place.”

LGBTQ rights have made rapid progress over the past decade, and public opinion overall has become much more supportive. But especially over the past year there has been a wave of bills in state legislatures aimed at transgender youth sports and healthcare, as well as talking about LGBTQ issues in certain classrooms. Backers of those bills generally argue they’re needed to protect kids and the rights of parents.

Against that backdrop, the draft opinion, if finalized, could “send up a flare” to conservative activists, said Sharon McGowan, legal director at Lambda Legal.

“Overturning Roe will be most dangerous because of the signal it will send lower courts to disregard all the other precedents that exist,” she said.

“It’s starting with abortion. It’s not going to end with abortion,” said Mini Timmaraju, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “So everyone needs to be very vigilant.”

Critics could also take a page from the anti-abortion playbook, which involved multiple measures over the decades that tackled the issue from different angles, imposed limits rather than sweeping prohibitions and employed unusual strategies like the civil-enforcement mechanism that’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-texas-oklahoma-528aede70223d68dd5ed09160098445f">already essentially allowed Texas to ban abortion,&nbsp;</a>said Alison Gash, a professor at the University of Oregon.

“It opens the door for all sorts of stuff that I think we’re probably going to see now that we’ve got a court that seems willing to support that kind of creativity,” she said. “It’s all speculation, but it seems perfectly plausible for us to see Republican experimentation on a whole bunch of policies that could be affected by this.”

Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said that “what comes through loud and clear in the draft” is that the agenda “is not just to get rid of abortion but to ban contraception, to eliminate all the important progress that we’ve made about LGBTQ rights, about the rights of trans children, and also about racial equality.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Little doubt remains about what the Supreme Court plans to do with Roe v. Wade. But uncertainty abounds about ripple effects as the court nears a final opinion expected to overturn the landmark 1973 case that created a nationwide right to abortion.(click below to listen to the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1022615965085674%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=584" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>A leaked first draft of the majority opinion in the case, authenticated Tuesday by the Supreme Court,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-samuel-alito-da04e9a762148eca89bfb198efa86b7b">suggests that a majority of justices are poised to toss out Roe.</a>&nbsp;The draft’s provocative rhetoric also is generating concern that LGTBQ advances and other matters based on the right to privacy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-business-health-lifestyle-6cd65e467da1e0786968adf6b1e9078b">could be vulnerable in a newly hostile political environment.</a>“This is about a lot more than abortion,” President Joe Biden warned Wednesday, saying the court’s draft opinion could jeopardize same-sex marriage, access to contraception and LGBTQ rights.“What are the next things that are going to be attacked? Because this MAGA crowd is really the most extreme political organization that’s existed in recent American history,” Biden said.Court opinions can change in ways big and small throughout the drafting process. So while the eventual ruling in the abortion case appears all but assured, the written rationale — and its implications — may still be a hotly debated subject inside the court’s private chambers.The draft’s potentially sweeping impact could be tempered by the other justices, or it could emerge largely unchanged — with what advocates and Biden say could bring even more severe consequences.The draft opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, argues that unenumerated constitutional rights — those not explicitly mentioned in the document — must be “deeply rooted in the Nation’s history and traditions.” And it says abortion doesn’t meet that standard.Biden and others are sounding alarms that the same logic could be used to toss out other protections.The president said he believed the conservative justices on today’s court would, like failed Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork in 1987, disagree with the court’s ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut, which said that a right to privacy exists that bars states from interfering in married couples’ right to buy and use contraceptives.Cases like Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down sodomy laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy, and Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage, are based at least in part on that same right to privacy.Alito, in the draft opinion, explicitly states that the court is only targeting the right to abortion, not those other matters.“We emphasize that our decision concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right,” the draft states. “Nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.”Obergefell is different from Roe in that hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples have relied on it to wed and created legal bonds, like shared property, inheritance rights and “settled expectations about the future,” said Teresa Collett, a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law and director of its Prolife Center.Courts are usually loath to undo that kind of precedent. It stands in contrast to abortion, which is usually “a response to unplanned circumstances,” Collett said.Obergefell, moreover, relies on the Constitution’s Equal Protection Clause as well as the right to privacy.The current Supreme Court abortion case specifically concerns a Mississippi law that bans abortion after 15 weeks — before the “viability” standard set in the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which itself moved beyond Roe’s initial trimester framework for regulating abortion.At arguments in December, all six conservative justices signaled they would uphold the Mississippi law, and five asked questions suggesting they supported overturning the right to abortion nationwide, leaving the issue up to individual states.Only Chief Justice John Roberts seemed prepared to take the smaller step of upholding the 15-week ban, in essence overturning the court’s ruling in Casey, while leaving in place the right to an abortion in Roe.Until now, the court has allowed states to regulate but not ban abortion before the point of viability, around 24 weeks. The court’s three liberal justices appeared certain to be in dissent.Still, the language and tone Alito uses overall could encourage more challenges, said Jason Pierceson, professor of political science at the University of Illinois, Springfield. “If the right to privacy is deconstructed or is hollowed out, or is minimized, then those cases in particular have less standing,” Pierceson said.A challenge to same-sex marriage could come before the high court on religious liberty grounds, for example, such as someone arguing their religious faith prevents them from recognizing same-sex marriage. Cases along those lines have been mostly about exceptions to anti-discrimination laws so far, Pierceson said, “but one could see potentially a broadening of the argument to the fact that maybe same-sex marriage laws are unconstitutional in the first place.”LGBTQ rights have made rapid progress over the past decade, and public opinion overall has become much more supportive. But especially over the past year there has been a wave of bills in state legislatures aimed at transgender youth sports and healthcare, as well as talking about LGBTQ issues in certain classrooms. Backers of those bills generally argue they’re needed to protect kids and the rights of parents.Against that backdrop, the draft opinion, if finalized, could “send up a flare” to conservative activists, said Sharon McGowan, legal director at Lambda Legal.“Overturning Roe will be most dangerous because of the signal it will send lower courts to disregard all the other precedents that exist,” she said.“It’s starting with abortion. It’s not going to end with abortion,” said Mini Timmaraju, the president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. “So everyone needs to be very vigilant.”Critics could also take a page from the anti-abortion playbook, which involved multiple measures over the decades that tackled the issue from different angles, imposed limits rather than sweeping prohibitions and employed unusual strategies like the civil-enforcement mechanism that’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-texas-oklahoma-528aede70223d68dd5ed09160098445f">already essentially allowed Texas to ban abortion,&nbsp;</a>said Alison Gash, a professor at the University of Oregon.“It opens the door for all sorts of stuff that I think we’re probably going to see now that we’ve got a court that seems willing to support that kind of creativity,” she said. “It’s all speculation, but it seems perfectly plausible for us to see Republican experimentation on a whole bunch of policies that could be affected by this.”Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said that “what comes through loud and clear in the draft” is that the agenda “is not just to get rid of abortion but to ban contraception, to eliminate all the important progress that we’ve made about LGBTQ rights, about the rights of trans children, and also about racial equality.”

🎥President Biden: Other rights at risk if court overturns Roe

WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates resumed their ascent this week, as the key 30-year loan reached its highest point since 2009.

The increases came in the week preceding the widely anticipated action by the Federal Reserve, announced Wednesday, to intensify its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rate-inflation-8d5e20882cdfd7975ebb3bb48a437f11">raising its benchmark interest rate</a>&nbsp;by a half-percentage point and signaling further large rate hikes to come. The Fed’s move, its most aggressive since 2000, will bring higher costs for mortgages as well as credit cards, auto loans and other borrowing for individuals and businesses.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year rate rose to 5.27% from 5.1% last week, when it edged down after seven weeks of increases. By contrast, the average rate stood at 2.96% a year ago.

The average rate on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, popular among those refinancing their homes, jumped to 4.52% from 4.4% last week.

With inflation at a four-decade high, rising mortgage rates, elevated home prices and tight supply of homes for sale, homeownership has become less attainable, especially for first-time buyers.

Some economists suggest that home sales this year could decline as much as 10% from 2021 levels.

In a statement Wednesday following their two-day meeting, Fed policymakers noted that Russia’s invasion and war on Ukraine is worsening inflation pressures by raising oil and food prices. Inflation, according to the Fed’s preferred gauge, reached 6.6% last month, the highest in four decades. It has been accelerated by a combination of robust consumer spending, chronic supply bottlenecks and sharply higher gas and food prices.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624025620777.png" alt="Photo David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Average long-term U.S. mortgage rates resumed their ascent this week, as the key 30-year loan reached its highest point since 2009.The increases came in the week preceding the widely anticipated action by the Federal Reserve, announced Wednesday, to intensify its fight against the worst inflation in 40 years by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-interest-rate-inflation-8d5e20882cdfd7975ebb3bb48a437f11">raising its benchmark interest rate</a>&nbsp;by a half-percentage point and signaling further large rate hikes to come. The Fed’s move, its most aggressive since 2000, will bring higher costs for mortgages as well as credit cards, auto loans and other borrowing for individuals and businesses.Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac reported Thursday that the 30-year rate rose to 5.27% from 5.1% last week, when it edged down after seven weeks of increases. By contrast, the average rate stood at 2.96% a year ago.The average rate on 15-year, fixed-rate mortgages, popular among those refinancing their homes, jumped to 4.52% from 4.4% last week.With inflation at a four-decade high, rising mortgage rates, elevated home prices and tight supply of homes for sale, homeownership has become less attainable, especially for first-time buyers.Some economists suggest that home sales this year could decline as much as 10% from 2021 levels.In a statement Wednesday following their two-day meeting, Fed policymakers noted that Russia’s invasion and war on Ukraine is worsening inflation pressures by raising oil and food prices. Inflation, according to the Fed’s preferred gauge, reached 6.6% last month, the highest in four decades. It has been accelerated by a combination of robust consumer spending, chronic supply bottlenecks and sharply higher gas and food prices.

US mortgage rates surge to highest level since 2009

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities say lightning is to blame for a house fire in Topeka.

Just after 1:30p.m. on Wednesday, fire crews were advised there had been a lightning strike at&nbsp;2933 SW Foxcroft Court in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Alan Stahl. Upon arrival fire crews found light smoke showing from the roofline.

Upon further investigation fire was found throughout the attic space and spreading rapidly. Crews were able to contain the fire and extinguish it.

Investigators determined the cause of the fire to be natural, associated with a lightning strike. The estimated dollar loss –$769,310 with $519,310 associated with structure loss and $250,000 associated with content loss, according to Stahl.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651767150150.png" alt=" The estimated dollar loss from the fire –$769,310-Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption> The estimated dollar loss from the fire –$769,310-Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Authorities say lightning is to blame for a house fire in Topeka.Just after 1:30p.m. on Wednesday, fire crews were advised there had been a lightning strike at&nbsp;2933 SW Foxcroft Court in Topeka, according to Fire Marshal Alan Stahl. Upon arrival fire crews found light smoke showing from the roofline.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651766841740.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon further investigation fire was found throughout the attic space and spreading rapidly. Crews were able to contain the fire and extinguish it.Investigators determined the cause of the fire to be natural, associated with a lightning strike. The estimated dollar loss –$769,310 with $519,310 associated with structure loss and $250,000 associated with content loss, according to Stahl.There were no injuries reported.

Lightning strike blamed for fire at Kansas home

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, police initiated a traffic stop with a man later identified as 43-year-old Marcus Murphy who was on a bicycle at the intersection of Adams Street and Lakin Avenue in Great Bend for a traffic infraction, according to a media release.

The officer was advised by Barton County Dispatch that Murphy had two outstanding felony warrants for drug related charges out of Barton County.

Murphy was placed under arrest and transported to the Barton County Detention Center. Upon arrival to the Barton County Detention Center, a small bag containing a white powdery substance was located on Murphy. The powdery substance field tested positive for methamphetamine.

Murphy was booked and held on both outstanding warrants and on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651747741709.png" alt="Murphy-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Murphy-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just before 10 a.m. Wednesday, police initiated a traffic stop with a man later identified as 43-year-old Marcus Murphy who was on a bicycle at the intersection of Adams Street and Lakin Avenue in Great Bend for a traffic infraction, according to a media release.The officer was advised by Barton County Dispatch that Murphy had two outstanding felony warrants for drug related charges out of Barton County.Murphy was placed under arrest and transported to the Barton County Detention Center. Upon arrival to the Barton County Detention Center, a small bag containing a white powdery substance was located on Murphy. The powdery substance field tested positive for methamphetamine.Murphy was booked and held on both outstanding warrants and on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine.

Police catch wanted Kan. man due to bicycle riding infraction

LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization is estimating that nearly 15 million people were killed either by the coronavirus or by its impact on overwhelmed health systems in the past two years, more than double the official death toll of 6 million. Most of the fatalities were in Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas.

In a report released on Thursday, the U.N. agency’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the figure as “sobering,” saying it should prompt countries to invest more in their capacities to quell future health emergencies.

Scientists tasked by WHO with calculating the actual number of COVID-19 deaths between January 2020 and the end of last year estimated there were between 13.3 million and 16.6 million deaths that were either caused directly by the coronavirus or were somehow attributed to the pandemic’s impact on health systems, like people with cancer unable to seek treatment when hospitals were full of COVID patients.

The figures are based on country-reported data and statistical modelling. WHO did not immediately break down the figures to distinguish between direct deaths from COVID-19 and others caused by the pandemic.

“This may seem like just a bean-counting exercise, but having these WHO numbers is so critical to understanding how we should combat future pandemics and continue to respond to this one,” said Albert Ko, an infectious diseases specialist at the Yale School of Public Health who was not linked to the WHO research. For example, Ko said, South Korea’s decision to invest heavily in public health after it suffered a severe outbreak of MERS allowed it to escape COVID-19 with a per-capita death rate around a 20th of that of the U.S.

Accurate numbers on COVID-19 deaths have been problematic throughout the pandemic, as the figures are only a fraction of the devastation wrought by the virus, largely because of limited testing and differences in how countries count COVID-19 deaths. According to government figures reported to WHO and to a separate count kept by Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-69e8cbaebb653a0f1cb65ffe33d9afbd">6 million&nbsp;</a>reported coronavirus deaths to date.

Scientists at the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington guessed there were more than 18 million COVID deaths from January 2020 to December 2021 in a recent study published in the journal Lancet, and a team led by Canadian researchers estimated there were more than 3 million uncounted coronavirus deaths in India alone.

Some countries, including India, have disputed WHO’s methodology for calculating COVID deaths, resisting the idea that there were many more deaths than officially counted. Earlier this week, the Indian government released new figures showing there were 474,806 more deaths in 2020 compared to the previous year, but did not say how many were tied to the pandemic. India did not release any death estimates for 2021, when the highly infectious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-new-delhi-coronavirus-health-f2a4d130a41944720d9f687f7c5e53ce">delta variant</a>&nbsp;swept through the country, killing many thousands.

Yale’s Ko said better figures from WHO might also explain some lingering mysteries about the pandemic, like why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-united-nations-fcf28a83c9352a67e50aa2172eb01a2f">Africa&nbsp;</a>appears to have been one of the least affected by the virus, despite its low vaccination rates. “Were the mortality rates so low because we couldn’t count the deaths or was there some other factor to explain that?” he said, adding that the crush of deaths in rich countries like Britain and the U.S. proved that resources alone were insufficient to contain a global outbreak.

Dr. Bharat Pankhania, a public health specialist at Britain’s University of Exeter, said we may never get close to the true toll of COVID-19, particularly in poor countries.

“When you have a massive outbreak where people are dying in the streets because of a lack of oxygen, bodies were abandoned or people had to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-india-religion-coronavirus-c644fc9eb09beb04e16d0215a6693886">cremated quickly</a>&nbsp;because of cultural beliefs, we end up never knowing just how many people died,” he explained.

Although Pankhania said the currently estimated COVID-19 death toll still pales in comparison to the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic — when experts estimate up to 100 million people died — he said the fact that so many people died despite the advances of modern medicine, including vaccines, is shameful.

He also warned the cost of COVID-19 could be far more damaging in the long term, given the increasing burden of long COVID.

“With the Spanish flu, there was the flu and then there were some (lung) illnesses people suffered, but that was it,” he said. “There was not an enduring immunological condition that we’re seeing right now with COVID,” he said.

“We do not know the extent to which people with long COVID will have their lives cut short and if they will have repeated infections that will cause them even more problems.”

LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization is estimating that nearly 15 million people were killed either by the coronavirus or by its impact on overwhelmed health systems in the past two years, more than double the official death toll of 6 million. Most of the fatalities were in Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas.In a report released on Thursday, the U.N. agency’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the figure as “sobering,” saying it should prompt countries to invest more in their capacities to quell future health emergencies.Scientists tasked by WHO with calculating the actual number of COVID-19 deaths between January 2020 and the end of last year estimated there were between 13.3 million and 16.6 million deaths that were either caused directly by the coronavirus or were somehow attributed to the pandemic’s impact on health systems, like people with cancer unable to seek treatment when hospitals were full of COVID patients.The figures are based on country-reported data and statistical modelling. WHO did not immediately break down the figures to distinguish between direct deaths from COVID-19 and others caused by the pandemic.“This may seem like just a bean-counting exercise, but having these WHO numbers is so critical to understanding how we should combat future pandemics and continue to respond to this one,” said Albert Ko, an infectious diseases specialist at the Yale School of Public Health who was not linked to the WHO research. For example, Ko said, South Korea’s decision to invest heavily in public health after it suffered a severe outbreak of MERS allowed it to escape COVID-19 with a per-capita death rate around a 20th of that of the U.S.Accurate numbers on COVID-19 deaths have been problematic throughout the pandemic, as the figures are only a fraction of the devastation wrought by the virus, largely because of limited testing and differences in how countries count COVID-19 deaths. According to government figures reported to WHO and to a separate count kept by Johns Hopkins University, there have been more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-coronavirus-pandemic-science-business-health-69e8cbaebb653a0f1cb65ffe33d9afbd">6 million&nbsp;</a>reported coronavirus deaths to date.Scientists at the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington guessed there were more than 18 million COVID deaths from January 2020 to December 2021 in a recent study published in the journal Lancet, and a team led by Canadian researchers estimated there were more than 3 million uncounted coronavirus deaths in India alone.Some countries, including India, have disputed WHO’s methodology for calculating COVID deaths, resisting the idea that there were many more deaths than officially counted. Earlier this week, the Indian government released new figures showing there were 474,806 more deaths in 2020 compared to the previous year, but did not say how many were tied to the pandemic. India did not release any death estimates for 2021, when the highly infectious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/india-new-delhi-coronavirus-health-f2a4d130a41944720d9f687f7c5e53ce">delta variant</a>&nbsp;swept through the country, killing many thousands.Yale’s Ko said better figures from WHO might also explain some lingering mysteries about the pandemic, like why&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-united-nations-fcf28a83c9352a67e50aa2172eb01a2f">Africa&nbsp;</a>appears to have been one of the least affected by the virus, despite its low vaccination rates. “Were the mortality rates so low because we couldn’t count the deaths or was there some other factor to explain that?” he said, adding that the crush of deaths in rich countries like Britain and the U.S. proved that resources alone were insufficient to contain a global outbreak.Dr. Bharat Pankhania, a public health specialist at Britain’s University of Exeter, said we may never get close to the true toll of COVID-19, particularly in poor countries.“When you have a massive outbreak where people are dying in the streets because of a lack of oxygen, bodies were abandoned or people had to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-india-religion-coronavirus-c644fc9eb09beb04e16d0215a6693886">cremated quickly</a>&nbsp;because of cultural beliefs, we end up never knowing just how many people died,” he explained.Although Pankhania said the currently estimated COVID-19 death toll still pales in comparison to the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic — when experts estimate up to 100 million people died — he said the fact that so many people died despite the advances of modern medicine, including vaccines, is shameful.He also warned the cost of COVID-19 could be far more damaging in the long term, given the increasing burden of long COVID.“With the Spanish flu, there was the flu and then there were some (lung) illnesses people suffered, but that was it,” he said. “There was not an enduring immunological condition that we’re seeing right now with COVID,” he said.“We do not know the extent to which people with long COVID will have their lives cut short and if they will have repeated infections that will cause them even more problems.”____

WHO: Nearly 15M deaths associated with COVID-19

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma joined Texas this week to form a region that parts of a nation divided over abortion care might look like if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.

While abortion providers across the country have been bracing for the possibility that the high court’s new conservative majority&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-wade-supreme-court-state-fight-e53b2b46d9606dc9468b8044a0b42ed0">might further restrict abortion</a>, that has especially been the case in Oklahoma, where lawmakers have passed a half-dozen anti-abortion measures this year.

A bill signed into law on Tuesday by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-business-lawsuits-laws-8690c15ea5de5c6ed695003b7a533cb1">similar to the law passed in Texas</a>&nbsp;last year that led to a marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-texas-oklahoma-65225decf918b820801d162f14b09b80">increase in women</a>&nbsp;going to neighboring states, including Oklahoma, to get abortions. It prohibits doctors from performing an abortion after fetal activity is detected in the embryo, which experts say is typically after about six weeks and before many women even know they are pregnant. And like Texas’ law, it is enforced through civil, not criminal, courts and relies on civilians to inform on one another.

Abortion providers in Oklahoma said they are prepared for the law to take effect and have been helping women get appointments at clinics in neighboring states.

“I think something we realized in September (when the Texas law took effect) is that we are already living in a virtual post-Roe world in our region,” said Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

“We have seen people go to extreme lengths to access abortion care: driving all night, doing whatever they can to get the basic health care they need for them and their families. We have been seeing what a post-Roe future looks like in this region of the country already, and it’s unbelievable.”

The Oklahoma Supreme Court declined to temporarily stop the law from taking effect, although the court is still considering a legal challenge.

Stitt’s signing of the bill, along with the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court is considering weakening or overturning its Roe v. Wade decision, led more than 100 people to protest on Tuesday at the Oklahoma Capitol.

“I honestly and truly never thought we would actually get here,” said Sophia Fults, 22, a University of Oklahoma student from Tulsa who held a sign that read: “Keep abortion safe, legal and accessible.”

“Honestly, I was just shocked and I’m still kind of shocked and disgusted. So many women are going to be harmed because of this. It’s just horrendous.”

The new law authorizes abortions if they are performed as the result of a medical emergency, but there are no exceptions for if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.

Like the Texas law, the Oklahoma bill would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. After the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-0b4ed1808ed44d176bf6c86e6646a718">allowed that mechanism to remain in place</a>, other Republican-led states sought to copy Texas’ ban.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-abortion-ban-law-6eec10650b51c2b9dc98607d13cd8f40">Idaho’s governor</a>&nbsp;signed the first copycat measure in March, although it has been temporarily blocked by the state’s Supreme Court.

Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-oklahoma-law-87880e9f3c7bde2ae634cb2f02839e6e">abortion a felony</a>&nbsp;in Oklahoma, but that measure is not set to take effect until this summer, and legal experts say it’s likely to be blocked because Roe still remains the law of the land.

“One of our main responsibilities in government is to protect life, and that has been our deliberate intention,” said state Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Republican who wrote the bill to make abortion illegal. “I believe here in Oklahoma we’ll do everything we can to protect life from conception.”

The number of abortions performed each year in Oklahoma, which has four abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last two decades, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, which were the fewest in more than 20 years, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In 2020, before the Texas law was passed, about 9% of the abortions performed in Oklahoma involved women from Texas.

Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept. 1, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, the data shows. That number jumped to 222 in September and 243 in October, according to the most recent data available.

Clinic operators in Texas saw about a 40% decrease in the number of abortions performed there after the law took effect, and Oklahoma operators say they expect similar declines, said Zachary Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesman for Trust Women, which operates clinics in Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas.

“In Texas, we’ve seen that many clinics were able to retain around 60% of their pre-SB 8 patient volume, and it seems reasonable to expect something similar in Oklahoma,” Gingrich-Gaylord said, referring to the Texas law by its state Senate bill name. “The primary reason to think that we may see far less volume than that is the chilling effect caused by the (Supreme Court) leak that may add to confusion for patients seeking abortions.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1649779268364.png" alt="“We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,”&nbsp; Gov. Kevin Stitt said during a bill signing ceremony in April.-photo courtesy Oklahoma Governor's office&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>“We want to outlaw abortion in the state of Oklahoma,”&nbsp; Gov. Kevin Stitt said during a bill signing ceremony in April.-photo courtesy Oklahoma Governor's office&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma joined Texas this week to form a region that parts of a nation divided over abortion care might look like if the U.S. Supreme Court strikes down its landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.While abortion providers across the country have been bracing for the possibility that the high court’s new conservative majority&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-wade-supreme-court-state-fight-e53b2b46d9606dc9468b8044a0b42ed0">might further restrict abortion</a>, that has especially been the case in Oklahoma, where lawmakers have passed a half-dozen anti-abortion measures this year.A bill signed into law on Tuesday by Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-business-lawsuits-laws-8690c15ea5de5c6ed695003b7a533cb1">similar to the law passed in Texas</a>&nbsp;last year that led to a marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-texas-oklahoma-65225decf918b820801d162f14b09b80">increase in women</a>&nbsp;going to neighboring states, including Oklahoma, to get abortions. It prohibits doctors from performing an abortion after fetal activity is detected in the embryo, which experts say is typically after about six weeks and before many women even know they are pregnant. And like Texas’ law, it is enforced through civil, not criminal, courts and relies on civilians to inform on one another.Abortion providers in Oklahoma said they are prepared for the law to take effect and have been helping women get appointments at clinics in neighboring states.“I think something we realized in September (when the Texas law took effect) is that we are already living in a virtual post-Roe world in our region,” said Dr. Iman Alsaden, the medical director of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.“We have seen people go to extreme lengths to access abortion care: driving all night, doing whatever they can to get the basic health care they need for them and their families. We have been seeing what a post-Roe future looks like in this region of the country already, and it’s unbelievable.”The Oklahoma Supreme Court declined to temporarily stop the law from taking effect, although the court is still considering a legal challenge.Stitt’s signing of the bill, along with the leaked draft opinion suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court is considering weakening or overturning its Roe v. Wade decision, led more than 100 people to protest on Tuesday at the Oklahoma Capitol.“I honestly and truly never thought we would actually get here,” said Sophia Fults, 22, a University of Oklahoma student from Tulsa who held a sign that read: “Keep abortion safe, legal and accessible.”“Honestly, I was just shocked and I’m still kind of shocked and disgusted. So many women are going to be harmed because of this. It’s just horrendous.”The new law authorizes abortions if they are performed as the result of a medical emergency, but there are no exceptions for if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest.Like the Texas law, the Oklahoma bill would allow private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who helps a woman obtain an abortion. After the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-texas-0b4ed1808ed44d176bf6c86e6646a718">allowed that mechanism to remain in place</a>, other Republican-led states sought to copy Texas’ ban.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-abortion-ban-law-6eec10650b51c2b9dc98607d13cd8f40">Idaho’s governor</a>&nbsp;signed the first copycat measure in March, although it has been temporarily blocked by the state’s Supreme Court.Stitt earlier this year signed a bill to make performing an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-oklahoma-law-87880e9f3c7bde2ae634cb2f02839e6e">abortion a felony</a>&nbsp;in Oklahoma, but that measure is not set to take effect until this summer, and legal experts say it’s likely to be blocked because Roe still remains the law of the land.“One of our main responsibilities in government is to protect life, and that has been our deliberate intention,” said state Sen. Nathan Dahm, a Republican who wrote the bill to make abortion illegal. “I believe here in Oklahoma we’ll do everything we can to protect life from conception.”The number of abortions performed each year in Oklahoma, which has four abortion clinics, has declined steadily over the last two decades, from more than 6,200 in 2002 to 3,737 in 2020, which were the fewest in more than 20 years, according to data from the Oklahoma State Department of Health. In 2020, before the Texas law was passed, about 9% of the abortions performed in Oklahoma involved women from Texas.Before the Texas ban took effect on Sept. 1, about 40 women from Texas had abortions performed in Oklahoma each month, the data shows. That number jumped to 222 in September and 243 in October, according to the most recent data available.Clinic operators in Texas saw about a 40% decrease in the number of abortions performed there after the law took effect, and Oklahoma operators say they expect similar declines, said Zachary Gingrich-Gaylord, a spokesman for Trust Women, which operates clinics in Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas.“In Texas, we’ve seen that many clinics were able to retain around 60% of their pre-SB 8 patient volume, and it seems reasonable to expect something similar in Oklahoma,” Gingrich-Gaylord said, referring to the Texas law by its state Senate bill name. “The primary reason to think that we may see far less volume than that is the chilling effect caused by the (Supreme Court) leak that may add to confusion for patients seeking abortions.”According to state health department data, about 47% of abortions performed in Oklahoma in 2020 were for women who were less than six weeks pregnant.