Chillin' in the Statehouse

Chillin' in the Statehouse is back to talk about revenue estimates, government spending, a looming budget hole, and what lawmakers did about tax cut promises.

In August 2026, Kansas voters will decide whether to amend the state Constitution on how Supreme Court justices are selected. If the Republican-backed amendment is approved, justices will be directly elected, like in Wisconsin where a high-profile election brought big spending with contributions from billionaires like Elon Musk and George Soros.

March was a busy month at the Kansas Statehouse, and while a lot happened, what ate up much of the attention was a planned black mass by Satanists and a counter-rally by Christians. Here's what went down.

Chillin' in the Statehouse takes a break from our regularly scheduled chill to bring you the stories of three not-so-chill moments in Kansas politics. From an outburst on the House floor that shut down the chamber, to a Senate committee abruptly ending when a speaker tried to go past the time limit, to a U.S. senator being booed as he walked out of a contentious town hall, we break down the events that made the news and their underlying policy issues.

Despite another snowstorm, the Kansas Legislature has reached turnaround, the midpoint of the legislative session. The House and Senate passed dozens of bills to send to the other chamber, and we've got a sampling of them for you. Meanwhile, the Legislature also enacted the first new law of 2025 by overriding the governor's veto.

It's been a busy past two weeks for the Chillin' in the Statehouse team. There was the tragic plane crash of a flight out of Wichita, the passage of a bill on gender-affirming care, multiple rallies — including for school choice and the march for life, a new mural, tax policy proposals, USAID impacts on Kansas, and more. And don't forget about the Grammys and the Chiefs!

It was the first week of President Donald Trump's administration, the second week of the Kansas legislative session and the third week of snow covering the ground in Topeka. The Chillin' in the Statehouse team recaps a mix of news this week, including lawmakers responding to Trump's executive orders, the Kansas House getting rid of the midnight rule, and a history lesson on chaos in state legislatures.

The Chillin' in the Statehouse team is back to recap the first week of the 2025 legislative session and what was said during the governor's State of the State address, by Republican leadership afterward, and by Democratic leadership at a press conference.

Here at the Kansas Statehouse it's the first day of the 2025 legislative session, and we've got a legislative preview for our listeners.

With the holidays coming up, the Chillin' in the Statehouse team brings you one last episode of 2024. We're fresh off interviews for 2025 session preview stories, and so for our Christmas present to our loyal listeners, we have a few sneak peeks into what we're working on.

Spotify Wrapped is out with our top music listens of the year, and Chillin' in the Statehouse is bringing you #ksleg wrapped, recapping the top narratives from Kansas government and politics in 2024.

Kansas Republicans won big in the 2024 elections, growing their supermajorities in the Legislature and winning a conservative majority on the State Board of Education. Just in time for Thanksgiving travels, the podcast team of Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel with The Topeka Capital-Journal and John Hanna of the Associated Press break down the election results.

We're only a handful of days away from Election Day 2024, and the Chillin' in the Statehouse team has an election preview. Two of the biggest Kansas politics narratives going in are whether Democrats can break the Republican supermajorities in the Kansas Legislature, and whether conservatives can win a majority on the Kansas State Board of Education.

It was supposed to be a busy week of covering meetings of multiple legislative committees and the state board of education, but things got less chill for Chillin' in the Statehouse on Wednesday when a video of a University of Kansas instructor went viral. The instructor's classroom comments suggesting political violence were quickly condemned by top Kansas politicians, and while recording this podcast, we got the news that the instructor has left KU after teaching there for 40 years.

As the executive branch works through budget requests before the Democratic governor puts together her budget proposal, the Republican-led legislative branch is planning to take more ownership of the budget process. The Chillin' in the Statehouse team dives into the motivations, politics and potential impacts of the move — including a possible end to lawmakers taking Fridays off.

The Chillin' in the Statehouse team is back with more news on abortion and its connection to elections, some concerns about delivery of election mail, plus suspicious packages sent to the state's top election official, and concerns with continued struggles in the Kansas foster care system.

It's the start of another football season, but it's also election season. The Chillin' in the Statehouse team has the scoop on top targets for Democrats and Republicans in trying to break versus hold on to the legislative supermajorities. There are also some updates in the ethics investigation of Kansas Republicans involving campaign finance allegations, and there were some ethical accusation made by a recently deceased former Commerce Department official.

Stepping outside the Kansas Statehouse and into courthouses, the Chillin' in the Statehouse team brings you up to date on various legal cases touching on government and politics.

The temperatures seem to have cooled off in the past week. Is it because primary election season is over? Well, Chillin' in the Statehouse is here to break down the highlights of an election that coincided with the Olympics — though maybe our performance is more deserving of a bronze than gold.

Government and politics news hasn't been very chill the last couple of weeks, but the Chillin' in the Statehouse team is here to discuss an assassination attempt, a presidential candidate dropping out, the Kansas delegation endorsing the vice president and the governor's PAC opposing the House Democratic leader — plus some toll road and bike lane news.

Chillin' in the Statehouse takes you to the courthouse for an update on several legal cases. From the Kansas Supreme Court reaffirming its landmark abortion ruling to U.S. District Court cases affecting gun shows, student loans and transgenders students, The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel and the Associated Press' John Hanna have you covered.

In a one-day special session, the Kansas Legislature passed a substantial tax cut compromise and an incentive package designed to entice the Kansas City Chiefs or Royals to move from Missouri to Kansas. Gov. Laura Kelly has already signed both into law.

With two members of the Chillin' in the Statehouse team back from well-earned vacations, we're ready for the long awaited special session. Tax cuts are the stated priority for politicians, but there is a major lobbying effort underway for lawmakers to enact a subsidy package designed to lure the Kansas City Chiefs (or the Royals) to move from Missouri to Kansas.

It's pretty chill here at the Kansas Statehouse, but we know it's going to get busy again when Gov. Laura Kelly calls a special session on tax cuts. Is there room for compromise between the governor and Legislature, the House and Senate, and Republicans and Democrats? Can Kelly get House Democrats on the same page as her, or was a Democratic meeting at a Topeka chili parlor a reflection of internal party politics? Is communication clear, or is there room for different interpretations, like Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's comments?

Session is over! Or is it? Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel of The Topeka Capital-Journal and John Hanna of the Associated Press recap a busy veto session — where a tornado warning interrupted the last day of the Kansas legislative session as lawmakers tried another go at cutting taxes, but didn't take up a plan designed to lure the Kansas City Chiefs to move to Kansas. Both of those issues could come back up during a likely special session.

Chillin' in the Statehouse is ready for veto session, when Kansas lawmakers return to Topeka to consider overriding Gov. Laura Kelly's vetoes and wrap up unfinished business — and there's a lot of vetoes and unfinished business for legislators to get done in a short amount of time.

With a nod to Taylor Swift's new era, The Tortured Poets Department, Chillin' in the Statehouse brings you The Tortured Reporters Department. The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel are joined by the Associated Press' John Hanna as they run down the highlights of the first batches of bill signings and vetoes during the Legislature's April break.

On this eclipse day, there is a mixture of sunlight and darkness, kind of like how the Kansas Legislature worked late into the night on its last day of regular session. The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and the Associated Press' John Hanna recap three of the biggest issues (state budget, school budget and tax cuts) from drop dead day — or more like drop dead night, considering what time the House and Senate adjourned for their April break. To read more: https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/politics/government/2024/04/08/kansas-lawmakers-pass-tax-cuts-but-not-school-budget-before-adjourning/73243055007/

For episode 100 of Chillin' in the Statehouse, we have the return of Andrew Bahl, one of the first hosts and producers of the podcast. He joins The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel and the Associated Press' John Hanna to discuss the latest on the Kansas Legislature and so-called drop dead day, plus a little Wisconsin politics.

We may be chill, but the Legislature is heating up with some hot-button issues in the second half of session. The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel are joined by the Associated Press' John Hanna as they discuss abortion, gender affirming care, election security, TikTok and more.

The Chillin' in the Statehouse team breaks down the happenin's of turnaround week, including a call of the House during the failed veto override attempt of the Republican tax cut plan. The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel are joined by John Hanna of the Associated Press, who discusses fetal personhood legislation in Kansas in light of an Alabama court ruling on IVF.

Death and taxes are the two certainties in life, right? Well they're maybe not so certain, at least in the Kansas Legislature. Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel of The Topeka Capital-Journal and John Hanna of the Associated Press talk through the uncertainties of the veto override effort for the flat income tax plan and the uncertainties of the state death penalty law.

The Chiefs winning the big game Sunday night meant a slower, chiller Monday morning at the Kansas Statehouse, leaving the Chillin' team with time to record a podcast for the first time in three weeks. Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel of The Topeka Capital-Journal and John Hanna of the Associated Press recap some of the top issues in Kansas government and politics.

It's chilly here at Chillin' in the Statehouse, but we've got you covered on happenin's from the first two weeks of the 2024 legislative session. A State of the State, the budget, a court hearing and a big tax cut bill that the governor has promised to veto. The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel are joined by the Associated Press' John Hanna to break it all down.

Happy New Year from the team at Chillin' in the Statehouse! The start of 2024 also brings the start of a new legislative session. But a new year and new session come with the same old political issues. The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and Jack Harvel plus the Associated Press' John Hanna preview the top issues to watch — which will feel quite similar to the top issues of the past year.

Welcome back to Chillin' in the Statehouse! We're back to a full team with the addition of Jack Harvel to The Topeka Capital-Journal's Statehouse team. He joins the CJ's Jason Alatidd and John Hanna of the Associated Press as they discuss the short-lived new license plate design. Read more about it here: https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/state/2023/11/28/governor-laura-kelly-rescinds-new-kansas-license-plate-design/71727926007/

It's Thanksgiving week, and Chillin' in the Statehouse has the podcast to help you pass any extra time during your holidays. Jason Alatidd of The Topeka Capital-Journal and John Hanna of the Associated Press get in the fall spirit — which includes the newly mailed fall property tax bill — as they break down legislative proposals for property tax relief from House Republican and Democratic leaders.

It's rivalry week here at Chillin' in the Statehouse, as Jason Alatidd's Wildcats take on John Hanna's Jayhawks. Amid the Sunflower Showdown, advocates for more special education funding were in a showdown of their own with top Republican legislators over calling a task force meeting. It's one of many education topics that will be debated in the coming legislative session.

John Hanna brought the leftover Halloween candy, Jason Alatidd had coffee in a Christmas cup, Mother Nature brought the cold, and here is another episode of Chillin' in the Statehouse. Courts, courts and more courts are the topic of discussion today, spanning abortion laws, voter rights, IT security, difficulty getting documents and the IRS — plus the start of basketball season.

After a "Cruel Summer," fall is here! That means Chiefs football, mixed with Taylor Swift appearances. Will voters "Shake It Off" when lawmakers say "Don't Blame Me" for any "Bad Blood" from giving the "Anti-Hero" Legislative Compensation Commission a "Blank Space" in the checkbook for legislative pay raises of their "Wildest Dreams"? The Topeka Capital-Journal's Jason Alatidd and the Associated Press' John Hanna discuss.

Chillin' in the Statehouse is back! For the first time since the departure of Andrew Bahl, the former host and producer of this award-winning podcast, Jason Alatidd of the Topeka Capital-Journal is joined by John Hanna of the Associated Press with updates on three major news stories from the past two months of Kansas government and politics. They discuss DCF and the Zoey Felix case, more Marion updates and Attorney General Kris Kobach's loss in the natural gas price gouging lawsuit.

Chillin' in the Statehouse is saying goodbye -- but only to Andrew Bahl of the Topeka Capital-Journal, who is departing Kansas. He reminisces about his three years in the state with Jason Alatidd of the CJ and John Hanna of the Associated Press, where they talk about the biggest news stories and trends in Kansas. But fear not! The podcast will continue to live on. Like what you hear? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Play.