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02 May

Posted at 07:39h in Regulatory
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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued a field assistance bulletin providing guidance on how to determine employee or independent contractor status when enforcing the Fair Labor Standards Act. While the department reviews the 2024 final rule, Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act – which is also being challenged in federal court – agency investigators are directed not to apply the 2024 rule’s analysis in current enforcement matters. Instead, the division will rely on longstanding principles outlined in USDOL Fact Sheet #13 and further informed by...

29 Apr

Posted at 13:44h in Industry News, Regulatory
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final Insecticide Strategy that identifies protections for federally endangered and threatened species from the use of insecticides. The Strategy identifies mitigations aimed at protecting more than 900 species listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) that EPA considers when it registers a new insecticide or reevaluates an existing one. “Today’s action is another example of how protecting our environment and safeguarding our economy can go hand in hand,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “We have found commonsense ways to keep endangered...

25 Apr

Posted at 14:46h in Advocacy
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During the Kansas Legislature’s brief veto session earlier this month, a handful of bills were passed and sent to the Governor for consideration. Because the legislature adjourned sine die on April 11th, there was no opportunity for the legislature to attempt to override any bill that was vetoed by the governor. Below is a brief update of bill activity following the Veto Session. Next year’s legislative session is scheduled to begin on January 12, 2026. Water Program Task Force CCR on HB 2172 established a water program task force to evaluate the state's...

12 Apr

Posted at 16:12h in Advocacy
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Through a two-day veto session this week, the Legislature put its finishing touches on a condensed session and then adjourned sine die (final day). The adjournment, which concludes the 2025 Kansas legislative session, came one day before the 90th scheduled day. During its veto session, the Legislature busied itself overriding about a dozen bills vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly, and also overrode 15 budget line-items that had been vetoed by the Governor. Additionally, this week, the Legislature passed a handful of bills that will be sent to the Governor for initial...

29 Mar

Posted at 16:11h in Advocacy
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Around 11:30 p.m., on Thursday, March 27, 2025, after narrowly passing a state budget bill for fiscal years 2025 – 2027, and numerous other bills, the Kansas legislature gaveled out for the First Adjournment of the 2025 session. Lawmakers will return to Topeka on April 10 for a short Veto Session where they could take final action on remaining legislation and also attempt to override any vetoes of bills by Governor Laura Kelly. Prohibiting Foreign Ownership of Real Property and Drone Critical Components The House placed into Sub for SB 9 the...

21 Mar

Posted at 15:37h in Advocacy
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The 2025 Kansas legislative session is quickly drawing to a close as legislators spent the majority of the session’s 10th week debating and ultimately passing a combined 160 bills, including the preliminary state budget ahead of First Adjournment scheduled for March 28. Conference committees, a six-person panel consisting of each committee’s chairmen, vice chairmen and ranking member, begin meeting on Monday to negotiate differences in House and Senate-passed legislation. The most-watched conference committee will be the budget, which began meeting on Friday to finalize 25 pages worth of differences in the...

15 Mar

Posted at 14:20h in Advocacy
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Kansas lawmakers worked through the last few days of committee work this week before they wrap up hearings on March 18 and begin multiple days of debate on bills. This will be followed by conference committees meeting on amended bills the week of March 24, and then the legislature’s first adjournment on March 28. Following this break, the Legislature will return on April 10 for a brief Veto Session to consider final action on certain bills and possibly take an override vote on any bills vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly. The...

07 Mar

Posted at 16:29h in Advocacy
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Kansas lawmakers now have only 7 days to hold hearings and wrap up any remaining pertinent issues by March 18. After that date, the Legislature will spend about a week debating passage of bills prior to their first adjournment on March 28. Following a short break, the Legislature will return on April 10 for a brief Veto Session to consider final action on bills and possibly take an override vote on any bills vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly. Feeling this pressure, committee chairs in both the Senate and House of Representatives...

28 Feb

Posted at 15:07h in Advocacy
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Entering the first week after the 2025 Kansas legislature’s Turnaround, lawmakers now only have four weeks remaining to wrap up any pertinent issues. The last day for most committees to meet this year is March 18. After which, the legislature will spend a few days debating passage of bills prior to their first adjournment on March 28. Following a short break, the legislature will return on April 10 for a brief veto session to consider final action on bills and possibly take an override vote on any bills vetoed by Governor...

21 Feb

Posted at 19:10h in Advocacy
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The Kansas legislature powered through this week’s winter storm in order to meet its self-imposed Turnaround Deadline, where most bills are required to advance through their house of origin by Friday, February 21. The House of Representatives sent 89 bills to their Senate counterparts, including the first budget bill of the year, while the senators in the upper chamber passed 64 pieces of legislation across the rotunda. Both chambers’ Republican supermajority paid dividends for legislative leadership as the legislature overrode Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of a bill banning certain gender-affirming care,...

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