News & Commentary

The Kansas Highway Patrol has been ordered to stop its infamous “two-step” technique by a federal judge, in what the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas calls a “huge win” for all motorists using state highways.

“When we’re trying to make this about something very simple like statutory interpretation, what we’re doing is ignoring the reality that transgender Kansans are going to face every single day in this state,” Sharon Brett, the ACLU of Kansas' legal director, said after the hearing.

"I think it's important to remember that these lawsuits impact people," said Sharon Brett, the ACLU's legal director. "They have impact on people's health and safety and livelihood and dignity and privacy. And those rights could be asserted in the state court and should be asserted[...]"

What the report found is that no counties utilize the entire early voting period allowed by Kansas law; most counties offer very little flexibility in the hours when voting is available; and only 22 counties offer multiple early voting locations.

This is a tough thread to write. Federal public defense is facing devastating budget cuts for FY 2024, following House and Senate appropriation marks. If unchanged, we will be seriously underfunded. Nationally, this could mean losing 10 to 12% of on-board staff. 1/10

“While the court’s decision today is disappointing and undoubtedly leaves transgender Kansans in fear, we want to make clear that this decision is not the final decision in the case,” the ACLU said in a statement. “We will continue to fight for transgender Kansans’ right(s)."

Members of St. Marys five-person city commission have threatened to pull the lease of the public library if they don't remove all LGBTQ+ and other "socially divisive" books from the shelves. Their efforts have drawn a warning from the ACLU of Kansas.

Five transgender Kansans who want to get or keep a driver’s license matching their gender identity are going to court to fight Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach’s effort to block state officials from changing IDs.

A new report from the American Civil Liberties Union finds that accessibility to voting in the Sunflower State depends on where you live. The ACLU of Kansas says there are several key factors that expand accessibility for voters.