‘Blood from stone’: Kansas Court of Appeals examines endless probation for poor people

Sharon Brett, legal director for the ACLU of Kansas, said the case could have widespread implications for an unknown number of people on probation throughout the state who are living below the poverty level.

Sharon Brett, legal director for the ACLU of Kansas, says the state is punishing people “because they’re too poor to buy their freedom.” (Thad Allton for Kansas Reflector)

Kansas secretary of state refuses to provide provisional ballot records despite court ruling

Secretary of State Scott Schwab is refusing to turn over provisional ballot records in advance of the primary election, despite an appeals court ruling that says he is violating state open records law.

A voter fills out an advance ballot on July 29, 2022, at the Shawnee County Elections Office. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Anti-abortion groups make dubious claims as Kansas amendment vote nears

Claims made by campaigns for and against a constitutional amendment undoing Kansans’ right to an abortion look like descriptions of two different realities.

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Sharon Brett, Legal Director of the Kansas ACLU, discusses their work to protect your rights

Sharon Brett, Legal Director of the Kansas American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), discusses their work with Radio Active Magazine regular Craig Lubow.

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Atchison County, Kansas, clerk again accepting voter registrations

Voters in Atchison, Kansas, will once again be able to register to vote in next month’s primary election. “The fact that folks were going to be denied the ability to vote in that is a really serious problem," said Micah Kubic, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas.

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Kansas Will Be the First State to Vote on Abortion Rights, Post Roe v. Wade Reversal

“We shouldn’t be amending the constitution to restrict peoples’ rights,” ACLU of Kansas Executive Director Micah Kubic says. “It’s inconsistent with our values as Americans and deeply dangerous.”

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With abortion rights at stake across U.S. and Kansas, whose religious freedom do we value?

As a civil rights attorney, I believe deeply in the right of people to practice their religion. But I believe just as deeply in the right of people to live free from any government entanglement with religion.

Rally at capitol featuring sign that reads, "Keep abortion legal"

ACLU steps in, voter registration in Atchison of July 12 in line with rest of state

The ACLU of Kansas stepped in and threatened to file litigation because the county was violating federal law. This morning, the Secretary’s general counsel determined that those wanting to vote in the August 2 primary must be allowed to.

TV Graphic that reads "Update on Atchinson Voter Registration: —ACLU threatened to sue —Atchinson residents couldn't register for primary —Affected new Kansas residents & first time voters —Residents now have until July 12 to register

Atchison did the right thing on voter registration — even if it took an ACLU threat.

Atchison County, Kansas, has done the right thing — even though it took the threat of litigation from the ACLU of Kansas.

Table with an array of "I voted" stickers