Capitol Insider

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab supports a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution on Nov. 5 ballots that would discontinue adjustment of U.S. Census figures in all 105 counties to reflect residential preferences of college students and military personnel.

Washburn University political science professor Bob Beatty says U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, has potential to break through into the upper tier among Democratic presidential candidates despite poor polling numbers for her in Iowa. He said Klobuchar has a humorous campaign style that works well on the stump.

Peggy Lowe, of KCUR 89.3 in Kansas City, and Sherman Smith, of The Topeka Capital-Journal, talk about in-depth reporting about 13 girls who were placed in state custody, trafficked for sex and sent to prison. Thousands of children were added to the Kansas foster care system in the past eight years, leading to severe instability and a surge in runaways who were vulnerable to human trafficking.

John Wilson, the incoming president of Kansas Action for Children, talks about embracing policies that would improve the lives of children from birth to five years of age, when they are developing skills that will define their behavior throughout school and later in life.

Randy Weseman, assistant executive director of the Kansas Association of School Boards and a former school superintendent, said high-tech security equipment should be paired with development of a positive school climate that encourages gathering of information of student threats and evaluation of potential violence by a team trained in methods endorsed by the U.S. Secret Service.

Republican Bryan Pruitt, a Wichita native and former conservative commentator in Washington, D.C., says former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach would lose a statewide election against a Democrat and that U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall isn't entitled to a promotion.

Kansans for Life executive director Mary Kay Culp and lobbyist Peter Northcott say they will do everything they can to pass a constitutional amendment following a decision by the Kansas Supreme Court that found the state's bill of rights "affords protection of the right of personal autonomy, which includes the ability to control one's own body."

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt places faith in the Criminal Justice Reform Commission's ability to break through philosophical, political and financial barriers to overhaul the system and improve public safety.

Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, says new research would affirm a direct link between welfare reforms signed by Gov. Sam Brownback and a sustained rise in the number of Kansas children in foster care.

Kathy Busch, chairwoman of the Kansas Board of Education, Jim Porter, a member of the state board from Fredonia, and Randy Watson, commissioner of the Kansas State Department of Education talk about the future of public education in Kansas.

Washburn University political science professor Bob Beatty, who is getting to know Democratic presidential hopefuls on the campaign trail in Iowa, talks about Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and former Vice President Joe Biden, and assesses the performance of all candidates during recent debates.

Kansas Democratic Party chairwoman Vicki Hiatt and executive director Ethan Corson talk about the change in primary format for the 2020 presidential selection process, which they hope will improve voter turnout.

Blake Flanders, president and chief executive officer of the Kansas Board of Regents, talks about a strategy to bolster enrollment, help students progress to graduation and support demand for an educated workforce.

Washburn University political science professor Bob Beatty is getting to know Democratic presidential hopefuls on the campaign trail in Iowa. So far, he has profiled Beto O'Rourke, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Tim Ryan.

Vicki Schmidt reflects on her first few months in statewide office after transition from policy-making position as state senator.

Kristi Brown and Eric Stafford, of the Kansas Chamber, and Jeff Glendening, of the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity, reflect on tax plan vetoes, overall spending, health care policy and school funding.

Kimberly Svaty, policy director for Advanced Power Alliance, and her husband, former state agriculture secretary Josh Svaty, address controversy about the proliferation of industrial wind farms and the value of so many developers harnessing a renewable energy source.

Roger Werholtz, interim secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections, says the agency is challenged by having too many inmates, too little space and limitations on resources.

Rep. Jason Probst, a Democrat who came to the Legislature in 2017 after 15 years as a reporter, editor and opinion writer for the Hutchinson News, joins The Topeka Capital-Journal's Tim Carpenter and the Kansas News Service's Jim McLean for discussion on the importance of political coverage and the difficulty of balancing reporting responsibilities.

Reporters for The Topeka Capital-Journal talk about a collection of stories that document the ongoing struggle of equality in public education.