From The Newsroom: The Topeka Capital Journal

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.

Topeka Capital-Journal reporter Stacey Saldanha-Olson sits down with Washburn University's newest dean of law Jeffrey Jackson.

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.