I’m writing this message on Juneteenth, which honors the day in 1865 when Union armies reached Galveston Bay, Texas, and brought an end to slavery. The holiday commemorates the end of legalized chattel slavery in the United States and is a reminder that freedom is not free. Check out this fascinating article about the history of Juneteenth and Emancipation Day celebrations. The League’s work to protect voting rights, educate voters, and advocate for our civil liberties honors this history and the sacrifices made by countless individuals in the past to secure these rights for all citizens. 

The special session of the legislature called by Gov. Kelly just wrapped up, after quickly passing a tax plan and a STAR bond proposal to lure the Chiefs and Royals. For an overview of this year’s session, check out the Legislative Highlights 2024 newsletter, which is a summary of major legislation passed. There are about twenty major topics covered in this edition. If you’re interested in joining the Legislative Observers group please contact Cille King. 

One of the stranger pieces of electoral news last month was the last minute notice that Marci Francisco's name had been submitted for the general election ballot as a “No Labels” candidate for her senate seat–without her knowledge or consent. It turns out that although Republican and Democratic candidates have to file personally, the “No Labels” party doesn’t have that rule. The filing process for “No Labels” was completed in the dark (literally–in the early morning hours) by a political operative who claimed he’d held a convention that nominated a candidate (he was the only attendee). At any rate, Secretary of State Scott Schwab looked into the situation and decided to remove the “No Labels” slot with her name for Senate District 2. 

Earlier this month, the Kansas Supreme Court published their decision in League of Women Voters v. Schwab. I’m slowly making my way through reading the decision and the dissents. The upshot seems to be that they ruled in the League’s favor in regards to the law that would make you a felon if someone believed you were falsely representing an election official (unconstitutional). But they upheld the laws about limiting the number of ballots that can be collected and the law about throwing out advance ballots without signatures or ones that are deemed to differ from the signature on record. It’s more complicated because of procedural issues, so check out the actual text of the decision in the link above for more details.

We are in an important primary season in Douglas County. Please come to the candidate forums that the League is co-sponsoring with the NAACP and the Lawrence Public Library on June 29 (district attorney and county commission) and July 13 (Kansas house and senate). Both will be at the Watkins museum and start at 1:30 pm. I checked with the Douglas County election office, and they assured me that you will have finished preparing all the ballots for view on the Secretary of State website by early-to-mid July. Until then you can see all the candidates who have filed for office here. 

As always, there are lots of ways to get involved with the League. Most urgently, we need volunteers to staff our tabling events. You can sign up on our website. If you’ve never tabled before, just show up to one of the events that’s already “full” so you can learn from one of the experienced volunteers–for example, this Saturday at the Farmers’ Market in the morning and at the Lawrence Public library in the afternoon. We have many empty spots to fill – including Wednesday June 26 at the Lawrence Community Shelter. I hope to see you there!

Sonja

Our League is pleased to recognize April Holman, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, with the 2024 Helen Fluker Open and Accessible Government Award for her past and continuing work to make government open and accessible for the good of Kansans in need of health care and for the good of the Kansas economy. 

The presentation of the Helen Fluker Award to April Holman will be at a luncheon in their honor on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at the Maceli’s, 1031 New Hampshire, Lawrence 66047.  We will be celebrating the work of April Holman and the 25th anniversary of the Fluker Award.  Our League is appreciative of the Fluker family for not only sponsoring the award, but also for offsetting the cost of the meal at the 25th Fluker Award celebration.  All League members and their guests are invited to attend this luncheon.  The cost is $20 per person ($15 for students), payable by check or cash at the event.  We ask that attendees register by July 1 by emailing Carol Williamson, cwilliamson@lawrenceleague.com so we can plan accordingly.

Report of the Renewable Energy & Energy Conservation Study Group

The study group met on Zoom on Tuesday, May 21. Members in attendance:  Kay Johnson, Chair, Vicki Arnett, Sonja Czarnecki, Ruthe Goff, Doris Ricks, and Carol Williamson

The meeting started with a celebration of the April County Commission approval of the Kansas Sky Energy Utility Scale Solar Project.  

Carol Williamson provided an update that LWVK will update their Energy Position in 2026 based on LWVL-DC and LWV Topeka-Shawnee County program positions.  Carol Williamson and Vicki Arnett will co-chair LWVK study.  Vicki noted that at the LWVUS Convention, there would be a Climate Group workshop, and a workshop about doing studies.  Carol and Vicki will attend these workshops at Convention and bring information back to the study gorup.

Vicki Arnett provided an update from the Topeka-Shawnee County Sustainability study group, reporting that they gave testimony at the May 13 Shawnee County Planning Commission meeting on consideration of wind and solar energy in Shawnee County.  Contrary to LWVT-SC input the Planning Commission did not recommend wind energy projects be considered in Shawnee County and put a 1 year moratorium on considering utility scale solar projects until guidelines could be established.  

Sonja Czarnecki announced that our League will sponsor a Civic Engagement 101 series with Lawrence Public Library and that the Sept. 26 topic is  “Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation in Douglas County.”  This discussion will be led by our study group.

Carol, Kay and Sonja led a discussion of what renewable energy/energy conservation questions we should propose for the summer candidate forums our League will co-sponsor NAACP and LPL.  County Commission Candidate Forum,June 29, Watkins Museum afternoon (On YouTube? Either recorded or livecast?) The following proposed questions have been added to the shared document for the candidate forum.

• Proposed Question: In 2019 Douglas County and the City of Lawrence adopted Plan 2040 to address climate change in unincorporated areas of DgCo by limiting the amount of greenhouse gasses produced and manage indoor and outdoor air quality.  Is Plan 2040 working?  Does it have appropriate goals and actions?  

• Proposed Question: On May 22, 2024, the County Commission approved the County Sustainability Office’s Climate Adaptation and Action Plan.  Do you support this plan, if so, why or why not? (This plan does not address utility scale solar and wind energy) 

KS House and Senate Candidate Forums, July 13, Watkins Museum, 1:30-4:30 (On YouTube? Either recorded or livecast?)  The following proposed questions have been added to the candidate forum shared documents. 

• Proposed Question: Renewable energy and energy conservation are critical issues for Kansas, but the Kansas Legislature does not have an Energy Committee except for Utilities Committees. Kansas is one of only a few states without a state-wide Energy Plan.  As a legislator, how would you assure that renewable energy and energy conservation is adequately addressed?

• Proposed Question: What is the role of the state legislature in addressing energy needs of all Kansans and moving to renewable energy resources and conserving energy?

Future topics for the study group were proposed in the March meeting are listed below.  We discussed topics for June, July, and August study group agendas.

• June agenda:  Review and provide input on Evergy’s Integrated Resource Plan (energy conservation) plan being submitted to KCC - June Agenda - work with Sierra Club https://www.kctv5.com/2024/05/18/evergy-critics-say-new-environmentally-friendly-plan-still-not-enough/

• July agenda: What is our position on energy conservation?  (Speaker in July?) What are other League’s positions on renewable energy and energy conservation?  See California’s position to be presented at the LWV National Convention.  

• August Agenda: Environmental Justice; Renters’ rights for energy conservation and renewable energy; Incentives for renewable energy and energy conservation. Potential partners: Jasmine Moore, Earth Justice and Sustainability Advisory Board member Mohsen Fatima (KU PhD candidate)- KS Reflector Article

Other topics for future study

• Hydrogen

• Wind - update on DgCo wind energy regulations

• Ag and Climate Change

• Legislative Energy committee and KS Energy Plan

• Distributed roof-top solar

The next study group meeting is set for Tuesday, June 25, 6:00 pm on Zoom.  Contact study group chair Kay Johnson, kjohnson@lawrenceleague.com, to join the study group and get the Zoom link. 

Report submitted by Carol Williamson, Study Group Secretary, cwilliamson@lawrenceleague.com.

Voter Services Update

The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in May in a 4-3 decision that voting is not a fundamental right guaranteed by the Kansas Constitution.  It is  instead a “political right” for Kansans to vote under the Kansas Constitution, the state’s high court said. The majority opinion was written by Caleb Stegall. 

Three justices, Eric Rosen, Dan Biles, and Melissa Standbridge, wrote dissenting opinions, arguing the majority opinion overturns longstanding case law and will have wide-ranging consequences for voting rights in Kansas. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach and Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the defendants, called the ruling a victory for election integrity. 

The decision clears a path for lawmakers and officials to pass laws and regulations limiting advance voting, access to the polls and mail-in ballots. 

Read more about this decision in the Kansas Reflector:

https://kansasreflector.com/2024/05/31/kansas-supreme-courts-opinion-tries-to-unsnarl-web-of-challenges-to-2021-state-election-laws/

Read more about this decision in this Wichita Eagle article: https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article288915452.html?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3fyepzgj8dVQeCkEa69q65veJjb6_uswTL0YF5rcGAAjx2KjQU7S435JM_aem_ATCtJ89crmBl3CY9rV68l6taExLNKK3xOyoKWvGhFk2gbE-PXDRBZRlV8culH5m1DWAsnIvXyr8-7wpx8_tD-jzl 

Marilyn Chamberlin, a Life Member of our League, died on Jun 7, 2024. We remember her kind smile and her gentle soft spoken manner. As a registered nurse focused on public health, she accomplished many important milestones for our community. She served on the Douglas County Board of Public Health and the Visiting Nurses Board.  A charter member of the group that founded Hospice Care in Douglas County, she served eleven years on the Hospice Advisory Committee. A generous member of the League for over 50 years, she most recently participated in the 2022 filming of Memories from 50 Year League Members 1960-2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YMArHThb3g