TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A group of African-American leaders are calling for expanding Medicaid, repealing restrictive voting laws, reforming criminal sentencing and putting more restrictions on payday lenders.

The Lawrence Journal-World  reports that the agenda was adopted Saturday in Topeka. It was announced after a group called the Kansas Black Leadership Council came together for the first time to adopt a unified, statewide political agenda for an upcoming legislative session and the elections to follow.

The group includes members from Kansas City, Wichita, Salina, Junction City and several other communities in Kansas.

 

Those attending the Kansas Black Leadership Council…. pic.twitter.com/iCTj7gQ8oB

— Melody McCray-Miller (@mccray_miller) November 21, 2015

 

They met at the historic St. John AME Church near downtown Topeka, which was built in 1864 and has long been a center of political and cultural activity within Topeka’s black community.