TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has barely approved a bill declaring that state Supreme Court justices can be impeached for attempting to usurp the Legislature’s power.

The vote Tuesday was 21-19 on a measure that outlines specific grounds for impeaching and removing justices. The bill goes next to the House.

Supporters said they’re further defining what the state constitution means when it allows justices to be impeached for “high crimes and misdemeanors.” The bill’s Republican backers in committee added a similar list of grounds for the governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state.

The chamber’s GOP supermajority split over the bill.

Critics said the measure attacks the court system’s independence. The Senate vote came less than six weeks after the justices ordered lawmakers to increase funding for poor school districts.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY- Fire crews across Kansas were busy with grass fires on Monday. Forty acres burned in Pottawatomie County after controlled burns rekindled near the intersection of Elm Slough and Rockenham Road, according to a social media report.

Fire crews also were busy with a large grass fire in Greenwood County where a portion of U.S. 400 was temporarily closed.

Another mile long fire in Butler County was extinguished just before 7 p.m. on Monday.

No injuries were reported. Fire officials continue to monitor areas of recent controlled burns while most of the state remains under a red flag warning or fire weather watch.

By MEGAN HART

The Senate on Monday advanced a bill that would forbid hospitals from withholding life-sustaining treatment from children without permission from a parent or guardian.

Senate Bill 437 would prohibit a physician or health care facility from withholding life-sustaining treatment or placing a do-not-resuscitate order on someone younger than 18 without parental permission.

If the parents disagreed, they could petition a district court to settle the case, with the presumption in favor of continuing treatment. The bill would create exemptions if reasonable medical judgment determined a treatment was “futile,” meaning the patient’s death isn’t likely to be hastened if he or she doesn’t receive it, or “medically inappropriate,” meaning that offering treatment puts the patient at a greater risk of death than withholding it.

Sen. Jacob LaTurner, a Pittsburg Republican, said some parents have discovered that facilities placed do-not-resuscitate orders on their special needs children without permission.

He said he didn’t know of any examples in Kansas, but did know of an infant named Simon Crosier in Missouri who died after a hospital decided not resuscitate him.

“This is an important situation that requires health care facilities to make parents central in the decisions,” he said.

“Give parents the chance to make these important decisions.”

Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, said she didn’t think anyone was opposed to the “intended consequences” of the bill, but she is concerned it could have effects the state hasn’t anticipated. She said she is concerned other stakeholders weren’t included in the conversation about the bill.

“I think we could come up with a compromise that could work, not only for the parents but also for the hospitals,” she said. “The intent of it is honorable. The process was horrible.”

No one spoke in opposition to the bill while it was in the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, though Kelly said she had heard opposition from children’s hospitals.

The bill still needs House approval. Medical licensure compact The Senate also gave tentative approval to House Bill 2456, which would allow Kansas to join the 12-member interstate medical licensure compact.

The House approved the bill on a 120-2 vote last month. The compact allows a physician in any member state to submit an application for an expedited license in any of the other member states.

The physician still would have to pay applicable fees in each state, and the state could regulate care of patients within its borders, even if the physician was in another state and seeing the patient via telemedicine.

Sen. Jeff King, an Independence Republican, said the bill would particularly benefit rural counties along the state’s border. Mercy Hospital in Independence closed in October. Family planning funds

The Senate also gave initial approval to Senate Bill 436, which would first grant federal funds for family planning under Title X to public entities, such as local health departments.

Any money left would then go to private hospitals and federally qualified health centers. Title X is a grant program through the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services.

Sen. Marci Francisco, a Lawrence Democrat, offered an amendment saying the Kansas Department of Health and Environment may contract for long-acting reversible forms of birth control. A Colorado policy encouraging use of long-acting birth control has resulted in a lower unintended pregnancy rates and fewer abortions in that state, she said.

Some Kansas counties haven’t sought Title X grants, Francisco said, so the state needs to prioritize long-acting birth control so some women won’t have to make frequent, lengthy trips to refill a prescription.

“Some of that may be due to an ideological concern, but I think much of this is due to the expense,” she said. “What we have is kind of a patchwork system.”

Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who sponsored the bill, said she thought decisions about family planning services should be made on the local level, and Francisco’s amendment was voted down. The bill now needs House approval.

Megan Hart is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach her on Twitter @meganhartMC

HUTCHINSON – A Kansas man charged for the armed robbery of Dollar General at 7 S. Adams back in October of 2015 was bound over for trial with two more counts added on Monday.

Leroy Randall, 54, Hutchinson, is charged with two counts of kidnapping and one count of aggravated robbery. The state then announced they would amend the complaint adding two counts of aggravated assault.

Police say a store employee reporting that she heard a knock at a back door of the business.

Thinking it was the other employee she opened the door and a black male came in the store, stuck a gun in her face and demanded money.

That employee reportedly screamed, causing another employee to come out of the bathroom of the store.

Randall is then alleged to have pointed the gun at him as well. Both testified to what happened and both admitted to being scared. One thought the gunman was going to shoot them. He also made them give him their cell phones.

During the robbery, Randall allegedly got away with over $5,480. Randall’s female roommate testified that he told her what he was going to do and then after he came back, she watched him count the money. she also admitted that she cut up a stocking cap they he used as the mask in the robbery.

The judge also increased Randall’s bond to $125,000 after the defense asked for a bond modification. He has other prior convictions for robbery and kidnapping and because of his past, the judge said he would consider raising the bond, but not lowering it. Arraignment in the case will be on April 4.

MANHATTAN – A fire in Manhattan damaged two homes on Monday and caused thousands of dollars in damage.

Just after 3 p.m., the Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to 520 Stone Pointe and found a fire on the rear exterior of the home and quickly knocked down the fire, according to a media release.

Two occupants of the structure were home at the time of the fire and were able to exit without injury prior to arrival of fire crews.

A total of 22 firefighters responded on 8 fire apparatus.
The residence of 520 Stone Pointe received an estimated loss of $10,000 to the contents with $20,000 to the structure. The owner is listed as Manhattan Capital LLC of Lenexa, Kansas. The four occupants of this address are displaced and being assisted by Red Cross.

The residence of 522 Stone Pointe received an estimated loss of $5,000 to the contents with $10,000 to the structure. The owner is listed as Ian Holman of Manhattan. The occupant of this address is displaced and also being assisted by Red Cross.
The cause of the fire was determined to accidental due to an electrical issue.

OTTAWA, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors have rested their case in the trial of an eastern Kansas man accused of killing four people, including an 18-month-old baby.

The Kansas City Star  reports Franklin County prosecutors spent two weeks laying out their case against 30-year-old Kyle Flack.

He is facing one count of capital murder in the deaths of 21-year-old Kaylie Bailey and her daughter, Lana Bailey, in 2013. He also is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of 30-year-old Andrew Stout and 31-year-old Steven White.

Flack did not testify and his attorneys did not call any witnesses. Court officials say closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning in Ottawa.

If Flack is convicted of capital murder, jurors next will consider whether he should be sentenced to death.