ACLU of Kansas in the News

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Dec 19, 2023

Kansas ACLU request to halt excessive wait times at Larned turned down by judge - Kansas Reflector

“Because of the court’s ruling, hundreds of people on the waitlist for Larned will continue to languish for indeterminate months in our county jails, under conditions that exacerbate rather than treat...

The denied request marks the latest action in a lawsuit that has been ongoing for more than a year. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from KDADS video)

Dec 15, 2023

Kansas school district that forced Native American boy to cut hair changes dress code policy - Kansas Reflector

Girard School District Board of Education members voted unanimously during a Thursday night meeting to remove a district dress code policy. The change comes after national attention to the story and legal...

During a Thursday night meeting, the Girard local board of education got rid of a dress code policy mandating hair lengths. (Kansas Reflector Illustration)

Dec 13, 2023

Federal court rules Kansas voting rights case can proceed | Courthouse News Service

A pair of residents in Dodge City, Kansas, first sued the city a year ago, alleging the current at-large election method used to elect city commissioners denies Dodge City's Latino residents an equal...

Voters line up outside Vickery Baptist Church Nov. 3, 2020, waiting to cast their ballots on Election Day in Dallas. (L.M. Otero/AP)

Dec 13, 2023

‘Band-Aid over a bullet hole’: Medicaid expansion could help reduce prison and jail populations - Kansas Reflector

In 2022, the ACLU of Kansas filed a lawsuit against the state over delays in mental health evaluations at Larned. People who face criminal charges have had to wait behind bars for as long as 13 months...

Crawford County Sheriff Danny Smith, seen during a Nov. 2, 2023, interview with Kansas Reflector, talks about mental health needs at his jail. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Dec 2, 2023

ACLU launches effort to inform Kansans with felony records of their voting rights

A leading Kansas civil rights organization says an estimated 30,000 people living in the state should be informed they have the right to vote. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas launched a...

Thousands of Kansans with felony records are eligible to vote, according to the ACLU of Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)

Nov 27, 2023

ACLU set to reach out to Kansas felons who may be unaware of right to vote

The ACLU of Kansas says that around 30,000 Kansans who have completed their sentences for felony convictions are unaware that they have the right to vote. To that end, a new effort has been launched to...

Person voting with a ballot, sign reads "Vote Here"