Governor Sam Brownback had one of those days. One of those terrible, no good, awful days. A day where everything seemed to go wrong for the governor, and oh so right for those who oppose his policies.
It started on a Thursday, when the omens were in the air.
http://www.nytimes.com/...
A Kansas state judge on Thursday temporarily blocked a new law that would have banned the most common method of abortion in the second trimester.
The law, adopted in April and the first of its kind in the nation, would have barred a method known as dilation and evacuation, which doctors say is usually the safest and most convenient abortion technique after about the 12th to 14th week of pregnancy.
Things would surely improve in the morning for Governor Brownback. After all, Representative Winn would be heading into a hearing to censure her for actions taken in a committee, and the state would declare Sine Die until January - the legislative session would be over.
With the hearing barely underway, the US Supreme Court issued their Same Sex Marriage ruling.. a ruling that immediately sent Sam Brownback on edge:
It would not be the only hit the Governor would take that day.
While Governor Brownback was feeling the blues over the US Supreme Court Ruling, students from around the state -- DREAMERS -- came to Topeka to stand with Rep. Winn. Her hearing, aimed at sorting out the Republican claim that discussion of racism broke the decorum of the body was previously covered here.
What Republicans hadn't quite counted on was the large - and by that I mean VERY large turnout of Kansas citzenry who had come to the statehouse to support Rep. Winn.
Room 582-N overflowed with members of the community who came to support Representative Valdenia Winn. Republicans, who were busy dealing that morning with a budget fix for a budget they had passed recently in a 4AM push were not necessarily in a good mood.
On the first floor in the rotunda, LGBT Supporters and friend of Equality Kansas gathered for a rally to support to embattled representative. Before their rally was to begin, it became a celebration for the decision of the US Supreme Court for Gay Marriage. Stephanie Clayton (R-Overland Park), an outspoken Republican advocate for fair treatment and full rights of the gay community, expressed the anxiety that existed within the statehouse:
While Republican representatives milled about the statehouse, looking down at an LGBT led rally of ultimate success, the mood for Republicans went from "not good" to downright downtrodden.
The LGBT protestors though, gathered below them, celebrating with joy.
With noise that rattled the statehouse, activists from all walks urged change within the statehouse "We need a Progressive Kansas".
Upon the conclusion, members returned to the hearing room to receive the results of Rep. Winn's charges.
Dismissed. Unanimously.
Governor Sam Brownback had now lost four in a row - An abortion bill had failed, A battle over ACA, a battle over Gay Marriage, and now his party had lost the battle to censure a sitting Democrat.
The day, however was not over as Governor Brownback had more bad news waiting:
It was the second item, smashed between two things they were already decrying, that would send the Brownback administration into tears.
http://www.wibw.com/...
TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW/AP) - A Shawnee County District Court panel ruled Friday that the state's new block grant school funding law does not meet requirements for funding schools adequately or equitably.
Governor Sam Brownback and other Republican leaders called the decision a violation of the court's constitutional authority
The ruling of the state court gives the state until June 30 - Next Tuesday - to come up with money owed to school districts that was removed by allotment for 2014. It also indicates that the new budget, one which took 115 hard fought days to pass funding for, is unsatisfactory.
http://cjonline.com/...
But Friday's ruling requires the state to pay schools about $50M million in aid before the start of the new fiscal year -- which is in a few days -- to rectify that. If the money isn't available by July 1, the state should pay it as soon as possible, the ruling says.
Now, Governor Brownback and Kansas Republicans must go back to the drawing board.
On everything.
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