From Julie Burkhart, Founder and CEO of Trust Women:
Well, weren't the results of the primary election a nice surprise for Kansans? Voters sent Gov. Sam Brownback a message by ousting several conservative Republicans in the Kansas Legislature, casting their ballots for moderates. Fourteen incumbents —eight in the House and six in the Senate —lost their seats. Moderates appear to have grabbed open-seat primaries as well.
This tweet from a Statehouse reporter summed it up nicely:
Voters also let Rep. Tim Huelskamp know he didn't represent them. The 1st District Congressman alienated many with his combative demeanor, so much so that the Kansan —a KANSAN—got kicked off the Agriculture Committee.
We've run up against Huelskamp's venom. He joined Catholic school students who protested our clinic in 15-degree weather.
We're glad to see Huelskamp gone. Kansas still has more progress to make, of course.
The state scored a D in the National Partnership for Women & Families'"Expecting Better" report.
As you know, the antis (Anti-abortion activists) talk a good game about helping families, but when push comes to shove (pun intended), they're more interested in the womb than the real world.
Here's what the report said about Kansas (click here to download the report):
PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS
Kansas law does not expand upon federal rights or protections for new and expecting parents who work in the private sector.
STATE WORKERS
Job-Protected Family Leave
State workers have greater access to family leave under state law than under federal law. New hires may be granted up to 60 days of unpaid leave for pregnancy or childbirth, adoption or foster placement of a child, or to care for a family member with a serious health condition, including a spouse disabled by pregnancy. Permanent employees may be granted up to one year of unpaid leave for the same reasons. Upon returning from leave, workers must be returned to a position in the same class or in another class with the same pay grade.
So we know there's a lot of work ahead for the sun to truly shine in the Sunflower State
Julie A. Burkhart
Founder and CEO
Trust Women