Laura Kelly on Families & Children

	Laura Kelly on Families & Children

Vetoed adoption bill relating to religious beliefs

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly vetoed a bill related to religious beliefs and children's welfare. According to the Office of the Kansas Governor, Gov. Kelly vetoed House Bill 2311, which would prohibit the secretary from adopting and enforcing policies for placement, custody and appointment of a custodian that may conflict with sincerely held religious or moral beliefs regarding sexual orientation or gender identity and creating a right of action for violations. Source: WIBW TV-13 on 2026 Kansas Gubernatorial race , Apr 7, 2025

Put functions of child care agencies under one roof

Right now, early childhood services are siloed in four different state agencies. If a family is searching for care for a newborn, that family must navigate among three different agencies to figure out which program is the right fit. Thankfully, there's a solution available: Let's put the functions of these agencies under one roof--the Office of Early Childhood. Let's offer a one-stop-shop for young families, for child care providers, and for businesses to access early childhood services. Source: 2025 State of the State Address to the Kansas legislature , Jan 15, 2025

Shortage of child care is stressful; slows down our economy

I'll be proposing the largest single-year investment ever made in our state's early childhood system. A large part of that investment will go toward solving our state's child care shortage. Over half of Kansas families in search of child care cannot find an open slot--forcing many parents to quit their jobs. And the shortages are worst in our rural areas. That's bad for our children, stressful for our parents, and, when every business is desperate for workers, it slows down our economy. Source: 2024 State of the State Address to Kansas legislature , Jan 10, 2024

Reformed foster care, focused on kinship care

We have decreased the number of children in foster care by over 15%. That started with the work done by Secretary Laura Howard and her team. They studied the mistakes of the past and took an intentional approach, to move the state away from a child welfare system and toward a child and family well-being system. Secretary Howard directed the agency to focus on things like kinship care, where a child is placed with a family member or a close family friend, instead of being placed in the system. Source: 2022 State of the State Address to the Kansas legislature , Jan 11, 2022

Must fix broken foster care system

The number of children in foster care has skyrocketed--up 45% since 2011. We've seen the programs overwhelmed by the sheer numbers in need. And the caseloads of dedicated social workers are absurdly high. My budget provides funding for the Families First Prevention Services Act. It will inject millions into efforts that strengthen vulnerable families & prevent children from entering the foster care system. My budget includes funding to hire more, qualified social workers & reduce their caseloads. Source: 2019 State of the State address to Kansas legislature , Jan 16, 2019

Opposes religious exemption for gay adoption

Legislative Summary: SB 284: The bill creates the Adoption Protection Act, which states no child placement agency (CPA) shall be required to participate in any placement of a child for foster care or adoption when the proposed placement of such child violates such CPA's sincerely held religious beliefs.

Analysis by KCUR: The Legislature has approved a measure allowing faith-based adoption and foster care agencies to be reimbursed for placement services, even if they turn away prospective parents who don't fit their religious beliefs. Opponents argued the religious protections would open the door to state-sponsored discrimination, particularly against same-sex couples, but also single people and minorities. Legislative Outcome: Passed House 63-58-4 on May/3/18; Passed Senate 24-15-1 on May/3/18; State Sen. Laura Kelly voted NO; Signed by Governor Jeff Colyer on May/18/18

Source: KCUR 89.3 FM analysis of Kansas SB 284 voting records , May 3, 2018

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*Other governors on Families & Children:*			*Laura Kelly on other issues:*
*KS Gubernatorial:* Chase LaPorte Cindy Holscher Derek Schmidt Jeff Colyer Ty Masterson Vicki Schmidt *KS Senatorial:* Jerry Moran Joan Farr Mark Holland Michael Soetaert Patrick Schmidt Roger Marshall	*Mayoral/Gubernatorial races 2025* (seated Jan. 2026): NJ Governor: Mikie Sherrill (D), U.S. Rep. NJ-11. vs.Jack Ciattarelli (R), State Assemblyman (2011-2018). NYC Mayor: Zohran Mamdani (D), New York State Assembly, 2021-2025. vs.Andrew Cuomo (I), former governor of New York, 2011-2021. vs.Curtis Sliwa (R), CEO of the Guardian Angels. VA Governor: Abigail Spanberger (D), U.S.Rep., VA-7 (2019-2024). vs.Winsome Earle-Sears (R), Lt. Gov. 2022-2026. *Gubernatorial races 2026*: AK: Mike Dunleavy(R,term-limited) vs.Click Bishop(R) vs.Nancy Dahlstrom(R) vs.Tom Begich(D) AL: Kay Ivey(R,term-limited) vs.Doug Jones(D) vs.Tommy Tuberville(R) vs.Will Boyd(D) vs.Yolanda Flowers(D) AR: Sarah Huckabee Sanders(R,for re-election) vs.Fredrick Love(D) AZ: Katie Hobbs(D,for re-election) vs.Andy Biggs(R) vs.David Schweikert(R) vs.~~Karrin Taylor Robson~~(R,withdrew) CA: Gavin Newsom(D,term-limited) vs.Xavier Becerra(D) vs.Steve Hilton(R) vs.Katie Porter(D) vs.Tom Steyer(D) vs.Eric Swalwell(D) vs.Antonio Villaraigosa(D) vs.~~Eleni Kounalakis~~(D,withdrew to run for state treasurer) vs.~~Zoltan Istvan~~(L,withdrew) CO: Jared Polis(D,term-limited) vs.Greg Lopez(R then I) vs.Barbara Kirkmeyer(R) vs.Scott Bottoms(R) vs.Michael Bennet(D) vs.Phil Weiser(D) CT: Ned Lamont(D,for re-election) vs.Ryan Fazio(R) vs.Susan Bysiewicz(D for Lt.Gov.) vs.~~Jen Tooker~~(R,withdrew) FL: Ron DeSantis(R,term-limited) vs.Jay Collins(R) vs.Paul Renner(R) vs.Byron Donalds(R) vs.David Jolly(R then D) vs.Jerry Demings(D) vs.Jason Pizzo(I) GA: Brian Kemp(R,term-limited) vs.Brad Raffensperger(R) vs.Chris Carr(R) vs.Burt Jones(R) vs.Geoff Duncan(R then D) vs.Keisha Lance Bottoms(D) vs.Mike Thurmond(D) vs.Chase Oliver(L) HI: Josh Green(D) (No opponent yet) IA: Kim Reynolds(R,retiring) vs.Brad Sherman (IA)(R) vs.Randy Feenstra(R) vs.Rob Sand(D) ID: Brad Little(R,for re-election) vs.Terri Pickens(D) IL: J.B. Pritzker(D,for re-election) vs.Darren Bailey(R) KS: Laura Kelly(D,term-limited) vs.Cindy Holscher(D) vs.Jeff Colyer(R) vs.Ty Masterson(R) vs.Vicki Schmidt(R) MA: Maura Healey(D,for re-election) vs.Mike Kennealy(R) MD: Wes Moore(D,for re-election) vs.Dan Cox(R) vs.~~Christopher Bouchat~~(R,withdrew) ME: Janet Mills(D,term-limited) vs.Shenna Bellows(D) vs.Troy Jackson(D) vs.Hannah Pingree(D) vs.Robert Charles(R) vs.Ed Crockett(I)	*Gubernatorial races 2026*: MI: Gretchen Whitmer(D,term-limited) vs.Aric Nesbitt(R) vs.Perry Johnson(R) vs.Jocelyn Benson(D) vs.John James(R) vs.Mike Cox(R) vs.Tom Leonard(R) vs.Mike Duggan(I) vs.~~Garlin Gilchrist~~(D,withdrew) MN: Tim Walz(D,retiring) vs.Lisa Demuth(R) vs.Mike Lindell(R) vs.Amy Klobuchar(D) vs.~~Scott Jensen~~(R,run for Auditor) vs.~~Jeff Johnson 2026~~(R,withdrew) NE: Jim Pillen(R,for re-election) vs.Lynne Walz(D) NH: Kelly Ayotte(R,for re-election) vs.Jon Kiper(D) vs.Cinde Warmington(D) NM: Michelle Lujan-Grisham(D,term-limited) vs.Deb Haaland(D) vs.Gregg Hull(R) vs.Steve Lanier(R) NV: Joe Lombardo(R) vs.Aaron Ford(D) NY: Kathy Hochul(D,for re-election) vs.Bruce Blakeman(R) vs.Larry Sharpe(L) vs.~~Antonio Delgado~~(D,withdrew) vs.~~Elise Stefanik~~(R,withdrew) OH: Mike DeWine(R,term-limited) vs.Vivek Ramaswamy(R) vs.Amy Acton(D) OK: Kevin Stitt(R,term-limited) vs.Gentner Drummond(R) vs.Jake Merrick(R) vs.Charles McCall(R) vs.Cyndi Munson(D) OR: Tina Kotek(D,for re-election) vs.Christine Drazan(R) PA: Josh Shapiro(D,for re-election) vs.Ken Krawchuk(L) vs.Stacy Garrity(R) RI: Dan McKee(D,for re-election) vs.Helena Foulkes(D) vs.Aaron Guckian(R) SC: Henry McMaster(R,term-limited) vs.Nancy Mace(R) vs.Ralph Norman(R) vs.Pamela Evette(R) vs.Alan Wilson(R) vs.Jermaine Johnson(D) SD: Larry Rhoden(R,for re-election) vs.Dusty Johnson(R) vs.Jon Hansen(R) vs.Daniel Ahlers(D) vs.~~Marty Jackley~~(R,withdrew) TN: Bill Lee(R,term-limited) vs.Marsha Blackburn(R) vs.John Rose(R) vs.Carnita Atwater(D) TX: Greg Abbott(R,for re-election) vs.Gina Hinojosa(D) vs.Chris Bell(D,lost primary) VT: Phil Scott(R) vs.Amanda Janoo(D) WI: Tony Evers(D,retiring) vs.Mandela Barnes(D) vs.Sara Rodriguez(D) vs.Kelda Roys(D) vs.Francesca Hong(D) vs.Tom Tiffany(R) vs.Mike Thurow(I) WY: Mark Gordon(R,term-limited) vs.Eric Barlow(R) vs.Megan Degenfelder(R)	Abortion Budget/Economy Civil Rights Corporations Crime Drugs Education Energy/Oil Environment Families/Children Foreign Policy Free Trade Govt. Reform Gun Control Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Infrastructure/Technology Jobs Local Issues Principles/Values Social Security Tax Reform War/Iraq/Mideast Welfare/Poverty [Title9]