Kansas Senate Cancels Remap Debate

The Kansas Senate has put off a debate on a

proposal for redrawing the chamber’s 40 districts as talks

involving Republicans continue.

Aides to Senate Majority Leader Jay Emler said Wednesday the

Lindsborg Republican was called away by family business, leading to

the cancellation of the debate.

But even in Emler’s absence, conservative and moderate

Republican senators were negotiating privately over adjustments of

district boundaries to account for changes in population over the

past decade. The Senate’s Democratic leader also was involved.

The dispute among Republicans over redistricting threatens to

delay the state’s August 7th primary election.

Also Wednesday, Secretary of State Kris Kobach asked a federal

court to resolve redistricting issues for legislators. Kobach is

the defendant in a federal lawsuit over redistricting.