Kansas Rep. pushes for states to establish own election laws

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - One Kansas Representative is pushing for states to have the ability to establish their own election laws after new voting rights legislation died in the Senate on Wednesday.

13 NEWS sat down with Kansas Republican Jake LaTurner to discuss issues and questions throughout the U.S. and the state of Kansas, including voting rights legislation.

Voting rights legislation, proposed by President Biden and Democrats, died in the Senate on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

Two senate democrats stopped the legislation when they refused to agree to rule changes that would sidestep the 60-vote filibuster rule.

Democrats say they will continue to push for voting rights in other methods, but Kansas Republican Congressman Jake LaTurner told 13 NEWS that states should be free to enact their own, common sense election laws.

“We want the ability to make our own election laws at the state level,” said LaTurner. “And the federal government should not pass sweeping reforms that put the feds in charge of how we conduct elections in Kansas. And so, I do not support what they’re working on in the Senate this week.”

Supporters of the federal bill, including President Biden, say it stops state laws they believe limit access to voting for certain groups, including minorities.

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