Disability Rights Center of Kansas

Election season is here! Make a plan to vote and make sure your voice is heard. Voting is both a right and an opportunity to make your voice count!

To vote in the August 4 Kansas Primary Election, you must be registered to vote by TOMORROW, Tuesday, July 14.

Register to vote online: https://www.kdor.ks.gov/apps/voterreg/

Want to learn more? Check out our recent newsletter covering what Kansas voters with disabilities should know this election season. https://www.drckansas.org/about/news/2026kansasvotingupdate

DRC Kansas wants your input! Please take our public input survey and share your feedback on our priorities and objectives for federal fiscal year 2027:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2PCFCHT

Your feedback helps us focus our resources on the issues that matter most to the disability community in Kansas. Thank you for taking the time to share your input!

You may have heard about the recent DOJ memo that argues that seniors and people with disabilities DO NOT have the right to live in the most integrated setting in the community (typically, this means living in your own home). The right to avoid institutionalization and be provided access to supports to thrive at home was previously enshrined in Section 504 of the Rehab Act and the US Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision.

Much like the horrible Texas v Kennedy litigation, if this memo were to be implemented, it would force seniors and people with disabilities into institutions and strip them of their right to community based services, the same services that help them stay in their own home. This would be horrible for seniors, people with disabilities, and taxpayers alike (as institutional beds are dramatically more expensive than in-home supports).

This info graphic from another national group helps explain the threat this DOJ memo poses.

Thank you, Attorney General Kris Kobach, for withdrawing Kansas from the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit and for listening to the concerns of Kansans with disabilities and their families.

Twenty-two Kansas senior and disability organizations joined together to explain why this litigation poses a threat to disability rights and community inclusion. We appreciate the Attorney General's decision to hear those concerns and take action, and we encourage the remaining states involved in the litigation to follow Kansas' example.

Read the coalition letter here: https://tinyurl.com/4xmnv2c4

The ceremonial bill signing for SB 84 (the Supported Decision-Making Agreements Act) was a proud moment for advocates across Kansas!

DRC's Policy Director, Mike Burgess, attended the ceremonial signing to celebrate this milestone alongside other partners in the disability community.

Thank you to everyone who raised their voice, shared their stories, and supported this effort. Your advocacy helped move Kansas forward!