Priorities

Healthcare

We all know how expensive healthcare is with insurance, but can you imagine trying to manage an illness without it? As a Medical Social Worker in the Kansas City Metro, I have worked with people from all walks of life, and one of the biggest challenges they face is affordable healthcare. These folks are not unlike many other Kansans: they have full time jobs, families, and the same responsibilities we all have.

But unlike the majority of Kansans, many of them have to choose between putting gas in their car to go to work, or buying medication to treat their illnesses, and that is not a choice that Kansans should be forced to make.

    • I will continue to fight for Medicaid expansion

    • I will work to support legislation that lowers the cost of prescription medications

    • I will work to support legislation that lowers the cost of healthcare

    • I will fight for expanded access to medical providers and care across the state

    • I will support legislation that advocates for equitable & affirming healthcare

Education

As a someone who attended Kansas public schools K-12, a Johnson County Community College and KU graduate, as well as the mother of two children who attend Kansas public schools, I understand the significance of a great public education. Kansans have always valued the importance of quality public schools, but under previous administrations, Kansas became a cautionary tale of what happens when public education is underfunded and under supported.  

We can't let that happen again, and must do all we can to support our children, our teachers, and our staff. 

    • I will continue to support legislation and policies that fully fund public schools, including special education

    • I will work to support legislation that helps fund our award winning universities and community colleges

    • I will work to support legislation and policies that protect our teachers and staff from losing their hard earned benefits

    • I will work to support legislation and policies that increase teacher and staff salaries and retention

    • I will work to support legislation and policies that support our public schools and communities during times of uncertainty

Economy

We need an economy that works for everyone. Smart tax policy balances income, sales, and property tax revenue. It must be fiscally responsible, fair, and sustainable. We are fortunate to have a budget surplus, and should use it to create more opportunities for our families, communities, and businesses.

I was proud to vote for the immediate end to the food sales tax, and the reduction of property taxes, but I know there are many other ways to help keep our economy growing.

    • I will continue to support strategic tax cuts to help Kansas families save money

    • I will work to support policies that spur the growth of green collar jobs and tech jobs in our state

    • I will work to support targeted incentives that partner with communities to attract more businesses

    • I will advocate for programs that assist in the growth of small businesses and support entrepreneurs

    • I will work to support the development of widely accessible broadband internet service

    • I will work to support initiatives that provide assistance to declining rural areas and cities facing blight

    • I will work to support scholarships and incentives for post-secondary education, including trade schools, so that we can grow our workforce

Reproductive Justice

Reproductive healthcare decisions can be difficult and complicated, but your choices should remain between yourself, your family, and your medical provider, not left to the will of the legislature.

It is your right to receive the care you need, and the government should not interfere with your decision to seek the reproductive healthcare that fits your unique medical situation.

    • I will continue our work to support legislation and policies that help fund reproductive health care services, including access to preventive care, mammograms, STI prevention and testing, and birth control

    • I will work to support legislation that allows pharmacists to provide PrEP without a prescription

    • I will work to support legislation and policies that protect a persons right to choose

    • I will advocate for age appropriate comprehensive sex education in our public schools

    • I will work to eliminate barriers to reproductive healthcare access in communities across the state

Public Safety

Unfortunately, gun violence is an issue that affects our communities on a daily basis, but thoughts & prayers are not enough to end this epidemic. Kansas ranks #38 in the United States for gun safety measures, and I've heard from many in our community who are pleading with us to do better, because enough is enough.

I support sensible gun laws that save lives, while strengthening mental health resources for our communities, so that we can work together to prevent gun violence before it happens.

    • I will continue our work to roll back legislation that allows 18 to 20-year-olds to carry concealed, loaded handguns in public without a permit, including on college and university campuses

    • I will work to enact "Red Flag" laws to prevent those who may be a danger to themselves or others from accessing firearms

    • I will work to require those convicted of domestic abuse, or who have a domestic abuse restraining order, to relinquish their firearms

    • I will work to help establish comprehensive gun safety training, advocate for safe storage, and offer gun locks free of charge

    • I will work to keep guns out of schools and other sensitive areas such as daycare centers, playgrounds, and establishments where liquor is served

    • I will work to close background check and gun sales loopholes, and require a waiting period for certain firearm transactions

    • I will work to help track and eliminate the components used to make "ghost guns"

    • I will work to provide funding for law enforcement and other community agencies, to train Community Intervention Officers and Social Workers to help safely diffuse confrontations before they escalate

    • I will work to fully fund comprehensive mental health services across the state

LGBTQ+ Discrimination

As the first openly bisexual legislator, and someone who has long worked within the LGBTQ+ community, I understand the unique issues of discrimination that we face.

LGBTQ+ Kansans shouldn't have to live in fear, or have less rights and opportunities than anyone else in the state. Which is why we must prevent discrimination against our LGBTQ+ community.

    • I will continue our fight to protect LGBTQ+ youth.

    • I will work to pass legislation that adds “sexual orientation and gender identity” to the Kansas Act Against Discrimination

    • I will work to repeal unconstitutional laws criminalizing same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage

    • I will work to support legislation that bans sexual orientation/gender identity “conversion therapy”

    • I will work to support legislation and policies that require insurance companies to provide comprehensive care to transgender Kansans

    • I will work to support legislation and policies that protect LGBTQ+ Kansans from discrimination in all aspects of life

Decriminalizing Cannabis

Research suggests that over 80% of Kansans support reforming current cannabis laws. In spite of that, Kansas is one of only three states who do not have some form of cannabis access program on the books. Because so many states have already developed comprehensive regulations regarding the sale and consumption of cannabis, we have several models to draw from when it comes to providing safe and legal access to cannabis for medical and/or recreational use.

Decriminalization has proven to have a huge positive economic impact, and allows for states to collect tax revenue from the sale of cannabis, in order to provide tax relief and stronger services for their residents. There is no reason why Kansans should be left behind, while the states around us reap the benefits of cannabis decriminalization.

    • I will continue our work to enact legislation that provides patients with access to legal medical cannabis

    • I will work to enact legislation to legalize cannabis for adult use

    • I will work to support measures that would allocate tax funds from the sale of cannabis, to substance abuse programs and prevention efforts, as well as funding for mental health, social services, infrastructure, and tax relief programs

    • I will work to support a pathway for those formerly convicted of cannabis related misdemeanors, to expunge their record

Climate Crisis

According to research cited by The New York Times, "the United States economy could lose billions of dollars by the end of the century because of climate change. Currently, carbon emissions are rising, by 3.4 percent last year in the United States and by 2.7 percent globally, according to early estimates."

It is clear that we are facing a climate crisis, and it's imperative that Kansas is on the forefront of tackling this issue.

    • I will continue the work to protect our waterways, and ensure that Kansas remains a leader in water quality

    • I will work to protect our natural resources from contamination and overuse

    • I will work to support initiatives that take advantage of the job growth created by green collar jobs, including wind and solar energy, and bring these jobs to our State

    • I will work to support legislation that tackles the climate crisis in an equitable way by addressing the impact it has on poverty, income inequality, and racial discrimination

    • I will work to protect our landscape and resources for generations to come