The Kansas Senate is the upper house of the Kansas Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Kansas. It is composed of 40 senators representing an equal amount of districts, each with a population of at least 60,000 inhabitants. Members of the Senate are elected to a four-year term. There is no limit to the number of terms that a senator may serve.
Campaign Phone
913-9402406
Personal Biography
Karen Thurlow is an attorney with 30 years experience. She lives in Johnson County, Kansas, where she raised two children. Her daughter is now an OB-GYN and her son is a mental health counselor. The daughter of public educators, Thurlow is a strong supporter of public schools. She also advocates for reproductive rights and expanded access to healthcare.
Education
Bachelor's of Science in Economics from the University of Missouri-Columbia; a J.D. from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Community/Public Service
Karen has served as a mentor for Lead to Read and a volunteer with the Lyric Opera.
Politically, I am a pragmatic, reasonable voice -- a trait we desperately need in the Kansas legislature. I have been an attorney for 30 years and my focus has always been to bridge the gap between opposing sides. It requires the ability to listen and work on behalf of the greater good. I will leverage this skill set daily, if elected.
Ensuring we maintain our reproductive rights and that abortion is safe and legal in Kansas. The voters of Kansas resoundingly support our reproductive rights but many elected officials aren't listening. I will fight any effort to eliminate these rights.
Supporting our public schools is critical. A well-funded, supported public school system is the backbone of a community. As the daughter of public educators, I know this. I will support legislation that advocates for public education.
We need to expand Medicaid. We are one of only 10 states that hasn't and the reason isn't practical -- it's political. By expanding Medicaid, 150,000 additional people would be covered. We'd infuse $1.2 B into our economy annually and employ 20,000 people.
Transparency is critical. Elected officials work FOR the people. Gut and Go needs to be clarified. When can it be used and when shouldn't it be used? Bills should also be clearly named -- and the name should reflect the core contents of the bill.
I support any effort to make voting easier and more accessible. For example, I support ballot boxes. I support making it easier for people with mobility issues to vote -- and for people who work outside traditional business hours to access the polls.
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