Securities regulator is new Kan. elections chief

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas' top securities regulator became its interim secretary of state on Tuesday, the first Democrat to serve as the state's chief elections official in nearly 60 years.

Gov. Mark Parkinson announced the appointment of Chris Biggs, who was sworn in immediately.

Biggs will serve out the term of Ron Thornburgh, a four-term Republican who resigned Feb. 15 to become a senior vice president for the Olathe-based Web site company NIC Inc.

The new secretary of state already is running for the job on a permanent basis as a candidate for the Democratic nomination. Parkinson's appointment represents an endorsement of Biggs over state Sen. Chris Steineger of Kansas City in the party's Aug. 3 primary; three Republicans are seeking the GOP nomination.

Biggs praised Thornburgh and said he agrees with him that Kansas does not have widespread problems with voter fraud, as some conservative Republicans have suggested in recent years. Biggs said voter apathy is the larger issue.

"I'm going to go into the office of secretary of state without any particular kind of agenda," he said. "My focus right now is going to be going in and meeting with staff and doing the job that's there."

------ Kan. House delay debate on tax policy until May

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- House members put off a debate Tuesday on Kansas tax policy, saying it's too early to determine how much more money is needed to fund state government next year.

Democrats and moderate Republicans pushed for the delay, saying forcing votes on raising sales taxes to pay for schools and social services was little more than "gotcha politics" by House conservatives.

"The people of Kansas deserve better than what we are doing today," said House Assistant Minority Leader Jim Ward, a Wichita Democrat.

The vote was 64-57 to delay the debate until May 3, a week after legislators end their traditional spring break and three weeks after the new revenue estimate for 2011 is released.

Republicans said they couldn't write a responsible budget that didn't include cuts in education and other programs without knowing how much revenue will be available. Legislative staff are projecting a $467 million gap between anticipated revenues and mandated expenditures for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

"This is not gotcha politics. This is about knowing how much to spend," said Rep. Peggy Mast, an Emporia Republican. "We are ready to cut, if necessary, down to the bone. I don't want to postpone this agony any longer than necessary."

------ Push expected for changes in Kan. abortion laws

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Anti-abortion lawmakers in Kansas are pushing again to rewrite state law regulating late-term procedures.

Several legislators said Tuesday they're focusing on proposals to increase reporting requirements for abortions performed after the 21st week of pregnancy.

They want to compel doctors to disclose the exact medical diagnosis justifying late-term abortions.

Three senators and three House members planned to meet Thursday to discuss drafting new legislation.

The reporting proposals were part of a bill last year that also would have allowed patients or their families to sue doctors over potentially illegal abortions.

The measure was vetoed in April 2009 by then-Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who questioned whether the bill was constitutional.

------ Man accused in Utah of kicking Greyhound driver

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A Greyhound bus veered off the road and through a fence in central Utah after a Kansas passenger kicked the driver in the head, police said.

Six people, including the driver, were treated for minor injuries at Sevier Valley Hospital and released. The attacker ran and was found later hiding in the rafters of a garage in Joseph. He was also treated for minor injuries.

Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Nigbur said the bus was westbound on Interstate 70 late Monday night when a passenger from the third row ran to the front and attacked the driver.

The bus went off the road near Richfield, about 160 miles south of Salt Lake City, after crossing the median and oncoming eastbound traffic.

Santos Antonio Munoz-Gonzalez of Springdale, Kan., is jailed on suspicion of bus jacking, criminal trespassing and 26 counts of aggravated assault.

"We don't have any idea about a motive," Nigbur said. "It sounds like he wasn't making a lot of sense. We don't know if it's some type of mental health issue, or a drug and alcohol issue. It's still under investigation."

------ Kan. county weighs tighter courthouse security

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) -- Reno County commissioners are considering tighter security at the courthouse after a man brought two loaded guns into a courtroom.

Sheriff Randy Henderson outlined possible measures for the commission Tuesday. The sheriff says an X-ray machine would cost $50,000, while putting six more officers at the courthouse would cost more than $350,000 a year.

Meanwhile, misdemeanor charges were filed Tuesday against the man who was found with loaded guns last week at a hearing in a paternity dispute.

The guns were discovered when the judge summoned officers after the 29-year-old man became agitated. No one was injured.

------ Salina sends floodplain map appeal to FEMA

SALINA, Kan. (AP) -- Salina city officials have approved sending FEMA officials a large box of maps and citizen appeals to the agency's floodplain remapping, which they say are incorrect.

Salina city commissioners voted unanimously Monday to send a letter of appeal to Kevin Long, acting chief of engineering management branch of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"We believe the maps are not only incorrect, but inconsistent," City Manager Jason Gage said. "Most of the areas they (FEMA) did not study very closely but just put in a digital form. They need to be studied more closely."

The appeal could give the city more time to study the maps and might give citizens a temporary reprieve from being required to buy flood insurance if the maps go into effect in the spring of next year.

Dean Andrew, the city's planning and zoning administrator, said the city had received many complaints, but he said more citizens should be worried about the changes.

If the map takes effect, the owners of about 22 percent of the parcels of land in the city would have to buy flood insurance.