Governor’s aide: Civics bill violates Kansas Constitution

(AP) A spokesperson for Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly says a Republican proposal to require graduating Kansas high school students to have passed a civics test violates the state constitution. Kelly spokesperson Reeves Oyster stopped short of saying Kelly would veto a bill approved by the state Senate this week to require the test. But she said in an email that the test would be “an unconstitutional intrusion on the authority of the State Board of Education.” Republican backers of the bill disagree and say a test would give students basic knowledge to become engaged citizens. Students would be able to take the test multiple times until they pass.