TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – A bill that would expand the number of exemptions allowed for parents who don’t want their children to be immunized apparently will not go to a vote this year.

State Rep. Brenda Landwehr of Wichita said Wednesday that she doesn’t intend to have the House Health and Human Services Committee work on the bill. She told The Wichita Eagle that she sees little support on the committee for allowing more exemptions from mandatory immunizations.

The bill drew a large crowd for a public hearing two weeks ago. Dozens of parents said they wanted to be allowed to reject the immunizations for reasons of personal conscience.

But health officials told the committee that mandatory vaccine laws are critical to stopping the spread of disease.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Haskell Indian Nations University is partnering with the Environmental Protection Agency to promote
cience and environmental careers.

The university in Lawrence and the EPA’s office in Kansas signed an agreement Wednesday to promote interaction between Haskell students and EPA staff.

Karl Brooks, the EPA district’s regional administrator, says he hopes the agreement will encourage more Haskell students to apply for internships and jobs with the EPA.

He says it also should prompt EPA staff to help Haskell faculty with research, and give Haskell students knowledge they could use to help their tribes with environmental issues.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports EPA staff members also will be considered for adjunct faculty positions at the school.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – The state’s largest insurance company says it will not bid to be part of Gov. Sam Brownback’s proposal to overhaul the state’s Medicaid program.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas said Wednesday that the effort to shift Medicaid programs to private health insurance companies would require it to dramatically change its businesses practices in less than a year.

The governor wants the state to contract with three companies to manage Medicaid, which provides health coverage to poor families and disabled and elderly Kansans.

Rep. Jim Ward, a Democrat from Wichita, says Blue Cross’ decision raises questions about the financial feasibility of the governor’s plan. The Wichita Eagle (https://bit.ly/wfdyma) reports Ward introduced a bill to require annual audits to ensure that private companies don’t reduce benefits to Medicaid recipients.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) – Overland Park police are looking for a woman who is missing for the second time in a week.

Molly Jones was last seen near her home in Overland Park Wednesday evening.

Police say Jones suffers from medical conditions that can cause her to become catatonic and unaware of her surroundings.

She was last seen wearing a pink sport shirt and blue jeans. She is 5-feet-4 and 155 pounds, with red hair and blue eyes. She left with no purse or phone and her family says she has not taken medication that she needs.

Jones reported went Saturday from the University of Kansas Hospital. She was found safe on Monday several blocks away from the hospital.