March 3, 2010

LIBERTARIAN PARTY OF KANSAS TO HOLD STATE CONVENTION

The 2012 Heartland Libertarian Convention will be held March 24, 2012, at the Holiday Inn at KCI in Kansas City, MO.  The event will be a joint state convention of the Libertarian Party of Kansas and the Libertarian Party of Missouri.

The convention will feature a debate among Libertarian candidates for President of the United States.  Confirmed participants include, Jim Burns, Roger Gary, Gary Johnson, Carl Person, Bill Still, and R. Lee Wrights.

Other activities will include a school for candidates running for elected offices, networking sessions, individual state committee sessions in which candidates for public office and delegates to the national convention are selected, and an evening banquet.

The Libertarian Party will nominate its presidential candidate at the national convention in Las Vegas in May.

The Libertarian Party is the third-largest and fastest-growing political party in the nation and in Kansas.  Upholding the principles of personal freedom and individual responsibility, there are active Libertarian groups in Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita, and Salina.

Interested persons can register for the convention at www.lpmo.org.  For additional information about the Libertarian Party, visit www.lp.org or www.lpks.org.

For additional information, contact

Al Terwelp, LPKS Chair

bigalkansas@gmail.com

785-665-7581

February 24, 2012                                                                                                                 913-608-1910

KSRA SUPPORTS LPKS OPEN CARRY CHALLENGE

(Bonner Springs, KS) – The Libertarian Party of Kansas recently issued a challenge to “the unconstitutional ban on the open carry of firearms in all cities and counties in Kansas”. A more specific challenge was issued to the Wyandotte County Unified Government, Kansas City and Overland Park, Kansas. The Kansas State Rifle Association supports and applauds this challenge.

This action comes on the heels of two opinions regarding open carry of firearms issued by Attorney General Derek Schmidt as well as the passage of an amendment to Article IV of the Kansas Constitution. We believe that the opinions issued by Attorney General Derek Schmidt clearly give the implication that cities and counties cannot regulate unloaded firearms in any way and that these individual municipalities may not prohibit open carry. Refer to Attorney General Opinion numbers 2011-024 and 2011-006.

Further, Kansas State law does not prohibit the open carry of firearms. We believe under Kansas Statute K.S.A. 12-16,124 that the only decision left to individual jurisdictions is the regulation of openly carrying a loaded firearm on one’s person and that additionally any home rule ordinance regarding this does not apply to anyone with a concealed carry license.

Article 4 of the Kansas Constitution reads, “A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose.” An overwhelming 89% of the voters in Kansas saw to the passage of this language, showing that the citizens of Kansas insist that their inalienable, natural, constitutional rights be supported at all levels of government.

The Kansas State Rifle Association stands in strong support of the effort to inform and challenge all municipalities who have ordinances violating the rights of its members, as well as all citizens of Kansas, and ask that all jurisdictions review and correct their ordinances accordingly.

February 13,2012

OPEN CARRY FIREARM BAN

The Libertarian Party of Kansas will immediately challenge the unconstitutional ban on
the open carry of firearms in all counties and cities in Kansas that completely ban the
practice by law-abiding citizens on property open to the public. This challenge has begun
with Wyandotte County Unified Government, Kansas City and Overland Park, Kansas.

With the passage of the constitutional amendment to the Kansas Bill of Rights in 2010,
every person who is a resident of Kansas has an unquestionable right to bear arms. The
Kansas constitution states – ‘A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the
defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and
for any other lawful purpose’. In addition to the amendment, Kansas open carry law 12-
16, 124 is clear that counties and cities may regulate open carry but not institute a
complete ban.

In support of this position, Johnson County Sheriff Frank Denning has recently made
public that he will not enforce the open carry bans in Johnson County as Overland Park
has, but would take each situation on a case-by-case bases until the laws are updated. In
December 2011 , Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt gave an opinion (201 1-024) on
the city of Wichita’s weapons ordinance. In Attorney General Schmidt’s opinion, “A city
may not completely prohibit the open carry of a loaded firearm on one’s person,
or in the immediate control of a person, while on property open to the public.”

It is inherently clear that Kansas is an open carry state and those counties and cities
cannot completely ban the open carry of firearms and that all law abiding citizens in
Kansas have the right to bear anns by open carry.

The Libertarian Party openly and activity fights daily for individual rights/liberties of the
citizens of Kansas. The legal right to personal security of life and property at all times are
paramount.

CONTACTS:
Al Terwelp
State Chairman
bigalkansas@gmail.com
785-665-7 58t

Earl Mclntosh
Second Amendment Coordinator
etmcintosh@cox.net
785-213-1715

The Libertarian Party of Kansas
Individual Liberty, Personal Responsibility
P.O. Box 2456
Wichita, KS 67201
l -800-33 5-177 6
www.lpks.org

Chair, Kansas House Health & Human Services Committee

Members of the Kansas House Health & Human Services Committee

Dear Chair Landwehr and Members of the Committee:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony regarding House Bill 2330, the “Cannabis Compassion and Care Act”. We want to express our support for this bill and encourage the committee to approve the bill as proposed.

HB 2330 seeks to aid patients who are suffering and find cannabis to be the most effective treatment. The scope of this bill is limited to patients who suffer from specific illnesses. The science is clear – in certain cases cannabis is the safest and most effective therapy for patients. It is not only an act of compassion – but common sense – to provide a legal outlet for these patients. There are currently 16 states (as well as the District of Columbia) that have approved the use of medical cannabis. A recent CBS News poll found that 77% of respondents support the use of medical cannabis for approved patients. Support for medical cannabis is no longer a radical idea, but now has mainstream support. In addition, the Kansas Division of the Budget estimates that the state will actually see a revenue increase of almost $1,000,000 from the administration of the programs outlined in HB 2330.

It is time for Kansas to confirm our caring nature for those who are ill and in need of proper treatment. Please support these patients and the people of Kansas by forwarding HB 2330 to the full House for consideration.

Respectfully,

Al Terwelp

Chair, Libertarian Party of Kansas

12156 S Stanley Rd

Overbrook, KS 66524

785-665-7581

In 2012 The Libertarian Party of Kansas is combining our state convention with the Libertarian Party of Missouri.   This combined event will be called the .

The 2012 Heartland Libertarian Convention

Missouri LP and Kansas LP

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Holiday Inn at KCI

11728 NW Ambassador Dr., Kansas City, MO, 64153

www.roomstays.com/hotel/640017

Schedule of Events

Friday, March 23

7:00 p.m.                     Informal social gathering at the hotel bar

Saturday, March 24

Morning

7:30 – 8:00               Registration

8:00 – 9:00               Keynote Speaker:   Dave Roland

9:00 – 10:00            General Session

10:00 – 11:00          Breakout Session

1) Candidate School Perfect for candidates, potential candidates, and campaign managers.

or

2) Missouri LP Marijuana Initiative (30 minutes) and Elected Libertarians Forum (30 minutes)

11:00 – 12:00          Breakout Session

1) Phone Banking Session - Sponsored by the MOLP

or

2) Networking Session Meet with others, discuss ideas, exchange contact information.

Afternoon

12:00 – 1:00             Lunch — You may purchase a lunch ticket (see below), or eat on your own.

1:00 – 3:00               State Committee Sessions

LP of Missouri

LP of Kansas

3:00 – 5:00               Presidential Candidate Debate

Moderator: Mike Dann, LPKS State Treasurer

Confirmed participants: Jim Burns, Carl Person, Roger Gary, Bill Still, Gary Johnson, R. Lee Wrights

Invited but unconfirmed: R.J. Harris

Evening

6:30 – 9:00               Banquet  - Speaker:  tbd

Sunday, March 25

LPKS breakfast focus group in hotel restaurant.  More information will be provided at the LPKS business meeting on Saturday.

Fees

General Admission:  $20, Student Admission:  $15  -  Includes keynote speech, general session, breakout sessions, state committee sessions, and presidential debate.

Lunch ticket (optional):  $16 - Menu:  Boxed lunch – shaved turkey breast sandwich, pasta salad, fruit, potato chips, cookie, lemonade and iced tea.

Banquet ticket (optional):  $30 - Menu:  Chicken Marsala, fresh vegetables, choice of pasta or potatoes, dinner rolls, dessert, coffee, iced tea

To make reservations, or to rent a display table at the convention ($20.00), visit www.lpmo.org

Because of the expected large turnout, we have changed the meeting place. This month we will meet at Annie’s Place, 4014 SW Gage Center Drive, in Topeka. We’ll start gathering about 6:30 p.m., with the program starting at 7:00. Each attendee may order from the menu. Their prices are quite reasonable, ranging from $5.00 sandwiches and up.

I need to let Annie’s Place know how many will be there. If you have not already done so, please let me know if you plan to attend this meeting, and how many will be in your group.

Sharon DuBois
Email: liberty43@cox.net

You can read more about the situation in this editorial piece in the Topeka Capital Journal.

Below is the text from the flyer put out by LNEK.  You can download that flyer here as a PDF, or here as a GIF.

Citizens of Topeka:

April 20^th 2011

The Libertarian Party of Kansas (LPKS) held its 2011 State Convention and the outcome probably has some Republicans and Democrats wondering if the Libertarians are finally getting serious.  The first sign of a different attitude happened when the Party chose Al Terwelp as Chair.  Terwelp who works in advertising and marketing explained “The principles and values of the Libertarian Party of Kansas are those of Kansans.  Our liberty-based ideas have always been strong, but how we have shared those ideas has been weak.  We are going to communicate what the Libertarian Party is all about through new media forms with a more consistent brand.”

In a demonstration of the Libertarian Party’s new commitment to better communication of their principles and ideas, the party membership made a move that caught many by surprise; they chose to dramatically update the LPKS’s nearly one decade old Party Platform and their nearly four decade old Statement of Principle.

The party’s Statement of Principle now begins:

“We, the Members of the Libertarian Party of Kansas, believe in the people of Kansas.  We hold that all adults are capable of deciding what is best for themselves, their families, and their communities.  We recognize that all individuals have the right to exercise sole dominion over their own lives, and have the right to live in whatever manner they choose, so long as they do not forcibly interfere with the equal right of others to live in whatever manner they choose.”

Party Media Spokesperson, Stacey Davis, says that the new Statement of Principle holds true to the values of the party and is one that the vast majority of Kansans will identify with.  “We Kansans just want to be treated like adults and that is what the Libertarian Party of Kansas is all about.  Most Kansans are Libertarians; they just don’t know it yet…but they will soon.”

The new Platform and Statement of Principle are available on the Libertarian Party of Kansas’ website, www.LPKS.org which was redesigned in 2010 and is described by many as the most attractive and modern political website in Kansas.

The Libertarian Party of Kansas officers elected during the 2011 state convention include:

###

Mr. Al Terwelp

Chair, Libertarian Party of Kansas

785-665-7581

Chair@LPKS.org

Mr. Stacey Davis

Media Spokesperson, Libertarian Party of Kansas

785-231-9524

Policy@LPKS.org

Website:  www.LPKS.org