1st to sue in Kan. remap case submits legal bills

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Kansas City-area woman who filed a federal lawsuit over political redistricting in Kansas is asking to have more than $45,000 in legal bills covered by the state, bringing its total potential cost to more than $700,000.

Robyn Renee Essex, a Republican precinct committee woman from Olathe, submitted her request to the three federal judges who heard her lawsuit and redrew the state's political boundaries earlier this month.

The judges drew new congressional, legislative and State Board of Education districts to account for population changes over the past decade because the Legislature failed to do the job.

The judges allowed 26 other individuals to join Essex as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. Twenty of the 27 plaintiffs have asked have their legal costs covered, and their requests total almost $707,000.