Wichita Eagle: State Government

Blue Cross of Kansas won’t bid to be Medicaid managed-care contractor

DION LEFLER — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:22 CST

The state’s largest insurance company has decided it doesn’t want to participate in Gov. Sam Brownback’s plan to move Medicaid patients into privatized managed-care programs.

In a letter addressed “Dear provider,” Angie Strecker, director of institutional relations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, said the insurer “has decided not to submit a proposal to the state to be a Medicaid contractor.”

Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, said it brings into question the financial feasibility of the governor’s plan to shift the care of poor and disabled Kansans to private health maintenance organizations.

Brownback’s dinners with legislators may be violating Open Meetings Act

Associated Press — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:00 CST

Gov. Sam Brownback’s spokeswoman is defending the dinners he hosted this month with legislative leaders amid questions about whether they violated the Kansas Open Meetings Act.

Over the past month, Brownback has hosted several dinners, which are generally are restricted to Republicans.

Two members of the House Appropriations Committee who attended a Cedar Crest dinner Tuesday said a majority of that committee was present, and topics of discussion included taxes and the state budget.

Kansas Bioscience Authority auditor grilled in hearing

Dion Lefler — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:23 CST

Two days after a $960,000 audit revealed problems in the Kansas Bioscience Authority, the chief auditor faced a grilling Wednesday by lawmakers who questioned whether the investigation had gone far enough and raised the possibility of prosecuting the KBA’s former chief executive.

The audit, by the national firm BKD, confirmed numerous problems with the way that former KBA chief executive Tom Thornton had done his job, including destroying documents and misspending public funds on artwork for his home and plane tickets to an interview for a new job.

But the audit overall found little fault with the structure and operations of the state-funded KBA in its primary duty: attracting of high-tech biological science companies and jobs to Kansas.

Audit finds Kansas Bioscience Authority’s former leader misspent funds, destroyed documents

DION LEFLER — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:02 CST

The former head of the Kansas Bioscience Authority misspent agency funds and destroyed documents on his computer that had been subpoenaed by a prosecutor investigating the agency, according to an in-depth audit of the state-funded authority.

The audit, by the firm BKD LLP, found that Tom Thornton, the former KBA president, used public funds to fly to Cleveland for a job interview and that employees alleged that he engaged in inappropriate intimate relations in the KBA’s office with an employee who later became his wife.

The report concluded that the couple’s conduct hurt office morale, but quoted a KBA contract lawyer’s analysis that their actions didn’t appear to violate state law because KBA employees are not technically state employees.

Peterjohn will seek second term as Sedgwick County commissioner

Hurst Laviana — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:29 CST

Vowing to continue his drive to give voters more control over the amount of property taxes they pay, Sedgwick County Commissioner Karl Peterjohn announced Friday that he will seek a second term in office.

In making the announcement at the Bank of America Building, Peterjohn said he was proud of his work over the past three years to keep the population at the Sedgwick County Jail down and make county government spending more transparent.

“Since I was elected in 2008, I have worked hard to keep this community safe at as reasonable a cost as possible,” he said. “The population of the county jail is well below the number when I became a commissioner, and lower cost alternatives for keeping this community safe are now being used.

How to contact south-central Kansas legislators

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 10:59 CST

Northeast Sedgwick County

Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau
Read more

Taxes, budget, education are critical issues in 2012 Kansas Legislature

Dion Lefler and Brent D. Wistrom — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:11 CST

As this year’s legislative agenda begins to clarify itself, a trinity of issues is emerging with the potential to substantially change your life: taxes, education and the budget.

Depending on what the House and Senate do in the next few months, you may see your income taxes go down and your property taxes go up — or vice versa.

Depending on where you live, your schools could get more money — or hold steady after several years of cuts. Or maybe wind up once again in court seeking money.

State’s proposed domestic violence contract widely criticized

Tim Potter — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:16 CST

A proposed state contract for helping low-income abused women has drawn widespread criticism because of fear that it would require domestic violence programs to promote two-parent families.

The controversial language could end up pushing more women to stay in abusive relationships, having the unintended consequence of endangering them and their children, critics say.

The same contract – which also would provide services to sex-assault victims – calls for abstinence-based programs. Critics say it would be insulting to tell a woman who has been raped that abstinence is part of the solution.

Proposed budget provides for air subsidies, arts commission

BRENT D. WISTROM — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:59 CST

The governor’s proposed budget fulfills several top priorities in Wichita and slightly decreases spending while building up reserves.

Under Gov. Sam Brownback’s 2013 recommended budget, the state would allocate $5 million to again subsidize low-cost airlines flying out of Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport. It’s one of the city’s top priorities and one that Brownback said he strongly supports.

The budget proposal also channels nearly $5 million for aviation training and equipment at the National Center for Aviation Training, and another $5 million in a grant for public-private aviation research at Wichita State University.

Proposal has funds for Arts Commission

Brent Wistrom and Fred Mann — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:59 CST

Gov. Sam Brownback’s budget plan could revive the Kansas Arts Commission, a year after he withdrew all funding from it.

Under his new proposal, the Arts Commission would move with the Film Commission into a new Creative Industries Commission within the Department of Commerce.

The newly formed commission would have $200,000 to grant to creative ventures that create jobs or have some economic impact, and to leverage federal grants. Meanwhile, the existing Arts Commission, which has no funding, would continue seeking private money and implement a program that generates money by selling special arts license plates.

Plan ends college-savings tax deduction

DION LEFLER — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:59 CST

About 60,000 families saving for their children’s college education could take a hit from Gov. Sam Brownback’s income tax plan.

The governor’s proposal, outlined in Wednesday night’s State of the State address, removes a tax deduction for contributions to so-called 529 college savings plans, which in Kansas is administered through the state treasurer’s office.

The Kansas program, called Learning Quest, offers tax advantages to encourage families to save for their children’s post-high-school education, state Treasurer Ron Estes said Thursday.

Kansas A.G. announces expanded task force to fight human trafficking

RON SYLVESTER — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:25 CST

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Wednesday he hopes an expanded task force on human trafficking can work with legislators and the governor to strengthen state laws.

The state has among the weaker laws in the nation dealing with human trafficking, according to a recent analysis by Shared Hope International, a Washington state-based nonprofit group. Kansas sits on one of the major routes favored by pimps and others who would exploit children in the sex trade and forced labor.

Schmidt said he will ask the advisory board to review that and other reports and to identify ways the state can improve its efforts. Schmidt announced the expanded task force on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Governor would cut income tax, keep sales tax rate steady

Dion Lefler and Brent Wistrom — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:59 CST

Gov. Sam Brownback is proposing sweeping changes in the state income tax, including eliminating the tax for small businesses and lowering base rates for wage earners, while also eliminating itemized deductions and about two dozen tax credits.

The proposal would make permanent the temporary emergency sales tax increase passed two years ago during the Mark Parkinson administration, holding the state sales tax at 6.3 percent.

Brownback’s proposals were outlined in his annual State of the State address, delivered Wednesday at the Capitol to a joint session of the Kansas House of Representatives and the Senate.

Brownback enters session with ambitious agenda

BRENT D. WISTROM — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:11 CST

If Gov. Sam Brownback’s year goes as planned, people in Kansas will pay less income tax, schools will start finding new ways to serve their poorest kids and social services will nudge more people toward family life and off the public dime.

But that’s according to a plan that may be difficult to follow in a building filled with politicians.

The Republican governor, who was elected in 2010 with 63 percent of the vote, has already made his mark by shrinking government and advocating conservative policies. Now he is entering the prime of his first term. The aura of past governors has faded. He is backed by a mostly unstoppable majority in the House. And his conservative allies have targeted moderate Republicans who have balked — if only slightly — at his ideas.

Other key issues for the Legislature

Brent D. Wistrom and Dion Lefler — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:11 CST

Here are some of the major issues legislators will face in the session that begins Monday.

Abortion

After passing a package of anti-abortion laws last year, the Legislature might continue to chip away at Roe v. Wade by shortening the window for women to terminate a pregnancy. Two ideas on the table: ban or substantially restrict abortions after the fetal heartbeat becomes detectable, usually six to seven weeks; put a "personhood" amendment on the ballot that would define human life as beginning at fertilization. In the past two years, voters in Colorado and Mississippi rejected personhood amendments.

On the governor’s agenda

Brent D. Wistrom — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:11 CST

Here’s a quick look at changes Gov. Sam Brownback plans to pursue in the legislative session that starts Monday.

Taxes

Brownback wants to reduce individual state income tax rates and zap some income tax exemptions and credits to create a “flatter, simpler, fairer” tax code. His administration has hushed any further details, saving specifics for his State of the State speech Wednesday night. Income tax is the state’s largest stream of revenue. Democrats and moderate Republicans urge caution, suggesting a reduction could translate to deeper cuts in state services that have already faced big cutbacks. Brownback says his proposal won’t significantly cut state revenue. Meanwhile, Senate President Steve Morris, a moderate Republican, has set up a tax study group that will analyze tax bills and make recommendations to the Senate, which blocked an income tax reduction bill last year.

Kansas GOP presidential caucus to have full slate

MCT Regional News — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:07 CST

Kansas Republican presidential caucus participants should see a full ballot March 10.

The deadline for candidates to qualify by paying the $10,000 filing fee is 5 p.m. Saturday.

Kansas Republican Party executive director Clayton Barker said filing documents for former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich arrived around the middle of December, and representatives for three other candidates have said their papers will be sent by special delivery and should arrive this Thursday or Friday in Kansas.

Democrats reveal jobs package

Brent D. Wistrom and Dion Lefler — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:48 CST

Pipefitter Steve Atwood hasn’t been able to find work in Wichita for two years.

To feed his wife and three young daughters, he’s been traveling the country to wherever he can find temporary work, most recently in Illinois.

He’s seen his family a total of 35 days since November of 2010. And when he does come home, “It’s kind of like I’m a stranger walking into Mom’s home after 20 years,” he said.

Appeals backlog leaves unemployed Kansans hanging

Dion Lefler — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 18:49 CST

Layoffs and reorganization at the state Department of Labor have led to a substantial backlog in unemployment appeals, leaving more than 6,500 Kansans waiting months to find out if they’ll qualify for benefits.

The backlog is more than twice what it was three months ago and four times the level in 2010, according to a report from the Legislative Research Department.

Rep. Jim Ward, D-Wichita, who requested the research on the backlog, said the unemployment system wasn’t broken when Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration took it over in January — and appeals were getting done even when the economy and unemployment were worse than they are today.

Brownback doesn’t plan to address new gambling vote in legislative session

BRENT D. WISTROM — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 07:46 CST

Gov. Sam Brownback says the legislature shouldn’t try to tackle gambling during the 2012 legislative session because it has too many other heavy issues to deal with.

“We have got a full agenda,” the governor said in an interview with The Eagle. “This is not the time really for us to address gaming issues.”

Brownback’s agenda includes plans to change the state’s tax structure, overhaul the school finance formula and the state pension system, alter Medicaid and construct new water policies. Meanwhile, the legislature must tackle redistricting during an election year.