Accusations fly in Legislature’s debate over name of buffalo herd

The Kansas Senate spent nearly an hour Sunday afternoon debating the name of a bison herd.

The Senate’s top Democrat said Republicans were playing politics with a former lawmaker’s widow and the herd.

The strange case arises out of Crawford County, where the pending HB 2059 would name the bison herd at the Mined Land Wildlife Area the “Bob Grant Bison Herd.”

Grant was a state lawmaker who served 1991-94 and 1997-2013. He died in December, and it’s routine for the Legislature to name something after departed former colleagues.

However, the bill was tweaked in a conference committee so that the effective date was changed from publication in the statute books to Jan. 1, 2017. That change would delay the dedication ceremony until after the November election.

Grant’s widow, Lynn Dixon Grant, is a Democratic candidate running for state Senate against incumbent Republican Jacob LaTurner of Pittsburg.

“They’re playing politics with a guy’s widow,” said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka. “The term for that is ‘despicable,’ but a better term is ‘buffalo dung.’ ”

LaTurner strongly objected to Hensley’s accusations, pointing out that he previously voted in favor of naming the bison herd after Grant. He said that if the bill was rewritten to require him to personally paint the sign, he would be willing to do so.

“I think it was insane,” LaTurner said after the debate. “I voted for the bill before. I support it now. I’m going to continue to support. It’s a good idea. Representative Grant deserves that. I think it’s nice to honor his family.”

Hensley’s objections caused the bill to be sent back to conference by a vote of 24-16.

Sen. Larry Powell, R-Garden City, chairman of the committee that handles wildlife matters, confirmed that the date change was due to the upcoming election but said LaTurner had not been involved in that. He said that delaying the naming until after the election actually ensured that it would not be political.

This story was originally published May 1, 2016 at 2:51 PM with the headline "Accusations fly in Legislature’s debate over name of buffalo herd."