House Status:
Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for SB70 - Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Short Title
Open meetings; justifications for closed or executive meetings.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 2, 2017
Chairperson LaTurner opened the hearing on SB 70.
Senator Marci Francisco stated that SB 70 was introduced to make the process more understandable for elected officials who have need to keep some discussions confidential.(Attachment 2)
Senator Molly Baumgardner stated SB 70 builds upon recent legislative efforts to improve accountability and open communications with Kansans.(Attachment 3)
Alan Cowles testified in support of SB 70 stating that elected officials are responsible to the citizens(Attachment 4)
Melissa Wangemann had a concern with the wording of the bill.(Attachment 5)
James Franko supports SB 70 and transparency.(Attachment 6)
Kent Cornish supports SB 70 and the clear definition for executive session.(Attachment 7)
Marge Ahrens supports SB 70 and wants elected officials to remember they are responsible to the citizens of Kansas.(Attachment 8)
Doug Anstaett stated that SB 70 tries to bring more specificity to the process that needs to be followed for a closed session(Attachment 9).
Maxwell Kautsch supports SB 70.(Attachment 10)
The next two testimonies were in writing to support SB 70.
Rick Nichols (Attachment 11)
Dena Sattler (Attachment 12)
Eric Smith supplied neutral testimony for SB 70.(Attachment 13)
Melissa Johnson supplied neutral written testimony in the form of an amendment to p2, crossing out "district coroners" and replacing it with "the investigation of child deaths".(Attachment 14)
Chairperson LaTurner closed the hearing on SB 70.
