Session of 1999
         
House Concurrent Resolution No. 5023
         
By Representative Tanner
         
(By Request)
          
2-10
          
10             A  CONCURRENT RESOLUTION urging the Kansas Legislature to
11             make a substantial commitment to public transportation in any new
12             transportation plan.
13      
14             WHEREAS,  The state's current highway plan provides public trans-
15       portation $1,000,000 annually pursuant to K.S.A. 75-5035, an amount
16       equal to .1% of the $900 million surplus in the current highway plan; and
17             WHEREAS,  Social and Rehabilitation Services Secretary Rochelle
18       Chronister said on June 2, 1997, in testimony before the SRS Transition
19       Oversight Committee regarding welfare reform: "The single biggest bar-
20       rier we have is transportation (to get people to work)."; and
21             WHEREAS,  The Legislative Division of Post Audit study "Examining
22       Potential Duplication and Overlap in Programs for Kansas' Aging Popu-
23       lation" (October, 1993) found in a survey of Social and Rehabilitation
24       Services area office staff, staff from the 11 area agencies on aging, and
25       older adults: "The most frequently mentioned need was transportation
26       services."; and
27             WHEREAS,  The Kansas Department on Aging and Social and Re-
28       habilitation Services decided not to pay for transportation services as a
29       home and community based service (HCBS) in the Frail Elderly waiver,
30       although transportation is offered through HCBS waivers or waiver-type
31       programs in 14 states; and
32             WHEREAS,  There is currently no requirement in state law for con-
33       sumer participation in coordinated transit districts administering state and
34       federal transit funds pursuant to K.S.A. 75-5051 through 75-5058, al-
35       though Resolution 30 of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging
36       supported policies that "require the appointment of older persons and
37       persons with disabilities with knowledge of transportation needs to boards
38       making transportation decisions at all levels"; and
39             WHEREAS,  Current state funding may replace local matching funds
40       for the Section 18 program and, therefore, fail to expand transportation
41       services; and
42             WHEREAS,  The 1990 Kansas Legislature failed to enact HB 3008
43       (allowing state funding from the Elderly and Disabled Coordinated Public

HCR 5023

2

  1       Transportation Assistance Fund for nonfederally funded transportation
  2       services) as recommended by the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature: Now,
  3       therefore,
  4             Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas,
  5       the Senate concurring therein: That the Kansas Legislature create a
  6       transportation plan rather than a new highway plan; and
  7             Be it further resolved: That the Kansas Legislature make a substantial
  8       commitment to public transportation in any new transportation plan; and
  9             Be it further resolved: That the Kansas Department on Aging amend
10       the Frail Elderly waiver to pay for transportation services; and
11             Be it further resolved: That the Kansas Legislature amend the Kansas
12       Coordinated Transit Districts Act to require all coordinated transit dis-
13       tricts to include consumer members; and
14             Be it further resolved: That no state funds substitute for local match-
15       ing requirements for federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Effi-
16       ciency Act (ISTEA) funds; and
17        Be it further resolved: That a bill similar to HB 3008 (1990) be passed.
18