2009 Legislative Platform, Sedgwick County, Kansas

Sedgwick County > Communications > 2009 Legislative Platform

525 N. Main #315 ▪ Wichita, KS 67203 ▪ Tel: (316) 660-9370
Marv Duncan or Kristi Zukovich

2009 Legislative Platform

Legislative Priorities

Legislative priorities are issues of primary importance to Sedgwick County and may involve the county introducing legislation and/or taking the lead on guiding such legislation through the legislative process. The following are the legislative priorities for Sedgwick County for the 2009 Legislative Session:

Transportation

Affordable Airfares for Kansas. South Central Kansas serves as a business, entertainment, and transportation hub to approximately two thirds of the State. It is also the home of the State’s largest commercial airport, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. Legislation passed that provided $25 million over five years to keep Mid-Continent airfares low.

Support maintaining Special City/County Highway Fund. Sedgwick County supports the continued funding of the Special City/County Highway fund. This fund was created over 25 years ago to prevent the deterioration of city and county roads and streets.

Support Comprehensive Transportation Program (CTP). Sedgwick County continues to urge the Legislature to support this program conditioned upon the additional funding not coming at the expense of reductions or capping in state revenue sharing to local units of government. These funds would be used on improvement projects such as:

I-135, KTA, 47th St. South interchange
Obtaining right-of-way for the Northwest bypass
I-235 and Kellogg interchange
I-235, I-135, K-254 North Junction interchange

Economic Development

Support of Kansas Aviation. Aviation provides Kansans jobs: 36,500 with another 2.9 created for every aviation position. It is critical that Sedgwick County and the State protect these jobs by supporting aviation companies, including research and training. Aviation business partners have indicated the desire to have a coordinated system in which to find qualified employees. Sedgwick County, in partnership with business and education leaders, is answering this and the research and training need through the creation of the National Center for Aviation Training at the Jabara Campus and working with Workforce Alliance. The National Center for Aviation Training facility, in conjunction with the National Institute for Aviation Research and Wichita Area Technical College, will create a general aviation cluster in Wichita that will provide first-rate training and research for years to come.

Preserving Sedgwick County’s Statewide Homeownership Program. The Counties of Sedgwick and Shawnee have co-issued this single-family revenue bond program for nearly 20 years. This program has provided good home buying options across the state of Kansas for first time homebuyers of limited financial means. There have been attempts during past legislative sessions to create a statewide homeownership program to be operated by the State of Kansas. Sedgwick County opposes legislation that would create a new state bureaucracy.

Public Safety

Jail Overcrowding. Sedgwick County supports legislative efforts to ease overcrowding in the Sedgwick County jail and opposes efforts by the State Department of Corrections to shift inmates that belong in the state correctional system to county jails. This problem has posed a significant financial burden in recent years because of suspended or delayed payments to counties for the housing of state prisoners.

Special KPERS Fund for Detention Officers. Sedgwick County supports creating a new category of retirement in KPERS that would give detention officers retirement benefits that are similar to state correction officers. This legislation would give counties the option of using this retirement plan to attract and maintain applicants in this difficult career field.

Offender Registration. Sedgwick County opposes legislation that expands offender registration without additional state funding.

DUI Laws. Sedgwick County supports legislation that would send felony DUI offenders to state prisons.

Extend Current E911 Law by Eliminating Sedgwick County supports legislation that would postpone or eliminate the clause that would drop the counties’ 911 hardwire revenue from $0.75 per line per month to $0.25 per line per month and $0.25 wireless fee. The impact on Emergency Communications is a $1,200,000 drop in revenue annually.

General Government

LAVTR. Sedgwick County supports the return of demand transfers. Without full funding from the Local Ad Valorem Tax Reduction Program a greater share of the tax burden is transferred to local citizens to support the essential operations of County government.

Eminent Domain. Sedgwick County supports use of eminent domain for government projects only, where all other means are not feasible. Sedgwick County would retain the ability to sell land condemned not needed for infrastructure improvements.

Annexation. There has been recent legislation that would have required all unilateral annexations by a city to be approved by the Board of County Commissioners before being effective. Sedgwick County would not support legislation that would have the BOCC approve all such unilateral annexations.

County Sales Tax. Sedgwick County supports legislation that gives counties the same sales tax options as cities.

Support Alternative Taxing Authority. Sedgwick County supports legislative initiatives that will allow the County additional options to restructure County taxes and revenues.

Support County Home Rule. Sedgwick County strongly supports county home rule—which has been afforded to counties by state law since 1974. Local governments should be allowed the largest measure of self-governance based on the belief that government closest to the people is the government which governs best. Sedgwick County opposes legislation that would preempt a county’s home rule authority and supports legislation broadening county home powers, including constitutional home rule.

Support Maintaining Open Government. Sedgwick County supports open government and open access to public records. Exceptions are needed and important, for a number of sound public policy reasons, including safeguarding the privacy of citizens conducting business with the County and allowing for the effective transaction of county business.

Support Maintaining Exemptions in Open Meeting Laws. Sedgwick County supports open government and access to public meetings, but the current exceptions that allow for executive sessions should be maintained. Sedgwick County is opposed to requiring the taping of executive sessions.

Oppose Unfunded State Mandates. Sedgwick County opposes any action by the Legislature that creates an unfunded mandate on counties and our citizens. If the State deems it necessary to control or manage how counties operate, then sufficient funds should be provided to meet the cost of imposing such requirements on counties.

Oppose a Tax Lid on Cities and Counties. Sedgwick County believes that the citizens of this County, through their duly elected county commissioners, are fully capable of making responsible spending decisions and enacting budgets without state imposed limitations. Local government officials are in the best position to determine the appropriate level of spending for vital services in their communities. Sedgwick County therefore opposes any attempt by the legislature to mandate such spending limitations.

Oppose Further Restrictions on County Management of Right-of Ways. Local government should not be restricted from managing public rights-of-way in its best interest and for the protection of its citizens. Sedgwick County opposes any attempt to restrict counties’ authority in public rights-of-way including the collection of franchise fees and/or the ability to enter into franchise agreements.

Oppose Consolidation of Correctional Field Services. Sedgwick County opposes any statewide mandate to consolidate correctional field services. The Kansas Sentencing Commission periodically considers introducing legislation that would create a new state agency to administer correctional field services. Sedgwick County supports the current system that allows local communities to decide whether to consolidate or not.

Solid Waste Management. Sedgwick County opposes any restrictions to a county’s authority to manage its solid waste through an effective planning and management system.

Water Issues. Sedgwick County recognizes the need to protect natural resources for future use. While officials have taken action to ensure the availability of these resources, it is difficult to develop a workable plan without assistance from surrounding counties and the State government.

Public Construction Act. Sedgwick County opposes any proposed changes to the Public Construction Act, specifically those that would affect current retainage practices.

Health and Human Services

Support Maternal Child Health Initiatives by Local Health Departments. Sedgwick County supports efforts and funding that increase the health of expectant mothers and their babies.

Support Measures to Increase Access to Healthcare. Sedgwick County supports policies and programs that increase access to healthcare for all citizens and residents.

Reject the Kansas Health Policy Authority Recommendation for a Preferred Drug List (PDL) for Mental Health Consumers. Advocate for allowing MH consumers to keep on their medications off the PDL so physicians are able to prescribe needed medications. The current system reduces their symptoms rather than resorting to medications that are less expensive and less effective.

Advocate for a Sufficient Number of State Hospital Beds. The state hospital (Osawatomie State Hospital) has been considerably over census many times this year.

Support MH Programs Funded by the Children’s Initiative. Sedgwick County is looking to make sure that adequate funding is secured for the uninsured and underinsured.

Support Statewide Tobacco Control. Sedgwick County supports comprehensive clean indoor air legislation.

Support Expanded Cancer Screenings. Sedgwick County supports adequate funding to support screenings for breast, cervical, prostate and colon cancer through expansion of the early detection works (EDW) program.

Support Continued Funding for Geriatric Mental Health Services. Sedgwick County will continue to seek funding that allows the county to provide mental health services for the elderly within the county.

Support the Reuse/Recycling of Unused Prescription Drugs. Sedgwick County supports the expansion of current law to allow the donation and redistribution of unused prescription drugs to those who meet eligibility criteria.

Support State Funding for Mentally Retarded and/or Developmentally Disabled Citizens with Challenging Behavior. More than 2,000 people in Sedgwick County are currently eligible to receive support and services through the Developmental Disabilities service system. While the vast majority of those individuals can be supported with typical community programs, perhaps as many as five percent engage in severe violent and destructive behaviors that place them and others around them at risk of harm. There continues to be a need for specialized support for individuals whose behavior makes it difficult or impossible to serve them safely in traditional community programs.

Maintain the Children's Initiative Funding (CIF) of $10 million. This funding is currently being received from SRS and is used to subsidize part of the children's SED waiver program, to pay for the Family System of Care services (parent support and children's case management), violence prevention services in schools and therapeutic services to preschoolers.

Support Amending K.S.A. 76-374 to Include Psychiatric Residencies in the KU Medical Student Loan and Scholarship Program. This scholarship and loan repayment program is not currently open to psychiatric residents and would benefit Sedgwick County and the State as a whole as more students train to become psychiatric practitioners.

Support the Allocation of Sufficient Inpatient Psychiatric Resources. Sedgwick County maintains that the State must define the future role of the State hospital system, develop a system of regional; State-operated inpatient units and insure adequate reimbursement for inpatient units. Sedgwick County proposes that SRS evaluate and fund safe transportation for mental health consumers to State psychiatric facilities to ease the staff and financial burden now placed on counties.

Support Continued Full Funding of Home and Community Based Services for the Frail Elderly waiver (HCBS-FE) in FY 2009 and FY 2010. The HCBS-FE waiver program prevents the premature institutionalization of Kansas’ senior population. Senior services should be based on the functional needs of the senior. By keeping seniors in the community as long as possible, last year the waiver program saved the state 60 percent over the cost of institutional care.

Support Full Funding of the Senior Care Act. This program provides in home services for seniors age 60 and older who meet the qualifications for nursing home level of care but choose to remain in the community. This service assists seniors to remain in the community and delay or prevent premature institutionalization.

Support the Promotion of Employment Programs and Policies that Meet the Needs of Older Workers. Sedgwick County supports changes in the state Workforce Investment Act guidelines to address the special needs of older job seekers, and supports adequate funding of the Older Kansans Employment Program (OKEP).

Core Principles

Core principles are policy statements and philosophical positions that the County takes to address a variety of issues that may or may not be raised in the 2009 Legislative Session. Legislation regarding some of these policy statements or issues may end up becoming a priority issue for Sedgwick County. The following are the core principles for Sedgwick County:

Support Continued State Funding for Essential County Services. Each year, the State of Kansas provides funding for essential county services and programs. In many cases this comes as the result of the County taking over services previously handled by the State. For the most part, this partnership between local and state government has worked very well. But, unfortunately, because of the state’s recent budget problems, state funding for these programs has become more uncertain from year to year, putting counties in the unenviable position of either cutting back on needed services or raising property taxes. Sedgwick County supports efforts by the Kansas Legislature to fully fund these programs at existing levels.

Sedgwick County Health Department. The Sedgwick County Health Department is very dependent upon funding from the State of Kansas through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. State funding for essential public health services through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to the Sedgwick County Health Department has remained flat for most programs. Continued state funding is critical to provide essential public health services including public health emergency management, reducing health disparities, monitoring health status, providing immunizations and providing health education programs to reduce chronic diseases by increasing physical activity and good nutrition while decreasing tobacco use and exposure.

Juvenile Justice Funding. The Juvenile Justice system is a state and local government partnership that shifts service delivery for certain juvenile offenders away from state institutions to communities. Sedgwick County supports comprehensive community-based services as envisioned in the original Juvenile Justice Reform Act and has provided local funding to maintain essential staffing levels in the core programs while the State has dealt with more pressing budget issues. Recent funding increases for the Juvenile Justice Authority from the 2008 session should be protected so the new initiatives are given time to take effect.

Funding for Community Corrections Adult Residential Centers. Sedgwick County supports the continuation of adequate funding for Community Corrections Adult Residential Centers and opposes the KDOC recommended termination of funding in FY 2010. The County also supports an annual cost of living increase to cover expenses similar to cost of living adjustments made for state agencies. Community residential programs exist in Sedgwick County to serve the most high risk felony offenders assigned to community corrections. This program provides an important community-based alternative to prison.

Use of the Level of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R). Sedgwick County recommends a statutory requirement mandating use of the Level of Service Inventory – Revised by all probation agencies in Kansas, including Court Services/the Office of Judicial Administration. Use of the LSI-R could provide the Judiciary and Court Service Officers with useful information in making sentencing recommendations and decisions, resulting in more efficient use of correctional resources.

Joint Offender Reentry Initiative. Our citizens and their elected officials have had growing concerns with the numbers of offenders coming into Wichita and Sedgwick County after serving sentences in Kansas prisons and the subsequent impact on public safety when they commit new crimes. Sedgwick County supports the reentry initiative that is gaining momentum in both the state and federal governments.

Developmental Disability Services. Currently, a waiting list exists for access to developmental disability services. This list is divided into two categories: “un-served,” those who currently receive no services, and “underserved,” those who receive at least one service but need additional services. Sufficient funding to meet the needs of waiting individuals continues to be a primary concern for Sedgwick County. The number of people waiting for needed services continues to grow at a rapid pace. There are presently more than 900 people waiting for services in Sedgwick County. The majority of the cost of meeting the needs of these individuals is borne by the federal government since Medicaid only requires a 40% match from Kansas to fund these services.

Community Mental Health Services. Sedgwick County supports providing full funding for mental health services in Sedgwick County. Priorities for the 2009 Session include:

Ensuring access to state and local psychiatric inpatient resources to meet the demand for the mentally ill in Kansas. This can be done by developing a system of regional state operated inpatient units where inpatient care can be provided close to the consumer’s home community.
Securing necessary state general fund money to improve access to mental health services.
Medicaid provides low-income people with critical mental health services. We support greater flexibility regarding service definitions and seek to maximize federal financial participation.

Aging Services. The Sedgwick County Department on Aging provides the administrative support for the Central Plains Area Agency on Aging. This agency provides vital services for the elderly citizens of Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey Counties --- the largest population of older citizens in the State of Kansas. Several programs are funded by state money that provides services to older adults in their homes. The programs include: Home and Community Based Services/Frail Elderly Waiver program and the Senior Care Act program. These programs result in considerable cost savings to the taxpayers of the State of Kansas by keeping older Kansans out of nursing homes and allowing them to remain in their homes.

Communications and Community Initiatives