ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The month of April has been busy for the Kelly Administration and the past couple weeks have seen her sign a pair of important bills.
Last Thursday saw Gov. Laura Kelly sign House Bill 2498, legislation that increases investment in Kansas’ public airports, improving airport accessibility and safety, according to a release from the State of Kansas.
“This bill is a critical investment in our state’s aviation infrastructure, ensuring our public use general aviation airports have the resources they need to thrive,” Gov. Kelly noted in last Thursday’s State of Kansas release. “By boosting funding to the Aviation Fund, we’re enhancing safety and supporting economic development across Kansas. House Bill 2498 increases annual funding for the Kansas Airport Improvement Program (KAIP) from $5 million to $15 million.”
This increased funding will provide funding to public airports across the state to allow them to modernize and address infrastructure needs, the State of Kansas release noted.
“Key to KDOT’s support of increased funding for the state’s 109 public use airports has been the agency’s ongoing collaboration with the Kansas Association of Airports and our local and federal partners,” Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed noted in last Thursday’s State of Kansas release. “These airports generate over $9 billion in annual economic output. The KAIP program helps this important industry remain a vital part of the Kansas economy. That translates into jobs and quality of life for the residents of Kansas. These additional resources will support essential initiatives such as pavement improvement, safety enhancements, and automated weather observation systems, which are crucial for air ambulance services in rural areas.”
Others also praised the legislation.
“The additional funding provided by this bill will help maintain the pavement conditions of our state’s general aviation airports,” Kansas State Senator Mike Petersen, District 28, noted in last Thursday’s State of Kansas release. “These airports are very important to our economy and to providing air ambulance access to trauma centers for many of our rural citizens.”
“Increasing funding for airport improvement projects will improve travel experience, create good-paying jobs in our local economies, and increase passenger safety,” Kansas State Senator Ethan Corson, District 7, noted in last Thursday’s State of Kansas release. “Thanks to this bill, Kansans will be better connected to communities large and small, and our airports will be able to meet the growing demand for air travel.”
Monday then saw Gov. Kelly sign Senate Bill 115, establishing the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) as an independent state agency and granting the advocate access to certain files and records of children involved in child welfare proceedings, according to a release from the State of Kansas.
"This bill is a significant step forward in ensuring the welfare of children in our state," Gov. Kelly noted in Monday’s State of Kansas release. "Establishing the Office of Child Advocate as an independent, permanent agency promotes accountability and transparency, undoubtedly protecting more Kansas children. I am proud to support this landmark legislation and appreciate legislators' willingness to work together to finally put the office into law. Senate Bill 115 codifies the position of the Child Advocate as the independent head of the OCA, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. The Child Advocate, selected without regard to political affiliation, is an individual possessing extensive experience in case management, clinical services, or legal services to children and families. The Child Advocate will serve a term of five years.”
The concept of creating the Office of Child Advocate began in 2017 with the Child Welfare System Task Force’s work. Between 2017 and 2021, legislators could not reach a compromise to establish the office, Monday’s State of Kansas release continued.
Other Kansas leaders also praised the legislation
“For more than seven years, we have worked tirelessly to pass this legislation. The concept of an Office of Child Advocate has taken many forms, been heavily debated in the Legislature, and – far too often – got caught up in disagreements over the details,” Kansas State Representative Jarrod Ousley, District 24. “I’m proud to have played a part in crafting this legislation with my colleagues, the governor’s office, and child welfare advocates. The Office of Child Advocate will make Kansas’s child welfare system more accountable and protect children from falling through the cracks.”
"The passage of SB 115 gives us the peace of mind that we will have a future of advocacy for Kansas kids who are in the child welfare system,” Kansas State Representative Susan Concannon, District 107, noted in Monday’s State of Kansas release. “Passing this legislation is even more satisfying because it’s been a long time coming. I truly appreciate all who worked on this through the years, especially those who shared a determination to see it through this year."
The work began back in October 2021, when Gov. Kelly issued Executive Order 21-28 to establish the Division of the Child Advocate as an independent office. Since then, Gov. Kelly worked with legislators in the House and Senate from both parties to establish the Office of Child Advocate in statute.
“So many Kansas parents have told me that our welfare system actually created new harms within their families. They’ve begged for there to be someone they could trust to help them,” Kansas State Senator Molly Baumgardner, District 37, noted in Monday’s State of Kansas release. “These harms were echoed at the Kansas Child Welfare Summit held last week, when former foster care youth recounted the physical and emotional trauma they endured when taken from their homes. That’s why I believe having the Office of the Child Advocate as an independent agency is an important step for protecting the rights and wellbeing of our vulnerable children and families in Kansas.”
Additionally, Senate Bill 115 outlines various duties and powers of the OCA and the Child Advocate, including receiving and resolving complaints related to child welfare, maintaining a public website, making referrals of child abuse or neglect to law enforcement, and submitting annual reports to designated entities, Monday’s State of Kansas release noted.
“We appreciate the lawmakers and advocates that worked together on the Office of Child Advocate bill,” Rachel Marsh, CEO of the Children’s Alliance of Kansas, noted in Monday’s State of Kansas release. “We believe the legislation strengthens support for Kansas children and families and stays true to the OCA's focus on making impactful change in the child welfare system.”
“We are very pleased to see the Office of the Child Advocate enshrined in statute,” Mike Fonkert, Deputy Director of Kansas Appleseed, noted in Monday’s State of Kansas release. “This important legislation will ensure that all Kansans, but especially our children and families, have an independent place to turn to when they encounter problems with our child welfare system. This marks over six years of effort to get this done, and we cannot be more grateful to the leaders that worked on this over these many years. We know that putting this office into law will help protect Kansas children today, tomorrow, and long into the future.”
