Chair Erickson opened the hearing on SB 99.

Staff provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 1)

Proponents:

Tanner Tempel, Deputy State Director, American for Prosperity spoke in favor of the bill. (Attachment 2) The bill addresses a significant issue within our state agencies; the prolonged vacancy of full-time positions funded by the state general fund. The bill represents a common-sense approach to improving the efficiency and fiscal responsibility of our state government.

Vance Ginn, Senior Fellow, Kansas Policy Institute provided written testimony in support of the bill. (Attachment 3)

Opponents:

Heather Cessna, Executive Director, Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services, spoke in opposition to the bill.(Attachment 4) The bill proposes to delete badly needed attorney positions and interfere with the Board of Indigents' Defense Services (BIDS') ability to meet the state's constitutional requirement to provide counsel to every indigent individual charged with felony in Kansas

Charles Dalton, Chief of Staff, Office of the Attorney General, spoke in opposition to the bill. (Attachment 8) If passed, this bill would severely limit the office's ability to fulfill our core responsibilities, potentially jeopardizing public safety, undermining the state's legal system, and leaving recent legislation without enforcement.

Written testimony in opposition to the bill was provided by:

Stacey Blakeman, J.D., Self  (Attachment 5)

Joseph Molina, on behalf of the Kansas Bar Association(Attachment 6)

Malia Brink, Policy Director, and David Anderson, Director, Day One Campaign, Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center, Dedman School of Law, Southern Methodist University (Attachment 7)

Neutral

Adam Proffitt, Secretary Department of Administration, appeared neutral on the bill. (Attachment 9) Without a more considered approach to the process of eliminating position, it is likely that this proposed legislation would negatively impact multiple agencies, and likely have further untended consequences that those mentioned today.

Bob Stuart, Executive Officer, Kansas Bureau of Investigation, provided written neutral testimony on the bill. (Attachment 10)

Chair Erickson closed the hearing on SB 99.

The next meeting is February 13, 2025. The meeting was adjourned at 10:32 am.