State Finance Council Approves $254 Million of the Coronavirus Relief Fund

TOPEKA – Today, the State Finance Council (SFC) unanimously approved the public health, education and economic development proposals recommended by the Executive Committee of the Strengthening People and Revitalizing Kansas (SPARK) Taskforce for a total of $254,444,911.

“I want to thank the State Finance Council for approving these funds that will provide aid to Kansans who need it the most, help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate our economic recovery,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Both rural and urban areas of our state will benefit from these dollars.”

Executive Committee Chair Lyle Butler presented the round 2 proposals, which were crafted by the SPARK Taskforce with help from state agency working groups for the following amounts:

“SPARK identified public health, education, economic development, and connectivity as the top priorities for supporting the recovery of the state,” said Lyle Butler. “I want to thank SFC for their support addressing our most pressing needs.”

The SFC will reconsider the Connectivity proposals following the Legislative Budget Committee meeting on August 3, where stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide more input on the proposals.

“We’re committed to making the best investments possible, being accountable to Kansans and operating with the urgency necessary to utilize these funds by the December 30 deadline,” said Recovery Office Executive Director Julie Lorenz.  “We look forward to working with SPARK members, legislators and Kansans to ensure that happens.”

This is the second major allocation of the $1,034,052,049 the State received through the Coronavirus Relief Fund.  Previously, $400 million was allocated to Kansas counties.

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has been awarded a grant to support safer suicide care in behavioral health and healthcare systems in Kansas. The grant, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is for implementation of Zero Suicide in Health Systems.

Zero Suicide is a model and framework that believes suicide deaths for individuals under the care of health and behavioral health systems are preventable. For systems dedicated to improving patient safety, Zero Suicide presents a framework for system-wide transformation toward safer suicide care.

KDHE will work with key partners across the state, including Veterans Affairs and the 26 licensed Community Mental Health Care Systems that have more than 4,500 staff providing mental health services in every county (120+ locations) to more than 140,000 Kansans annually. Besides the policies, protocols and practices the Zero Suicide model supports, objectives include providing evidence-based trainings and practices to support a prepared, competent and confident mental health workforce and coordinated suicide prevention efforts across the state. This award will bring $700,000 per year for five years.

Suicide is a serious public health problem that has far reaching medical, economical and psychosocial implications for Kansas. Between 1999 and 2018, the rate of suicide deaths in Kansas increased 70% from 11.3 to 19.2 per 100,000 persons. The 2018 suicide rate was the highest in the last 20 years & is higher than the national rate (14.2 per 100,000 persons) which increased 35% during the same time period. In 2018, suicide was the 9th leading cause of death among all ages and the second leading cause of death following unintentional injuries for those age 15-34 years in Kansas. From 2016 to 2018, emergency department visit and hospitalization rates increased for suicide ideation-related injuries.

Division of Conservation Director Candidates to Share Public Presentations

MANHATTAN, Kansas — The Kansas Department of Agriculture will hold interviews for the position of Executive Director of the Division of Conservation on August 6 and 7, and the selection process will include an opportunity for public participation. The public portion will consist of a presentation and questions, which will be available to watch live online.

The public presentations for the six candidates will take place in three separate online meetings: August 6 from 11:15 a.m.–12:00 noon, August 6 from 1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m., and August 7 from 8:15 a.m.–9:00 a.m. Individuals who would like to observe and provide input for the public presentations should contact Brittney Grother at 785-564-6797 or [email protected].

The Kansas Water Authority (KWA) will have their meeting by Webinar on Thursday, July 30 starting at 9 a.m.

For additional meeting information or how to access the meeting, visit the Kansas Water Office website, www.kwo.ks.gov or call (785) 296-3185.

The KWA is responsible for advising the Governor, Legislature and Director of the Kansas Water Office on water policy issues. They also ensure that water policies and programs address the needs of all Kansans as well as serve as advisors of the Kansas Water Vision and Kansas Water Plan. The KWA was established in 1981 and consists of 13 voting members who are appointed by the Governor or Legislative leadership. State agency directors serve as ex-officio members.

Note to Editor: The Americans with Disabilities Act, (42 U.S.C. 12101), requires the Kansas Water Office to print the reasonable accommodations messages.

Kansas Department of Transportation Proposes Safety Rule Regulating Minimum Railroad Crew Size

TOPEKA—The Department of Transportation today proposed a new regulation requiring railroads operating within Kansas to maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.

“Kansas has faced issues ranging from crew member fatigue to derailments which pose a threat to our safety and security – but by maintaining the current practice of requiring a two-person crew we can ensure the health and safety of Kansas workers,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This proposed regulation is a commonsense, necessary measure to protect our state’s railroad crew members and keep every community along the tracks safe.”

The regulation reads as follows:

K.A.R. [36-43-1].  Crew Requirements.

1. Railroads operating within Kansas shall maintain a minimum of two crew members in the control compartment of the lead locomotive unit of a train.

2. Compliance with subsection (a) of this Section shall not be required during switching operations, brake testing, safety inspections, or while performing setouts in conjunction with road service.

The benefits of the proposed rule and regulation is railroad and community safety, including the role two-person crews can play in helping to prevent potential accidents or derailments and in emergency situations.

Other states that have enacted legislation on minimum railroad crew requirements are Wisconsin, Arizona, Oregon, California, West Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, and Illinois.

Nearly all railroads in Kansas are currently operating two-person crews and will have no increased labor costs from the implementation of this regulation.