Senate leaders believe a nominee to head the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services will be confirmed, despite some controversy. An email made public this week referred to remarks supposedly made by acting SRS Secretary Robert Siedlecki (SIDE-leck-ee) in front of a group of mental health center administrators. The email alleged Siedlecki said he would not follow legislative guidelines when spending state dollars. Siedlecki said he never made those comments. Senate Vice President John Vratil, a Leawood Republican, asked Siedlecki about the email during a Ways and Means Committee meeting this week.
The top Democrat in the Senate, Anthony Hensley of Topeka, said this week that he will not vote to confirm Siedlecki because of the allegations.