Several nonprofit advocacy organizations are behind a new bipartisan effort to make Kansas government more open. They are asking legislators to sign a “transparency pledge” to taxpayers. Two Kansas House members helped kick off the effort today (WED) at the Statehouse. Democrat John Wilson from Lawrence says he doesn’t normally sign pledges because they limit his ability to respond to changing circumstances. But he says the transparency pledge is different.
Republican John Rubin from Shawnee also signed the pledge. He’s sponsored several open records bills in recent years. He's also spoken out against the practice of bundling bills. Rubin says voting on several bills at the same time makes it harder for both lawmakers and the public to know exactly what’s being decided.
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Contributed by Jim McLean, of the KHI News Service.
