Gov. Sam Brownback and Attorney General Derek Schmidt have proposed a bill that would strengthen the state's human trafficking statues, with an emphasis on protecting children from sexual exploitation.
The bill they'll submit to the state legislature establishes a Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund to support trafficking survivors. Mandatory fines on people convicted of human trafficking and related sex crimes will pay for the fund. The bill also provides for special procedures for children who have been subjected to human trafficking.
Gov. Sam Brownback would like to use some the state's highway dollars to help cover the cost of bussing children to and from public schools.
Brownback proposed Wednesday that the state divert $193 million normally set aside for highway projects to school transportation programs during the next two fiscal years. The diversion would be almost $97 million each year.
Gov. Sam Brownback's new budget proposals would phase in a $76 million increase in aid to public schools over two years. He would would also use $77 million in revenue from state-owned casinos to help fund teacher pensions.
Gov. Sam Brownback's administration may ask state legislators to repeal laws that restrict corporate involvement in farming.
State Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman told freshmen legislators Tuesday that the state's anti-corporate farming laws need to be repealed. He added later that the state can't expand agriculture as much as it could because of those restrictions.
Also, Attorney General Derek Schmidt recently told Secretary Rodman that some of the restrictions are likely unconstitutional.