During a confirmation hearing, a group of state senators raised their concerns about the level of support for funding the Kansas public defender system.
Questions were raised yesterday during hearings to confirm appointments by Gov. Sam Brownback to various state agency positions. Among them were Paul Eugene Beck and Kevin Mark Smith, who were named to the Board of Indigent Defense.
Senator Tim Owens, an Overland Park Republican, asked the pair if they would be willing to press Brownback for funding to keep the public defenders' office functioning.
Beck and Smith indicated they would push for funds to make certain that defendants had access to competent legal counsel.
