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Minutes for SB101 - Committee on Ways and Means
Short Title
Creating the drug abuse resistance education (D.A.R.E.) educator position.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 12, 2025
Chairperson Billinger opened the hearing on SB 101. David Wiese, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 1)
Special Agent Randy Combs, D.A.R.E. Coordinator for the Office of the Attorney General, spoke in support of the bill. While he has had forty years in law enforcement, trends in drugs are changing and there is a need to have an educator trained specifically to address fentanyl in schools across the state. Fentanyl related deaths deaths in Kansas in 2021 and 2022 were twice as high as in 2020 and 22 times greater compared to 2018 and 2019. Mr. Combs responded to questions from Committee members. (Attachment 2)
Andrew and Rhonda Burris, The Cruz4Life Foundation, testified in favor of the bill. In January of 2023, they lost their son, Cruz, to a fentanyl overdose. He purchased a pill he thought was Percocet and then went to his bedroom where he took the pill while Face-timing with two friends. They had talked to their children about the dangers of drugs and had them watch the news with them so they would see what was happening. If there was more focus in this national crisis, Cruz might still be alive. Mr. Burris responded to questions from Committee members. (Attachment 3)
Representative Robyn Essex stood in support of the bill. Her husband is a middle school teacher and was involved in drug prevention programs but the training is inconsistent and sporadic. The kids are not getting the education they need. Fentanyl is a new threat that needs to be addressed and she has heard from many school counselors, parents and law enforcement who are behind this program. Representative Essex responded to questions from Committee members. (Attachment 4)
Written testimony in support of the bill was submitted by:
Sara Hortenstine, Youth Services, Office of the Attorney General (Attachment 5)
Ashley Frazier, D.A.R.E. America (Attachment 6)
Craig Seibel, D.A.R.E. America (Attachment 7)
Lt. Craig Walion, Johnson County Sheriff's Office (Attachment 8)
There being no further conferees, Chairperson Billinger closed the hearing on SB 101.
