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Minutes for SB328 - Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Short Title
Prohibiting the outsourcing or privatization of any operations or facilities of any correctional institution or juvenile correctional facility; allowing existing contracts to be renewed.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 7, 2018
Matt Sterling, Revisor of Statutes, presented an overview of SB328 that prohibits the outsourcing or privatization of any operations or facilities of any correctional institution or juvenile correctional facility; allowing existing contracts to be renewed. It would become effective upon publication in the Kansas Register.
Proponents
Senator Denning offered testimony in support of SB328, noting that this bill would allow for financing of the construction of Lansing prison. The finance counsel will have two components. Instead of bonds, the state is using a real estate investment trust. The company that owns the trust also has a separate division to privatize prisons, and is currently used by the Federal government and some state investments. Checking was done to make sure to finalize lease purchase option in 20 years. This building will be built with a lease-purchase option. Upon purchase of the building the parking lot, roof and air conditioning will be replaced. He noted that we wanted to make sure the balloon amendment did not allow the privatizing of security operations, the warden and the corrections officers. This bill would put into statute that the warden position and security operations are not being privatize. (Attachment 1)
Questions were asked and comments made by Senators: Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Jim Denning, and Ty Masterson.
Senator Anthony Hensley, offered testimony that would prohibit privatization of Lansing or any such prisons in the state of Kansas. This bill and amendment is about personnel attached to said prisons. (Attachment 2)
Questions were asked and comments made by Senators: Caryn Tyson, Ty Masterson, Anthony Hensley, Caryn Tyson, Bruce Givens, and Bud Estes.
Joe Norwood helped to answer questions asked by committee members.
Written Proponents
Sarah LaFrenz, President, and Robert Choromanski, Executive Director, from KOSE offered written testimony in support of SB328. (Attachment 3).
Opponents
There were no opponents or neutrals to SB328.
Chairman Bud Estes closed the hearing on SB328.
