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Minutes for HB2448 - Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance
Short Title
Providing membership in the KP&F retirement system for security officers of the department of corrections.
Minutes Content for Wed, Mar 7, 2018
The Chairperson turned the committee's attention to and opened the hearing on HB2448. David Wiese, Assistant Revisor, Office of Revisor of Statutes, distributed a Memorandum and gave an overview of the bill. (Attachment 2)
Alan Conroy, Executive Director, KPERS, provided neutral informational testimony about providing membership in the KP&F retirement system for security officers of the Department of Corrections. (Attachment 3)
Representative J. Russell Jennings, 122nd District, Lakin, Kansas, spoke in support of HB2448's provisions to add corrections officers to the KP&F retirement system. He told members that these officers experience the same exposure to danger and high levels of stress associated with community based public safety work. Their life expectancy is shorter and the demands of the work require physical capacities beyond those of most 60-year-old individuals. (Attachment 4)
Representative Jennings and Mr. Conroy answered questions from Senators Billings, Suellentrop, and Wilborn. Senator Hensley asked about where the Department of Corrections stands on this issue. Keith Bradshaw, Contract Programs & Finance Executive Director for the Department of Corrections, who was a guest in the audience, stood for the question and told members that the Department of Corrections is officially "neutral" on this proposal.
Matt Huntsman, on behalf of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 64, testified in favor of the bill. He told committee members that the bill, as written, only adds "security officers" and should also include "parole officers," specifically, Parole Officer I and Parole Officer II. Mr. Huntsman included a proposed amendment which further defined "security officer" and also set forth a new paragraph to include Parole Officer I and Parole Officer II classifications in the bill. (Attachment 5)
Mike Scribner, Business Agent and President of Teamsters Local Union 696, appeared as a proponent of HB2448. He cited inclusion of correctional officers in KP&F would be a life-changing event for them, and would also give the state the competitive edge it needs to hire and retain staff. (Attachment 6)
Sarah LaFrenz, President, Kansas Organization of State Employees, also spoke in favor of HB2448. She stated that they had surveyed the impacted members of their organization and an overwhelming majority registered their support for this bill. She urged the committee's favorable recommendation for passage to the full Senate. (Attachment 7)
There being no more questions or discussion, and no other proponent, opponent, or neutral testimony submitted, Chairperson Longbine closed the hearing on HB2448.
The meeting adjourned at 10:20 am. The next scheduled meeting is Thursday, March 8, 2018 at 9:30 am.
