Kansas Update

Way back in July I posted about how Kansas hired Koch-bros. affiliated attorneys to defend itself in cases regarding its attacks on clinics and its de-funding of Planned Parenthood. At the time I noted:

Huh. I had no idea the state of Kansas had so much money laying around! Planned Parenthood, by the way, is being represented by pro-bono attorneys.

Yesterday the Kansas City Star reported on just how much money the state has paid (so far!):

After about six months, the state has tallied $392,520 in legal bills stemming from attempts to restrict abortion that were pushed during the legislative session earlier this year.

The state spent $237,834 on private lawyers defending efforts to strip Planned Parenthood of federal family planning funds. It has laid out $94,380 defending new rules for abortion clinics.

And it has amassed $60,306 in legal bills over a new law that bars insurance companies from providing elective abortion coverage as part of their comprehensive plans.

[...]

Two firms are handling the lawsuits for the state.

Foulston Siefkin is representing the state in the Planned Parenthood case. The firm charges up to $300 an hour for litigation work and $115 an hour for paralegal services.

The law firm of former University of Kansas Law School Dean Steve McAllister — Thompson, Ramsdell & Qualseth — is representing the state in lawsuits challenging the new abortion clinic rules and the insurance restrictions.

McAllister’s firm charges up to $275 for litigation and $75 an hour for paralegal work.

The state's Attorney General, Derek Schmidt, said they had to hire people since his office is overburdened.

So, earlier this year, while the state passed bullshit legislation that was guraranteed to be challenged in court, the state was also working on a budget. Here's a bit how that went:

Friday’s cuts include:

--A $50.2 million reduction in general state aid to education, which will require legislative action in order to coordinate that change with expected increases in health and human services caseloads.

--$2.3 million reductions each in Board of Regents system operating budgets and Social and Rehabilitation Services mental health care managed services.

--A $1.3 million reduction in State Finance Council funds dedicated to assuring Kansas government salaries are competitive with the private sector.

--A total $374,000 in reduced debt service costs and lowered operating budgets for the Kansas Court of Tax Appeals, the Kansas Attorney General’s office, the Kansas Art Commission and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.

And:

Republican leaders asserted that tax increases will be necessary in the budget, but the House budget did not include a tax increase.[35] Instead, the House budget lessened funds for public education by not replacing $172 million in federal stimulus dollars.

So how is that working out? Pretty much how you might think:

Quietly, without fanfare, the 39-year-old emergency center for Johnson County youth in crisis at TLC closed in September.

In December, the 17-year-old old transitional program for disturbed Johnson County kids from teens up to 18 at TLC will also close.

The elimination of both programs is a result of statewide budget cuts.

[...]

In the meantime, Marillac, the other facility in the county that deals with youth in need of acute care, is facing severe cutbacks in its own programs. It, too, is trying to deal with major budget cuts.

Both TLC and Marillac exist for youth with severe psychiatric needs who have been referred to them by the Johnson County Mental Health Center.

And:

Topeka — State budget cuts to public schools have resulted in fewer teachers and more crowded classrooms, according to statistics reported Friday by the Kansas Department of Education.

The total number of teacher positions statewide in the current school year is 34,075.

That is a drop of 256 from last year and 1,363 since the 2008-09 school year total of 35,438.

Meanwhile, student enrollment has increased from 473,097 in 2008-09 to 482,798 in the current school year. That is an increase of 9,701 students. During that time, the Lawrence school district grew from 11,007 students to 11,613 students, an increase of 606 students.

The elimination of teacher positions coincides with cuts to school funding.

But, hey, Kansas has plenty of money (nearly $400K for six months of work!) to spend hiring attorneys to defend anti-abortion legislation. Obviously that money couldn't be useful anywhere else in the state. Priorities!

Perry and "Personhood"

So this happened yesterday:

Question off camera: Um, I'd like to clarify whether you agree or disagree with Mitt Romney regarding the personhood amendment?

Perry: Let, let me tell you what I believe in. I'm pro-life. Been pro-life all my life. Uh. (pause) As the governor of Texas I don't know if there's, uh, anyone who has been engaged more issues that have been, uh, protective of life. Uhm. And parental consent, parental notification, this last session of legislature we passed a law that, uh, says if a female is to receive an abortion she, ah, has to have a sonogram before that procedure can occur. Uhm, I happen to...to believe in putting justices on the Supreme Court that are pro-life. And....Roe versus Wade would, ah, be found to be unconstitutional, it would go back to the states. Until! There would be a constitutional amendment to the United States that would clearly defend life and that life would be from the time of conception until death. I would support that. Uh, and....(pause)...that a pro-life amendment in a constitutional way is the way that this issue is finally addressed. So, uh, I have always been very consistent, uh, on the issue of life and will continue to be in the, ah, men and women who I would ask to serve on the United States Supreme Court would be strict constructionists and they would find nothing in the United States constitution dealing with the issues of, ah, abortion. That would go back to the states and the state could decide those issues up until the time there would be a United States constitution to protect life, which I would be supportive of.

Barf.

Number of the Day

Zero: The amount of credibility megapastor Joel Osteen has on the subject of gay people's lives—or any subject, for that matter, with the possible exceptions of "How to Gain Notoriety and Wealth by Exploiting Bigotry in the Name of the Lord" and "I Am a Shameless Fartsack."