Democratic Rep. John Carmichael added an amendment that classifies the records as investigatory. They would not be required to be released under an open records request but may be released if a court decides it’s in the public interest, he said.

Carmichael said he’s concerned about the decrease in transparency and that opening up the commission’s work to the public translates into confidence in the police. He said he understands the desire to protect officers’ privacy.

“I think some people will be justifiably disappointed at the compromises that we’ve reached here,” Carmichael said.

Read the full story at http://cjonline.com/news/2017-02-09/kansas-lawmakers-look-closing-police-commission-records

“There are a number of things that we can do to create jobs in Kansas through targeted stimulus of one type or another, and this bill is an example of that,” says Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat. “But what I want to see us do is take a much broader look at the Kansas economy.”

That broader look, Carmichael says, should include rolling back the tax income cuts that Republican Gov. Sam Brownback pushed through the Legislature in 2012.

Read the full story at http://kmuw.org/post/vote-expected-bill-boost-aviation-employment-cost-concern

Then the committee members will vote. If no one gets a majority, the lowest vote-getter will be dropped and the delegates will vote again. That goes on until somebody emerges from a vote with a majority. In the Republicans’ case, that will be 64 votes.

Democrats are still working out their final rules, but the process will be similar to the one the Republicans are using, said state Rep. John Carmichael, D-Wichita, who is drafting the rules.

Read the full story at http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article130968234.html