Democratic State Representative John Carmichael says the statute being referenced was passed in 2015. “The bill that we passed in 2015 was a result of hard work that began well before the legislative session. That bill had bi-partisan support. It also had support of Kansas law enforcement, as well as the Kansas press association,” explains Carmichael. “That does not mean that it is a perfect bill.”

…“It is a mistake for law enforcement to not release video associated with officer involved shootings, because it undermines confidence in law enforcement,” says Carmichael. “That’s bad for police. That’s bad for the public. That’s bad for our society.”

http://www.kwch.com/content/news/FF12-Why-hasnt-dash-cam-video-from-Hays-officer-involved-shooting-been-released-395363281.html

“We need to remember over two years ago the governor embarked on a program with the help of his friends in the Legislature to pack the Supreme Court,” Rep. John Carmichael, D-Wichita, said.

http://cjonline.com/news/2016-08-13/judicial-retention-campaigns-heat-little-disclosure-donors-and-spending

Some Kansans are asking if the deadly Schlitterbahn accident is a sign we need stricter inspection laws in Kansas. Our state is one of a limited number that don’t require state inspectors to certify a ride’s safety.

…

“I represented a ride manufacturer whose ride unfortunately caused the electrocution of a child at a traveling carnival,” said Rep. John Carmichael, (D) Wichita. That was 35 years ago. “We did have Kiddie Land and Joyland here in Wichita when I was growing up. I’m that old. And a lot of the inspections then were performed by the fire department.”

…

The records of those inspections are available to any company who rents the ride. But the state hasn’t answered our questions about whether the public can see the records.

“There is no system to keep track of good operators or bad operators,” Carmichael said. “It is basically a self inspection program.”

…

But Carmichael says having state safety inspectors might not be enough to prevent some accidents.

“We probably cannot expect a basic safety inspector to do a design analysis of a large mega ride,” he said.

Kansas is one of a limited number of states that don’t currently use state inspectors for ride safety. The laws we do have apply more to mobile amusement park rides like you might see at a street carnival or county fair. Carmichael believes we might need a separate set of design requirements for large, permanent rides like the Verruckt.

http://www.kwch.com/content/news/Fatal-accident-questions-need-for-stricter-inspection-laws-in-KS-389555322.html

“Government by fiat in Kansas is done,” said Rep. John Carmichael, D-Wichita. “We are going to have to have cooperation between three factions – conservative Republicans, moderate Republicans and Democrats – in order to do anything to right the sinking ship of state that we’ve watched for the past six years.”

Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, concurred with Longbine. Polling has shown the Supreme Court to be more popular than Brownback and the Republican-led Legislature, he said.

 

“For good reason,” Carmichael said. “A constitutional amendment would be defeated and all the justices retained.”

http://cjonline.com/news/state/2016-07-09/gop-rivals-supreme-court-moderates-agonize-over-missed-chance

 “This is a win for taxpayers, students and the state,” said state Rep. John Carmichael. A member of one school board called the ruling a “big, big relief all the way around.”

http://hppr.org/post/kansas-reaches-compromise-school-funding-crisis

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature’s attempt to build bipartisan support for a court-mandated increase in state aid to poor school districts stalled Friday as lawmakers from affluent Kansas City suburbs demanded assurances that their schools won’t lose money.

A joint meeting of the state House and Senate judiciary committees previewed a potentially intense sectional fight over education funding during a special legislative session that begins next week. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback summoned the GOP-dominated Legislature back to the Statehouse to address a state Supreme Court order last month.

Kansas lawmakers mulling courts’ power amid funding fight

Lawmakers also wrestled with whether to pursue a constitutional amendment that would bar the Supreme Court from ever closing schools. Any constitutional change faces a high bar — both the House and Senate need two-thirds votes to advance any amendment, which would then go before voters in November.

 

Only the Senate panel voted to recommend that it introduce a constitutional amendment to restrict the court. The House committee opted not to move forward with any recommendation. Some members expressed flat-out opposition to a constitutional change, while others worried about acting too hastily.

 

“What effective remedy to enforce the requirements of the constitution of the state of Kansas — what remains?” Rep. John Carmichael, D-Wichita, said of a constitutional amendment. “It seems to me if that’s the circumstance, there is no effective remedy left, and we now have a Supreme Court that has been neutered and can only issue advisory opinions.”

http://cjonline.com/news/2016-06-17/kansas-lawmakers-suggest-halting-highway-project-pay-school-finance-response

Original plans to take that $13 million from schools general aid was a concern for some when it came to constitutionality.

“This is a good fix, because number one it makes it clearer that we are not reducing funding to public education,” Rep. John Carmichael said. “The original proposal would have reduced by a half of a percent funding for education and there was a concern the court could have found that to be unconstitutional on the basis of adequacy.”

http://www.kwch.com/content/news/Lawmakers–384331761.html