Governor, legislators to receive KU calendar

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and the state’s 46 female legislators will receive copies of the new “KU Women of Distinction” calendar today at the Capitol.

The event, at 12:30 p.m. in the second-floor rotunda, was called to establish an honorary Statehouse Girl Scout troop of state officials that, among other things, will connect Girl Scouts to state policy issues.

The calendar, which features Sebelius and Kansas University undergraduates, faculty and administrators, was sponsored by the Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center at KU. More than 25 KU offices and individuals contributed to the project.

Victims’ rights

Snowy weather cancels sentencing protest rally

Topeka — A Statehouse rally to protest two reduced jail sentences for sex offenders — one in the case of a 13-year-old Lawrence girl who was raped — was canceled Monday because of the wintry weather.

There was no word on whether it would be rescheduled.

The two cases have drawn the ire of victims’ advocates.

Douglas County District Judge Paula Martin granted an exception to state law, ordering probation and 60 days in jail for two 19-year-old men who had been convicted of raping a 13-year-old girl.

In Topeka, Shawnee County District Judge Franklin Theis recently sentenced a man to probation after he was found guilty of sodomizing a boy under the age of 14.

An excerpt of the new KU

Commuting

Bill would maintain state van-pool program

Topeka — Saving the state employees’ commuter van pool is drawing bipartisan interest.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has proposed abolishing the program, which provides about 270 state employees a round-trip ride from Lawrence and other areas to Topeka.

The riders say their monthly fees pay for the service, but Sebelius said the state should be out of the commuter business. The new measure simply repeals the provision that allows the secretary of administration to get rid of the program.

Among those who introduced the bill Friday are Reps. Paul Davis, Tom Sloan and Barbara Ballard of Lawrence. Davis and Ballard are Democrats and Sloan is a Republican. State Rep. Lee Tafanelli, R-Ozawkie, also has signed onto the legislation.

The bill is HB 2666.