Topeka ? Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ administration last week argued against a bill that would make her natural resources sub-Cabinet meet in public.

“This is a very dangerous precedent for this and future administrations,” Sebelius’ chief counsel, Matt All, said during a hearing before the House Governmental Organization and Elections Committee.

But a group of lawmakers pushing for the proposal said it was necessary because the sub-Cabinet was making decisions in private that have the effect of becoming public policy, especially when it comes to the workings of the Kansas Water Authority.

“The sub-Cabinet is leading the Water Authority in their decision-making process,” said Rep. Carl Holmes, R-Liberal.

Reps. Sharon Schwartz, R-Washington, chairwoman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources budget committee, and Joann Freeborn, R-Concordia, chairwoman of the House Environment Committee, also testified in favor of the bill.

The committee took no action on the measure, which is House Bill 2506.

After taking office in 2003, Sebelius formed a sub-Cabinet within her team of Cabinet secretaries. The sub-Cabinet included secretaries, agency heads and other high-ranking staff that dealt with environmental issues. The stated goal was to break down bureaucratic obstacles and get the various environmental agencies working together.

Several of these people also are nonvoting members of the Kansas Water Authority.

Holmes and several other legislators say the sub-Cabinet is developing policies in private that have budgetary implications.

But All, Sebelius’ chief lawyer, said administration officials must have the latitude to get together and have private policy discussions as part of governing. State budget decisions will eventually be decided by the Legislature, he said.

Committee Chairman Jene Vickrey, R-Louisburg, asked All to meet with the sponsors of the legislation to see if he could address their complaints that sub-Cabinet members were improperly controlling Water Authority business.

Doug Anstaett, executive director of the Kansas Press Assn., which has been lobbying for greater disclosure of records and meetings, said his group would not weigh in on the sub-Cabinet bill.

Anstaett said he wasn’t that familiar with the bill, but that it appeared some of the motivation behind it was based on political bad feelings between the lawmakers and some members of the Sebelius administration.