A key part of the legislative process should be to gather as much information and consider as many viewpoints as possible before reaching a decision. Kansas House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, is systematically derailing that process by ousting legislators from House committees because they have expressed opinions different than his.

Last week, Merrick announced the removal of two House Education Committee members who voted this year against the block grant school finance bill as well as the removal of three House Health and Human Services Committee members who have expressed support for expanding Medicaid in Kansas. The changes were designed to eliminate opposition for Merrick’s viewpoints, but they also eliminated significant expertise on the committees. The two ousted Education Committee members were a Realtor and a professor at Dodge City Community College. The knowledge loss was even more pronounced on the health committee, which lost a pharmacist, a retired physician, and the founder of a rural hospital foundation. Merrick apparently didn’t want to hear what they had to say about Medicaid or other health issues facing the state.

“Kansans oppose expanding Obamacare,” Merrick declared when announcing the committee changes. The House members he removed from those committees were elected by voters in their districts who may or may not agree with that assessment. Do their opinions not deserve to be heard? Is there no possibility that by listening to diverse opinions, the Legislature might find some middle ground on this issue?

Not allowing varied views of key state issues to be heard may be a sign of insecurity among the House leadership and certainly is a disservice to the people of Kansas.