Segment 1: One proposed bill in Kansas legislature would allow state prisoners expected to die to be released sooner.
Although the bill would extend Kansas' current 30-day compassionate release statute to 120 days, State Representative Highberger, said that it would only be "a drop in the bucket" for easing the state's prison overcrowding problem. We learned how the stalemate between abortion rights and Medicaid expansion may have resulted in other potential prison reform legislation being overlooked.
- Randy Bowman, executive director of public affairs for the Kansas Department of Corrections
- Rep. Dennis Highberger, (D-District 46) and member of the Kansas Sentencing Commission
Segment 2, beginning at 28:22: How state legislators in Kansas are working to bridge political divides in Topeka
Kansas lawmakers are taking strides to improve civility in Topeka. Working from the premise that getting to know someone can make it easier to work with them Rep. Wolfe Moore and Rep. Steven Johnson set about introducing fellow House members to each other. They explained how they are doing this and what results they are seeing.
- Steven Johnson (R-District 108), state representative from Assaria, Kansas
- Kathy Wolfe Moore (D-District 36), state representative from Kansas City, Kansas
