14
Tuesday, December 12, 1978
University Daily Kansan
Legislators tell county about lawsuit bills
Staff Reporter
By BILL HIGGINS
Three Kansas legislators told the Douglas County Commission yesterday that legislation was being planned for one of the bills of county governments to lawsuits.
The legislators who met with the Commission were State Rep. Mike Glover, 44th Legislative District; State Rep. John Vogel, 42nd Legislative District; State Rep. John Solobach, 49th Legislative District.
The meeting was requested by the County Commission to give county department
heads a chance to question the legislators about problems concerning county liability
Questions were raised by Ted McFarlane, manager of the Douglas County Ambulance Service; Mike Dooley, engineer and chairman of the Commission; William Whiteenight, chairman of the Commission.
RECENT COURT cases in Wichita and Parsons have stripped state governmental powers.
Glover said a law concerning governmental liability would be proposed in the 1979 session of the Kansas Legislature, which begins Jan. 8.
The proposed law, he said, would limit liability to $500,000 for cities and counties in
Kansas. Another part of the proposed legislation, the Kansas Tort Claims Act, would set a two-year statute of limitations on claims against a government agency. The proposed legislation is in interim committees.
Glover said the liability of individual government officials had not been legally changed by the stripping away of governmental immunity.
But, he said, individual officials are probably less likely to be sued now because a plaintiff could obtain more money by suing the government involved.
"naked," and that some type of liability insurance should be bought for county of residence.
Whitenground said that the county had insurance to cover the costs of a legal defense for officials who were sued, but not damages if they lost. He said the county was considering a blanket insurance policy especially designed for counties, but that the blanket county policy was not yet approved in Kansas.
In a related discussion, McFarlane told the legislators that county ambulance service will not interfere if they were included under the state's definition of a medical practitioner agency.
MCFARLANE SAID that agencies under that definition were eligible for state aid in payment of malpractice insurance. He said that the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center was the only county agency eligible to receive the aid.
GLOVER SAID that the $500,000 limitation on governmental liability would protect individuals by making a governmental suit more lucrative than an individual suit, but that governments would be protected from excessive suits.
Whitentight said, however, that the lady counselured, Daniel Young, said he thought she was a lawyer.
McFarlane also requested that the legislators look into requiring Car-
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dipolunorum Resuscitation training in high school. He and other states had passed law to permit resuscitation.
McFarlane also asked the legislators to investigate the possibility of getting state funds to help pay for ambulance communication equipment. He said other communities in the state had received such funds.
Whitengen asked the legislators to consider enacting state laws that concern possession of explosives. He said that last week Rex Johnson, county sherd, had
learned of a cache of stolen dynamite, but that Johnson was unsure of his power to confiscate the dynamite because of an absence of state laws regarding explosives.
and have enrolled as full-time students should receive grants.
"We got rosters last week showing who was eligible for the scholarship and there are 61 additional students," she said. "We had only one of our 61 students who filed before April 27 who did not enrol in enough hours."
Aid packets available; state grants awaited
The grants currently being awarded are from scholarship money that was not claimed or was not awarded because a failure to enroll as a full-time student.
Students who want to apply for financial aid for 1979-80 need to complete the new American College Testing financial aid application packet during the semester break, Jeff Weinberg, associate director of financial aid, said yesterday.
Farrall said the $250 scholarships would be awarded as soon as the eligibility rosters from all state institutions were tabulated. Those students who receive the grant this semester also will receive a grant next semester, she said.
State of Kansas scholarships are awarded to students statewide who have been named state scholars based on American College Standards. Financial need must also be established.
The packets will be available today at an open house in the Jayhawk Room of the Kansas Union until 4:30 p.m. and at the office of financial aid, 26 Strong Hall.
JOHNSON WAS NOT at the commission meeting, but he said later that legislation would be passed.
While most students are filling out applications for next year, some students will still be waiting for State of Kansas scholarships for this semester. Some should receive their checks soon, Kathleen Farrell, assistant director of the office, said.
"I think people who are storing dynamite should have to notify their local law enforcement."
Last week, an informant told the sheriff's department about a cache containing 15 cases of dynamite. Johnson said his department had learned during the weekend that the 700 pounds of dynamite had been stolen.
At least 60 KU students who were awarded State of Kansas scholarships and have not received the grant money should get checks for the scholarships this semester, Farrell said.
KU to contest '80 budget cuts
University of Kansas officials will be in Topeka today attempting to restore proposed cuts in University funding budget, by James Bibb, state budget director.
Bibb recommended that $4.5 million of KU's $7.4 million request for fiscal 1980 state funding be cut. But Chancellor R. Dykes said yesterday that he had accounted for the funding would be restored at KU's three-hour budget hearing today.
"I feel relatively sure that some of the money will be restored before the budget goes to the Kansas Legislature," Dykes said. "The attitude of the restorations are not known."
Dykes asked the priorities at today's hearings were faculty salary increases on KU's Lawrence campus and at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
Bibb recommended that KU's request for an increase in faculty salaries be trimmed from 6.5 to 5 percent. Bibb also recommended that wage increases from 0.9 to 5 percent.
DYKES SAID a special effort would be
made to restore a 1 percent cut in other operating expenses at the Medical Center and the Lawrence campus.
Dykes said, "We are greatly concerned that we have adequate funds with which to open the new hospital. We are also grateful for your support of the Wichita branch of the Med Center."
KU also will try to justify the need for a $1.9 million request for formula funding catch-up funds that was cut by Bibb. KU requested the money to bring KU up to the funding levels of its peer institutions across the nation.
Formula funding was recently approved by the Kansas Board of Regents. It compares KU's funding to five peer institutions.
Results of a recent comparison of KU to its peer institutions indicated that in fiscal 1800, the Lawrence campus was underfunded by almost $4 million. KU was able to make up half of this deficiency, but Bibb recommended that it be cut.
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Sen. Pearson to teach at KU
After 17 years as a U.S. senator, James Pearson, R-Kan., will come to the University of Kansas next semester to teach.
Pearson recently accepted an appointment as a visiting professor next summer and area study classes, Del Shanker, executive vice chancellor, said yesterday.
Under area studies, Pearson will lecture on East Asian and Latin American studies,
Pearson announced last August that he would not seek re-election in the November election.
Shankel said Pearson would bring his practical knowledge of the workings of the Senate to the classroom and would be able to give additional information and consultation.
"It is an incredible opportunity for us to have a man with such qualifications," said Ms. Grace, the University's a deep knowledge of government, particularly in international affairs. He'll begin in January and will participate in the discussions about the exact details have not been worked out."
He said the University also would rely on Pearson to help it work more effectively with government agencies that it contacts during the year.
Pearson probably will not have the total responsibility for a single class, but will lecture primarily in foreign affairs, in which he has indicated an interest, Shankel said.
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