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AP: House member wants documents from speaker
Published 3/19/2010 in Local News
TOPEKA (AP) — A Kansas House member wants Speaker Mike O'Neal to produce documents about a lawsuit he filed against the state for clients of his legal practice.
O'Neal, a Republican, is an attorney from Hutchinson. A special bipartisan House committee is investigating a complaint by Democrats that O'Neal created a conflict of interest by filing the lawsuit.
Republican committee member Jeff King, of Independence, wants the panel to ask O'Neal to produce any records showing whether he or his law firm solicited clients for the lawsuit.
King said he wants the committee to gather information about the circumstances surrounding the lawsuit's filing in January in Shawnee County. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include businesses, trade groups and insurance funds.
"It's not necessarily the fact that the speaker asked someone to participate as a plaintiff, but just what was said when he asked," King said. "If the case is that they approached him, then certainly I think the speaker's response to my request will reflect that."
O'Neal had no comment on King's request Friday to the committee chairman. But he has said previously that the plaintiffs approached him about filing the lawsuit.
The speaker also has said he's broken no laws or ethics rules.
Health amendment
A Kansas Senate committee has rejected proposals aimed at nullifying any federal mandates on health insurance coverage.
The Judiciary Committee rejected a proposed "Health Care Freedom" statute on a 5-5 vote Friday.
The action came a day after a 4-4 vote doomed the measure as a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution.
The supporters' goal is a policy barring the state from requiring individuals or businesses to buy health insurance or to participate in a particular health care plan. Proponents believe such a policy will give Kansas grounds to challenge any federal mandate.
A version of the measure — as a proposed constitutional change — has cleared a House committee and awaits debate by the entire chamber.
"There's all kinds of options," said Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, a Shawnee Republican who was the chief sponsor of the Senate's measures.
Under the dome
Friday was the 68th day of the Legislature's annual session, out of 90 scheduled.
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