Topic: Low-level Radioactive Waste Compact

Interview of Robert (Bob) Miller, November 9, 2017

Interviewed by H. Edward (Ed) Flentje

Former Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives, Robert (Bob) Miller recalls his many years of service to the State. He describes his involvement with the Young Republicans at K-State, his first campaign to represent his area of Sumner County, and moving up through the ranks in the House despite not having ambition for any other elected position. Miller reflects on his sometimes arms-length relationships with fellow House members and with lobbyists. From his position as chair of the House Federal and State Affairs Committee he oversaw the development of implementing legislation for liquor-by-the-drink, parimutuel wagering, and Show Morethe State Lottery by building subject-matter expertise within the committee. Miller describes instances when legislators' positions on policy issues did not break along purely partisan nor on purely urban-rural lines. He also witnessed the early development of what eventually became the conservative movement in the Legislature. A version of this interview is also posted on KansasMemory.org, the website of the Kansas Historical Society. Show Less

Interview of Mike Hayden, November 23, 2021

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

Former Kansas Governor Mike Hayden talks about how his life-long concern for wildlife and natural resources informed his entry into electoral politics, service in the Kansas House, time as Governor, and his subsequent career. This interview provides insight into how one Kansan was able to make a lasting impact on the state in a key public policy area. Hayden provides perspective on policies that were initiated during his time in office that remain in place and some that may need to be re-examined in the light of recent developments.

Highlights -- short excerpts from the interview

Arc of Water Policy

Natural Boundaries

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Interview of Barbara Sabol, January 14, 2022

Interviewed by Joan Wagnon

The former Secretary of Aging and Health and Environment under Governor John Carlin describes herself first and foremost as a nurse. That nursing background propelled her into high level positions in the local, state and federal government, always asking how her actions affected the children and the people she served. She started out in leadership positions in Kansas government and academia before being appointed Secretary of Aging by Governor John Carlin. She worked with advocates to establish the Silver-haired Legislature. She worked for Mayor Marion Barry in Washington DC in his office of Policy and Show MorePlanning in the Department of Human Services. Carlin asked her to return to Kansas as Secretary of Health and Environment where she quickly established a reputation as a problem solver for tough issues such as the permanent closure of a waste dump in Furley that leaked toxic chemicals. Sabol talks candidly about the challenges she faced as an African American and a woman and how she met those challenges. The interview concludes with her describing her latest project, housing for young adults who have aged out of the foster care system. Show Less

Interview of Janis Lee and Laura McClure, May 20, 2024

Interviewed by Rex Buchanan

Janis Lee and Laura McClure, both Democrats elected from predominantly Republican districts that overlapped, often campaigned together and conducted constituent communication sessions in the areas they both represented. Because their time in the legislature (1989-2011) and their largely rural districts in northcentral Kansas intersected, Lee and McClure both worked on a wide range of policies pertinent to the Energy & Environment Collection of oral histories: confined feeding facilities, solid waste, waste tires, water quality standards, the Kansas v. Colorado lawsuit, and the Water Transfer Act that the city of Hays was exploring at the time of this interview, among Show Moreothers. In the energy arena, significant issues during their time of service in the Kansas Legislature included retail wheeling of electricity, gas pollution remediation, well plugging, and gas-gathering systems regulations. In this May 2024 interview, they explore those issues, the dynamics of the legislature, campaigning, and the work involved in serving in the legislature. Show Less

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Topic: Low-level Radioactive Waste Compact