The Kansas Employment First Oversight Commission was created by the same state law that requires competitive and integrated employment to be the first option when serving people with disabilities (KSA 44-1136 to 44-1138, also called the Employment First Initiative Act).
As part of the law, the Kansas Legislature established a seven-member oversight commission to make recommendations to ensure the effective and proper implementation of this act. All state agencies are required to “fully cooperate with and provide data and information to assist the Commission in carrying out its duties.”
Latest Employment First Oversight Commission Recommendations
This is the Commission’s annual report, making recommendations to the Governor, Legislature, and state agencies on strategies to increase the number of Kansans with disabilities in competitive and integrated employment.
The Members of the Employment First Oversight Commission are:
- Rocky Nichols, Chair - Topeka (appointed by Senate Minority Leader) 11/18/2022 through 11/17/2025
- Nikki Heiman (appointed by the Governor) 7/1/2019 through 6/30/2023
- Sara Hart Weir - Overland Park (appointed by Senate President) 2/14/2023 through 2/13/2026
- Shelia Nelson-Stout - Salina (appointed by House Minority Leader) 1/25/2023 through 1/24/2026
- Bradley Linnenkamp - Topeka (appointed by Governor) 7/1/2022 through 6/30/2026
- Joe Scarlett (appointed by Governor) 7/1/2022 through 6/30/2025
- Steve Gieber - Topeka (appointed by Speaker of the House) 1/31/2023 through 1/30/2026
View meeting agendas, minutes, and past recommendations and reports at the KDADS website.
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The Kansas Legislature consists of a 125-member House of Representatives and a 40-member Senate. The legislature convenes on the second Monday in January for an annual session and generally adjourns in early May.
The Kansas Legislature website (www.kslegislature.org) allows anyone to track a bill, find their state representative and senator and keep up with the calendar, deadline, and activities of the legislature.
As an active member of the intellectual and developmental disabilities community, you are encouraged to keep up with legislative issues on both the state and federal levels. As a self-advocate, parent, guardian or sibling, the Kansas Council on Developmental Disabilities (KCDD) offers those active in advocacy and public policy the opportunity to subscribe to KCDD’s e-newsletters, calendar reminders, and public policy alerts.
Find your legislators at https://openstates.org/find_your_legislator/
