WICHITA, Kansas -- State legislators from south central Kansas heard from local, county and state departments Thursday.
They're getting feedback on what those departments think needs to be accomplished during the upcoming legislative session.
"This is an opportunity for the area elected officials from south central legislative delegation to hear from our county commissioners, the mayor, the city council and to see what issues we all agree upon," says District 29's Senator Oletha Faust-Goudeau.
The next legislative session is just days away, and the south central delegation heard what constituents feel are the most important issues they'll tackle.
"Understand where they really hit these businesses, particularly the smaller businesses. The regulatory stuff is a killer," says Tim Witsman, President of the Wichita Independent Business Association.
He says the city's small businesses number one complaint is affording the cost of health care.
"We would have some innovative ways of trying to keep people healthy and over the long term that will reduce the costs quite a bit," explains Witsman.
Witsman also told members of state government it's government regulations that also hinder small business.
"If you're hiring, you have to do twelve background checks for state and federal. Twelve. All that is cost and the larger companies simply have an advantage in handling that," says Witsman.
The legislators are from the districts that line the I-35 corridor in Kansas.
Similar meetings are going on in other regions of the state before the legislators all get back together in Topeka for the next session.
"I hope to take all the information gathered here, today we'll hear from the individual from Topeka will come down and share with us about the budget. That's gonna be the biggest issues we will face in the upcoming session," says Senator Faust-Goudeau.
Once the legislative session begins, the south central delegation will meet weekly to update members on pending legislation impacting the area.
