ICRI: State of the States: Kansas

The State of the States in Environmental Dispute Resolution:
KANSAS

Current Projects:	United States Postal Service	Employment Arbitration	Indiana Dept of Env. Management	Indiana ADR Providers	Shared Neutrals Pilot	U.S. Dept. of Justice
Completed Projects:	U.S. Env. Protection Agency	EDR State of States	Occupational Safety & Health Review Commission	National Institutes of Health	Focus Groups Sessions

Status:
Kansas has authorized the use of EDR for state agencies. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) uses EDR techniques informally if requested by parties to a dispute.

Legal Authority:
KAN. STAT. ANN. 壯 5-401 to -422 (1991 & Supp. 1998) (codifying the Kansas Uniform Arbitration Act, which authorizes the use of arbitration agreements and establishes law governing the validity of and procedure used in arbitrations); KAN. STAT. ANN. 壯 5-501 to -517 (Supp. 1998) (codifying the Kansas Dispute Resolution Act, which authorizes the establishment of dispute resolution programs that will resolve disputes referred by the courts, requested by the parties, or recommended by an agency; directing the supreme court to adopt rules and standards for dispute resolution neutrals; and providing a confidentiality privilege for dispute resolution communications); KAN. SUP. CT. (Mediation) R. 902 (establishing rules for mediator and mediator trainer qualifications).

Contact Information:
     Jason Oldham
     Office of Judicial Administration
     Kansas Judicial Center
     301 S.W. 10^th St., Room 337
     Topeka, KS 66612-1507
     Phone: (785) 296-3764
     Fax: (785) 296-1804
     Website: http://www.law.ukans.edu/kscourts/kscourts.html

Program Summary

The Kansas Dispute Resolution Act established qualifications for neutral professionals and created a dispute resolution coordinator position, which is attached to the state supreme court and administers the court-referred mediation program. The KDHE does not have a formal EDR program. However, respondents may engage in informal dispute resolution with the KDHE. The state agencies that use EDR most frequently are the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Workers’ Compensation.

Further Information

People

Yvonne C. Anderson, Director of Legal Services, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Landon State Office Bldg., 900 S.W. Jackson, Room 904, Topeka, KS 66612-1290, Phone: (785) 296-1330, Fax: (785) 291-3607, Website: http://www.ink.org/public/kdhe

Indiana Conflict Resolution Institute
Last updated: June 1999
Comments: ICRI Administrator
Copyright 1999 - Indiana University, Bloomington