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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2011
For more information, Call Travis Couture-Lovelady at (785) 296-3538.
Topeka – State Treasurer Ron Estes today fulfilled a campaign promise by proposing to the legislature a ban on appearances by elected officials in public service announcements using state resources 60 days before an election.
"These public service announcements are intended to educate the citizens of Kansas on the programs available by the state to help serve their best interests," said Estes. "They are not intended to serve as a free campaign commercial for an incumbent before an election."
The bill as proposed to the legislature says that no candidate for elected office shall either appear in a public service announcement or advertisement or allow the candidate's name to be used in a public service announcement or advertisement during the 60 days before any election in which the candidate's name is on the ballot. It goes on to define a public service announcement or advertisement as any message broadcast by electronic, telephonic or print media promoting or announcing some issue of public importance, public concern or public welfare.
"As your State Treasurer, I have a statutory responsibility to promote and administer the Learning Quest 529 Education Savings Program," stated Estes. "This bill allows me to continue to do that, however during the campaign season the advertisements would not include me, my name, or my photograph."
Print media is defined as direct mail literature and advertisements in any newspaper, magazine, or any other periodical publication, but it shall not include printed literature promoting a program so long as it is used regularly throughout the year in the regular course of business and not distributed in an unsolicited direct mail advertising campaign at a cost exceeding $2,000 during the 60 days before any election in which the candidate's name appears on the ballot. Websites are not subject to the ban on electronic media.
"These kind of public service announcements and advertisements, while currently legal, only serve to decrease the trust Kansans place in their government," continued Estes. "Today I fulfill my campaign pledge by calling on the legislature to do what is in the best interests of both public servants and the Kansas taxpayer and end this practice so we may continue to work to restore the faith Kansans place in their government."
Governor Sam Brownback has also expressed his support of the bill. "I support this common sense ethics reform and applaud Treasurer Estes for taking the lead on this legislation," said Brownback.
Ron Estes was sworn in on January 10, 2011 as the 39th State Treasurer for the state of Kansas and is the first state wide elected official from the City of Wichita in 20 years. He was originally elected Sedgwick County Treasurer in 2004 and was re-elected to that position in 2008. Ron has served as the Treasurer for the Kansas County Treasurers' Association and has also held several positions in the Republican Party most recently serving as the state party vice chairman. Ron was born in Topeka and is a 5th generation Kansan. His family continues to run a farm in Osage County. Ron and his wife, Susan, have three children.
