Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that limits local government's authority to contract legal services in Kansas.

Highlights:

• Specifies that local governments can only enter into contingency contracts for legal services if the government provides the following when announcing a meeting to consider the contract (Sec. 1):

• Reasons for pursuing the matter that requires the contracted legal services;

• Qualifications, experience, and qualifications of the attorney or law firm selected to provide legal services;

• The nature of the relationship between the local government and the attorney or law firm that will provide legal services;

• Reasons that the legal services can’t be provided by the attorneys or supporting personnel of the local government;

• Reasons that the legal services can’t be reasonably obtained from an hourly rate payment structure; and

• Reasons that entering into a contingency agreement for legal services is in the best interest of the residents in the political subdivision’s jurisdiction.

• Requires contracts for contingency based legal services to be approved in an open meeting (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the attorney general to refuse contracts for contingency based legal services for the following reasons (Sec. 1):

• The legal matter raises questions of law in common with a legal matter already addressed or pursued in court by the state;

• The legal matter involves claims or issues that are more appropriately in the scope of state enforcement; or

• The contract does not comply with the rules of professional attorney conduct adopted by the Kansas supreme court.

• Establishes an expiration date of July 1, 2031 for the provisions of this Act (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that limits local government's authority to contract legal services in Kansas.

Highlights:

• Specifies that local governments can only enter into contingency contracts for legal services if the government provides the following when announcing a meeting to consider the contract (Sec. 1):

• Reasons for pursuing the matter that requires the contracted legal services;

• Qualifications, experience, and qualifications of the attorney or law firm selected to provide legal services;

• The nature of the relationship between the local government and the attorney or law firm that will provide legal services;

• Reasons that the legal services can’t be provided by the attorneys or supporting personnel of the local government;

• Reasons that the legal services can’t be reasonably obtained from an hourly rate payment structure; and

• Reasons that entering into a contingency agreement for legal services is in the best interest of the residents in the political subdivision’s jurisdiction.

• Requires contracts for contingency based legal services to be approved in an open meeting (Sec. 1).

• Authorizes the attorney general to refuse contracts for contingency based legal services for the following reasons (Sec. 1):

• The legal matter raises questions of law in common with a legal matter already addressed or pursued in court by the state;

• The legal matter involves claims or issues that are more appropriately in the scope of state enforcement; or

• The contract does not comply with the rules of professional attorney conduct adopted by the Kansas supreme court.

• Establishes an expiration date of July 1, 2031 for the provisions of this Act (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text