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Barbara Ballard's Issue Positions (Political Courage Test)

Office:

On The Ballot: Running, Democratic for State House (KS) - District 44

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Official Position: Candidate addressed this issue directly by taking the Political Courage Test.
Inferred Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, but Vote Smart inferred this issue based on the candidate's public record, including statements, voting record, and special interest group endorsements.
Unknown Position: Candidate refused to address this issue, or we could not infer an answer for this candidate despite exhaustive research of their public record.
Additional Information: Click on this icon to reveal more information about this candidate's position, from their answers or Vote Smart's research.
Other or Expanded Principles & Legislative Priorities are entered exactly as candidates submit them. Vote Smart does not edit for misspelled words, punctuation or grammar.
What is the Political Courage Test?
This candidate has responded to a Political Courage Test in a previous election. As a continued effort to provide the American public with factual information on candidates running for public office, these archived responses are made available here.

Kansas State Legislative Election 1996 National Political Awareness Test

The Political Courage Test asks candidates which items they will support if elected. It does not ask them to indicate which items they will oppose. Through extensive research of public polling data, we discovered that voters are more concerned with what candidates would support when elected to office, not what they oppose. If a candidate does not select a response to any part or all of any question, it does not necessarily indicate that the candidate is opposed to that particular item.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning abortion.

X a) Abortions should always be legally available.
b) Abortions should be legally available when the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
c) Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest, rape, or when the life of the woman is endangered.
d) Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
e) Abortions should always be illegal.
f) Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and parental notification requirements.
Yes g) Should Kansas government funding be provided to clinics and medical facilities that provide abortion services?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action and civil rights in Kansas.

X a) The Kansas government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public and private sectors.
b) The Kansas government should provide no affirmative action programs.
No c) Do you believe that the Kansas government should recognize same-sex marriages?
Yes d) Do you believe that sexual orientation should be added to Kansas' anti-discrimination laws?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding children and family issues in Kansas.

X a) Increase state funding for programs to prevent teen pregnancy.
X b) Provide tax credits for businesses that provide child care for their employees.
c) Deny or suspend state-issued permits and licenses to parents who are delinquent in paying court-ordered child support.
X d) Continue state funding of after-school programs for children whose parents work outside the home.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address crime in Kansas.

a) Increase state funds for construction of state prisons and for hiring of additional prison staff.
X b) Expand and promote "community policing" programs.
X c) Support "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve their full sentences with no chance of parole.
d) Expand the use of the death penalty for additional circumstances relating to murder.
X e) Oppose the death penalty.
X f) Implement penalties other than incarceration for certain non-violent offenders.
X g) Require mandatory life sentences for third-time, violent felons.
X h) Inform communities when a convicted sex offender moves into the community.
i) Increase state funds for programs which rehabilitate and educate inmates during and after their prison sentences.
j) Decriminalize the possession and private use of certain illegal drugs such as marijuana.
X k) Strengthen penalties and sentences associated with drug-related crimes.
l) Implement chain gangs in which prison inmates work together in chained work groups.
X m) Support laws requiring restitution to crime victims at the personal expense of the criminal.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) to address juvenile crime in Kansas.

X a) Prosecute juveniles who commit murder or other serious, violent crimes as adults.
b) Provide state funding for military-style "boot-camps" for juvenile first-time felons.
X c) Increase state funding for local community centers and other social agencies in areas with at-risk youth.
X d) Support state government funding of programs for at-risk youth such as guaranteed college loans and job training and placement.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Kansas' economic development.

X a) Increase state funds for improving the state's transportation system, including major roadways, railways and airports.
X b) Provide low interest loans and tax credits for expanding, start-up, or relocating businesses.
X c) Support a constitutional amendment which would expand legalized gambling in Kansas to allow slot machines at racetracks.
d) Reduce state government regulations on the private sector.
e) Remove state government controls or caps from wages, prices, rents, profits, production and interest rates.
f) Support limits on cash damages in lawsuits against businesses and professionals for product liability or malpractice.
X g) Increase state funding for programs to re-train unemployed workers.
X h) Provide state funding for housing and business development in rural areas.
X i) Extend the moratorium on the unemployment insurance tax paid by Kansas employers beyond 1997.
X j) Support Kansas' "right to work" law that allows employees to work without joining a union or paying union dues.
Yes k) Do you support extending the Kansas workers' compensation law to include agricultural workers?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Kansas' education system.

X a) Increase state funds for professional development and salaries of public school faculty.
b) Endorse teacher-led voluntary school prayer in public schools.
X c) Encourage private or corporate investment in certain public school programs.
d) Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious, technical).
X e) Support continuation of charter schools where teachers and other professionals receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
X f) Require the use of state-wide achievement standards for all state public schools.
X g) Emphasize local control of education as long as the school district meets state health and safety standards.
X h) Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
X i) Support sex education programs which stress safe sexual practices.
Yes j) Do you support continuing to reduce the state property tax rate which is a source of school funding?
Yes k) Should citizens continue to be able to file petitions protesting local option budget funding to schools?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Kansas' environment and natural resources.

X a) Enact tougher environmental standards to encourage the sale of cleaner burning fuels throughout Kansas.
X b) Support "self-audit" legislation which creates incentives for polluting industries to audit themselves and clean up pollution.
X c) Require a cost/benefit analysis be completed on the economic impact of proposed environmental regulations before they are implemented.
X d) Require the state to reimburse citizens when state-sponsored environmental regulations limit the use of privately owned land.
X e) Continue to provide funding for recycling programs in Kansas.
X f) Request flexibility from the federal government in enforcing and funding federal environmental regulations.
g) Suspend Kansas' participation in unfunded, federally mandated environmental protection legislation.
h) Maintain minimum environmental quality as mandated by current federal regulations.
X i) Provide state funding for research and development of renewable energy sources.
j) Place a high priority on farmers' and ranchers' property rights when considering environmental protection legislation.

a) Would you support amending the Kansas Constitution to limit the terms of the following state officials?

Yes 1) State Senators
Yes 2) State Representatives
Yes b) Do you support the current law which limits terms of the Kansas' Governor to two consecutive four-year terms?
Yes c) Do you support amending the U.S. Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
Yes d) Do you support requiring limits on individual contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes e) Do you support requiring limits on PAC contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes f) Do you support requiring limits on corporate contributions to state legislative candidates?
Yes g) Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
Yes h) Do you support imposing spending limits on state level political campaigns?
No i) Do you support partial funding from state taxes for state level political campaigns?
j) Do you support instituting a constitutionally mandated cap on the growth rate of state government spending?
Yes k) Do you support increased state funding for the Kansas Commission on Governmental Standards and Conduct?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning gun issues.

X a) Support expanding the nationwide federal ban on the public sale of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
b) Increase state restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
X c) Maintain all state registration procedures and state restrictions on possessing firearms.
d) Ease state procedures and restrictions on the purchase and registration of firearms.
e) Repeal all state bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from obtaining firearms.
f) Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms.

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) concerning Kansas' health care system.

X a) Expand state funding for pre-natal and infant care programs available in the state, including immunizations.
X b) Provide tax incentives to assist small businesses in providing health care to their employees.
X c) Ensure that Kansas' citizens have access to basic health care, through managed care, insurance reforms, or state-funded care where necessary.
d) Guaranteeing medical care to all citizens is not a responsibility of state government.
e) Limit the amount of damages that can be awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
X f) Support state-funded incentives that increase the supply and retention of health professionals in rural areas.
g) Request a waiver from the federal government to provide Medicaid services through managed care programs.
X h) Provide state assistance to seniors and the disabled to allow them access to home and community-based health care.
X i) Support changes in tax laws that would allow the self-employed to deduct health insurance costs.
Undecided j) Do you believe that terminally ill individuals should have the right to end their lives?

Indicate what changes you support (if any) concerning levels of funding for the following categories. Select one option only.

Maintain Status a) Abortion
Maintain Status b) Affirmative Action
Greatly Increase c) Agriculture
Greatly Increase d) AIDS Programs
Greatly Increase e) Education
Greatly Increase f) Environment
Greatly Increase g) Health Care
Greatly Increase h) Law Enforcement
Maintain Status i) Welfare

Please indicate the changes you support (if any) concerning Kansas' tax levels. Select one option only.

a) Alcohol Taxes
b) Business Taxes
c) Capital Gains Taxes
Slightly Decrease d) Income Taxes (incomes less than $75,000)
Slightly Decrease e) Income Taxes (incomes greater than $75,000)
Slightly Decrease f) Property Taxes
Maintain Status g) Sales Taxes
Maintain Status h) State Fees
i) Do you support a flat tax structure for state income taxes?

Please indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Kansas' welfare system.

X a) Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
X b) Allow welfare recipients to work and still receive state-funded health care and child care (if needed) until they become self-sufficient.
X c) Require that able-bodied welfare recipients receive job training, attend school, or work in order to receive welfare benefits.
X d) Require that unwed mothers under the age of 18 attend school and live with a parent or guardian (if possible) to receive welfare benefits.
X e) Limit the welfare benefits given to recipients if they have additional children.
f) Provide two-parent families living in poverty the same welfare benefits as one-parent families.
g) Eliminate government-funded welfare and advocate privately-funded assistance to people in need.
h) Impose a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
Explain what your two main legislative priorities will be if elected to the Kansas State Legislature. If any of your priorities will require additional government funding, explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.

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