State and Personal Finances

At a time of financial uncertainty it a good idea to be aware of how government can assist you. Below is a list of Kansas state agencies and how they oversee and regulate firms, activities and individuals while educating and assisting Kansas citizens. We've also included some other online resources that might be of help to you in understanding economic issues in our state.

More questions? Contact us!

KANSAS STATE AGENCIES

Kansas Department of Credit Unions
http://www.kansas.gov/kdcu/
(The mission of the Kansas Department of Credit Unions is to protect Kansas citizens and credit union members from undue risk through the examination and supervision of Kansas chartered credit unions to ensure safe and sound operation and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.)

Kansas Division of Consumer Protection, Attorney General's Office
http://www.ksag.org/content/page/id/39
(This Division investigates scams, mediates and prosecutes violations of the Consumer Protection Act, Kansas Charitable Organization and Solicitations Act, the Funeral and Cemetery Merchandise Agreements Act and the Kansas Cemetery Corporation Act.)

Kansas Housing Resources Corporation
http://www.kshousingcorp.org/programs/htc.shtml
(The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation mission is to enhance Kansas communities with housing opportunities. This goal is achieved through using a variety of strategies and approaches, including increasing homeownership opportunities, leveraging the construction of more affordable rental housing, preserving existing housing through rehabilitation, promoting energy efficiency improvements for owner-occupied and rental housing, providing affordable housing through rent assistance to low-income families and senior citizens, and creating housing opportunities for previously underserved persons and communities.)

Kansas Insurance Department
http://www.ksinsurance.org/
(The Kansas Insurance Department regulates and reviews companies, educates consumers, assists consumers, and licenses agents selling insurance products in the state.)

Kansas Office of the Securities Commissioner
http://www.securities.state.ks.us/home.html
(The mission of the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner is to protect and inform Kansas investors, to promote integrity and full disclosure in financial services, and to foster capital formation.)

Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner
http://www.osbckansas.org/
(The mission of the Office of the State Bank Commissioner is to ensure the integrity of regulated providers of financial services through responsible and proactive oversight, while protecting and educating consumers.)

Kansas State Treasurer
http://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/prodweb/index.php
(The mission of the State Treasurer's Office is to participate in the management of public funds to ensure safe and sound financial practices that benefit the people of Kansas. Through efficient and effective use of public and private resources, we will partner with Kansas citizens in the pursuit of their financial security.)

OTHER SITES

Publications on the status of Kansas' economy
http://www.kansasinc.org

Kansas Economic Opportunity Initiatives Fund- disaster assistance funding available to businesses
http://www.kansascommerce.com/IndexPages/Pgm01.aspx?mod=bd&rscId=997371512988

Kansas Economic Development Alliance
http://www.kansaseda.com/

Kansas economic data summary:
http://www.kslib.info/sdc/business.html
http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/esum/

Retirement benefits for Kansas employees

October is just around the corner! KPERS is directed to give $300 bonuses to certain state retirees October 1, 2008.

Find out more from the following:

Look at the Legislation that provides for the $300 bonus to see whether you're eligible:
http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2390.pdf

KPERS Papers newsletter:
http://www.kpers.org/kpapersretirees2008volume2.pdf

Main KPERS website:
http://www.kpers.org/

For teachers:
http://www.knea.org/members/retired/kpers.html

Wind Energy

Many believe that the word, Kansas, named for the Kansa Native American tribe, means "People of the South Wind." It's an appropriate name as wind has played a vital role in the development of our state.

As people worldwide turn to alternate energy resources to replace fossil fuels the "People of the South Wind" have also set their sails... or rather wind turbines... toward this powerful force as a means of harnessing one of the great symbols of our state and converting it into energy that will light our cities and drive us into the 21st century.

Below are some online resources on the development and use of wind energy in Kansas:

Community Wind
http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/energy/comm_wind/index.htm
(Kansas State Corporation Commission, 2006 workshop)

Fact Sheet on Wind Power in Kansas
http://kansas.sierraclub.org/Wind/WindPower-FactSheet.htm
(Sierra Club)

Impact of Wind Farms on Public Health
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/ksleg/KLRD/Publications/46082.pdf
(Kansas Legislative Research Department, 2007)

Kansas Annual Average Wind Power Map
http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/maps/chap3/3-42m.html
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Kansas Energy Plans (2007 and 2008)
http://kec.kansas.gov/energy_plan.htm
(Kansas Energy Council)

Kansas Wind Activities
http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/astate_template.asp?stateab=ks
(U.S. Dept of Energy)

Kansas Wind Energy
http://www.kansasenergy.org/wind.htm
(Kansas Energy Information Network)

Kansas Wind Energy Development
http://www.kfb.org/blog/irvinwind1.htm
(Advice from the Kansas Farm Bureau for landowners approached by wind energy companies)

Kansas Wind Energy Resource Map and Electric Transmission
http://kec.kansas.gov/chart_book/Chapter6/02_KSWindEnergyElectricTransMap.pdf
(Kansas Energy Council)

Kansas Wind Working Group
http://wwg.kansas.gov/
(Established by Governor Sebelius, January 7, 2008)

Small Wind in Kansas
http://www.awea.org/smallwind/kansas.html
(American Wind Energy Association)

Ten FAQs About Wind Energy
http://www.nrel.gov/wind/systemsintegration/pdfs/milligan_wind_integration_faqs.pdf
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Wind and Prairie Task Force
http://kec.kansas.gov/wptf/sercc_wptf.htm
(Established by Governor Kathleen Sebelius. Final report delivered June 7, 2004)

Wind Energy
http://www.ksda.gov/renewable_energy/content/193
(Kansas Dept. of Agriculture)

Wind Energy Projects
http://www.kansasruralcenter.org/wind.html
(Kansas Rural Center)

Wind Powering America: Kansas
http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy00osti/28085.pdf
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Wind Shear Characteristics at Central Plains Tall Towers
http://www.nrel.gov/wind/pdfs/40019.pdf
(National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Information provided by State Library of Kansas staff. Contact us with your questions at: http://www.kslib.info/ask.html

Keep on trucking!

We get a lot of questions in the Reference Department regarding the trucking industry in Kansas. Here are a few helpful links to assist those involved with trucking:


Trucking licensure:
http://www.truckingks.org/

KS Mileage calculator:
http://www.ksdot.org/burTransPlan/dist_chrt.cgi

How to tell what the charge will be when traveling the turnpike:
http://ksturnpike.com/tolls.shtml

How to get a K-Tag
http://ksturnpike.com/ktag.shtml

Road conditions:
http://www.ksdot.org/

Kansas HealthWave

HealthWave is a program that provides low-cost or no-cost health insurance for Kansas families with children. Supported by the state of Kansas, it has been providing health insurance for children since 1999.

Information on HealthWave and an online application form are available at:

http://www.kansashealthwave.org/

Labor Market Information

Looking for the latest information on labor statistics in Kansas? Take a look at the Labor Market Information page on the Kansas Dept of Labor website:

http://www.dol.ks.gov/lmis/lmis.html

The web page includes Kansas employment and unemployment statistics as well as information for employers and job seekers. Statistics are also available for educators and researchers in the field of human resources breaking down workforce, wage and industry stats into helpful charts, maps and tables.

(This information supplied by Peter Haxton of the Kansas State Data Center).

Southwest Kansas Drought

Kansas has been plagued by droughts many times. Check the following state and federal resources for information on current drought conditions in the southwest corner of the state:

Kansas Drought Watch
(US Geological Survey)
http://ks.water.usgs.gov/Kansas/waterwatch/drought/

Southwest Kansas Drought Page
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA))
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ddc/?n=drought

Drought Information
(Kansas State University)
http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/Drought/

Drought Report
(Kansas Water Office)
Click here for link

Kansas Drought Information
(Kansas Dept of Agriculture)
http://www.ksda.gov/kansas_agriculture/cid/1027

August 22nd News Release from Governor Sebelius
http://www.governor.ks.gov/news/NewsRelease/2008/nr-08-0822a.htm

Popular Baby Names in 2007

The Kansas Center for Health and Environmental Statistics recently released its annual listing of most popular names given to newborns. At the top of the diaper pail in 2007 were two names which are interchangeable for boys and girls: Addison and Aiden. You can check out the list of names as well as former top baby names for previous years at:

http://www.kdheks.gov/hci/babyname.html

Vote Kansas!

Check out this web site with information on voting in the upcoming November elections in Kansas. Provided by the Secretary of State.

http://www.voteks.org/

The site includes:

---Guide to voting
---Expect a ballot (i.e. provisional voting)
---Accessibility (i.e language, polling place and ballot)
---Complaint procedures
---Contact information

WELCOME!

Welcome to Kansas Government Information!

This blog, sponsored by the State Library of Kansas, will provide links to current resources on the state of Kansas.

State, federal and local government agency web sites are information treasure troves offering statistics, maps, local history, handbooks, guides, laws and so much more. State Library staff will supply you with web sites, online documents, news, contacts and other information to help you find what you need to know more about the Sunflower State.

So stay tuned for more!