Oletha Faust-Goudeau

Oletha Faust-Goudeau is a Democratic member of the Kansas Senate, representing the 29th District since 2009. She was previously a Kansas Representative. She was appointed to this position in 2004.

She is a community activist from Wichita.

Committee assignments

Faust-Goudeau serves on these legislative committees:^[2]

• Ethics and Elections
• Federal and State Affairs
• Joint Committee on Arts and Cultural Resources
• Joint Committee on Children's Issues
• Commerce
• Joint Committee on Economic Development
• Local Government

Major donors

Some of the top contributors to Faust-Goudeau's 2008 campaign, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics:^[3]

Kansas National Education Association, Kansans for Lifesaving Cures, KTLA Consumer Civil Justice, Kansas Contractors Association, AT&T

Labor interests were her largest donor group.

Key Issues

Faust-Goudeau's chief activity has been in protecting rights and services for seniors, the disabled, and children, and in promoting business/development interests. Some legislation which Faust-Goudeau introduced, which became law:

• "Grandparents' Rights" bills, 3 of which she introduced, became law in 2006-2012—latest became law in 2012 with unanimous Legislative backing—essentially forcing the State and the courts to consider grandparents' for possible custody requests in most child-custody cases in which the State has intervened (e.g.: foster care cases). Prior laws she introduced required grandparents to be heard in foster-care cases, and—if caring for their grandchildren as foster parents—to be reimbursed by the state the same as foster parents.

,^{[4] [5]} ,^{[6] [7]}

• Firefighters' Insurance bill—became law in 2012 with unanimous Legislative backing—ensuring that the families of firefighters killed in action are able to continue receiving protection under their firefighter's insurance coverage for the first 18 months following their firefighter's death in the line of duty.

,^{[6] [8]}

• Drug paraphernalia prohibition bill—outlawing the distribution of certain kinds of drug paraphernalia, became law.

^[9]

Controversies

She apparently tried to get out of a speeding ticket by playing the race card and using the fact that she was a state senator. This was not an isolated case.^[10] Subsequent apologies, public & private, by the Senator to all concerned, including law-enforcement personnel.^[5]

Recognition

"Legislator of the Year Award, 2011," by the "Silver-Haired Legislature"—a prominent Kansas senior-citizens' lobbying organization. ^[11]

"10 to Watch in 2010"—list of 10 noteworthy leaders cited by the state's largest newspaper, the Wichita Eagle.^[12]

"Perfect Attendance" record—appearing for all Senate votes, in 2010, 2011—according to various press releases by the Senate Minority Leaders' Office, and other sources. ^[13]

Memberships

Current & former board memberships

^[14]

• Wichita Habitat for Humanity executive board,
• Legal Services of Wichita executive board,
• League of Women Voters
• KPTS (public TV station) Community Advisory Board,
• NAACP Wichita Branch
• City of Wichita Human Services Board

References

1. ↑ http://www.kanfocus.com/FMPro.php?-DB=House_Profiles_KS&-Lay=Contact&-format=Contact_Senate.html&Name=Oletha%20Faust-Goudeau,%20D-29th&-find
2. ↑ Profile from the Kansas Legislature
3. ↑ Oletha Faust-Goudeau 2008 campaign contributions
4. ↑ "Senator pushes for grandparents' rights," February 25, 2012, CJonline.com, Topeka Capital-Journal newspaper
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "State Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau files for re-election," April 26, 2012, Wichita Eagle newspaper, Topeka bureau, by Dion Lefler.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Grandparents, firefighters celebrate bill signings," June 1, 2012 excerpt from "Author Archives: Dion Lefler", WichiTopekIngton archives, Wichita Eagle newspaper.
7. ↑ "Good work on grandparents’ rights," June 10, 2012 excerpt from "Category Archives: Child welfare", WE Blog, Wichita Eagle newspaper.
8. ↑ "New Kansas laws help seniors, families of firefighters killed," June 3, 2102, Tulsa World newspaper (from the Wichita Eagle)
9. ↑ "NAACP Wants Drug Paraphernalia Out of Shops," Jan. 19, 2007, Wichita Eagle, reprinted on Media Awareness Project at mapinc.org
10. ↑ Senator Tries To Defend Fast Talking
11. ↑ "Silver-Haired Legislature Names Faust-Goudeau 'Legislator of the Year'," October 13, 2011, The Oskaloosa Independent newspaper, Valley Falls , Kansas
12. ↑ "10 to Watch in 2009: Oletha Faust-Goudeau," Dec. 28, 2008 item listing under "10 to Watch" articles in Wichita Eagle archives, on Newsbank.com
13. ↑ "Nearly half of Kansas Senate had perfect voting attendance," June 21, 2011, by Earl Glynn, KansasWatchdog.org
14. ↑ "Blogger profile: Oletha Faust-Goudeau - Representative District 84 Kansas House, 2008"

External links

• Kansas Senate
• Project Vote Smart profile
• Follow the Money campaign contributions
  • 2004, 2006, 2008