At least one Kansas lawmaker, apparently unsatisfied with the verdict of the voters, wants to further curtail the authority of the state Supreme Court.
State Rep. Brett Fairchild, a Republican, has introduced a bill that would dramatically broaden the ability of the Legislature to impeach and remove justices of the court. It mirrors a similar measure introduced in the Senate in 2016 that died in a House committee.
The Kansas Constitution currently allows impeachment and removal of justices for “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.” Fairchild’s bill would add to the list: a “breach of the public trust” would be impeachable, as would “attempting to subvert fundamental laws and introduce arbitrary power” or “attempting to usurp the power of the legislative or executive branch of government.”
