House advances bill naming Wichita memorial the state's Fallen Firefighters Memorial and creates memorial council

The Committee of the Whole reported House Bill 23 72 (HB 2372) favorably as amended. The bill designates the existing Fallen Firefighters Memorial adjacent to the Kansas Firefighters Museum in Wichita as the official Fallen Firefighters Memorial of the state of Kansas and replaces the Kansas Firefighters Memorial Advisory Committee with the Kansas Firefighters Memorial Council, the sponsor said.

The bill was introduced by the House Committee on Federal and State Affairs. The International Association of Firefighters, Wichita Local 135, provided proponent testimony; the Wichita City Council and the state fire marshal offered neutral testimony and no opponents were recorded. Several representatives spoke in support on the floor. Representative Johnson said, "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to recognize our firefighters." Representative Miller urged support, and Representative Schwartzberger, a volunteer firefighter who lost a chief in the line of duty, also asked for support and described the measure as a way to honor fallen firefighters.

A committee amendment modified how the memorial council would be composed; the sponsor said the amendment slightly modified the original proposal on council composition. The committee reported no fiscal impact from enacting the bill. Representative Wilcock moved that the committee report be adopted favorably for passage; the chair recorded the ayes and declared the motion passed. The committee report was adopted by the House when the Committee of the Whole report was read and the House voted to adopt it later in the session.