Committee recommends approval of Christie Smith as inaugural director of Kansas Office of Early Childhood

A Senate committee recommended approval of Christie Smith to serve as the inaugural director of the Office of Early Childhood after a presentation of her background and a round of questions from committee members.

Christie Smith told the committee she has more than 20 years of experience strengthening early childhood systems in Kansas, including serving as executive director of Child Care Aware Kansas and as a family preservation director. Referring to House Bill 2045, which creates a consolidated Office of Early Childhood, Smith said her priorities would be to reduce fragmentation across programs, improve data-informed decision making, reduce administrative burdens, and ensure a coordinated place for families and providers to access services. "I am committed to delivering on this charge and seeing through the vision we all know better reflects what Kansans deserve," she said.

Committee members asked about specifics of implementation, including how the Office would advise childcare providers regarding vaccine-exemption language included in HB 2045, where authority to close programs during communicable-disease events resides, and how staff and FTEs would be transitioned. Smith said the office would emphasize transparency and relationship-building between program directors and parents and would provide factual talking points and guidance for providers. On staffing, she said the transition planning had identified six FTEs to be lapsed and one new Ombudsman FTE (a net change of minus five), and that conversations with staff about job descriptions and functions had begun.

On a procedural point, Jenna explained that the committee has three options for a nomination: approve and consent, not approve and not consent, or proceed without recommendation. Senator Clifford moved that the committee approve and consent to the nomination; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote. The Chair said the nomination will move to the full Senate.

Notable exchanges included Senator Clifford raising concerns about vaccine-exemption language and the potential impact on medically vulnerable children; Smith responded that providers should be transparent with parents and that the office would provide guidance rather than unilateral mandates. When asked by Senator Rose whether she had used AI to write her remarks, Smith said, "No. ChatGPT is my friend, but not when it comes to speech writing." The committee record in this transcript reflects voice votes rather than a roll-call tally.

What happens next: The committee’s favorable recommendation will be transmitted to the full Senate for final consideration of the nomination.