On February 10, 400 Kansans participated in WEALTH Day at the State Capitol to take their messages on state water, air, energy, land (farm and food), transportation and health issues to State Legislators. Starting with a Climate Vigil hosted by Interfaith Action followed by a packed room Policy Briefing and ending with a standing room only Climate Hearing and Rally, the day brought energy and a sense of unified commitment to these issues. Over 30 co-sponsors including the Kansas Rural Center, hosted booths and assisted with the program.

Although not a formally sanctioned legislative hearing, the Climate Hearing was made up of members of both chambers and parties and community members. The committee heard from a range of experts on how climate change is already impacting Kansans, and will impact the Kansas economy, agriculture, and public health.

Climate hearing committee members included: Jeremy Johnson, Crawford County Commissioner; Melissa Cheatam, Johnson County Sustainability Board member; Rev. Cathleen Bascom, and Legislators Rep. Rui XU (D-Westwood); Rep. Don Hineman (R- Dighton); Rep. Tom Cox (R- Shawnee); Rep. Eileen Horn (D-Lawrence); Rep. Jason Probst (D-Hutchinson); Rep. Annie Keuther (D-Topeka); Sen. Marci Francisco (D-Lawrence); Sen. Randall Hardy, R- Salina).

Climate hearing conferees included: Doug Kluck, Central Region Climate Services Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); Richard Mabion, president of KC Chapter of NAACP; Rabbi Moti Reiber, Executive Director of Kansas Interfaith Action; Rachel MySlivy, Associate Director of the Climate + Energy Project; Dorothy Barnett, Executive Director of the Climate + Energy Project; and Fred Iutzi, President of the Land Institute.

You can now view the full recording of the hearing online at https://youtu.be/nQbOHt3YtHg.

You can also find all of the climate hearing testimonies and supporting documents archived at: http://www.climateandenergy.org/admin_upload/2020%20wealth%20day/2020%20WEALTH%20Day%20Climate%20Hearing%20Support%20Document-merged.pdf.