Each year, just before the Legislative Session begins, the Kansas Department of Legislative Research publishes a large volume called the "Kansas Legislator Briefing Book."
The purpose of the Kansas Legislator Briefing Book is explained on the title page:
"Kansas Legislators are called upon to make decisions on many issues that come before the
Legislature. In addition, members of the Legislature are frequently asked by constituent groups
to discuss public policy issues in a community forum in their districts. The purpose of the Kansas
Legislator Briefing Book is to assist members in making informed policy decisions and to provide
information in a condensed form that is usable for discussions with constituents-whether in their
offices in Topeka or in their districts."
Within each volume are articles on different topics (There are usually about 50 to 80 topics) that will probably be important issues for legislators and their constituents during the coming year. The book gives an excellent summary of these issues and how national, state and local government have dealt with them and may have to deal with them in the coming years. These summary articles can be excellent tools in understanding current issues for students working on reports as well as those interested in gaining a better understanding of issues.
We're highlighting one article here as an example from the 2018 Legislator Briefing Book,
"The Opioid Crisis."
You can read the article on opioid addiction within the online volume of the 2018 Legislator Briefing Book here:
Clicking on the title within the record that comes up will take you to a Contents Page. The article, "Opioid Crisis," is article F-4, so you'll want to scroll down and click on the the thumbnail, "Section F."
Interested in other Legislator Briefing Books from previous years? You can view them here:
LEGISLATOR BRIEFING BOOKS, 2005-2018
MORE INFORMATION ON OPIOIDS
For those of you who'd like more information on opioid abuse, we did a bit of poking around and came up with the following links on opioids provided by Kansas state agencies:
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2018)
The Unprecedented Opioid Epidemic
Police Executive Research Forum (2017)
Opioid Overdose: Risk Factors
ADAPT Pharma, Inc. (2017)
Opioid Prescribing: Where You Live Matters
From: CDC Vitalsigns (July 2017)
Attorney General Derek Schmidt: Kansas investigating opioid manufacturers, distributors
Kansas Attorney General website: Current News Releases (September 2017)
Epidemiology of Opioid and Amphetamine Related Morbidity in Kansas, 2012-2016
Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment. Kansas Health Statistics Report, No.75 (Feb 2018)
Joint Policy Statement of the Kansas Boards of Healing Arts, Nursing and Pharmacy on the Use of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Chronic Pain
Kansas Board of Healing Arts (2016)
What is the Impact of Substance Abuse on Child Welfare?
Caseyfamily Programs (2018)