Democrat Bill Hammond is running to represent portions of eastern and central Douglas County and parts of Johnson County that make up House District 117.
Incumbent Republican Adam Turk did not respond to this questionnaire. We emailed questionnaires to candidates on Oct. 8, gave them until 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 to respond and sent multiple reminder emails.
Hammond shared his views on Medicaid expansion, school funding and more.
We did not give candidates a word count limit but advised them to keep answers concise.
Will this race be on my ballot? Check which legislative districts you’re in at myvoteinfo.voteks.org.
Early voting began Wednesday, Oct. 16. Voters can request a ballot to vote early by mail through Tuesday, Oct. 29 at KSVotes.org. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, which is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Find out more at lawrencekstimes.com/election2024.
Jump to a topic:
• Meet the candidate
• Experience and qualifications
• Top 3 issues
• Legalizing cannabis
• Expanding Medicaid
• Public funds to private schools
• Local control
• Abortion regulations
• LGBTQ+ rights and transgender kids
• Top concerns heard from voters
• Question for opponent
• Free space
• Just for fun
This district
District 117 is pictured in light pinkish purple in this map.
East of Douglas County, the district is shaped in a way that almost looks like someone spilled ink on the map.
The district includes parts of Lawrence and Eudora as well as parts of Eudora, Palmyra, Wakarusa and Willow Springs townships in Douglas County, then squiggles east into Johnson County.
See a map of the full district at this link.
Meet the candidate
Bill Hammond
Age: 73
Running as: Democrat
Hometown, and time in Douglas County (or in your current town, for candidates who reside outside of Douglas County)?
My hometown is St. Joseph, MO. I have lived in Douglas County, south of Lawrence, for five years.
Where you currently reside: South of Lawrence, KS in Wakarusa Township
Day job: I am currently retired. I was formerly a school business officer.
How voters can reach you: 620-789-4352; Hammond4Kansas117@gmail.com
Website; social media links: hammond4kansas117.com
About you and your positions
A * indicates an answer was required to submit this questionnaire.
Q: What specific experience and qualifications do you possess that make you the best candidate for the seat you’re seeking?*
My 27 years of experience as a business officer for two community colleges and Dodge City public school district have prepared me to work with a variety of constituencies, each with their own unique agenda. My responsibilities included managing an annual operating budget of about $80 million and over $100 million in construction projects. I balanced public budgets for 27 years. My work in school administration also included finance, health insurance and benefits, school nutrition, transportation, maintenance, and facilities planning. My 14 years of involvement with Schools for Fair Funding has made me keenly aware of how constitutional funding is determined. My ministerial experience has given me an empathy for people, their needs, desires, hopes, and dreams.
Q: Please list the top three issues motivating you to run for this office. What concrete ideas do you have to make a difference on each issue if you are elected? Please be as specific as possible.*
1. I will vote against any attempt to deny women their right to bodily autonomy.
2. I will vote to expand KanCare. This would provide over 100,000 additional Kansas with health care insurance.
3. I will vote for full constitutional funding of Kansas schools.
Q: Would you support legalizing cannabis in Kansas?*
Options given: Yes, for any use (medicinal, recreational, etc.); Yes, for medicinal use; No
Yes, for medicinal use
Q: Would you support expansion of Medicaid in Kansas?*
(Only yes/no options given)
Yes
Q: Would you support initiatives to spend more public money on private schools, such as through vouchers, charter schools, tax credits and so forth?*
(Only yes/no options given)
No
Q: Please elaborate on any of your answers to the yes/no questions above if you’d like to.
Medicaid expansion:
I support expanding Medicaid. Based on my background as a board member of a federally qualified health center and a board member of Oral Health Kansas, which promotes oral health care across the state, I became aware of the number of working Kansans who lack health insurance and therefore health care. The decision not to expand KanCare has resulted in the state losing over $7 billion. There are over 100,000 Kansans who, if KanCare were expanded, would no longer need to decide whether they would buy food, pay rent, or go to the doctor.
School funding:
I believe in public funding for public schools and private funding for private schools. Vouchers and tax credits take away resources from public education. We are still not fully funding special education in Kansas which is mandated by federal law.
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Q: Please share your views on local control. Do you believe the Legislature should seek to enact state laws that affect municipalities’ ability to self-govern? If so, in what circumstances? If not, how will you stand up for local control?*
Context given to candidates: The Lawrence City Commission in 2022 stripped some protections of immigrants from local ordinances in response to changes in state laws.
The city in 2023 passed a safe haven ordinance to create additional protections for transgender people in response to anti-trans legislation (SB 180 in particular).
The city also approved a ban on single-use plastic bags, which legislators attempted to nullify with a new law that was vetoed this year.
Government closest to the people can best respond to local needs and concerns. I support local control, including reinstating local prevailing wage provisions. I would vote for legislation that would enable this.
Q: Kansas voters in August 2022 soundly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have opened the door to extreme restrictions on abortion. Still, the Legislature has passed or attempted to pass more laws regulating abortion. Please share your stance on what actions the Legislature should or should not take regarding abortion.*
Kansas voters were very clear that they did not want new restrictions on abortions. I would honor that as a legislator.
Q: In recent years, the Legislature has increasingly passed or attempted to pass legislation that could have potential negative outcomes for LGBTQ+ people. Please explain your stance on the rights of LGBTQ+ people — particularly transgender kids — and what the Legislature’s role in their lives and health care should be.*
I support equality for all Kansans. In order to grow and remain attractive to young people, we must be open and welcoming. I support a statewide non-discrimination act, so that Kansans can’t be fired from their jobs, denied housing or business, or bullied because of who they are.
Optional questions
Q: What would you say is the top concern you’ve heard from voters as you’ve been campaigning, and what actions would you take to better that problem?
Property taxes. I was disappointed that the tax cut package did not reduce residential property taxes more. Any further tax cuts need to focus on providing relief for residential property taxes.
Q: Please share a question we didn’t ask that you’d like your fellow candidates to answer. How would you respond?
In 2013, despite local opposition and the tradition of Home Rule, the Legislature imposed a rule preventing local governments from requiring a local prevailing wage in contracts. Please explain your stance on restoring local control by reversing this statewide mandate.
My answer: To support working Kansans, I back legislation that would restore local governments’ ability to enforce prevailing wage rules when they choose this option.
Q: Free space: Please share anything you’d like voters to know about you and your stances that we haven’t asked here.
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Just for fun
Candidates were not required to answer any of these questions, but we wanted to give our readers a chance to get to know them a little better and have some fun with this.
Favorite color? Blue
Zodiac sign? Pisces
What’s a fun fact our readers may not know about you? (Have a hidden talent? Interesting hobby?) I worked on the movie “Paper Moon.”
Favorite book, TV show and/or movie? “Nero Wolfe” series by Rex Stout, a Kansas native.
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