Luckert appointed to the Kansas Children's Cabinet

TOPEKA—Chief Justice Kay McFarland today announced the appointment of Justice Marla J. Luckert to the Kansas Children's Cabinet.

The Cabinet consists of 15 appointees from each of the three branches of government. Justice Luckert succeeds Justice Edward Larson, who has retired from the Court.

The Kansas Children's Cabinet was formed by the 1999 Legislative session and designed to improve the health and well-being of children and youth in the state of Kansas. The Cabinet has been directed by the statute to undertake these four overarching responsibilities:

• advising the Governor and the legislature regarding the uses of the moneys credited to the Children's Initiatives Fund;

• evaluating programs which utilize Children's Initiatives Fund moneys;

• assisting the Governor in developing and implementing a coordinated, comprehensive delivery system to serve children and families of Kansas; and

• supporting the prevention of child abuse and neglect through the Children's Trust Fund.

Prior to Justice Luckert's appointment to the Supreme Court in January, she was chief judge of Shawnee County District Court, where she had been a judge since 1992.