Quick Facts
Biography
Oletha Faust-Goudeau is a Democratic member of the Kansas Senate, representing the 29th District since 2009. She was previously a Kansas Representative. She was appointed to this position in 2004.
She is a community activist from Wichita.
Committee assignments
Faust-Goudeau serves on these legislative committees:
- Ethics and Elections
- Federal and State Affairs
- Joint Committee on Arts and Cultural Resources
- Joint Committee on Children's Issues
- Commerce
- Joint Committee on Economic Development
- Local Government
Major donors
Some of the top contributors to Faust-Goudeau's 2008 campaign, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics:
Labor interests were her largest donor group.
Positions
Faust-Goudeau's chief activity has been in protecting rights and services for seniors, the disabled, and children, and in promoting business/development interests. Some legislation which Faust-Goudeau introduced, which became law:
- "Grandparents' Rights" bills, 3 of which she introduced, became law in 2006-2012—latest became law in 2012 with unanimous Legislative backing—essentially forcing the State and the courts to consider grandparents' for possible custody requests in most child-custody cases in which the State has intervened (e.g.: foster care cases). Prior laws she introduced required grandparents to be heard in foster-care cases, and—if caring for their grandchildren as foster parents—to be reimbursed by the state the same as foster parents.
- Firefighters' Insurance bill — became law in 2012 with unanimous Legislative backing—ensuring that the families of firefighters killed in action are able to continue receiving protection under their firefighter's insurance coverage for the first 18 months following their firefighter's death in the line of duty.
- Drug paraphernalia prohibition bill — outlawing the distribution of certain kinds of drug paraphernalia, became law.
- Poor/Working-Class Issues - Representing the inner-city area of Wichita (the state's largest city), Faust-Goudeau frequently takes the lead in speaking out on, and advocating for, the needs and interests of poor and working-class Kansans. Examples include:
Recognition
"Legislator of the Year Award, 2011," by the "Silver-Haired Legislature"—a prominent Kansas senior-citizens' lobbying organization.
"10 to Watch in 2010"—list of 10 noteworthy leaders cited by the state's largest newspaper, the Wichita Eagle.
"Perfect Attendance" record—appearing for all Senate votes, in 2010, 2011—according to various press releases by the Senate Minority Leaders' Office, and other sources.
Memberships
Current & former board memberships
- Wichita Habitat for Humanity executive board,
- Legal Services of Wichita executive board,
- League of Women Voters
- KPTS (public TV station) Community Advisory Board,
- NAACP Wichita Branch
- City of Wichita Human Services Board