Former Kansas House speaker works as lobbyist for software company blamed for delays

The former speaker of the Kansas House registered as a lobbyist for an Irish technology company about a month after legislative leaders expressed frustration with the company’s services and delayed a decision on whether to renew its contract.

Legislative leaders from both parties blamed software created by Propylon, a Dublin-based company with a U.S. office in Lawrence, for delays during the 2015 legislative session. When they voiced concerns in July, the Legislative Coordinating Council held off on renewing parts of the company’s contract worth about $225,000 over a six-month period.

Six lobbyists registered to represent the company about a month later on Aug. 18, including former House Speaker Doug Mays.

Mays, R-Topeka, was speaker from 2003 through 2006. Propylon began talks with the state as early as October 2004 about building an integrated software system and signed a contract in 2007, according to records from the Kansas Legislative Research Department.

As speaker, Mays had been involved in the decision to pursue an integrated technology system, but he said he could not remember if he played a role in the decision to go with Propylon.

“I conceived of the idea of computerization because we were so far behind in the world. Everything was paper. It was being done in the same way it had been done for 100 years,” Mays said. “And they put in an RFP (request for proposal) and after that I don’t remember having anything to do with it.”

“I don’t remember,” Mays continued. “You know, that’s been a long time ago. I did a lot of things as speaker and most of them were pretty routine. But I honestly don’t remember. It’s been – what — eight years? And a lot of water’s been under the bridge since then.”

Mays would not answer questions about his role as Propylon’s lobbyist. Kansas law has no restrictions on lawmakers working as lobbyists after they leave office.

The state has spent about $14 million on the company’s software and services since 2007. The Legislature launched Kansas Legislative Information Systems and Services, a program meant to assist and seamlessly integrate the research, writing, passage and publication of bills.

But lawmakers say the system suffers from bugs and blamed it for slowing down work on important bills during the recent session.

“We don’t have the money to waste on something that’s never going to work,” said House Speaker Ray Merrick, R-Stilwell, in July.

The Legislative Coordinating Council decided to form a study committee to review Propylon’s contracts before approving additional money. That study committee held its first meeting Monday. Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, complained that votes during the session repeatedly had to be delayed because of software glitches. Legislative staff often worked until the early hours of the morning because of problems with the software, she said.

In addition to Mays, the company has hired five lobbyists from Hein Governmental Consulting: Ron Hein, Derek Hein, Julie Hein, Paje Resner and Cindy O’Neal.

O’Neal is the wife of former House Speaker Mike O’Neal, who was in office when the KLISS system launched in 2011. At the time many lawmakers complained of glitches.

Ron Hein, the lobbying firm’s president and a former legislator, would not answer questions about Propylon.

Propylon CEO John Harrington said in an e-mail that after the July meeting he “picked these firms based on their reputation of integrity and straight dealing, which is how we operate as a company.”

Harrington said that after lawmakers raised issues in July, he sought more information, but has received nothing back from the state. “I engaged two lobbying firms specifically to help me understand the issues so that we could help bring them to conclusion,” Harrington said.

He noted that after KLISS launched, the Legislature’s IT team became primarily responsible for its daily operation and that Propylon has provided only support and development services.

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 5:56 AM with the headline "Former Kansas House speaker works as lobbyist for software company blamed for delays."