Alysia Kysar to Governor Joan Finney
Creator: Kysar, Alysia
Date: March 19, 1991
Alysia Kysar of Liberal, Kansas, writes Governor Joan Finney of Topeka concerning a water rights conflict at Cheyenne Bottoms wetlands in Barton County, Kansas. Kysar is eleven years old. She argues that the importance of wildlife habitats and communal ownership of natural resources, like water, supercede the rights of individual water users along Wet Walnut Creek. Kysar further questions the suitability of irrigated agriculture to an arid environment. In Wet Walnut Irrigators v. Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area (1992), the Kansas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cheyenne Bottoms, citing its earlier claim to water rights.

An act concerning crimes and punishments and procedures relating thereto
Creator: Kansas Legislature.
Date: April 22, 1994
The Kansas Legislature passed House Bill 2578 on April 8, 1994. The bill reinstated the death penalty for the crime of capital murder, as defined in the bill. In 1972, the U. S. Supreme Court decision in Furman v. Georgia overturned capital punishment laws in many states, including Kansas. The murder of 19 year old college student Stephanie Schmidt in 1993 prompted reinstatement of the law, ending 22 years of debate. Though opposed to capital punishment, Governor Joan Finney allowed the bill to become law without her signature, April 22, 1994. The absence of the governor's signature is apparent on the official enrolled version of the bill represented here.

Governor Joan Finney's inauguration at the Kansas capitol in Topeka, Kansas
Creator: Johnson, Janice L
Date: January 1991
This group of 29 photographs show Governor Joan Finney's inauguration at the Kansas capitol in Topeka, Kansas. Other political officers captured in the photograph is Kansas Attorney General Robert Stephan, Kansas Secretary of State Bill Graves, Lieutenant Governor James Francisco and former Governor Michael Hayden.

Joan Finney
Creator: Kansas. Dept. of Transportation
Date: 1994
Portrait of Joan Finney, Kansas Governor, 1991-1995.

Joan Finney's naming ceremony at the annual Kickapoo Pow-Wow
Date: 1991
This photograph shows Joan Finney's naming ceremony at the annual Kickapoo Pow-Wow. The special occasion was to honor the giving of an Indian name to Governor Finney. On the left of Finney is Steve Cadue, Kickapoo Tribe member and Kansas Tribal Chairman.

Message to the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas
Creator: Finney, Joan, 1925-
Date: April 22, 1994
Governor Joan Finney of Topeka, Kansas, writes the State House of Representatives, also of Topeka, to explain her position on House Bill 2578. The bill reinstated the death penalty in Kansas for the crime of capital murder, as defined in the bill. Though opposed to capital punishment, Finney allowed the bill to become law without her signature. This law was the first to reinstate capital punishment in Kansas since the 1972 U. S. Supreme Court decision in Furman v. Georgia overturned many state capital punishment laws.

Topeka statehouse press corps with Governor Joan Finney
Date: January 1995
This is a photograph showing Governor Joan Finney with members of the statehouse press corps. The photograph was taken when Governor Finney was leaving office.

United States Ship Constitution photograph and certificate
Date: July 17, 1994
This autographed photograph of the United States Ship Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, with a certificate issued to Governor Joan Finney. Finney joined Captain Richard Amirault, William Weld, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and other U.S. governors at the Navy Yard in Charlestown, Massachusetts to sign a piece of copper sheathing that was affixed to the ship's hull. The certificate is signed by Captain Richard B. Amirault, United States Navy, 63rd in Command.