(KAIR)--In an effort to promote optimism and a sense of service within the state’s executive branch, recently sworn-in Kansas governor Jeff Colyer visited the local area on Saturday, meeting with residents at Daylight Donuts in Atchison.

After chatting one-on one with many of the residents who crowded into the downtown establishment, Colyer addressed the entire group as a whole for several minutes.

The first issue he brought up was a change in the state’s policy toward sexual harassment prevention. “One of the first things that we did is, we’re the first state, I shouldn’t say the first but we’re one of the very first states to mandate that we have sexual harassment prevention training for every state employee on an annual basis. We do that in the private sector. I want a professional workplace. We just got to do the basic blocking and tackling, and it starts there.”

Colyer went on to seemingly distance himself from the previous administration of Sam Brownback, notably in the area of government transparency, an issue that the state of Kansas has come under fire for recently. “I want to make sure that people have access to information, and so the second executive order that I signed was that any Kansas citizen can make an open records request, and the first 100 pages, is free. That covers everything, you know, pretty much. I just want you to know that we’re going to be much more responsive, and open.”

Colyer, a surgeon, also emphasized that his administration would be operating in a more efficient and business-like way. “Another executive order is that I’m going to be requiring every cabinet agency to start having performance metrics, so you can see what we’re doing, and you can see the good with the bad. When I’m in the operating room, when that heart rate is going down, I want to know it. And we’ll deal with it. And so, you’re going to start seeing us operating this multi-billion dollar operation in a much more professional manner.”

Following the Governor’s remarks he fielded several questions, one of which concerned Medicaid, and whether he would veto or sign legislation that included its expansion. While not offering a specific answer, Colyer said he would look at anything that came across his desk. He added that it’s a very challenging issue due to changes in how the program is federally funded, coupled with the state’s budget problems.