TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) _ The Senate has approved 48 appointments,
including the heads of the Kansas Highway Patrol and Kansas Bureau
of Investigation.

The 36-0 vote Tuesday means Terry Maple is now the Highway Patrol superintendent and Bob Blecha is the KBI director. They had been serving as acting heads of the agencies.

Maple was appointed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in February. Blecha was appointed by the attorney general last year, when former head Larry Welch retired at the end of May.

Last month, Sebelius complained legislators were moving too slowly and cited the lack of Senate confirmation as evidence.

Spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said the governor is pleased the
Senate action. Forty of the appointees are hers.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)