Legislative Updates

Legislative Update - January 31, 2011

Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.
—Groucho Marx

Hyperlink of the week: I don’t usually pass these things along, but I found this so interesting I just couldn’t help myself. Statistics can be fun!

Hans Rosling's 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes

Pretty neat, huh?

HAPPY 150TH BIRTHDAY KANSAS!

It is our custom in the House to sing Home on the Range on Kansas Day. Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence, leads us, and for a few moments in January we are all singing the same song.

As the state officially begins its sesquicentennial celebration January 29th, political speeches at the statehouse have taken on a flavor of historic perspectives replete with references to civil war struggles, prominent Kansas leaders like Eisenhower, Landon, John Brown and others.

“In the middle of bloodshed and fire of war, the first generation of Kansans pledged their lives and destinies to forge a Kansas of freedom,” Governor Sam Brownback said. “Each and every day Kansans prove that the courage, humanity and hope that embodied our founders remain bedrock characteristics.”

Thousands of Kansas schoolchildren watched the statehouse Kansas Day celebration via the internet, hearing inspiring messages from the Governor along with legislative leaders who urged them to work hard to “find their place in Kansas history.” The state’s year-long observation of statehood will bring a variety of activities to communities throughout the state. A great list can be found here.

BUDGET BATTLE BREWING

While there was much to rejoicing “under the dome” on all things Kansas Day, the more serious business of addressing the current state budget shortfall demanded legislative attention. On center stage was the Governor’s “freeze” or rescission bill to trim current year spending and make other adjustments to end the year in the black by an estimated $35 million. The Governor called on lawmakers to take swift action on the measure, sending him a measure to enact by the end of January.

And while that was a worthy goal, the combination of a legislative computer system that still isn’t fully operational and a large number of new legislator’s intent on cutting state spending resulted in delayed action.

SB 16 and HB 2014 both began the week as the FY11 Governor's Rescission (cuts) Bill. The House Appropriations Committee worked its bill first. They left all cuts to education (over $50m) intact, made a number of minor changes and one major adjustment: a 7.5% salary reduction for all legislators, judges, statewide elected officials, statutory agency heads and all other state employees with the intent of adding another $10m to a projected $35m ending balance.

The Senate Ways and Means Committee took a different approach, restoring funding for special education and at-risk students, adding $4m in disaster relief funds to pay bills left from the '09 storms, and adding the 7.5% pay cut but only for Legislators, Statewide elected officials and statutory agency heads. The ending balance in the Senate’s proposal would be near zero.

What does it all mean? Well, the House Committee has clearly staked out the position that they intend to be more aggressive in cutting spending than even what the Governor has recommended. And, the Senate has returned to the position they took last year, that they will balance the budget with a minimum of cuts to education and harm to the citizens of Kansas who need state services. This is a huge philosophical difference. What’s next? These bills will go to the respective chambers for debate next week. Once the House and Senate pass their final versions of their bills, we will go to conference committee to reconcile the differences. The conference committee will be the precursor of many to come this session.

As soon as the Rescission Bill is passed and sent to the Governor for his signature, the Legislature will begin work on the FY2012 Budget.

SALINA CHIEF OF POLICE TESTIFIES

Chief Jim Hill testified before the House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee on Tuesday, January 25. The committee heard testimony about a bill to outlaw manufacture, sale, and distribution and possession of several classes of chemicals known to be used in mind-altering drugs. The situation has been a particular problem in Salina with the death of a young man on I135. I am pleased to sit on the committee and report to you that the Chief did a great job. I am also pleased to tell you that the bill was passed out of committee on Thursday, January 27, and will be heard by the House sometime early in February.

SUITABILITY DEFINED

My friend and colleague Don Hineman, R-Dighton, has written an excellent commentary on defining suitability and what it might mean to our schools. I urge you to read this thoughtful article.

NEXT WEEK…

Committee work will ramp up next week as committees begin holding hearings on many of the bills they have been assigned. The House Tax Committee will debate a repeal of the one-cent sales tax (HB 2019) passed during the 2010 legislative session. As you may know, I was supportive of passage of the sales tax last year, and do not support it’s repeal. Repeal would bring to an end the Comprehensive Transportation Act passed last year and funded in part by the sales tax. Repeal would also create an additional deficit in the budget of some $300 million.

The House Elections committee discusses HB 2067 concerning voter identification requirements. The House Federal and State Affairs Committee will consider HB 2006 which would repeal a law granting in-state tuition for children of undocumented workers who graduate high school and meet all other requirements. The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee will spend the week working on SB 54 dealing with the sale of alcoholic beverages at retail facilities.

I encourage you to take time to visit the Capitol this session. In the meantime, I’m always anxious to hear your thoughts on how the issues discussed in Topeka affect you. Thank you for the honor of serving you.

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