5.6.11 Newsletter
5/6/11
Well here we are in Topeka for the first full week of Veto Session and like most of us every one is wondering, just how long will it take to get a budget? As of Friday afternoon the budget conference committee was still working to reach a compromise. Constitutionally we cannot finish the 2011 session until an agreement is reached. As the budget negotiations began there where over 230 differences between the House and Senate positions. Although there has been a lot of progress with most of the major items agreed to, the main point of contention is the ending balance.
The House believes the ending balance must be at least $50 million. It is clear revenues will continue to be unpredictable as the economic recovery continues to be very slow. Without a reasonable ending balance, it is very likely a drop in revenues will force Governor Brownback to issue allotments. This would be a replay of the last few years when state agencies and local school boards were forced to revise their budgets that had already been approved.
Thursday May the 12th will be the 90th day of the Legislative Session. Any which way you look at it, it is time to get our work done
K-12 School Finance (House Sub for SB 111)
The loss of federal stimulus money equates to $232 per student or 1.9% of the combined state, federal and local funding. One logical way to help schools work through the loss of this funding is to allow school boards more flexibility to spend their unencumbered funds. SB 111 would do this with several changes
The bill would change the starting date of the special education school finance formula which determines the minimum and maximum amount of special education state aid a school may receive until June 30, 2014. The bill also allows school districts to transfer money from certain unencumbered accounts to cover for losses in federal stimulus money. These funds have grown to $776 million state wide for Kansas School districts as of July 1st of last year. Over the past five years the growth across the state has been $306 million. This bill gives school districts the opportunity to access these unencumbered funds in over 90 percent of the state’s school districts. These are funds districts have received from the state which have been accumulating in a variety of school district accounts due to use restrictions on their use. To offset the loss of base state aid per pupil (BSAPP) funding, the bill allows districts additional authority to use their reserves to fill budget gaps. School districts would be given authority to restore the BSAPP to $4,012 for the 2011-2012 school year.
The Paola School District has an enrollment of 2010 students and $1,392,701 in the cash reserve funds that would be available if SB 111 passes. The school districts total cost of the loss of $232 per pupil including weightings is $590,579. The Louisburg School District with an enrollment of 1653 students would have funds of $995,764 available with a weighted cost of $466,230.
These cash reserves can only be spent once and it has proven of vital importance for our school districts to have these reserves to be able to pay their bills when the state payments have been late. I have spoken to our school administrators who already plan to spend part of these accounts being careful to save money that may be needed in the future. The ability to have more flexibility hopefully will help our local schools get through these tough budget times.
On Thursday, May 5 the House passed Sub for Sub for SB 111 by a vote of 84 to 33. The Senate has not agreed with the changes made by the House to the bill and a conference committee is meeting to work out the differences.
This week the following bills have been agreed in conference with the Senate by the House and will most assuredly be signed by Governor Brownback:
Enhanced 911
Access to emergency services by phone is a critically important service of government. When you dial 911 you expect someone on the other end to be able to help you. However with new phone technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and prepaid wireless phone 911 centers need to be updated to provide them the same location pinpointing technology landlines provided. This bill provides the continued funding and regulation needed to update 911 centers to be able to pinpoint the location of 911 calls from these new communication devices.
DUI
One of the crimes which have been weak in Kansas has been driving under the influence allowing an individual to rack up several convictions without facing stiff penalties. This bill would increase misdemeanor crimes which involve bodily harm to the victim from a level 10 to a level 8. For property damage it could be a class A misdemeanor which can carry a prison term of one year. When a DUI results in a death, the crime would move from a level 9 felony which doesn’t always require a prison sentence to a level 6 which would guarantee it.
The bill would also strengthen the penalty for fleeing an accident. There have been several incidents in which drunken individuals were involved in fatal accidents, fled the scene, and were not able to be prosecuted with a high level felony because of current law allowing these individuals to serve little if any jail time. This bill would make these changes.
This bill would also require driving interlocks to check for alcohol to block ignition if the driver has been convicted of a DUI. A judge would decide if the device is necessary on the first offence but would be required on subsequent convictions. These new requirements will greatly help save Kansas families from the terrible consequences of DUI driving.
Drug Schedule Update
Each year as drug compounds are created and current compounds modified it is important to update the law to reflect these changes. These changes include both legal and illegal drugs. This bill is procedural in nature and is generated with the help of law enforcement. One of the most topical drugs is synthetic marijuana or commonly known as K2 or K3. This has been a whole new area that parents, educators and anyone working with young people need to be up to speed and be aware of these dangers.
Scrap Metal
Unfortunately with depressed economic times, crime increases. As a way to deter theft and track stolen metal, this bill will provide for licensing of scrap metal retailers and will also put in place penalties for the trafficking of stolen scrap. It will also require dealers to collect contact information from those to come to sell scrap. There is a fiscal estimate of 12 beds in the state correctional system. The bill was endorsed by the Attorney General and several localities statewide.
These are crimes that we must do everything possible to deter. Most of us know someone that has discovered they have been the victim of this type of crime. Whether it is the loss of an air conditioning unit, hardware stripped from equipment or electric wiring the money that is gained is just pennies on the dollar as compared to the replacement cost. This behavior is just unthinkable in its blatant lack a consideration for others. But that is true of criminal activity that is at its core.
Contact Information
I hope you are following the legislature’s work in Topeka and, if possible, take the time to visit this Session. If you would like an individual meeting, I’d be happy to arrange one. In the meantime, I’m always anxious to hear your thoughts on how the issues discussed in Topeka affect you. Please feel free to call me at 785.291.3500 or email me at jene.vickrey@house.ks.gov. Thank you for the honor of serving you.
Sincerely,
Jene Vickrey