Legislative Update  - March 10^th -14^th 

This has been a very busy week now that we are a couple of weeks past Turn Around.  House Committees have been busy working both Senate and exempt House bills.  Many of the tougher issues will now begin to come out of Committee.  I am writing this newsletter before we go to the House Floor and starting today (Friday) we will be spending more time back on the Floor debating and working bills.  We will have two tax bills today that we know will take several hours.

Tax Bills and South East Kansas Flood Relief

There will be two tax bills that will give us the opportunity to amend part of the relief for the floods that affected Miami Count last year:                                                                                                                                                  

The first is  HB 2762 which is a bill to change the corporate tax and how out of state corporations are taxed, making fair adjustments that enable us to provide a reduction of the tax rate paid by businesses that are Kansas owned.  HB 2640 will be offered as an amendment which will provide 10% tax credit to our business owners for the capitol re-investments made to re-build.  Those who qualify would be capped at 100 thousand dollars which will be a benefit for small business owners.                                                                                                                                                                    

The second is HB 2938 which will adopt policy for sales tax exemptions.  Every year, we have numerous requests by 510C organizations to be added which requires our statutory law recognition.  The proposed policy would provide a grandfather for all those exemptions that currently exist and set policy as to who should qualify.  Also, there will be an amendment of HB 2336 which will provide sales tax exemption for property owners for rebuilding a business facility that resulted because of the 2007 flood.                                                                                                           

This week, I also testified in favor of a bill that is in our House Transportation Committee that will provide KDOT equipment when available to remove abandoned structures in Osawatomie and other communities that suffered 2007 flood damage.  This is a common sense low cost help that the State can offer.  We are also working on a revolving loan for infrastructure that is patterned after the Farm Operating Loan Program.  This will allow loans through local banks giving us, again, meaningful help at an affordable cost to our state.                                                                                                                                                        

Employee Pay Plan

House Bill 2916, which passed the House 104-18, implements a new state classified employee pay plan for the Executive Branch and provides needed change in how our state compensates our state employees beginning fiscal year (FY) 2009.   Last year, the Legislature commissioned a study of our current system and made recommendations that will be adopted if HB 2916 becomes law. Very briefly, the bill:

• Allows for a 2.5% base salary adjustment for all state employees.
• Allows for a below market salary adjustment for classified employees.
• Provides for longevity bonus pay for current classified employees.
• • The bill will discontinue the longevity bonus for all future employees hired or re-employed on or after June 15, 2008.

• Establishes five basic pay plans for classified employees
• • Basic Vocational, General Classified, Management, Professional Individual Contributor, and Protective Services.
• Establishes the State Employee Pay Plan Oversight Committee.

• Would codify a compensation philosophy for state employees with the goal of attracting and retaining quality employees. 

For more information, HB 2916 can be found online at: http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2916.pdf 

Annexation Sub Committee

We just received the proposed language from Majority Leader Merrick and the group that he is working with.  Our Sub Committee will meet Monday at the end of the Elections and Governmental Organization Committee at 3:30.  In brief, the new language would require that if 20% of the residents who are registered voters who live in the area that is proposed to be annexed sign a petition, that would trigger a vote by mail ballot.  If under 66% disapprove, then a simple majority of the county commission could then approve the city’s request. But if 66% or more vote to reject the proposal, then it would require a unanimous vote of the county commission to approve.  

Utilization of Unused Medications Act

By a vote of 121-0, the House passed House Bill 2578 which creates a voluntary program by which adult care homes, mail service pharmacies, and medical care facilities can donate unused medications to be distributed by indigent health care clinics, federally qualified health centers or community mental health centers to Kansas residents who are medically indigent.  The bill establishes safeguards to ensure that the medications being donated are safe and sets out regulations that must be followed by the entity dispensing the medications to protect the recipients of the donations.

For more information, HB 2578 can be found online at: http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2578.pdf 

Education Bills That Have Passed

SB 437 allows the selection committee at each ROTC institution to award ROTC scholarships to qualified students who are enrolled at community colleges.

HB 2714 removes barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families caused by frequent moves and deployment of their parents.   The bill provides for instant records transfer, and facilitation of the student placement process, including qualification and eligibility for enrollment, student participation in extracurricular activities, scheduling, and grading and assessments.

SB 421 expands the definition of a “concurrent enrollment pupil” to include those students enrolled in grade ten who have been accepted for enrollment at an eligible postsecondary education institution.

On the Horizon 

Illegal Immigration – This last week our House Fed and State Committee worked late in to the evening to pass out a bill that will be debated next week on the floor of the House. 

Budget – House Leadership expects to begin the budget debate next week with the goal of keeping any budget increase to 5% or below.  This will be no easy task; I expect lively debate on the House floor. 

Health care – Also expected to be debated next week, these initiatives will continue the health care reform started by the House Republicans last year.   

It is an honor to serve as your Representative.  If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Contact Information

To reach me, please contact my office assistant, Maureen (she always knows how to find me) by phone at (785-296-6014), by US Mail at (Rm 121-W Statehouse, Topeka, KS 66612) or by email at (vickrey@jenevickrey.org) during the Legislative Session.