February 6th Legislative Update
Week Four - February 2nd - February 6th
We already completed the Fourth Week of the legislative session. It is a great honor to serve as your Representative. This session I have been appointed as the Vice-Chair of the House Transportation Committee, as a member on the House Governmental Efficiency & Fiscal Oversight Committee, and also as a member on the House Education Committee. As always, our work in Topeka is done best with direction from our constituents that we represent, so be sure to call or e-mail me with your thoughts or questions.
House Budget Recision Bill
Debate of the House bill for the budget took place on Wednesday of this week. Committees and individual members have been working around the clock proposing and debating ideas to correct the 2009 budget while ensuring lasting policy change in the budget process for 2010 and beyond. This week House Republicans met and discussed possible spending cuts for 2009, which included reviewing a Senate proposal to remove $300 million for the current budget year. The Senate has passed a modified 2009 budget bill. The new bill includes an across the board cut of 1.5% and does not impact the education budget to the extent of the previous bill. The remainder of the cuts come from “one time” money such as fee sweeps and further targeted cuts. This is just the beginning of the budget process. Once an agreement is reached on the 2009 budget, both chambers will have to turn their attention to the looming deficit in 2010 and beyond. According to new numbers by the non-partisan Legislative Research Department, the Governor's proposed cuts for 2009 will not be enough to get the state out of the red ink for 2009. The actions of the House and Senate to reach deeper than the Governor were necessary because her budget was based on the November actual budget numbers. The slide of our national and state economy and revenues have dropped further. The only good news recently was that our most recent drop this last month was only 14 million which is 6 million less than our estimates.
Osawatomie Correctional Facility (OCF)
As the budget cuts create pain across our state, many are hitting hard here at home. For numerous sessions, we have had to battle to keep our correctional facility open. We have always been able to explain and debate the facts: that the closure, the loss of over 50 thousand hours of labor and the affects on other state budgets and local government, and that the cost of incarceration at OCF is almost half the cost of other facilities. Probably most important: the policy on the need of bed space and the fact that OCF provides a re-entry into life outside of corrections. It is important to know that the men at OCF will one day soon be living next door to someone. Giving them the best opportunity for success is best for all Kansans.
As I had said in the past, we have always won on this issue through the legislative process, but this year our opportunity was pre-empted by the Secretary of Corrections who moved the closure day up to February 6, 2009.
House Education Committee
Hearings on a number of bills have already taken place:
HB 2001 School districts: number of pupils in USD No. 209. Atchison Would allow funding for a group home. The attitude of the Atchinson school district was very impressive. They did not complain at all about their loss but have a heart to serve a special needs group of children at risk of the own schools AYP. The bill would save the state in costs.
HB 2002 School finance; military children, determination of enrollment. Would clarify the second date count for military students.
HB 2008 School medication aide act; certain persons authorized to administer epinephrine. Has been assigned to sub-committee to find what solutions can be found to avoid another mandate with higher cost to our school districts.
HB 2102 School districts; pupil attending schools outside district of residence; transportation.
HB 2103 School districts; low enrollment weighting; districts with less than 200 pupils.
HB 2104 Schools; low enrollment weighting, limitation relating to high and medium density at-risk pupil weighting. Would limit school districts to either low enrollment weighting or the high density - medium at risk weighting.
HB 2105 Teacher and administrator contracts; notice of non-renewal. Would allow the option to local school boards, the date could be tied to when the final budget for education is passed by the Legislature.
We plan to hear HB 2199 next week. It concerns school districts and students with dyslexia.
House Government Efficiency & Fiscal Oversight Committee
This is a new committee assignment for me. I have been given the task to chair a sub-committee to work on our statute concerning the whistle blower act. We have put together HB 2249 which would make changes that provide better protection for employees. HB 2249 is scheduled for a hearing on next Thursday, February 12th.
Also scheduled for hearing next week is:
HB 2194 State use law; school districts; exception.
Not yet scheduled for hearing is:
HB 2219 Kansas performance measurement commission; extend sunset; other.
There are a couple of other bills that have been introduced that are of interest. They do not yet have bill numbers. They relate to:
Establishing a zero-sum budgeting process for state agencies.
Creation of a database reflecting state property ownership.
House Transportation Committee
Last year I was on the Interim Committee that held meetings around our state to hear from communities about their needs for transportation infrastructure. We heard clearly that, just as we know here in Miami County, there are genuine needs for improvement that will both enhance safety and bring economic opportunities. A few of us have been meeting with Secretary Deb Miller and figuring out how we can achieve another plan. This next Monday we plan to have more details. Right now we are still not clear what the Federal Stimulus bill may mean to us .
Another bill we will tackle soon relates to Graduated Drivers Licensing. Many of us are very hopeful that the components that are in the proposal (which are the portions that are known to save young drivers lives) will pass through the legislative process. I favor these proposed changes:
Every teen must hold a learner’s permit for 12 months before obtaining a restricted liense or a full license.
Limits teen drivers to no more than one non-sibling passenger under the age of 18 during first 6 months of full licensing.
Limits late-night driving to 9 p.m. during the first 6 months of full licensing unless driving to and from work/school.
No effect, whatsoever, on the farm permit.
HB 2129 Driver’s licenses, classes thereof; farm registered vehicles.
HB 2132 Regulating traffic; prohibiting certain texting.
HB 2138 Providing for the Kansas military family license plate.
HB 2147 Regulating traffic; removal of vehicles from highways
HB 2152 Towed vehicles, lien thereon, city ordinance or county resolution
HB 2178 Abolishing Kansas turnpike authority, transferring to Kansas department of transportation.
How To Contact Me
If you have any additional information or if you would like to offer your opinions or suggestions regarding these issues or any others that may be coming before the Kansas House, I want to hear from you. Please contact my secretary, Maureen (she always knows how to find me) by phone at (785-296-6014), by US Mail at 300 SW 10th St., Topeka, KS 66612) or by email at (vickrey@jenevickrey.org) during the Legislative Session.