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Friends:
Thank you to my friends at Aldersgate who attended the Silver Haired Legislators on the Hill event! What a great time visiting with you and hearing your concerns! Please see their pictures on the right.
The action has started to pick up on the floor this week. Next week is commonly referred to as "Turnaround Week." All bills that are not in exempt committees must be out of their chamber of origin by Wednesday, February 22nd at noon. Bills are exempt from all deadlines if they are referred to Senate Ways and Means or Federal & State Affairs Committees. In the House the exempt committees are Appropriations, Tax, Federal & State Affairs, and Calendar & Printing. The leadership team, and ultimately the President of the Senate, has the final say on where Senate bills are referred. It is a common practice to "bless" bills prior to the "Turnaround Week." The President would withdraw a bill from a committee, refer it to an exempt committee, and then refer the bill back to its original committee. The bill would have then touched an exempt committee and is able to be discussed at any point throughout the legislative session.
We will be debating bills on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (if needed) next week. Be sure and log on to the Kansas Legislature website to listen in on the proceedings if you are interested.
It was a pleasure to welcome Eden Mennonite School to the Capitol this week! Thank you for bringing the 7th and 8th graders to learn more about state government!
Thank you to Will Erickson and Michael Domme! They are students at Indian Hills Elementary School and were pages on Wednesday. It is a tremendous opportunity to see state government up close! Thank you for your work! Please see their picture at right.
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Education and Personal Activities
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Did you know that Wichita State University conducted an analysis of the fiscal and economic impact of military activities in Kansas? They concluded that:
- Military activities in Kansas add approximately $7.5 BILLION per year to the state's Gross State Product
- Over 165,000 people are employed as a result of these military activities
- Their wages total over $5.5 BILLION per year
- Military activities in Kansas generate approximately $390 MILLION per year in property, sales and income taxes
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Here are some facts and figures I hope you will find interesting:
- By 2018, 64% of Kansas jobs will require some level of post-secondary attainment. The public higher education system is the largest producer of individuals with the skills and credentials necessary to fuel the Kansas economy and meet the projected workforce demands.
- Educational opportunities offered through the 32 public institutions enable students to earn an entry-level credential and engage in life-long learning that affords greater earning power through additional skill and credential attainment.
- Kansas public higher education institutions awarded more than 35,000 certificates and degrees in 2010
- More than 180,000 students enrolled in a Kansas public university, community college or technical college in the fall of 2011
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What a pleasure to emcee the Miss Topeka and Miss Capital City pageant on Saturday evening! Evelyn Rivera is the Executive Director of the pageant. What a terrific job she did coordinating the evening and the entire event! Congratulations to all the participants!
Miss Topeka contestants:
- Mercedes Jellison
- Kayla Norton
- Michelle Page
- Belinda Post
Miss Capital City contestants:
- Hillary Boyle
- Lindsey Gleue
- Meagan Johnson
- Allison Young
The first runner-up for Miss Topeka was Michelle Page and Belinda Post was crowned Miss Topeka. The first runner-up for Miss Capital City was Megan Johnson and Hillary Boyle was crowned Miss Capital City. The winners will compete in Pratt, Kansas this June for the title of Miss Kansas.
Miss Topeka Princess is Quinn Stratton and Miss Capital City Princess is Kaydee Votaw. Thank you to these young ladies for assisting with the crowning!
I will have pictures in next week's newsletter!
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Floor Activities
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Floor Activities
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The Senate recognized Pittsburg State University for winning the 2011 NCAA Division II Football Championship. Coach Beck and the Gorillas football team accomplished a tremendous feat by capping off a 13 game winning season with this championship! The PSU football program has a rich history of success! Dr. Steven Scott, President of PSU, attended the special recognition. Please see his picture at right.
The Senate debated and voted on 24 bills this week. Listed below are some of the bills and the explanations:
House Concurrent Resolution 5017 would amend the property tax classification section of the Kansas Constitution to authorize the Legislature, beginning in the tax year 2013, to classify watercraft on a different basis from other property. IT PASSED 40-0. I VOTED YES.
SB 348 will change the property tax appeals process for leased commercial and industrial property. The bill would require that if three years of complete income and expense statements for leased commercial and industrial property is not provided to the county or district appraiser, then the appraised value determined by the county or district appraiser would be presumed to be valid and correct. The bill would also require that watercraft temporarily located outside of the state on January 1 be included in the taxing district where the owner resided on January 1. IT PASSED 26-14. I VOTED YES.
SB 369 changes current law by specifically prohibiting incarcerated persons from receiving food sales tax refunds and homestead property tax refunds. IT PASSED 40-0. I VOTED YES.
SB 102 will increase registration fees for lobbyists, candidates, and political action committees and make changes to reporting required under election laws. This will allow the agency to rely less on state general fund dollars. IT PASSED 32-8. I VOTED YES.
SB 305 changes current law to add charges for delay in a trial due to application or fault to the defendant's attorney. IT PASSED 40-0. I VOTED YES.
SB 306 will change current law regarding intimidation of a witness or victim intent to cover up a crime or victimization. It would expand violation of this law to investigations by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services or any person required to make a report. IT PASSED 40-0. I VOTED YES. |
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Transportation:
HB 2459 would exempt applicants for class M motorcycle licenses who have completed prior motorcycle safety training (in accordance with the Department of Defense Instruction) from further training or testing. The committee amended the bill to require the vision test. Thank you to Col Derek Rogers and Senior Master Sergeant Dena Swisher for their excellent testimony! The bill was forwarded to the full Senate for their consideration.
SB 342 would establish a Safety Corridor Program. The bill was put together with a working group representing law enforcement, traffic safety engineers, Kansas Department Of Transportation, traffic safety advocates, local government representatives and others. It is a program utilizing signage, public information/education, increased enforcement and increased fines. The additional fine money will go back into the operation of the safety zones. A driver traveling through a safety corridor would be alerted that they are entering a safety corridor and that fines are increased in these areas by roadway signage. The "buffer statute" would be eliminated within a safety corridor. The bill was advanced to the full Senate for consideration.
Ethics and Elections:
SB 333 would change the Kansas law regarding petition circulator requirements. It would allow non-residents to circulate petitions within the state of Kansas. The District Court held that the residency requirement was in violation of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. This bill would correct the statute. The bill was advanced to the full Senate.
SB 338 would require the Secretary of State to develop a standardized, statewide, comprehensive training program on all statutes and rules and regulations for election workers, poll workers, and other persons involved in an election and who are expected to implement and enforce voter registration laws. The Secretary of State's office estimates the fiscal note to total $490,000 for three years. The bill remains in committee.
SB 389 would require the Secretary of State's office to develop and implement a comprehensive, statewide voter education program before the 2012 general election, including direct mail, mass media, press events and social media. The Division of Budget estimated the fiscal note at $1,498,415 for fiscal year 2013. The bill remains in committee.
Ways and Means:
The committee received subcommittee reports on the following:
- Judicial Council
- Board of Indigent Defense
- Judicial Branch
- Emergency Medical Services
- Sentencing Commission
- Fire Marshal
- Highway Patrol
- Adjutant General
- Kansas Bureau of Investigation
- Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Health Only)
- Department of Transportation
In addition the Committee heard testimony relating to ERO 41. The Executive Reorganization Order will create the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. The new department would combine the current Kansas Department on Aging with all of the disability and mental health programs currently operated by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. The following would be transferred:
- Licensure of adult care home administrators
- Licensure of dieticians
- Certification of residential care facility operators
- Certification of activity directors
- Certification of social service designees
- Certification of nurse aides
- Certification of medication aides
- Certification of home health aides
- Maintenance of the Kansas nurse aid registry
It also renames the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services to the Kansas Department for Children and Families. The following would be transferred:
- Mental health and substance abuse, serious emotionally disturbed, developmental disability, physical disability, traumatic brain injury, autism, technology assistance, and money-follows-the-person Medicaid waivers and programs
- Licensure and regulation of community mental health centers
- Regulation of community developmental disability organizations
- Licensure of private psychiatric hospitals
- Licensure and regulation of facilities and providers of residential services
- Licensure and regulation of providers of addiction and prevention services
- Any other programs and related grants administered by the disability and behavioral health services of the Kansas Department for Children and Families
This realignment will consolidate Medicaid fiscal and contract management functions in the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and program management in a reconfigured Kansas Department on Aging (KDOA).
Public Health and Welfare:
SB 397 would change statutory references to "mental retardation" and similar terms to "intellectual disability" and similar terms. The changes are similar to recent changes in federal law. The committee heard testimony from Kathy Lobb, Sophia Tolentino (Miss Manhattan), Rocky Nichols, Kerrie Bacon, Jane Rhys and Tim Wood. A few amendments were offered, so the committee will wait for the Revisor of Statutes to finish the suggested changes.
SB 407 will require that an informational report form developed by the State Board of Healing Arts and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment be provided to patients who undergo mammography examinations. The report would include information explaining that dense breast tissue can hide abnormalities and those patients with demonstrated dense breast tissue would benefit from supplemental screening, depending on individual risk factors. The committee will continue to review the proposed bill.
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- Met with Janet Williams - Community Works Inc.
- Attended two subcommittee meetings on Natural Resources, Kansas Department of Health and Environment (Environment), Kansas Water Office and Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
- Met with Ray Rhodd, Retired Lt. Col. - National Guard of Kansas; Michele Henry, Executive Director of National Guard Association of Kansas; Sheli Sweeney, Retired Major, Air National Guard; Lynn Holt, Retired Sergeant and President of the Enlisted Association of Kansas and his wife
- Met with the Silver Haired Legislators from Aldersgate Village (See their picture at right)
- Met with Dodie Wellshear - Kansas Academy of Family Physicians
- Met with Don Pile - Crawford County Clerk
- Chaired three subcommittee meetings on the Department of Corrections, Winfield Correctional Facility, El Dorado Correctional Facility, Ellsworth Correctional Facility, Hutchinson Correctional Facility, Lansing Correctional Facility, Norton Correctional Facility and the Topeka Correctional Facility
- Met with George Stafford and Doug Erving - Cerner
- Met with John and Sara Ratzenberger - constituents
- Spoke at The Association of Community Mental Health Centers Board Meeting (See picture on right)
- Met with Gary Haulmark (SRS), Stacy Chamberlain (Clinical Service Coordinator at SRS), Betsy Cauble (Department Head, Social Work, Kansas State University), Sue Peterson (Kansas State University), Terry Humphrey and Sky Westerlund (Kansas Chapter, National Association of Social Workers)
- Emcee of the Miss Topeka and Miss Capital City pageant
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Please do not
hesitate to contact me about issues of interest to you. I appreciate the
opportunity to represent you at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Vicki
Schmidt
Assistant Majority Leader
20th District, Kansas Senate
[email protected]
785-296-7374 (Senate Office)
Paid for by Schmidt for Senate, Brad Koehn, CPA,
Treasurer
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PAGES - INDIAN HILLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
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Will Erickson, Sen. Vicki Schmidt, Gov. Sam Brownback, and Michael Domme |
ALDERSGATE VILLAGE RESIDENTS
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Sen. Vicki Schmidt with the Residents attending the Silver Haired Legislators on the Hill Advocacy Day |
ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS
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Tiffany Belland (Pharmacy Intern), Sen. Vicki Schmidt and Sen. Laura Kelly |
PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT
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DR. STEVEN SCOTT (PRESIDENT OF PSU) AND SEN. VICKI SCHMIDT |
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