Friends:   

Thank you to the pages this time!  On Thursday, April 26th, the pages were Jordan Cummings and Brayden White.  What an exciting day they had!  Please see the picture at right.   

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The Rotary North East Kansas District 5710 hosts an annual exchange.  This year Team Finland GSE District 1380 participated.  The participants visit NE Kansas for about a month and tour.  It was a pleasure to welcome them to the Capitol on Monday morning!  The participants are Juha Orpana (sales manager for a metal subcontract and plastic industry company), Sanna Hirvimaki (teacher at the unit of Business School of Suupohja Vocational upper secondary school), Susanna Kultalahti (doctoral student at the University of Vaasa in the department of management), Niina Nieminen (development manager in the Techonlogy centre Ketek Ltd.),  and Mikael Back (Orthopedic Osteopath).  Please see their picture at right.   

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MAPS, MAPS, MAPS!!!

The Senate approved three redistricting maps this week: a Senate map, which determines the boundaries for the state's 40 Senate seats, as well as maps that determine the state's 125 House seats and the state's Board of Education seats. Unfortunately, the House rejected these three maps - including its own proposal for a House map - sending the redistricting process back to the drawing board. If the maps are not approved by the Legislature by May 10th, the filing deadline for candidates seeking office will be pushed back and the state will run dangerously close to missing the federal deadlines for distribution of military ballots. It's clear the redistricting process has become increasingly partisan over the years and, in many ways, it has been a replay of what happened 10 years ago. In an effort to streamline the process and minimize the role of partisan politics in the process, the Senate drafted legislation this week to establish an outside redistricting commission. This bipartisan commission would be responsible for developing the House, Senate, Congressional and State Board of Education maps in future redistricting years. The five-member commission is modeled after redistricting commissions utilized in the 21 other states that have gone to this type of system. The Legislature and the Governor would retain oversight through a BRAC-style approval of the commission's proposal.  

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BUDGET

The Senate passed a balanced budget this week that calls for a $457.7 million ending balance. This is the first time since the national economic recession hit that the state has been able to achieve the statutoral 7.5% ending balance, a positive indication that the Kansas economy is rebounding. The Senate budget includes funds to reduce local property taxes by $45 million (an amendment that I offered and was accepted); to address rising costs associated with health care and social services; and to restore $50 million that had previously been cut in state aid to our local schools.  

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KPERS

The Senate passed its plan this week for stabilizing the state's retirement system. The plan will not make changes for current retirees or current public employees. New public employees will have their retirement funds managed by KPERS in what is commonly referred to as a cash balance plan. Cash balance plans, like the one utilized in Nebraska, provide long-term stability for retirees while costing the state significantly less to manage than some of the other options that had been considered this Session. Under this plan, employees will contribute 6% to their retirement account and the employer will match that with a 4% contribution. The vesting period would remain at five years for new employees and employees will be guaranteed a 6% rate of return at retirement. A higher rate of return will be offered to retirees who have more than 20 years of service and more than 30 years of service. Overall, the Senate plan will provide retirees with slightly better benefits than the current system and it will allow the state to fill the $8 billion shortfall that is projected under the current plan.