With the close of the regular session this week, the legislature will now take a break and return home to meet with constituents and allow staff to process all of the bills passed this session. I have several town hall meetings coming up and I am looking forward to discussing the issues with the people of the 110th district. Along with debating more than 50 pieces of legislation, the House also honored veterans of the Vietnam War from all branches of service. On Thursday the House marked April 4^th as “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans” day. The resolution reflected on the poor treatment many veterans received when they returned home and the importance of never letting that type of treatment happen again.

 

Women’s Right to Know Act
This week, the House passed the conference committee report on HB 2253, which would continue to secure and enrich the culture of life in Kansas. The provisions of the bill would restrict abortions based solely on gender, define life as beginning at fertilization and prohibit and use of taxpayer dollars to pay for or subsidize an abortion.

The most significant change to existing law concerns when life begins. The bill would add a statutory provision that would declare that the life of each human being begins at fertilization. Accordingly, all state laws would be interpreted and construed to protect the rights, privileges, and immunities of the unborn child, only subject to the U.S. Constitution and interpretations by the U.S. Supreme Court. Thus, additional new language would be required in certain printed materials to inform pregnant women about the development of the unborn child, legal responsibilities for the unborn child, and organizations to assist the pregnant woman.

Kansas law provides several cases for which an abortion is permissible and legal. This bill would update the prohibited list to include gender selection abortions. The bill would prohibit the use of public funding, tax credits, tax preferences, and state-provided public health care services from being used in any manner to facilitate abortions or in facilities where abortions are performed. It also would prohibit any school district, its employees, agents, and education service providers from offering abortion services and abortion providers would be restricted from sponsoring, offering, or furnishing any course materials or instruction related to human sexuality or sexually transmitted diseases in public schools.

The House passed HB 2253 by a vote of 90 to 30. The bill is now headed to the Governor for his signature or veto.  I voted Yes.

 

Second Amendment Protection Act and Personal and Family Protection Act
SB 102 included three main provisions. The first would exclude all firearms produced and kept in Kansas from federal firearms legislation and regulation. This would seek to regulate a state product which is manufactured wholly in the state and remaining within Kansas borders to be subject to Kansas law only. It is time for the states to draw a line in the sand against the continued overreach by the federal government.

The second and third pieces of the bill would make it illegal to enforce federal gun laws by federal or local law enforcement within Kansas borders when the weapons in question are made in Kansas and meet the regulation of state law.

HB 2052 would make changes to where a concealed carry licensee would be able to take their weapon. The bill would require public buildings to provide adequate security to guarantee there are not guns in the building before being able to restrict concealed carry permit holders from carrying their weapon within said building. The bill would exempt local school districts and allow certain entities 4 year, renewable exemptions if they can demonstrate a need to restrict weapons.

SB 102 passed the House 96-24 and HB 2052 passed 104-16. Both bills are now headed to the Governor for his signature or veto. I voted Yes.

 

Unemployment Insurance Reform
HB 2105 would reform the largest business tax levied in Kansas, the unemployment insurance tax which is paid by employers across the state. This bill would make changes regarding the fees paid by new employers to help new small businesses in their most difficult first years. The bill would also help positive balance employers who don’t contribute to the program’s deficit by lowering the percent paid by these employers. The bill also changed the level of wages on which unemployment taxes are subject to.

HB 2105 passed the House 89-31 and is headed to the Governor for his signature or veto. I voted Yes.

 

There were many more bills passed and there is still work to be done to get a budget and tax plan completed. For more information sign up for my newsletter at www.travisforkansas.com.

Do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts and concerns. I am dedicated to providing outstanding constituent service and your continued communication is vital to that process. You can stay connected by following my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/TravisforKansas and website at www.travisforkansas.com. As always, feel free to contact my office at (785) 296-4683 at any time.

 

The Hays Police Department conducted 10 traffic stops and received two animal calls on Monday, according to the Police Activity Log.

Sex Offense: Officers received the report of a sex offense that occurred Sunday in the 2800 block of Augusta Lane. The alleged offense occurred between 5:30 and 10:00 p.m. Sunday.

Theft: The Hays Police Department investigated one theft reported on Monday afternoon. The alleged theft was reported in the 400 block of East 8th Street at 3:16 Monday afternoon.

Burglary: The burglary of a vehicle was reported, to the Hays Police Department, was reported in the 400 block of Milner Street Monday afternoon at 4:15.

Drug Offenses: Officers from the Hays Police Department investigated two drug related offenses on Monday. The first was in connection with a driving under the influence traffic stop in the 400 block of East 20th Street at 1:04 a.m. Monday. The second drug related offense was reported in connection with a miscellaneous investigation conducted by the HPD in the 1600 block of West 28th Street Monday afternoon at 4:13.

Criminal Damage to Property: The Hays PD investigated two report of damage to property on Monday; both of the incidents were reported as criminal damage to property. The first report of damage to property was reported in the 4300 block of Vine Street Monday morning at 11:13. The second report of damage to property was in the 3700 block of Vine Street at 2:01 p.m. Monday.

Stalking: The Hays Police Department received a report of stalking and a criminal threat made in the 3200 block of Vine Street Monday evening. The incident occurred at 5:21 p.m.

Disturbance: Hays Police Officers responded to two disturbance reports Monday. A domestic disturbance was reported at 24th and Canterbury Drive Monday afternoon between 2:46 and 2:48.

Unwanted Person: Officers responded to the report of an unwanted person in the 2900 block of Vine Street Monday morning at 11:01. There was also a report of disorderly conduct at this address.

Motor Vehicle Accident: There two motor vehicle accidents reported to the Hays Police Department on Monday. The first accident was reported in the 1300 block of Tallgrass Road at 5:20 p.m. Monday. The second motor vehicle accident was reported in the 1200 block of Fort Street Monday afternoon. The accident occurred between 1:00 and 3:50 p.m. Monday.

The Hays Police Department conducted 73 traffic stops and received 15 animal calls between Friday morning and Sunday evening, according to the Police Activity Log.

Sex Offense: The Hays Police Department received the report of a sex offense a 3:16 Sunday afternoon. The sex offense was reported in the 100 block of West 12th Street.

Theft: The Hays PD investigated two theft reports over the weekend. The first theft was reported on Friday afternoon. The alleged theft was reported in the 100 block of West 21st Street and occurred between 1:00 and 3:30 Friday afternoon. The second theft was reported in connection with a civil dispute in the 2500 block of Vine Street at 10:43 Saturday morning.

Burglary: Officers investigated the report of the burglary of a vehicle, Saturday afternoon, in the 200 block of East 17th Street. The alleged burglary occurred between Friday evening at 6:00 and Saturday morning at 7:00.

Criminal Damage to Property: The Hays PD received three report of criminal damage to property. The first report of damage to property was reported in the 600 block of East 12th Street and occurred between Wednesday morning at 8:00 and Friday evening at 6:10. The second damage to property was reported in the 200 block of West 13th Street and occurred between 3:00 and 4:20 p.m. Saturday. The third criminal damage to property was reported in the 500 block of East 8th Street Sunday morning at 9:27.

Suspicious Activity: The Hays Police Department received five reports of suspicious activity. The first was in connection with a harassment report in the 400 block of West 7th Street. The second was reported in the 500 block of East 12th Street at 12:40 Sunday morning. There was a disorderly conduct report in connection with the suspicious activity report. A third suspicious activity was reported in the 2000 block of Ash Street Sunday morning at 4:04, in connection with an intoxicated subject.

Disturbance: The Hays PD received eight disturbance reports over the weekend. Four were for noise reports. One was for the report of harassment by telephone of fax in the 1200 block of Canterbury Drive Friday evening at 7:18. Officers also responded to a domestic disturbance in the 700 block of West 12th Street Sunday evening. The alleged disturbance occurred between 7:15 and 7:46 Sunday evening.

Driving Under the Influence: Hays Police Officers conducted three driving under the influence reported over the weekend. The first was reported at 7th and Ash Street Friday night at 10:58 p.m. The second DUI stop was conducted in the 400 block of West 7th Street at 1:25 Saturday morning. The final DUI stop was conducted in the 100 block of West 7th Street Sunday morning at 2:03 a.m.

Motor Vehicle Accident: The Hays Police Department responded to six motor vehicle accidents between Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon. Three of the accidents involved private property and three of the accidents were hit and run accidents. The first hit and run accident was reported in the 1200 block of East 27th Street at 8:29 Saturday morning. The second hit and run accident was reported in the 400 block of East 23rd Street at 11:30 Saturday night. The third hit and run accident was reported in the 300 block of West 8th Street between 12:45 and 12:47 a.m. Sunday.

Update 5:10 p.m.

With the plea deal that was agreed upon, Tre Carrasco was sentenced on Monday afternoon to serve 100 months in prison.

For Aggravated Battery – 56 months

For Aggravated Sexual Battery – 32 months

For Aggravated Battery – 12 months

These will be served consecutively.  He also gets credit for 622 days already served.

He will be in prison for an additional 80 months and could be released after 60 months for good behavior.

Carrasco was released to the Ellis Co. Sheriff’s Department and transferred to the State Dept of Corrections.

 

 

Eighteen year old Tre Carrasco will be sentenced in Ellis County District court today.

Last month Caarrasco  pleaded no contest to  1 count of sexual battery and 2 counts of aggravated battery of a 57-year old woman in Hays. The incident in the 2900 block of Country Lane happened almost 2 years ago.

Ellis County Attorney Tom Drees told Hays Post, “Under the terms of the plea agreement, Carrasco faces up to 100 months in prison.

District Judge Ed Bouker had ordered a presentence investigation. It was completed last week and the sentencing is this afternoon at 4 p.m.