SENATE HIGHLIGHTS
This week marked the sixth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us. As we approach “turn-around” the Senate held floor debate on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full Senate. The bills voted on by the full Senate now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over. Conference committees will meet to iron out the differences between the Senate and House versions before the 2018 session ends in May.
FLOOR ACTION
GROUNDWATER DISTRICT USER CHARGES – SB194 permits groundwater management district boards to increase the maximum water withdrawal charge from $1.50 for each acre-foot to $2.00 for each acre-foot.
LICENSE RENEWAL OF TREATMENT CENTERS – HB 2106 authorizes the Secretary for Aging Disability Services Secretary to grant a treatment facility licensed by the Secretary under the Alcohol or Other Drug Addiction Treatment Act and also accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Services.
ELECTRONIC MONITORING IN ADULT CARE HOMES – House Bill 2232 allows a resident of an adult care home, or a resident’s guardian or legal representative, to conduct authorized electronic monitoring in the resident’s room subject to requirements set out in the bill.
VEHICLE DEALERS AND MANUFACTURERS LICENSING ACT – SB324 adds two sections to the Vehicle Dealers and Manufacturers Licensing Act on improvements to dealer facilities, dealer performance criteria, and recall repairs.
CRIME VICTIMS COMPENSATION FUND – Senate Bill 266 amends law governing awards from the Crime Victims Compensation Board.
LICENSURE OF DENTAL THERAPISTS – Senate Bill 312 expands the Dental Practices Act by creating the practice of dental therapy and requiring the Kansas Dental Board to authorize a person to practice as a dental therapist if such person meets the qualifications set forth in the bill. This bill passed the Senate 38-0
KANSAS RETAIL ELECTRIC SUPPLIERS ACT – Substitute for Senate Bill 323 revise law related to Kansas municipal energy agencies (MEAs), the oversight of electric cooperatives by the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC), and retail electric suppliers.
KANSAS AMUSEMENT RIDE ACT – Senate Bill 307 makes multiple amendments to the Kansas Amusement Ride Act.
COMMITTEE ACTION
TRANSPARENCY BILL
On Wednesday, Senate President Susan Wagle (R-Wichita) and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley (D-Topeka) gave testimony for their transparency bill in the Senate Ethics, Elections, and Local Government Committee. The bipartisan legislation, SB 394, requires the registration of anyone attempting to influence a member of the executive or judicial branch, to register as a lobbyist. Currently, the law only requires registration for those attempting to influence legislative action. Thursday morning SB 394 passed out of the Senate Ethics, Elections, and Local Government Committee.
CONCEALED CARRY BILL
On Tuesday, the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee held a hearing on HB 2042, an act concerning firearms and concealed carry licensing. The original bill which was recommended by the Attorney General. The bill contains three main provisions: recognizes licenses issued by other jurisdictions, lowers the age to obtain concealed carry license to 18 and allow postsecondary institutions to prohibit the carrying of concealed weapons if the person does not have a concealed carry license. The current law states that individuals must be at least 21 years old. The law also requires those individuals to have eight hours of training before they are eligible to conceal and carry if they wish to have a permit.
TRACEY MANN SWORN IN AS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
On Wednesday, February 14th, Tracey Mann of Salina was sworn in as Lieutenant Governor of Kansas. Governor Jeff Colyer announced the appointment Tuesday night at the Kansas Livestock Association Dinner. Although he has never held elected office, Mann ran in the Republican primary for the 1st District congressional seat in 2010. He currently serves as the managing director and principal for Newmark Grubb Zimmer, a Kansas City-based commercial real estate company. Prior to working for Newmark Grubb Zimmer, Mann served as the director for the National Student Leadership Forum on Faith and Values. Mann, 41, and father of four, served as Student Body President for Kansas State where he graduated in 2000 with a degree in agricultural economics.
GOOD NEWS FOR KANSAS
A new report projects Kansas will collect more than $505 million in additional revenue over the next three years because of changes in federal income tax laws.
FROM THE STATE LIBRARY
Research for Kids
The State Library has online interactive eBooks, storybooks, and puzzles for children. These resources encourage new and reluctant readers to develop a love for reading. BookFLIX (PreK to third grade) pairs children’s video storybooks with related nonfiction titles. TumbleBooks offers animated talking picture books and read-along chapter books that improve sight word recognition. Britannica E-Stax (PreK to 5th grade) features nonfiction that can be downloaded to any Internet enabled device. http://kslib.info/kids
If the page above asks for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas. Most people will be automatically recognized as inside Kansas and will not need this step. Questions: [email protected] or 785-296-3296.
VISITORS FROM SENATE DISTRICT #36
The sixth week of session was one of the busiest of the legislative year so far. Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services members attended their annual meeting and visited with their legislators – Kathy Coleman representing the city of Miltonvale and Region IV stopped in between her meetings. Members from home with the North Central-Flint Hills Area on Aging had lunch with us for Older Kansans Day and stayed to watch the Senate session. Kansas Livestock Association members attended their annual event and dinner on Wednesday and Leadership Mitchell County invited Rep. Susan Concannon and myself to join them for lunch and a legislative update from us. Kansas Farm Bureau members met with legislators for lunch and the Kansas Association Community College Trustees and Phi Theta Kappa held their annual scholarship banquet and introduced the 2017 scholars, the Academic Team for 2017, on Thursday. The new Cloud County Community College president Mark Smith attended along with the four CCCC scholars – Galen Allen, Liza van der Merwe, Zeel Mehta and Jennifer Schultz.
I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. The House meets at 11:00 a.m. and the Senate at 2:30 p.m. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.
Thank you for the honor of serving you!
Senator Elaine Bowers
Kansas State Capitol Building
Room 223-E
300 SW 10th St.
Topeka, KS 66612
[email protected]
785 296-7389
www.kslegislature.org