This last week was a busy week. The Senate passed 42 bills in 3 days.

Governor Kelly raises income taxes on middle class families and small businesses as well as large corporations that do business in foreign countries. When Governor Kelly vetoed SB 22 she broke several campaign pledges including no tax increases and lowering sales tax on food. We will vote to override the Governor this week.

Some of the bills of particular interest to our district are:

HB 2160 passed the Senate last week. This bill will allow Thomas, Russell, Wabaunsee, Dickinson and Jackson counties the authority to place on the ballot and vote on increasing their local sale tax for county projects. The Thomas County project is the new Justice Center.

S Sub HB 2167 will establish a commercial industrial hemp program. This bill will require the Kansas Department of Agriculture, in consultation with the Governor and Attorney General, to submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Agriculture regarding how the KDA will monitor and regulate the commercial production of industrial hemp within the state, in accordance with federal law. In addition, the bill would establish the Commercial Industrial Hemp Program, make changes to the Industrial Hemp Research Program, create the Industrial Hemp Regulatory Commission, create the Hemp Processor License, establish prohibitions on specific products, establish sentencing guidelines, and establish waste disposal requirements.

There is a lot of interest in Kansas for both growing and processing industrial hemp. I attended a hemp conference in Denver, CO this weekend that included over 200 exhibitor booths that displayed product, processing equipment, seed sales, and other manufacturing possibilities. I attended as many breakout sessions as time would allow. I was told there were over 3,000 people in attendance including a few from the 40th Senate district.

The Senate passed SB 235 which will continue the 20-mill statewide levy for schools and exempt certain portions of property used for residential purposes from such levy.

To help offset the fuel tax the State does not currently receive on electric and hybrid vehicles S Sub HB 2214 was passed. This bill will add a vehicle registration fee of $100 for all electric vehicles and $50 for motor vehicles that are conventional electric hybrid and plug-in electric hybrid vehicles. These new fees will go into effect 1-1-20.

HB 2215 will authorize the Kansas State Fair Board to establish a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. The purpose of the nonprofit corporation would be to receive gifts, donations, grants and other moneys and engage in fundraising projects that benefit the Kansas State Fair. The board of directors of the nonprofit corporation would consist of the members of the executive committee of the Fair Board, the General Manager of the Kansas State Fair and other directors designated by the Fair Board.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District of Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by e-mail at [email protected] or call me with your questions and concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is
785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka stop by my office at 236-E.

Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, is the Kansas state senator for the 40th District, which includes Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties as well as portions of Phillips County.