WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today urged Kansans to provide comment on new proposed regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that attempt to further define the scope of waters regulated under the Clean Water Act.

“Too often Kansans have felt that their way of life has been under attack or hindered by the EPA with the Clean Water Act as the justification,” Roberts said in a news release. “From every corner of the state, I hear from farmers, ranchers, small businesses owners, and others that want limits to the federal government’s reach and for the administration to work with them instead of against them.”

“These technical definitions and changes to the Clean Water Act lay the groundwork for continued environmental regulation and potential future regulatory efforts,” Roberts said. “I encourage all Kansans to look over the proposed rule, ask questions, and submit comments for the record. Farm ponds and dry creek beds simply should not be regulated as if they are the Missouri River. Kansans should weigh in to make sure common sense prevails.”

The public now has 90 days to comment on the agencies’ proposal to clarify the scope of the “waters of the United States” regulated under the Clean Water Act and what can be classified as “other waters” outside of the law’s jurisdiction. The agencies also propose, for the first time, to define the terms “neighboring,” “riparian area,” “floodplain,” “tributary,” and “significant nexus.”

Roberts is a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture.

To provide a comment, go to: epa.gov/uswaters

QUINTER — A blown tire caused an SUV to roll on Interstate 70 at 6:21 p.m. Tuesday, and two Topeka women were hospitalized as a result.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Barbara J. Baker, 40, Topeka, was westbound on I-70 3 miles east of Quinter when a tire went flat. Baker lost control of the vehicle, which rolled twice before coming to rest on the north shoulder.

Baker and a passenger, Letha M. Griffiths, Topeka, were transported to Gove County Medical Center for treatment of injuries.

The KHP said both were wearing seat belts.

WICHITA (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that Kansas can strip Planned Parenthood of federal family planning money.

A divided court in Denver on Tuesday overturned a judge’s order that forced Kansas to keep funding Planned Parenthood’s clinics in Wichita in Hays.

At issue is money distributed under a federally financed family planning program. A Kansas law requires the state to first allocate the Title X money to public health departments and hospitals, leaving no funds for the Planned Parenthood clinics.

The appeals court rejected Planned Parenthood’s claims that losing the money amounted to a violation of free-speech rights for associating with abortion providers.

The clinics in question don’t provide abortions. The only Planned Parenthood clinic that provides abortions in Kansas is in the Kansas City area.

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Revenue announced in a news release Tuesday it will offer honorably discharged veterans another way to show that they have served their country, a veteran’s designation on their driver’s license or photo identification card.

The word “VETERAN” will appear in red capital letters beneath the license holder’s photo. If the applicant is asking for the designation to be put on when renewing or getting a new driver’s license, there is no additional fee for the designation. If they are reissuing a driver’s license that has not expired, there is an $8 fee to reissue the license but no additional fee for the veteran designation.

To qualify for driver’s license with the veteran designation, applicants must bring in a DD-214 that indicates a discharge of “honorable,” “general” or “general under honorable conditions” — or a letter from the Kansas Veteran’s Commission.

“Our veterans are rightfully proud of their service to their country and state, this is one more way they can let people know that they served,” Director of Vehicles Lisa Kaspar said.

Salina Post

SALINA — Several guns reportedly were stolen Monday in a home burglary in eastern Saline County.

Jason Cline told the Saline County Sheriff’s Office someone kicked in the front door of his home in the 6200 block of East Stimmel Road between 8:30 a.m. and 6:49 p.m. Monday.

Among the items taken were a 32-inch and 40-inch flat-screen televisions, a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson pistol with one magazine, a 9mm Ruger handgun, a single-shot shotgun, an engraved and gold-plated Marlin 1845 lever-action .45 caliber long rifle, and a set of Wilson golf clubs.

Damage to the door is estimated at $200, and value of stolen property placed at $6,900.

The United States Postal Service will have public meetings today in Otis, Pawnee Rock, Rush Center, and Albert.

The meetings are to discuss the Postal Service plan to preserve the nation’s smallest post offices.

The USPS website said the goal of the meetings is to make sure America’s communities continue to have access to their products and services as the USPS attempts to right-size the Post Office network to reflect the nation’s current use of services.

 These schedules are subject to change. Please check with your Post Office to confirm meeting details

By HANNAH SWANK
KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA — In what he called a “friendly amendment,” Sen. Jeff King, R-Independence, said he appreciated the addition to HB 2577 concerning the newborn infant protection act.

The bill heard on the Senate floor Monday allows a parent to surrender an infant 45 days or younger to an on-duty employee at a fire station, city or county health department or medical care facility.

Sen. Forrest Knox, R-Altoona, proposed an amendment to expand the list of locations where an infant could be surrendered to include police stations, sheriff’s offices and law enforcement centers.

Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, said when the bill was originally introduced, legislators didn’t contemplate all the possible places for the purpose of safe-harboring children.

“I would hope to not only adopt this amendment, but in future years, to look for other places where a mother in distress could leave her child that would be considered a safe place,” Haley said.

In addition to the expansion of safe places for struggling parents to surrender infant children, the bill also ensures the anonymity of the parent or person surrendering the child unless there is reasonable suspicion for abuse.

The Senate passed HB 2577 as amended and the bill will move forward for final action.

Hannah Swank is a University of Kansas senior from Topeka majoring in journalism.

By HANNAH SWANK
KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA — Sen. Laura Kelly, D-Topeka, said the Legislature never anticipated there would come a time when it would sell off state assets. But that is what is being proposed in SB 423 to sell real estate in downtown Topeka, including the Landon state office building and the Eisenhower state office building.

In a long debate in the Senate on Monday, there were four proposed amendments to SB 423 with three amendments approved.

Sen. Marci Francisco, D- Lawrence, proposed an amendment requiring a cost-benefit analysis of a potential sale to be submitted to the State Finance Council and then reviewed by the Legislature.

Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said this requirement of legislative action to make sales final is just another hurdle. In response, Sen. Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, said the hurdle referred to is the Legislature itself.

“When you’re talking about a multi-million dollar sale, I think it’s within the purview of the Kansas Legislature to approve or disapprove that,” Hensley said. “I think it’s our responsibility as the elected representatives of the people of Kansas to be directly involved in this process.”

After a roll call vote, the amendment failed 11 yea, 29 nay.

The concerns of Francisco and other Yea-voters were answered in the amendment proposed by Kelly requiring the sale be approved by the secretary of administration and consulted with the joint committee on state building construction.

SB 432 passed as amended by the Committee of the Whole and will move forward for final action.

Hannah Swank is a University of Kansas senior from Topeka majoring in journalism.

By RYAN MCCARTHY
KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA — Making sure proper funeral arrangements for veterans proved to be a topic for debate and possibly more clarification on the House floor Monday.

In the general order portion of the session, Senate Bill 263 discussed the concern for military service members and the military honors funeral fund. It also abolishes the Kansas commission on veteran affairs making it a part of the executive branch of government.

The KCVA mission statement said it provides veterans, their relatives and other eligible dependents with information, advice and assistance through the coordination of programs and services.

“(The bill) will create a fund where you can donate money to satisfy this honor for veterans,” said Rep. Marco Goico, a major proponent of the bill.

The bill provides more complete and proper services for the veterans whether it comes to health care or burial.

Rep. Ed Trimmer, D-Winfield, asked if the bill is similar to House Bill 2681, which passed last week. The bill would make shifts with the management of the KCVA and require annual report on the progress to repair problems with the system.

It also looks to give more control to the Gov. Sam Brownback following a state audit with identifying potential fraud and oversight within KCVA.

Goico said it was not the same bill. After discussing it further, Trimmer said it needs to be clarified.

“Now we have a bill that separates this out, we’re sending out two pieces of legislation with a different version of 2681,” Trimmer said. “I hope some of it can get sorted out some how. My point last week was that we should discuss that issue out by itself to avoid confusion. I guess now we’ll see which version we decide to pass.”

Rep. Melanie Meier, D-Leavenworth, also talked about the importance of making sure veterans and funeral arrangements for fallen soldiers were properly handled.

“The federal government is making a lot of cuts and it’s harder and harder for our Kansas veterans to get military honors through the federal government,” Meier said. “With this fund, people can feel like they are supporting their veterans and families can express their gratitude to make sure every Kansas veteran gets the military honors they deserve.”

The bill moved out of general orders and most likely will go into final action later this week.

Another general order on the House floor of note Monday was Senate Bill 357 dealing with hunter education in the state.

Rep. Bud Estes, R-Dodge City, said the bill would increase the number of deferrals from one to two times.

Hunting deferrals are for inexperienced hunters who have not taken the hunting education in Kansas or any other states.

Each deferral can be valid until the end of the current license year in which a hunting license needs to be purchased. The person must be 16 years or older to purchase a license deferral, but must be in the supervision of licensed adult who is older than 18.

Having two deferrals would allow a hunter to have another experience at hunting before the requirement of hunter education.

“This will help determine if some like hunting they can stay into it,” Estes said.

According to the bill, a person over 16 years old may have two separate deferrals with completion of hunter education.

Rep. Ponka-We Victors, D-Wichita, said that there was some opposition from the Natural Resources Committee but they managed to pass it when reducing the proposed deferral from three to two times.

The bill also passed and will be voted on with final action later this week.

Ryan McCarthy is a University of Kansas senior from Lenexa majoring in journalism.

GREAT BEND — An infant was hospitalized with possible injuries in a collision 4 miles south of Great Bend at 12:15 p.m. Monday.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Dodge Charger driven by Dalton C. Garrett, Great Bend, rear-ended a 2000 Ford Taurus on U.S. 281, as the Taurus was stopped to make a left turn. Garrett was not injured.

The driver of the Taurus Dan T. Ly, 22, Gorham, and a passenger, Courtney A. Hart, 25, Gorham, were not injured. A 2-month-old infant also in the vehicle was transported to Great Bend Regional Hospital for what the KHP reported was “possible injury.”

All parties involved were properly restrained, the KHP reported.

Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — Barton County has joined the growing list of counties prohibiting outdoor burning as drought conditions persist.

The Barton County Commission on Monday signed a resolution establishing a temporary burn ban, with all outdoor open burning prohibited in rural areas of the county.

Agricultural burning for crop and pasture management practices could be exempted from this order, with written permission from the fire chief with jurisdiction in the area.

Violation of this burn ban resolution result in fines of up to $1,000. The ban will continue until lifted by the county commission.

Salina Post

SALINA — A Salina man booked into the Saline County jail March 14 for probation violation now is facing drug charges after allegedly sneaking prescription drugs and methamphetamine into the jail via his artificial leg.

Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski said Christopher Lee Jones, 33, complained late Sunday morning about not getting breakfast. While talking with Jones, a corrections officer noticed his speech was slurred. Medical tests showed narcotics in his system.

Kochanowski said officers learned Jones is believed to have brought drugs into the jail in his artificial leg and that he had shared some of the drugs with other inmates.

Among the drug charges requested against Jones include trafficking and distribution of contraband in a correctional facility.

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By Kansas Department of Wildlife,Tourism and Parks

PRATT – In late March, a placid lake surface might lead some to believe major fish activity has yet to begin, but for walleye, waves of commotion are occurring beneath the surface as males and females begin spawning. As soon as water temperatures hit 45-50 degrees, walleye begin the annual process, as other fish species do each spring.

Most spawning activity occurs at night when female walleye search for the perfect rocky shoreline to lay their eggs, and male walleyes, who’ve been waiting on the spawning ground for days, fertilize them. With large females producing as many as 300,000 eggs, it’s hard to believe this species would need assistance with the process, but even the best laid plans are no match for Mother Nature. In Kansas lakes, less than 10 percent of naturally-spawned walleye eggs will hatch.

However, hatching success rates can be as high as 70 percent in a hatchery setting. That’s why every year about this time, you’ll see Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) fisheries biologists working tirelessly at select Kansas lakes. Biologists set nets to capture spawning walleye, then harvest the eggs of ripe females.

Once collected, the eggs are then taken to a station where they are fertilized with milt, or sperm, taken from male walleyes caught from the same body of water. After fertilization, the eggs are immediately delivered to the Pratt and Milford fish hatcheries where fish culturists work around the clock to ensure high hatch and survival rates of young walleye, which are then stocked into Kansas lakes as is, or used to produce other hybrid fish species.

Last year, KDWPT’s Walleye Culture Program produced 43 million walleye fry (just hatched fish) and 660,000 walleye fingerlings (2-inch fish). With that same batch of eggs, KDWPT staff were also able to produce 7.5 million saugeye fry, 400,000 saugeye fingerlings (walleye/sauger hybrids).

In addition to walleye, KDWPT hatcheries also produce    blue gill, channel catfish, crappie, largemouth bass, redear sunfish, sauger, saugeye, smallmouth bass, striped bass and wipers.

For more information on KDWPT hatcheries and the fish they produce, visit www.ksoutdoors.com.