“Turn Around Day,” has come and gone. The first week of session was short, but was eventful. Although we took action on a very few bills on the House floor, the action was intense. The major event was on a procedural motion on what we call “concur to Senate amendments” on House Bill 2221. That was also known as the smoking ban and the “Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act.” Although the bill is flawed, it passed and is expected to be signed by the governor.
Work continues to draft separate budget bills in the House and Senate. Subcommittee hearings are almost done and they are supposed to make reports to the full Appropriations committee this week. This process will be complicated by the news that revenues continue to come in below projections. The February revenues appear to be about $60 million below projections, making the total shortfall for this year around $100 million. That fact increases the 2011 shortfall from $400 million to over $500 million. Definitely not the type of news we wanted to hear!
Despite this news of lower projections, the Legislature will remain in somewhat of holding pattern and will not make any final budget drafts until we have fresh budget projections. The decision to either raise taxes or further reduce spending continues to be a serious dilemma for legislators.
Committee work was again slow this week except for Taxation committee. The major bill we heard this week in that committee was on raising gallonage taxes on alcoholic beverages. The increase of approximately $20 million is targeted for mental health services and the developmentally disabled. Many people for and against testified on this bill.
We also had an information presentation in Health and Human Services committee on the Nurse Practitioner Act, but will not take any action this year. There is a bill to raise the ‘bed tax’ (HB2673) for nursing homes, but that will probably go to the Tax committee rather than Health committee. This bill would be an attempt to close the gap created by the Medicare cuts.
Pastor Tim Mace from the Koerner Heights Church in Newton was chaplain of the Day on Feb. 25. Although I did not have much time to spend with him, he did an excellent job of delivering the invocation to open the House session that day. He also gave a brief meditation for a prayer breakfast we have each Thursday morning.
We still have some major bills and issues coming up. Several bills in tax committee have been heard that will be acted on soon. Coordination with the Appropriations committee will need to be done so the Tax committee can craft a bill that fits with the overall plan. It’s a balance that typically takes some time to accomplish.
If you plan to visit Topeka or get involved with legislation now is certainly the time. Your involvement in this process is such an important part of representative democracy. If you plan to visit Topeka, please let me know so we can make contact.
A legislative coffee is coming up in McPherson on March 6. If you want to talk to Senator Emler, Representative Shultz, or myself, please make plans to be there.
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“Turn Around Day,” has come and gone. The first week of session was short, but was eventful. Although we took action on a very few bills on the House floor, the action was intense. The major event was on a procedural motion on what we call “concur to Senate amendments” on House Bill 2221. That was also known as the smoking ban and the “Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act.” Although the bill is flawed, it passed and is expected to be signed by the governor.
Work continues to draft separate budget bills in the House and Senate. Subcommittee hearings are almost done and they are supposed to make reports to the full Appropriations committee this week. This process will be complicated by the news that revenues continue to come in below projections. The February revenues appear to be about $60 million below projections, making the total shortfall for this year around $100 million. That fact increases the 2011 shortfall from $400 million to over $500 million. Definitely not the type of news we wanted to hear!
Despite this news of lower projections, the Legislature will remain in somewhat of holding pattern and will not make any final budget drafts until we have fresh budget projections. The decision to either raise taxes or further reduce spending continues to be a serious dilemma for legislators.
Committee work was again slow this week except for Taxation committee. The major bill we heard this week in that committee was on raising gallonage taxes on alcoholic beverages. The increase of approximately $20 million is targeted for mental health services and the developmentally disabled. Many people for and against testified on this bill.
We also had an information presentation in Health and Human Services committee on the Nurse Practitioner Act, but will not take any action this year. There is a bill to raise the ‘bed tax’ (HB2673) for nursing homes, but that will probably go to the Tax committee rather than Health committee. This bill would be an attempt to close the gap created by the Medicare cuts.
Pastor Tim Mace from the Koerner Heights Church in Newton was chaplain of the Day on Feb. 25. Although I did not have much time to spend with him, he did an excellent job of delivering the invocation to open the House session that day. He also gave a brief meditation for a prayer breakfast we have each Thursday morning.
We still have some major bills and issues coming up. Several bills in tax committee have been heard that will be acted on soon. Coordination with the Appropriations committee will need to be done so the Tax committee can craft a bill that fits with the overall plan. It’s a balance that typically takes some time to accomplish.
If you plan to visit Topeka or get involved with legislation now is certainly the time. Your involvement in this process is such an important part of representative democracy. If you plan to visit Topeka, please let me know so we can make contact.
A legislative coffee is coming up in McPherson on March 6. If you want to talk to Senator Emler, Representative Shultz, or myself, please make plans to be there.
