Legislative update from Rep. Pam Curtis, D-32nd Dist.

Rep. Pam Curtis

by Rep. Pam Curtis

The 2017 session of the Kansas Legislature began last week on Monday, Jan. 9th. My committee assignments for this year include Government Technology and Security, Children and Senior’s, Elections and the Judiciary Committee. The calendar will remain full over the next few weeks as bills are introduced and committees begin their work. You can follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.

In addition to my newsletter, I am working to keep constituents more informed via Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to follow me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PamCurtisKCK/ and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pcurtiskck.

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I both value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 452-S, Kansas Statehouse, 300 SW 10th, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at 785-296-7430 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. Additionally, you can email me at [email protected].

State of the State address

Gov. Sam Brownback gave his 2017 State of the State address on Tuesday, Jan. 10. Brownback referred to Kansas as the “envy of the world,” and assured a rather subdued Legislature and audience that his tax plan is working. This claim is easily refuted by the fact that our state’s budget deficit is nearly $1 billion.

Brownback’s tax plan, passed in 2012, allows the exemptions of income taxes for LLCs. This was supposed to bolster job creation – however, Kansas is experiencing negative job growth. The governor also asked the Legislature to pass a bill addressing the 2016 fiscal year budget shortfall by the end of January.

In addition, Gov. Brownback suggested performance-based pay for teachers, proposed the creation of a dental school at KU Medical Center, and announced that he would present a structurally balanced budget.

Governor’s budget report

The governor’s budget director, Shawn Sullivan, delivered a briefing of the governor’s budget proposal on Wednesday morning. The proposal includes the following:

– Doubling taxes on tobacco and alcohol sales, with a $1 tax per pack of cigarettes.
– Delaying $75 million in payments to K-12 until 2018.
– Removing $13 million from the Extraordinary Needs Fund.
– A transfer of $15.4 million from the State Highway Fund in 2017, $288.3 million in 2018, and $293.1 million in 2019.
– Securitization of the state’s tobacco funds.
– Extend the KanCare contracts for one year.
– Create a dental school at KU Medical Center.
– Create a scholarship for teachers who agree to work in rural areas of Kansas.
You can find the full details of the budget report at http://budget.ks.gov/gbr.htm.

Special election bill

President-Elect Donald Trump has chosen U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo from Congressional District 4 as his CIA director, which will leave a vacancy in that district upon his confirmation. A representative of the U.S. Congress can only be elected by the people, not appointed, which will force a special election for that seat. The bill (HB 2017) passed easily through the Kansas House on Thursday, extending the deadline for military ballots, establishing a process for Libertarian candidates to be on the ballot, and lowering the number of signatures required for a petition candidate.

Persons who are registered as unaffiliated can only get on the ballot by petition. Instead of requiring 17,000 signatures, the number has been lowered to 3,000. Amendments to the bill included establishing a time frame to begin gathering signatures (only after the governor has declared the vacancy), and changing the time frame that the Board of Canvassers can accept mail ballots.

Fog hangs over certain areas; temperatures to rise to 50 this afternoon

The National Weather Service has extended a dense fog advisory until 2 p.m. today, Jan. 18.

The weather service said fog in the area has affected visibility, with one-fourth mile or less expected through early this afternoon.

While fog has already lifted in the area, there is still some fog in scattered places, including on I-635 near the Missouri River in Wyandotte County.

Reduced visibility will create hazardous driving conditions, and areas of freezing fog may form slick spots on elevated surfaces, according to the weather service.

Temperatures later today will reach a high near 50, according to the weather service. At 10 a.m., the temperature rose over the freezing point, to 34 degrees.

Tonight, widespread fog is forecast between midnight and 1 a.m. The low will be 37, the weather service said.

Thursday, there will be a slight chance of showers before 7 a.m., then a slight chance of rain between 7 a.m. and noon, according to the weather service. There could be areas of fog before 1 p.m. The high will be near 52.

Thursday night’s low will be around 41, and Friday’s high will be near 57.

Democrats to meet Saturday

The Wyandotte County Third Saturday Democratic Breakfast will be held Saturday morning, Jan. 21, at The Dotte Spot Bar and Grill, 8123 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kan.

The speakers will be State Sen. Pat Pettey, D-6th Dist., and State Rep. Stan Frownfelter, D-37th Dist. Sen. Pettey is the chair of the Wyandotte County legislative delegation. Rep. Frownfelter was recently elected Democratic assistant leader in the Kansas House.

The breakfast buffet for the meeting, held every third Saturday, begins at 8:15 a.m., and the program will be at 9:15 a.m. It is open to Democrats.

The cost of the breakfast is $10, or $6 for students and those on limited incomes. There is a $2 charge for coffee for those who are not purchasing breakfast. This month, the breakfast will be serving pastries, fruit, juices and coffee.

Those who attend are asked to RSVP by Thursday, Jan. 19, to [email protected].