Category: Opinions

Newsletter from Rep. Pam Curtis, D-32nd Dist.

Rep. Pam Curtis

Opinion
by Rep. Pam Curtis

The Kansas Legislature is off to a very fast pace with committee hearings, informational briefings and constituent groups visiting the Statehouse to meet with elected officials about matters before the Kansas Legislature.

This week I introduced a bill, HB 2185, in the House Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee that would allow local government to require prevailing wage be paid on public projects. Here are comments I provided at a news conference about the proposed legislation:

“Like my colleague, the focus of my legislation is easing the regulations and restrictions of the state over local government units. We can help ensure that Kansas’ local communities are successful by allowing local government officials the capability to adopt policies that fit the nature of their individual communities, policies that are supported by their citizens.

“I’ve introduced a bill that would allow for local governments to establish prevailing wages for public projects. This is a tool that has been used before here in Kansas in both Sedgwick and Wyandotte counties. Studies prove that public project, paying a prevailing wage, tend to be completed early, under budget, and decreases the cost of the project. Another benefit of prevailing wage is that the money paid to project workers stays within the community, boosting local economies and development.”

A special thank you to Stella Manspeaker, Tatum Church and Lily Salazar for serving as legislative pages this week. Being a legislative page is a great way for students to experience the legislative process first hand and I enjoyed having them spend the day with me.

It is an honor to serve as your state representative. I both value and need your input on issues facing state government. Feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 452-S, 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]. You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.

Support for working Kansans

Wednesday, Jan. 25, the Kansas House and Senate Democrats held a joint press conference, alongside Kansas’ labor unions, to roll out several pieces of legislation to help reinforce and strengthen the rights and protections for working men and women in Kansas.

The bills introduced:

Workplace bullying

Workplace bullying is increasingly being recognized as a major workplace issue. These cases do not usually involve physical violence. Instead, the majority of cases are instances of a person’s work being sabotaged or their work reputation being attacked. Based on recent studies, 96 percent of employees experience bullying in the workplace, and 89 percent report the bullying has continued for more than five years. The overall goal of this bill is to reduce workplace bullying and protect the State from any potential liability.

Removing and replacing prevailing factor standard in work HB 2058

One of the more significant changes that were made to the Kansas Workers Compensation Act in 2013 was the change to a prevailing factor standard when assessing the cause of an employee’s workplace injury. HB 2058 would repeal the prevailing factor standard and replace it with a substantial factor standard. Essentially this bill says to be eligible for occupational disability benefits, an employee must prove only that their employment was a substantial factor in causing their disability.

Changing from AMA 6th edition to the 4th edition – HB 2058

Currently, the Kansas Workers Compensation Act requires the use of the American Medical Association guides 6th edition when assessing the extent of the employee’s injury. Use of the 6th edition is widely understood to not appropriately reflect the true extent of an employee’s injuries, whereas the 4th edition of the guides has been shown to more appropriately reflect the true nature of an employee’s injuries.

Reversing the damaging effects of 2013 Work Comp Act – HB 2062

As a whole, the changes to the Kansas Workers Compensation Act made in 2013 have largely been detrimental, if not punitive to injured employees. The intent of this bill is to remedy many of those more punitive measures. Including increasing the maximum rates of compensation, changing overly burdensome notice requirements, and limiting the impact of drug testing.

Paid time off – to be introduced

Requires employers to offer paid time off to employees.

Fair scheduling – to be introduced

Removing the prohibition on local government from enacting fair scheduling ordinances.

Choice of care

Currently, when an employee is injured on the job it is the employer that picks the medical provider and not the employee. And too often the employer’s choice of provider is based on cost and not appropriate care of the injured employee. This bill will provide that it is the injured employee who has the choice of their care and not the employer.

Prevailing wage – HB 2185

This bill will allow local units of government the option to incorporate a prevailing wage requirement on public projects. Prevailing wage is the hourly wage, usual benefits and overtime, paid in the largest city in each county to the majority of workers, laborers and mechanics. Prevailing wages are established by the Department of Labor and Industries and they are established separately for each county, and are reflective of local wage conditions.

Teacher due process

This bill simply reinstitutes the due process rights for teachers as they existed prior to the changes made in 2014.

Concealed carry hearing

On Thursday, Jan. 26, the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee held a hearing over Senate Bill 53. This bill would grant a permanent exemption from the concealed carry laws in public buildings, specifically state-run hospitals and universities. The vote on this bill will happen sometime next week.

This issue took on a whole new meaning when, just prior to the hearing, it was revealed that a Republican House member had stormed out of an Education Committee meeting, accidentally leaving his loaded handgun on the floor of the room. This sort of incident is a prime example as to why legislators want to enact SB 53.

Health care bills passed through the House

It was a relatively light week on the floor, but we did have votes on four health care bills. One health care bill was formally passed, and the rest passed on a voice vote – final action will occur Monday, Jan. 30, but all three are expected to pass.

● HB 2025 (final action Monday) An act relating to assistant attorneys general
● HB 2026 (passed Thursday) An act concerning the board of nursing; reinstatement of licenses; fees
● HB 2027 (final action Monday) An act concerning the healing arts; relating to anatomic pathology billing
● HB 2028 (final action Monday) An act concerning the mental health technician’s licensure act

Kansas Day

Sunday, Jan. 29, was the day we commemorated the anniversary of Kansas becoming a state on Jan. 29, 1861.

U.S. Marshals Service dates to 1789

Views West
Opinion column
by Murrel Bland

The U.S. Marshals Service boasts being the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. President George Washington appointed the first marshals in 1789.

That was the message that Ron Miller brought to the Congressional Forum Friday, Jan. 20, at the Reardon Convention Center as he explained the various duties of marshals and their staffs. Miller is the U.S. Marshal for Kansas.

Miller said there is a U.S. Marshal in each of the 94 federal court districts. The agency has responsibility for judicial security, fugitive operations, witness security, prisoner operations, the prisoner and alien transportation system, asset forfeitures, court servicing and tactical operations.

One of the main responsibilities is the protection of federal judicial officials including judges, lawyers and jurors.

Miller said he and his personnel were called in by Kansas City, Kan., police officers to assist with the capture of a man who refused to leave a room at the Hilton Garden Inn. The standoff began about 12:30 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16; the man and police exchanged fire. The man was wounded. The Hilton Inn downtown is close to the Robert J. Dole Courthouse.

Miller said there was a potential danger that the gunman might shoot someone in the federal court house including children in a daycare center.

Miller said the Marshal’s Service apprehends federal fugitives while working with other federal, state and local law enforcement officials. It also works with international law enforcement officers to apprehend fugitives abroad.

Providing witness protection is another function of the service, Miller said. It also protects and relocates witnesses in the relocation program. The service houses more than 50,000 detainees in federal, state and local jails. It is responsible for transporting more than 260,000 prisoners annually.

The Marhsals Service manages more than $3.1 billion worth of property that has been forfeited through illegal activities. The service also has a special operations group that can respond when federal laws are violated.

Miller, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, a Democrat, said he expects that his appointment will be continued under President Donald Trump.

Miller served for 34 years in the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department—the last six years as chief. He was also chief of police in Topeka for eight years. He lives in the Piper community.

Murrel Bland is the former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.

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.