Guest column
by State Sen. David Haley, D-4th Dist.
Kansas’ 2018 legislative session begins Monday, Jan. 8; just days away. As I attempt to do every year to keep those who allow me to serve informed, I publish and share my thoughts on probable topics and legislative issues likely to affect our community in the session ahead.
Wyandotte County’s Legislative Delegation met with: a) outgoing Mayor Holland and a majority of Unified Government’s Commissioners and staff; b) Supreme, Appellate and District Court Judges; and C) a Public Forum (Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library, South Branch Library) in separate meetings in December to gather awareness and issue input.
As many in our nation now realize, there was a significant shift to the political far right in government last year resulting in broadening cultural and economic divisions; many exacerbated in Kansas’ state government. From immigration (DREAM Act, local law enforcement to determine citizenry status, and others) to tax code (Kansas’ failed corporate and wealth loopholes recently now mirrored in a passed and signed national tax code plan) and Medicaid expansion (to provide most access to health care to more Kansans, passed the Legislature but was vetoed by the governor), the pending resignation (or not) of Gov. Sam Brownback to assume a position in the Trump administration and be replaced by Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer during this election year of statewide officers are several factors which offer to make this an extremely interesting, and potentially contentious, legislative session.
Expect continued “all-out assaults” on ultra-conservatives’ targets of “big government overspending,” including Medicare and Medicaid (which provide supplemental funding to average and low-income Kansans for health care); the funding for public school education in the wake of the Kansas Supreme Court’s verdict directing additional funding (which is, as we know, the prime opportunity for social and economic stability and advancement) and law enforcement and judicial (court) funding … all comprising Kansas’ largest state financial obligations. Totaling nearly 75 percent of the State General Fund (SGF), look to the Kansas Legislature’s creative proposals to “reconfigure” how necessary supplemental health care and basic education are funded and provided to the most vulnerable of income populations.
As for equal justice under the law, after introducing and passing bills that a) set better benchmarks for “eyewitness” ID standards; b) expunge any records for wrongful arrest; and c) require audio video recordings for all felony crime related interrogations last year (2017), I intend to renew and keep fighting this year (2018) for measures I have previously introduced which are not yet Kansas law.
Some of these include a) compensation for wrongful incarceration (such as the Lamont McIntyre and Floyd Bledsoe examples); b) enhancement of “hate” or other bias-based crime penalties; c) enhancement of deprivation of rights under color-of-law penalties; d) easing, if not entirely legalizing, taxing and regulating medical or recreational marijuana (which now more than half of the U.S.’s population has); d) recreating voting registration and access to poll rights; e) addressing owners of blighted or tax-delinquent properties rights with the rights of surrounding property owners to be free from blight without prejudice to either and with limited local government intrusion; f) clearly defining the three co-equal branches (Executive, Judicial, Legislative) without one branch co-opting the constitutionally-defined function(s) of another; and g) equalizing the practice of civil asset forfeiture (or law enforcement’s current ability to take property from a suspect, pre-conviction). It will be another busy session.
Regardless of any changes taking place under the Dome, we must remain committed to fighting for policies that will benefit the residents of Wyandotte County. Although I continue to believe that in many ways “The people’s pockets are being picked!” by special interests, as the only lawyer currently serving in the Kansas Senate and the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I have a passion to see law, order and justice served, without bias, for all Kansans, irrespective of income, race, religion, gender or age.
Know that I do everything in my power to protect those values important to us. But I can’t do it alone. Let me hear from you – any resident of Wyandotte County – questions, concerns or ideas you have on any legislative issue. Voters’ opinions always guide me through difficult legislative decisions.
During the 2018 session, feel free to contact my assistant or me at 785-296-7376 or [email protected] or [email protected]. You can also find information, including the Legislature’s daily schedule and bill progress, by calling the Kansas Legislative Hotline at 1-800-432-3924 or online at www.kslegislature.org.
Again, thank you for allowing me to serve Kansas’ 4th Senate District. While I am proud to be one of only nine strong Democratic senators representing our state, I am even prouder to serve you.
Sen. David Haley serves the 4th District, in Wyandotte County.