Rep. Pam Curtis – Page 3 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

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

by State Rep. Pam Curtis

Last week was a very busy and productive week. The House took action on 22 bills, which are listed below.

Hearing held on expungement bill

On Monday, the hearing on HB 2226 was held. I was so proud of the team from Wyandotte County that testified in support of this bill, which will allow certain criminal convictions, eligible under current law, to be automatically expunged. Wesley McKain and Marcia Harrington provided testimony focused on the community health and workforce benefit, Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree and Marilyn Harp with Kansas Legal Services gave excellent testimony on the benefits, the need, how other states have implemented and how it might work in Kansas. They all did an excellent job of laying the groundwork for further discussion and consideration of this important legislation.

This week was the final week to introduce sponsored bills and committee bills from non-exempt committees. I joined members of the Wyandotte County delegation in co-sponsoring two bills that provide for local control:

• HB 2306 to restore local control for prevailing wage on public construction projects; and
• HB 2305 which provides for local control in setting a minimum wage.

One of the best ways we can help our state’s local communities be successful is by allowing local government officials the ability to adopt policies that fit the nature of their local community and that are supported by their citizens. Both of these bills are keeping with the spirit of home rule for cities, which had been a guarantee in the Kansas Constitution for more than 50 years.

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and appreciate your input on issues facing state government. Please 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. You can also e-mail me.

Governor’s press conference

Tuesday morning, Feb. 9, Gov. Laura Kelly announced that her administration, alongside both House and Senate Democratic leadership, has created a proposed tax bill that would generate $97 million in additional revenue for Kansas, support small businesses, and give 94% of Kansans a tax cut while keeping the state budget neutral and balanced.

Republicans are pushing to spend over $600 million in tax cuts for giant multinational corporations. A majority of Kansans would not receive any tax relief. With Tuesday’s proposed plan, tax relief would be targeted to Kansas families. This proposed plan was an alternative to Senate Bill 22, which was heard on Tuesday by the Kansas Senate.

SB 22 passed out of the Senate on emergency final action 24-15 on Tuesday, Feb. 9. It has a fiscal note of more than $1 billion, and seems to want resurrect the failed Brownback tax experiment that created economic hardship for Kansans. We anticipate this bill reaching the floor very soon.

House Democratic policy agenda

On Tuesday, Feb. 9, the Democratic House Caucus held a press conference to go over our priorities for the 2021 legislative session. This session we are focused on accessible, affordable healthcare, continuing to invest in education, helping working Kansans and their families, providing equal opportunities for every Kansan, and creating a more sustainable future. All of these priorities with the many bills that members have introduced are focused on improving the lives of Kansans. We will always try our best in moving Kansas forward toward a better quality of life for every person in our state. You can find an overview of our policy agenda on the Kansas House Democratic Caucus website.

Wednesday on the floor

On Wednesday, the House Caucus addressed and voted on 12 bills. One bill passed on final action and the remaining 11 bills passed on emergency final action.

• HB 2072 would update the version of risk-based capital instructions in effect. On final action it passed 123-0.
• HB 2102 would update egg repackaging requirements for retailers. On emergency final action it passed 123-2.
• HB 2014 would permit military surplus vehicles to register with the division of vehicles for road use. On emergency final action it passed as amended 124-1.
• HB 2112 would permit online advertisement and sales of abandoned property by self-storage rental unit operators; providing for the designation by occupants of an alternate contact and limiting claims for loss or damage of stored property to the property value limit provided in the rental agreement. On emergency final action it passed 120-5.
• HB 2063 would provide certain KP&F tier II spousal and children’s benefits for death resulting from a service-connected disability. On emergency final action it passed as amended 125-0.
• HB 2030 would extend terminal medical release to inmates in the custody of the department of corrections with a condition likely to cause death within 120 days. On emergency final action it passed 96-29.
• HB 2075 would allow venue for an adoption when the state is the agency to be where the state agency or its subcontracting agency has an office. On Emergency Final Action it passed 125-0.
• HB 2062 would provide certain exceptions to the confidentiality of state child death review board documents. On emergency final action it passed 125-0.
• HB 2081 would modify how certain prior convictions are counted for the special sentencing rule related to possession of a controlled substance and providing concurrent or consecutive sentencing for persons convicted of new crimes while on release for a felony. On emergency final action it passed 69-56.
• HB 2064 would make DROP elections revocable and allow DROP members who first elected a DROP period of less than five years to extend such DROP period. On emergency final action it passed as amended 125-0.
• HB 2167 would permit concrete mixer trucks and require dump trucks to display license plates on the front of vehicles. On emergency final action it passed 125-0.
• HB 2005 would exclude hot water supply boilers that have a nominal water capacity not exceeding 120 gallons from the provisions of the boiler safety act.

Thursday on the floor

On Thursday, the House Caucus addressed and voted on 10 bills. One bill passed on final action and the remaining nine bills passed on emergency final action.

• HB 2050 would remove the requirement that certain entities submit certain documents to the division of post audit. On emergency final action it passed 122-0.
• SB 15 would enact the Kansas economic recovery loan deposit program, update field of membership requirements of credit unions and allow privilege tax deductions on agricultural real estate loans and single family residence loans. On emergency final action it passed 122-1.
• HB 2103 would establish the Kansas pesticide waste disposal program and permitting up to $50,000 to be transferred annually from the Kansas agricultural remediation fund to a new Kansas pesticide waste disposal fund. On emergency final action it passed 123-0.
• HB 2134 would update the national association of insurance commissioners credit for reinsurance model law and codify the credit for reinsurance model regulation. On emergency final action it passed 123-0.
• HB 2109 would increase the county population threshold for a county to be required to have a lawyer representative, increasing the number of lawyer members and decreasing the number of non-lawyer members on the board of indigents’ defense services. On emergency final action it passed 87-36.
• HB 2121 would add definitions related to defendants who abscond from supervision in the criminal procedure code and for parole. On emergency final action it passed as amended 101-22.
• HB 2165 would provide for all vehicles more than 35 years old to qualify as an antique vehicle. On emergency final action it passed as amended 114-9.
• HB 2074 would update producer licensing statutes pertaining to appointment, fees, licensing, renewal dates, continuing education, suspension, revocation and denial of licensure and reinstatement. On emergency final action it passed 123-0.
• HB 2001 would create the crime of sexual extortion and require an offender to register under the Kansas offender registration act. On emergency final action it passed as amended 123-0.
• HB 2120 would remove the spousal exception from the crime of sexual battery. On emergency final action it passed 110-13.

Coming up next week

In the upcoming weeks, we expect to see the debate continue on school vouchers and the Brownback 2.0 tax bill. Each has their own respective issues. School vouchers serve as a way to funnel taxpayer dollars away from public schools, that serve all Kansas children, and give that money to the private schools. The school voucher bill, SB 61, passed out of the Kansas Senate on Thursday on emergency final action 23-14 and would be a return to the Brownback tax policy.

Kansas State Library

The Kansas State Library has a wealth of information and services on their website at https://kslib.info/. From downloading a digital book, finding your legislator, learning tools, job tools to accessing statewide library collections. The librarians are very helpful and serve not only the needs of state agencies and legislators but also the general public. They welcome your questions, especially about Kansas Government and can be reached by phone at 1-800-432-3919. You can also call the Legislative Hotline, 1-800-432-3924, to leave a message for legislators.

Resources

My legislative Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/PamCurtisKCK.
My Twitter account, https://twitter.com/pcurtiskck.
Kansas Legislature website, http://www.kslegislature.org/li/.

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

Opinion column

by Rep. Pam Curtis

Heading into week two we recognized the work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday, Jan. 18. Each year he is honored for his devotion and sacrifice in the name of equality and for the Civil Rights movement.

On Tuesday and Wednesday committees resumed as usual, but we did not hear any bills on the floor. Much of the work at the beginning of session is done in committees as bills are introduced and begin moving through the process. My committee assignments this year include the House Judiciary Committee, House Commerce/Labor Committee, and I am the ranking member on the House Local Government Committee. I also serve on the Joint Committee for Information Technology.

Due to the global pandemic, the House Chamber is taking healthy measures to ensure a full Legislative Session. This week, we addressed, and voted on, SB 14 (the Kansas Emergency Management Act) and HCR 5003 (the Constitutional Amendment). Time was of essence to pass the KEMA bill and send it to the governor before Jan. 26 when the current emergency declaration expires.

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and appreciate your input on issues facing state government. Please 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. You can also email me at [email protected]

Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA)

On Thursday, the House overwhelmingly passed SB 14 with a 119-3 vote. SB 14 addresses the governor’s emergency powers through the Kansas Emergency Management Act (KEMA). The bill is similar to HB 2048, which was introduced in House Judiciary last week, but does not extend the suspension of the waiting week period for unemployment claims and only extends the state of emergency declaration order until March 31, 2021.

However, similar to HB 2048, SB 14 bill is more restrictive in its limitations of the governor’s power than HB 2016, which was passed last year. Unfortunately, we did not have time to fix this bill due to the impending deadline of Jan. 26, when the governor’s emergency declaration would expire. We will continue to work to make sure that the governor has all the tools necessary to effectively guide us through this pandemic and putting public health over politics.

The Constitutional Amendment

On Friday, the Constitutional Amendment, HCR 5003, passed the House on a party-line vote. The resolution asks voters to amend the Kansas constitution by adding a new section stating that there is no constitutional right to abortion and that the legislature has unchecked authority to regulate reproductive rights. Furthermore, this amendment was put on the primary election ballot in 2022 which disenfranchises many voters. Also, there were no protections for rape, incest or the life of the mother.

House Democrats offered four amendments, all of which were denied.

The four amendments were:

Placing HCR 5003 on the November General Election of 2022 where there is historically a higher turnout of voters.
Abolishing the Death Penalty
Protecting women in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.
Placing HCR 5003 on August primary in 2021 rather than 2022.

The resolution passed 38 to 86. HCR 5003 now goes to the Senate where it will need a two-thirds majority to pass and be put on the August 2022 primary ballot.

Early Learning Resources from the State Library

BookFlix is an online resource from the State Library of Kansas for children in grades PreK-3 that pairs video storybooks with related nonfiction e-books. Imagine Curious George paired with a nonfiction book about monkeys. Along with reading the books, you can also watch the story, do games and puzzles, and “dive deeper” with pictures for coloring or poems to reinforce early learning reading skills.

Feed curiosity with Britannica E-Stax (K-12), featuring nonfiction books that can be read online or downloaded to any Internet enabled device.
Both are available at no charge through the State Library’s web site https://kslib.info/storytime .

Resources

My Legislative Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/PamCurtisKCK

My Twitter Account, https://twitter.com/pcurtiskck

Kansas Legislature Website, http://www.kslegislature.org/

Legislative update from Rep. Pam Curtis

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

The Legislature stayed very busy last week, as we debated and voted on the House floor all day Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Complete daily calendars are available at www.kslegislature.org along with other useful information. I am also working to keep constituents more informed via Facebook and Twitter, so be sure to follow me at https://www.facebook.com/PamCurtisKCK and https://twitter.com/pcurtiskck . I am privileged and honored to be your voice in the Kansas Capitol. If I can ever be of assistance to you, please feel free to contact me at home or in Topeka.

In this issue:

• Buy American amendment proposed

• House rejects Senate decision to strike down energy standards

• House adopts proposed amendment to the Constitution on charitable raffles

• Nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities releases new report on Kansas tax policy

• House passes Student Data Privacy bill

• Stay in touch

House Dems propose Buy American Act

On Tuesday, the House voted on HB 2675. HB 2675 revises the provisions of the State Use Law as it pertains to certified businesses and negotiating committees.

The bill passed on the floor, but an important amendment to HB 2675 was rejected. The amendment, introduced by Rep. Whipple, was created in an attempt to implement the Kansas Buy American Act.

The amendment would require any public building or public work contract made by a state agency must use goods that are manufactured in the United States, under the oversight of the Department of Administration.

Exceptions would be made in cases where it is found that needed U.S.-made materials are not sufficiently produced or readily available, or that the inclusion of domestic materials would increase the project cost by more than 25 percent.

I voted yes on the Whipple Amendment to HB 2675 because I believe that Buy American provisions are helpful in creating jobs and would be beneficial to our nation’s economy.

Resources for public projects funded by taxpayers’ dollars should be purchased from America, and specifically Kansas when possible.

Since 2001, America has lost more than 2.5 million manufacturing jobs. Kansas has seen a 12 percent decline in manufacturing jobs. The amendment was rejected on a voice vote 52 – 70.

House rejects Senate decision to strike down energy standards

On Tuesday, March 25, the Kansas Senate voted 25-15 to repeal existing energy standards regarding renewable energy.

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted on whether to concur with the Senate’s decision.

Current law requires utility companies to obtain 15 percent of power through renewable sources by 2015, and 20 percent by 2020.

With states moving toward renewable energy regulation, many see the repeal as a step backwards for the energy industry and, most importantly, the Kansas economy.

Many representatives from both sides of the aisle, including several from western Kansas, came down to the well to speak in favor of Renewable Portfolio Standards.

Rep. Ewy of Jetmore, Kan., said he knew firsthand of families that have been able to come back to western Kansas because of wind farms.

Opponents of the law argued that the wind industry should stand on its own.

Rep. Marc Rhoades claimed that the law raises utility costs for citizens by 40 percent. Americans for Prosperity claim that rates have risen 15 percent under the RPS. This is all untrue. Kansas electricity prices may have risen since 2009, but according to the Kansas Corporation Commission, the RPS is not the main culprit.

In a Retail Rate Report released this month, the KCC attributed wind power’s impact on rates at less than two-tenths of a cent. The motion to concur with the Senate’s decision was rejected 44-77, keeping current law intact.

House adopts proposed amendment to the Constitution on charitable raffles

In November, voters will have the opportunity to vote on a constitutional amendment to allow charitable raffles for certain non-profits including religious, fraternal, educational, and veterans organizations.

The Constitution will be changed if the proposed amendment receives a simple majority. Here is a link to read about SCR 1618: http://kslegislature.org/li/b2013_14/measures/documents/supp_note_scr1618_02_0000.pdf

Nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities releases new report on Kansas tax policy

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, an organization that studies fiscal policy and public programs that affect low-and moderate-income families and individuals, released a new report entitled “Lessons for Other States from Kansas’ Massive Income Tax Cuts.”

The report uses our state as a “cautionary tale,” stating that the shot of adrenaline to the economy that Gov. Brownback promised is failing.

According to the report, the tax cuts enacted in 2012 have diminished state revenue, damaged state programs, harmed the poor, and haven’t brought promised jobs and economic growth to the state.

One of the numbers that stands out in the report is that if Gov. Brownback’s future recommendations are adopted, we will have cut per-pupil spending by 17 percent (adjusted for inflation) since the start of the recession.

Below is a link to the report that clearly states the serious issues that our state is encountering, in the short term and in the long term, under Gov. Brownback’s reckless tax plan. http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=4110.

House passes Student Data Privacy bill

The House debated SB 367, the student data privacy protection bill.

The bill provides restrictions on what data contained in a student’s educational record can be disclosed, and to whom it may be disclosed.

It requires that any student data submitted to and maintained by a statewide longitudinal student data system could be disclosed only to certain individuals or organizations Rep. Rothlisberg offered 2 amendments.

The first would require school districts to count and report the number of children of undocumented workers being educated. The amendment was declared not germane and it was withdrawn. The second amendment would have defunded the KIDS data system at the state Department of Education. Rothlisberg argued that we “did not need to gather dossiers on the kids.” This amendment drew sharp opposition. It was overwhelmingly voted down. The bill was then advanced and later passed on final action 119 – 4.

Keep in touch

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I 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 173-W, 300 SW 10th, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at 785-296-7371 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.