House Passes Disappointing Budget Bill For 2009
The Kansas House of Representatives began debate this weekon the FY 2009 budget. The proposed budget bill removes or significantly reduces funding for Kansas seniors, children, veterans and students. These urgent priorities reflect the most important values of the state, which is why I stood in opposition to the bill. We can implement a responsible budget without striking opportunities for Kansans who need them most. I cannot support a budget bill that does not provide for our neighbors, our aging parents or our children.
The budget spends over $13 billion dollars but ignores a number of key items that reflect Kansas values:
- Fails to support Home and Community Based Services, which help seniors remain in their homes.
- Fails to provide funding for Nutrition programs for our homebound elderly.
- Fails to provide early childhood developmental services, including all-day kindergarten.
- Eliminates all funding for veteran services.
- Cuts higher education, making it more difficult for Kansas institutions of higher learning to meet the demands of a global economy.
Lawmakers have a responsibility to invest in the state's future. Failing to provide for education, refusing to fund health care reform and eliminating necessary social services will only move Kansas in the wrong direction.
I remain committed to developing a responsible state budget that reflects the priorities and values of Kansas communities.
Approved Audit Will Seek Unbiased Answers To Illegal Immigration Questions
Though the proposed $13 billion budget approved this week ignored several items that reflect Kansas values, some amendments improved the bill. An amendment to include a performance audit on the impact of illegal immigration will help provide substantial data onillegal immigrationspecifically in Kansas.
I was very pleased to see this addition to the budget bill. If state legislators intend to truly reform illegal immigration, we must better understand the issue as it pertains to our state. That means finally separating facts from partisan rhetoric. Any reform we attempt runs a higher risk of unintended consequences without unbiased, comprehensive research. I voted to support this amendment.
The performance audit will answer the following questions:
- How much does Kansas pay for benefits and services provided to illegal immigrants?
- How much estimated tax revenue do illegal immigrants generate?
- What is the impact of illegal immigration on labor costs and the Kansas job market?
- What is the economic impact of legislation currently proposed in Kansas regarding illegal immigration?
The audit will ensure lawmakers finally receive reliable, baseline figures that fairly reflect the scope of illegal immigration within our local communities. The Dillmore Amendment, approved 119-0, was a positive addition to a budget bill that, in general, failed to reflect priorities of Kansas.
Action To Provide Respectable Pay For Kansans Blocked
House Democrats demanded a raise for Kansas workers this week, proposing to increase the state's minimum wage to $5.85 per hour. Currently, Kansas minimum wage is the lowest in the country at $2.65 per hour. That is more than $2.00 per hour lower than the federal minimum wage, which is also $5.85 per hour. The last increase to Kansas minimum occurred in 1988, 20 years ago.
This week, it was proposed to increase Kansas' minimum wage to $5.85 in 2008, $6.55 in 2009 and $7.25 in 2010. The increase would have helped 19,000 workers who currently work for $2.65 an hour. Unfortunately, the majority party refuses to help working families and address this issue. Using legislative rules, this minimum wage bill was sent back to committee and another was skipped altogether. These tactics prevent a full debate and vote on an urgent issue of utmost importance.
This is a matter of respect for honest work and the people who do it. Sending the amendment back to committee was an embarrassing attempt for the House majority party to hide from Kansas workers in need of a raise. The costs of living for an average Kansas family have skyrocketed. Since 1988, rent is up 58 percent, a gallon of milk has increased by 32 percent and gasoline is at record highs, having increased 71 percent.
If Kansans are willing to work, the Legislature has a responsibility to guarantee a wage that can pay the bills. I remain committed to Kansas working families and will continue to fight for opportunities to raise wage standards in the state.
Late Term Abortion Bill Debated
The House debated a bill this week addressing late term abortion laws. Though the bill passed at a vote of 84-40, there are several serious concerns with this legislation:
- Venue change: Allowing activists to “shop for prosecutors” is simply bad policy, no matter what the issue at hand.
- Expanding unnecessary litigation: This bill goes too far in allowing individuals other than the woman to make these difficult decisions. It also allows people detached from the situation to sue her if they disagree with the outcome.
- Endangering medical privacy: In order to support civil action, medical records need to be produced to prove violation of the law. Yet again, this will put a woman's private medical records at risk. This is unacceptable.
We all have an interest in reducing the number of abortions performed in Kansas, late-term or otherwise. This is why I supported the Mah Amendment, which would have required additional reporting requirements for doctors who perform abortions in Kansas. The Mah Amendment supported the underlying principal of making abortions safe, legal and rare without endangering the medical privacy of women or involving politicians in medical decisions between patients and doctors.
Senate Approves National Biodefense Facility Bill
The Senate on Wednesday gave unanimous support to legislation intended to strengthen our state's bid for a new federal bio and agro-defense research center.
Manhattan is currently one of six finalists to host the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). The facility is a critical national priority that will help to preserve public health and our agricultural economy. The facility will be the center for animal health research intended to protection of our national food supply.
The Senate proposal, approved on a vote of 37-0, would authorize the issuance of $105 million in state bonds to provide for infrastructure improvements including support for land, roads, grading, parking, security fencing and the construction of a dedicated central utility plant. The bonds would be issued for 20 years and would require a bond repayment of $8.2 million per year by the state. This bonding authority would only be issued if Kansas is selected as the location for NBAF.
Possibly as much as $50 million of this sum would be dedicated toward the construction of the dedicated central utility plant, a standard feature for bio-containment laboratories. The plant would provide the facility with electricity, steam, chilled water and back-up power.
NBAF represents a tremendous economic opportunity to our state. It is estimated that the project would create up to 1,500 new jobs during the construction phase of the project. The facility would employ 250-350 people when the facility is operational. It is also estimated that the facility would lead to approximately $1.5 billion in direct and indirect economic output over 20 years. There would also be an unquantifiable economic benefit as a result of start-up businesses and corporate relocations to be near the NBAF.
The research conducted by NBAF would also potentially prevent a $1 billion loss that would result from an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among livestock in the state. Whether the result of terrorism or natural outbreak, such an occurrence would be devastating to our agricultural economy. NBAF is a critical investment to prevent this scenario from happening.
The House Appropriations committee gave approval to the measure on Thursday morning. It is expected that the full House will consider the matter early next week.
House Committees Wind Down
With the regular session concluding next week, most House committees are winding down. A few committees will meet next week to tie up loose ends, but most have completed their work for the session.
Throughout the remainder of the session, conference committees will meet that consist of three leaders of their respective standing committee from each chamber. These committees meet to iron out differences between similar legislation passed by both the House and Senate. They will complete their work by the end of the session.
This summer, the Legislative Coordinated Council will meet to form House Interim Committees. Unlike standing committees (which can have a broad focus), interim committees review highly specific topics. Primarily, interim committees explore issues from 2008 that need in-depth review, additional hearings or further study. Topics for interims change each year depending on recommendations from standing committees, individual legislators or other organizations. These committees will meet from mid-summer until December.
I will keep you posted on interim committee topics, appointments and information as it becomes available. As with standing committees, you are welcome to testify before an interim committee on an issue of importance to you.
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 132-N, Statehouse, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at 785.296.7687. Additionally, you can e-mail me at neighbor@house.state.ks.us. You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.