Since the session ended, I have been busy with parades, Old Shawnee Days, meeting with constituents and meeting with community organizations addressing issues that are important to all of us.
First, I would like to give just a brief overview of laws that became effective on July 1, 2009. These are issues that were addressed during our last session and will have an impact on several different groups.
SB 19 authorizes prosecutors, while engaged in the duties of their employment or any activities incidental to such duties, to carry concealed firearms and to exempt those prosecutors from the crime of discharge of a firearm.
As reported in the Kansas City Star today, July 7, 2009, prosecutors in Wyandotte, Johnson and Shawnee Counties will not be allowed to carry in the courthouses.
HCR 5015 directs the State Board of Education to take certain actions in relation to children with reading problems, including dyslexia. The resolution directs the State Board to ensure that early screening or testing would identify children with a reading disability including dyslexia, and review teacher preparation courses to ensure knowledge of best practices of instruction including, but not limited to, the multi-tier system of support and scientifically-based reading instruction components used to instruct children with disabilities including dyslexia. A report from the State Board is due to the Legislature by December 31, 2009.
SENATE SUB. For HB 2126, the Kelsey Smith Act, requires wireless telecommunications companies to provide a requesting law enforcement agency with information about the location of a wireless phone or other telecommunications device, in order to respond to a call for emergency service or in a situation involving risk of death or serious physical harm.
HB 2143 adds restrictions and possible penalties on any teen getting a first driver’s permit or license after January 1, 2010, when the bill becomes effective. While most minimum ages stay the same, the minimum age of an unrestricted license becomes 17. An applicant for a restricted license must have held an instruction permit for one year (rather than six months). Those holding an instruction permit or restricted license may not operate any wireless communication device while driving except in an emergency. The holder of a restricted license for farm permit who is at least 15 may continue to drive to and from school or work and when accompanied by an adult; no nonsibling minor passengers are allowed. Those who are at least 16 also may drive from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. with no adult in the vehicle, to and from authorized school activities, and with one nonsibling minor passenger. After six months, if there have been no restriction violations, restrictions are lifted.
The bill adds penalties for violating restrictions. Operating a vehicle in violation of the restrictions on the permit or license means a 30-day suspension for a first conviction, a 90-day suspension for a second, and a one-year suspension for a third or subsequent conviction; these violations continue to be misdemeanors. A 16-year-old with two or more moving violations may not get an unrestricted license until age 18.
HOUSE SUB. For SB 145 requires vehicles to be driven in the right lane when two lanes of traffic are going in the same direction on a highway outside of any city. It also requires vehicles on highways with three or more lanes going in the same direction and outside of any city not to be driven in the far left lane. Exceptions include when passing, when preparing to make a left turn, and as otherwise required. Law enforcement, emergency, many Kansas Department of Transportation, and many Kansas Turnpike Authority vehicles are exempted. Warning citations are to be issued until July 1, 2010.
The bill also increases the single-trip permit fee KDOT charges for certain oversize or overweight vehicles to $25 and the annual permit fee to $150. It specifies single-trip permit fees of $30 for “large structures” and $50 for “superloads.”
SB 84 assists school districts in reducing some of the strain associated with reduced budgets and cuts in BSAPP (Base State Aid per Pupil). The current cash-basis law is amended to create an exception for school districts and allows the state to make the balance of its 2008-2009 state aid payments to a school district after June 30 without the school districts violating the cash-basis law, with financial reports noting the violation. The provision does not sunset. The bill also provides an alternative formula for the calculation of the local option budget of a school district by authorizing a school district to calculate its local option budget using a BSAPP of $4,433 (the amount of BSAPP for 2008-2009) in any school year in which the BSAPP is less than that amount. The bill also authorizes a school district to calculate its local option budget using an amount equal to the amount appropriated for state aid for special education and related services in school year 2008-2009.
These are a few of the bills that were passed this last session with more to come, including detailed summaries, in the next “Neighborhood News.”