2021 Legislative Update 12

The first two days of last week became a short-lived marathon with lengthy debates and controversial bills advancing out of the House Chamber. During these two days, the House debated twenty-four bills and passed out twenty-one of those on General Orders.

Among the twenty-one bills were SB 50 (a tax cut bill for giant multinational corporations), Sub HB 2119 (the Frankenstein education bill that would divert taxpayer dollars away from public schools to private schools), and Sub HB 2397 (the state budget bill that would cut funding for core functions of government, including K-12 education).

Medicaid Expansion was also finally debated on the House floor during Tuesday’s debate on the budget. Unfortunately, the attempt to expand affordable access to healthcare for 160,000 plus Kansans failed. The House of Representatives will reconvene on Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

Monday, March 29th was National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Representative Jim Gartner, a Vietnam War Veteran, said “Today let’s celebrate and honor our colleagues and spouses on the floor and all Kansans who served in the Vietnam war.” He invited House members that served in Vietnam and spouses of those that served to join him at the well and state the branch of service. It was my honor to recognize Steve’s service during the Vietnam War in the U.S. Air Force and to thank all the men and women who served. Representative Gartner’s heartfelt remarks in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day are included below. 

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 at pam.curtis@house.ks.gov

National Vietnam War Veterans Day

There being no objection, the following remarks of Rep. Gartner are spread upon the Journal:

Today is Vietnam War Veterans Day!

It is a day that helps us remember and respect the nine million American men and women – more than six million of whom are living today who served on active duty in the U. S. armed forces during our involvement in Vietnam from November 1, 1955 to May 7, 1975.

Now a few statistics to share:

·     2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam

·     1-1.6 million either fought in combat, provided close support or were at least regularly exposed to enemy attack.

·     7,484 women (6,250 or 83.5% were nurses) served in Vietnam. Total deaths were 58,202

·     8 nurses died

·     61% of men killed were 21 or younger

·     303,704 were wounded

·     The state of Kansas lost 627 souls in the war

On May 7th, 1975, President Gerald Ford announced that the Vietnam era was over. Ours is the story of what happened next. There were no parades welcoming us home, many veterans were scorned and criticized for their role in the war and many became isolated. Today lets celebrate and honor our colleagues and spouses on the floor and all Kansans who served in the Vietnam war.

Monday on the Floor

On Monday, the House Caucus addressed and voted on many bills. Before General Orders, the House concurred on S Sub HB 2072 and also adopted the Conference committee report on HB 2022. Afterwards, the House addressed the eighteen bills above the line on General Orders. Sixteen of these bills passed on General Orders. HB 2272 was passed over and retained its place on the calendar, and the motion to recommend HB 2025 favorably for passage failed. Action was taken on S Sub HB 2072 and the CCR on HB 2022, below are results:

• S Sub HB 2072 - Providing for the Kansas corporation commission to authorize the securitization of certain public utility generating facilities, qualified extraordinary costs and issuance of securitized utility tariff bonds. Passed 113-9. 
• CCR on HB 2022 - HB 2022 would amend law concerning the filing of complaints and investigations pertaining to abandoned wells, responsible parties for plugging abandoned wells, and funds used by the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) for plugging abandoned wells. Passed 123-0.

Below are the sixteen bills that passed on General Orders. These bills were voted on Final Action the following day.

• SB 106 - Enacting the revised uniform law on notarial acts and repealing the uniform law on notarial acts. Passed on Final Action 122-2.
• SB 50 - Requiring marketplace facilitators to collect and remit sales, use and transient guest taxes and 911 fees from sales made through their platforms and removing click-through nexus provisions. Passed on Final Action 81-43.
• SB 60 - Defining proximate result for purposes of determining when a crime is committed partly within this state. Passed on Final Action 113-11.
• H Sub SB 124 - House Substitute for SB 124 by Committee on Commerce, Labor and Economic Development - Expanding STAR bonds by adding rural redevelopment projects and major business facilities, prohibiting public officials from employment with a developer, providing for public notice of hearings on city or county websites, posting of certain documents and links on websites, disclosure of names of developer, disclosure of state, federal and local tax incentives within a STAR bond district, changing certain project financing, investment and sales provisions, adding visitor tracking plan requirements and additional feasibility study requirements with oversight by the secretary, requiring approval by the secretary for real estate transfers, requiring district contiguity and extending the sunset date. Passed on Final Action 101-23.
• SB 283 - Continuing the governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Kansas by extending the expanded use of telemedicine, the authority of the board of healing arts to grant certain temporary emergency licenses, the suspension of certain requirements related to medical care facilities and immunity from civil liability for certain healthcare providers and certain persons conducting business in this state for COVID-19 claims until March 31, 2022. Passed on Final Action 96-28.
• HB 2417 - Allowing clubs and drinking establishments to sell beer and cereal malt beverage for consumption off the licensed premises. Passed on Final Action 106-18.
• H Sub for Sub SB 273 - House Substitute for Substitute for SB 273 by Committee on Judiciary - Directing that tobacco product manufacturer remittances be credited to the Kansas endowment for youth fund rather than deposited into escrow upon certification by the attorney general. Passed on Final Action 123-1.
• HB 2412 - Enacting the Kansas fights addiction act to establish a grant program for the purpose of preventing, reducing, treating and mitigating the effects of substance abuse and addiction. Passed on Final Action 81-43.
• H Sub SB 78 - House Substitute for SB 78 by Committee on Insurance and Pensions - Updating the national insurance commissioners credit for insurance reinsurance model law, codifying the national insurance commissioners credit for reinsurance model regulation and updating certain terms and definitions relating to the insurance holding company act, service contracts and surplus lines insurance. Eliminating certain requirements relating to the annual submittal of certain documents by out-of-state risk retention groups, extending the time frame to submit certain documents by professional employer organizations, abolishing the utilization review advisory committee and replacing it with URAC. Passed on Final Action 124-0
• SB 172 - Creating the crimes of trespassing on a critical infrastructure facility and criminal damage to a critical infrastructure facility and eliminating the crime of tampering with a pipeline. Passed on Final Action 82-42.
• SB 127 - Modifying the eligibility requirements for restricted driving privileges, increasing the age for eligibility to renew drivers' licenses online to 65 and allowing drivers' license renewal notices to be sent electronically. Passed on Final Action 123-1.
• HB 2363 - Increasing the maximum rate paid to appointed counsel. Passed on Final Action 116-8.
• HB 2408 - Authorizing the state historical society to convey certain real property to the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska. Passed on Final Action 124-0.
• HB 2380 - Amending healthcare stabilization fund minimum professional liability insurance coverage requirements and the membership of the board of governors of such fund. Passed on Final Action 104-20.
• SB 122 - Modifying certain rules of evidence in the code of civil procedure related to authentication of records and documents. Passed on Final Action 117-7.
• HB 2316 - Eliminating the prohibition of a surcharge when purchases are made with a credit or debit card. Passed on Final Action 90-34.

Tuesday on the Floor

On Tuesday, the House took final action on the sixteen bills that passed on General Orders the day prior. All sixteen bills passed and the results are included above.

After final action, the House Caucus addressed and voted on six bills. Five of the six bills passed on General Orders. H Sub SB 84 which was a sports wagering bill failed on General Orders. The five bills that passed on General Orders were moved to Emergency Final Action later that evening. Also, within

General Orders, the House concurred on HB 2178. Action was taken on HB 2178, below is the result:

• HB 2178 - Vacating certain blocks in the original town plat set aside for a college and a park in the city of Americus and vesting fee simple title in the city. Final Action 121-2.

Below is a brief description of each along with results from Emergency Final Action for the five bills that passed on General Orders. 

• HR 6015 - Urging the legislative coordinating council to revoke an executive order issued by the governor related to mandating face coverings if such an executive order is issued while the legislature is adjourned. Passed on Emergency Final Action 84-39.
• Sub HB 2119 - Substitute for HB 2119 by Committee on K-12 Education Budget – Making and concerning appropriations for the department of education for fiscal years ending June 30, 2021, June 30, 2022, and June 30, 2023, creating and expanding school choice programs, restricting remote learning and remote enrollment and extending the statewide property tax levy for schools. Passed on Emergency Final Action 65-58.
• HB 2448 - Permitting the secretary for children and families to license certain family foster homes where a former foster care youth with juvenile adjudications resides. Passed on Emergency Final Action 119-4.
• Sub HB 2397 - Appropriations for FY 2021, FY 2022, FY 2023 and FY 2024 for various state agencies. Passed on Emergency Final Action 71-52.
• SB 159 - Paying certain claims against the state submitted by the joint committee on special claims against the state. Passed on Emergency Final Action 106-17.

Medicaid Expansion

During Tuesday’s debate on the budget, an amendment that would have incorporated Medicaid Expansion into the state’s budget was offered. This would expand access to affordable healthcare for over 160,000 Kansans and also provide significant relief to the budget. The amendment was defeated, 46-78, which will leave around $460 million of federal aid on the table. 

Next Week

After a short break, the House of Representatives will reconvene on Tuesday, April 6, 2021. We anticipate working bills that were sent to conference and possibly Medical Marijuana, among a variety of bills. However, it is still unclear what next week will bring. First adjournment starts Friday, April 9, 2021.

Kansas State Library

Today’s Science kslib.info/TodaysScience, an online resource from the State Library of Kansas, features thousands of original articles written by scientists and science journalists in easy-to-understand language, based on the most current peer-reviewed journal articles. The in-depth coverage spans important advances in biology, chemistry, environmental science, space, physics, and technology. Intended for students of middle/high school age and science educators, Today’s Science brings together an encyclopedia and news articles along with color photos, graphics, and charts. Students will appreciate the paper-writing tips, crossword puzzles that incorporate content, and science fair suggestions. Teachers will like the teaching aids and activities.

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