2022 Legislative Update 10

Much of the focus of last week was on the House redistricting maps and #AxeTheFoodTax. Following up on the rally earlier in March, a resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine passed the House with near unanimous bipartisan support.

This week, we will be on the House Floor all day Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday voting on bills as we approach first adjournment on April 1st.

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.

Redistricting

After a long week of negotiations between House Democrats and House Republicans, the House Redistricting committee met Friday morning to work the “Freestate 3 map.” A number of amendments were added to adjust districts. The research department of the legislature will work all day Friday and likely some of the weekend to bring on Monday an updated version. The new bill number is likely to be Sub HB 2737.

#AxeTheFoodTax

After a lengthy meeting, the House Tax committee voted on Tuesday to pass out HB 2711. HB 2711 cuts the state sales tax on food to 3.5% on July 1, 2022. It will go down an additional 1.2% for every year the state meets certain budget benchmarks. If HB 2711 passes a full vote of the House, the state sales tax on food may hit 0% in a few years. Read more about the hearing here.

Legislation Passed by the House

• HCR 5032: Honoring Ukrainians fighting against the Russian invasion. Passed on Final Action: 119-4

• HB 2674: Requiring a forfeiture of an appearance bond to be set aside in certain circumstances. Final Action, Passed as Amended: 121-2

• HB 2541: Crediting docket fees to the state general fund instead of the judicial branch docket fee fund; crediting marriage license fees and drivers' license reinstatement fees to the state general fund instead of the judicial branch nonjudicial salary adjustment fund. Passed on Final Action: 111-2

• HB 2676: Authorizing counties to create a code inspection and enforcement fund and expanding the scope of the equipment reserve fund to include other computer and electronic technologies. Final Action, Passed as Amended: 112-11

• HB 2582: Directing the Kansas department for children and families to share certain information with investigating law enforcement agencies. Final Action, Passed as Amended: 122-1.

• HB 2712: Establishing the Kansas commission for the United States semiquincentennial. Emergency Final Action, Passed 119-1.

• SB 408: Increasing the criminal penalties for multiple thefts of mail. Emergency Final Action, Passed as Amended: 117-3

• SB 400: Substitute for SB 400 by Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance - Updating certain requirements and conditions relating to the creation, modification and termination of trusts in the Kansas uniform trust code and updating the definition of resident trust for tax purposes. Emergency Final Action, Passed as Amended: 120-0

• SB 366: Specifying that the crime of burglary includes, without authority, entering into or remaining within any locked or secured portion of any dwelling, building or other structure, with intent to commit another crime therein. Emergency Final Action, Passed as Amended: 120-0

• HB 2528: Removing inflatable devices that are owned and operated by a nonprofit organization from the requirements of the Kansas amusement ride act. Final Action, Passed as Amended: 86-34

• SB 335: Exempting certain business entities that provide health insurance in the state but are not subject to the jurisdiction of the commissioner of insurance from payment of the annual premium tax. Final Action, Passed as Amended: 120-0

• SB 348: Exempting the practice of threading from the practice of cosmetology. Final Action, Passed as Amended: 110-10

• SB 392: Terminating the transfer of remaining unencumbered moneys in the securities act fee fund exceeding $50,000 to the state general fund. Final Action, 120-0

All committee hearings and chamber proceedings can be found on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube page.

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.

Resources

My Legislative Facebook Page
Follow me on Twitter 
Kansas Legislature Website 

Watch Legislative Proceedings Live on YouTube

Be sure to answer my 2022 Legislative Survey. We will soon be voting on many of these questions, and I want to know your feelings on the most important legislation before I cast my vote. Your opinion matters to me. The Survey only takes a few moments to answer.