2022 Legislative Update 8

We had a light week on the floor after returning from a four-day break, but Committtees were quite busy. The week started with a legislative coup in the House Committee on Water. #AxeTheFoodTax caused division in the House Committee on Taxation. As news about Ukraine continued to flood the airwaves, legislators donned Ukraine flags on their lapels. The week closed out with a rally where community members and legislators listened to speeches from Ukrainian exchange students.

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

A Rally for Ukraine: “Is this our punishment for pursuing a fair democratic system?”

On Thursday, March 3, dozens of bipartisan legislators   took  to the statehouse stairs to slam Russia’s unprovoked and violent invasion of Ukraine. The somber event’s descriptions of ongoing, violent war -- shared by Ukrainian foreign exchange students who’ve been in talks with their families and friends back home -- contrasted with the quiet, sunny morning.

I appreciate Reps. Chuck Schmidt and Boog Highberger spearheading the rally. Rep. Highberger read a resolution to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine and call for additional U.S. support of Ukrainians. More than 50 House members of both parties signed the resolution, which was read aloud at the rally.

Accompanying the legislators at the rally were Ukrainian students Elina, Mykola, and Andrew. They stood with the group, held a moment of silence and played the Ukrainian national anthem.

Mykola's speech began with a description of his hometown. “I came from Uman, a city in the heart of Ukraine. A city with deep history and culture that was built over hundreds of years, where not only Christians but Jews and people all over the world from different nations and beliefs once walked along the streets and prayed in our temples.”

He continued, “The way I described it, that city does not exist anymore. My hometown has been mercilessly bombed for the last eight days. My heart is heavy… It is hard to believe, until you hear your parents’ and best friends’ trembling voices, telling you they want to wake up from this nightmare.” Mykola put into perspective the torturous reality his family lives in. “My parents are collecting bottles for Molotovs, and my grandparents are baking bread at night to feed soldiers in the morning.”

Elina of Kherson, Ukraine began, “Nine days, 216 hours since my home country, Ukraine, was invaded by the Russian Federation.” She says her 11-year old brother asked her, “Am I going to see you again?” Her neighborhood school was bombed and completely destroyed. The day before, 44 babies were born in basements due to lack of hospital access. She calls for help, “In this fight we need support from the United States and European Union countries. Please, stand with Ukraine, close the sky and continue your sanctions against the terrorists’ country. They are violating our independence, rights, and committing crimes against humanity.”

Both speeches ended with a loud and powerful “Glory to Ukraine!” and much cheering.

Rep. Clarke Sanders, minced no words in a short speech as he said there are three things he’s certain Democrats and Republicans can agree on: “No. 1, what Vladimir Putin has done is evil. No. 2, the courage and resolve shown by the people of Ukraine is amazing. No. 3, Putin needs to get the hell out of Ukraine now.”

The rally follows a week of statements from Kansas politicians of all political parties. Governor Laura Kelly, Senator Jerry Moran and others condemned the Russian invasion and called for global security.

The full speeches from the rally are below.

Water Bill Gets Shut Down: “I think they’re shooting themselves in the foot.”

The   House Committee on Water  spent the last year studying the state’s water crisis with one goal in mind: Saving Kansas water. After developing a working knowledge of the most pressing issues and considering expert input, the Committee crafted a reform bill to create a cabinet-level position, restructure state agencies, and more.

In what could be described as a legislative coup, the plan was scrapped after industry heavyweights   lobbied  to maintain the status quo: “We got railroaded by an agriculture group.” Chairman Highland   said after the state’s largest agricultural groups attempted to lobby him, he “knew the amendment was coming.” Over half of the committee members voted to gut the bill. “I’m not the loser; I think the state of Kansas is the loser today,” he said.

#AxeTheFoodTax Update

House Democrats called months ago for a state sales tax on food of 0%, pointing to the excellent state of the economy. Many said the Legislature can always find money in the budget for corporate welfare -- even in times of severe economic crisis -- so giving back to hardworking Kansas families in such a strong economy should be easy. Unfortunately, like many things in the Legislature, cutting the state sales tax on food has proven not so simple.

The   House Committee on Taxation is considering   HB 2711, which would slightly reduce the overall sales tax and gradually lower the tax on food, and   HB 2720, which would entirely eliminate the sales tax on food on Aug. 1. The House Democrats’ plan,   HB 2487, appears to have stalled.

Read more about the Committee’s discussions in the Kansas Reflector.

Fast Facts About the Food Tax

• The food tax has been in place since 1937.
• It has been raised 10 times, most recently under former Governor Brownback in 2015.
• The average Kansas family will save $500 per year under the House Democrats’ plan.
• Kansas has the second-highest food tax in the nation, behind Mississippi. The 2015 vote to raise the tax secured Kansas’s spot as second highest.
• Taxes on food are regressive. Low-income families, disproportionately families of color, spend nearly twice as much of their income on food at home than the highest 20% of earners.
• Research estimates a cut to food taxes resulted in a 39% decrease in food insecurity. Food insecurity is strongly associated with poor health in both children and adults. This results in higher health care costs, higher rates of mental health crises as adults, and more. All of this costs the state money. Cutting the food tax to 0% is fiscally responsible and improves quality of life.

Kansas Takes the Eco-Devo Gold Medal

Governor Laura Kelly   announced Kansas won Site Selection Magazine’s 2021 Governor’s Cup for the state with the most economic development investment per capita in the country. This is the first time in state history that Kansas has received this national economic development award.

“The Governor’s Cup demonstrates the extraordinary economic strengths of Kansas and the confidence of the business community to make major investments in our state,” Governor Kelly said. “It’s also proof of our efforts to secure a strong foundation for economic growth by staying focused on the issues that Kansans elected us to take care of – like fully funding our public schools, strengthening our roads, bridges, and high-speed internet – have paid off.”

Other Legislation Passed by the House

• SB 358: Amending the public water supply project loan program's definition of "project" to remove the definition's current exclusion of projects that are related to the diversion or transportation of water acquired through a water transfer. Passed emergency final action, 121-0.

• SB 101: Approving the operation and use of electric-assisted bicycles and regulating the use thereof. Passed emergency final action, 86-35. Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Senator Petersen, Senator Claeys and Senator Hawk as conferees.

• SB 62: Amending the standards for school-administered vision screenings for students, establishing the Kansas children's vision health and school readiness commission and allowing schools to maintain emergency albuterol kits. Emergency final action, passed as amended, 115-6.

Coming Up This Week:The Legislative Bully Pulpit Targets LGBTQ+ Youth

A quick refresher: Last year, the Legislature passed the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” a discriminatory bill with a deeply manipulative and misleading title. The bill was anything but fair; it exclusively targeted Kansas kids who are transgender, prohibiting them from participation in athletics and subsequently alienating them from peers.

In addition to the emotional hurt caused to trans youth by the bill, opponents   pointed to the immense economic hit that would follow passage of such a bill. The NCAA, for example, was explicit: Promulgating the Act would remove Kansas from consideration for any NCAA-affiliated events now or in the future. Despite passing both chambers, Republicans failed to override Governor Laura Kelly’s veto of the bill. It was dead, or so Kansans thought.

On Monday, March 7, the Senate Committee on Education will try   again to ban transgender students from sports. Before the hearing, Equality Kansas is hosting a rally with the LGBTQ+ caucus, Read about the rally and how to attend   here.

Contact Me If You Need Help or Have Questions

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
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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.

Full Speeches of Ukrainian Students at the Kansas Capitol

Full names of the students have been withheld to protect their families who may remain in Ukraine.

Speech by Mykola

My name is Mykola. I am from Uman, a city at the heart of Ukraine. A city with deep history and culture, built over hundreds of years, where not only Christians but Jews, Muslims and people all over the world from different nations and beliefs once walked along the streets and prayed in our temples. Let me tell you how it is now.

The way I described it, that city does not exist anymore. My hometown has been

mercilessly bombed by Russia for the last 8 days. My heart is heavy.

Kindergartens, schools and theaters are burned to ashes. Where people are taking turns to sleep in basements, being afraid to miss the incoming bombing siren. It is hard to imagine, until you run from explosions yourself. It is hard to believe, until your hear your parents' and best friends' trembling voices, telling you they want to wake up from this nightmare. But this is the reality. Most of Ukrainian big cities have been actively bombed. Not only military objects, but apartment buildings and central squares. Many have died due to cluster and vacuum bombs. The lethal weapons used against Ukrainians are inhumane. Is this our punishment for pursuing a fair democratic system?

This is a war provoking the whole world. That's why it is so important to

understand what we fight for. Doesn't this country stand for "life, liberty and the

pursuit of happiness?" That’s exactly what Ukrainian children and civilians are dying for right now. These are basic fundamental human rights - it is unbelievable to me, that my parents have to fight for it. However, people are as united as ever. A small example: my parents are collecting bottles for Molotovs, and my grandparents are baking bread at night, to feed soldiers in the morning. Military enlistment departments have lines of volunteers, there is not enough space for everyone.

Fighting for the motherland has been inspirational.

Even though I believe that nobody should experience this, I hope this gives some

perspective on what life is like for 44 million Ukrainians for the last 8 days. This is

not life. This is surviving. We are extremely grateful for the whole world to unite

and support us in these troubled times, but this can't go on. Urgent action is needed now. Glory to Ukraine.

Speech by Elina

9 days. 216 hours since my home country, Ukraine, was invaded by the Russian Federation. We have lost hundreds of civilians and Ukrainian soldiers. Is it the price we should all pay for wanting to be independent and develop our beautiful country? It has not started February 24 at 5:40 a.m.; it all started in 2014. Putin ordered Russian troops to Crimea when our country was drowning in blood after all the happenings in Maidan. As a consequence of Putin’s aggression, thousands of families fell apart, some Ukrainian women will never see their sons, husbands, and fathers. Is that the price we should all pay for wanting peace and a bright future for our motherland?

Being so far away, I can still feel the suffering of the people of Ukraine. Innocent people who wanted nothing but peace and to live in an independent country, now hide in basements while Russians destroy our cities. They kill Ukrainian troops and civilians who are protecting our land. There is plenty of evidence that it is not a ‘special operation to rescue Ukrainian people from Nazis and benderovts,’ it is a war. We don’t need your [Russia’s] help, help yourself [Russia] now when the entire world cut you off.

"Am I going to see you again?" That was the question asked by my brother on the first day of war. What am I feeling being so far away? I'm heartbroken to see my hometown, Kherson, attacked by Russians. They make attacks on the civil buildings, kill civilians.

They claim they don't attack civil buildings. It's a lie. The school in my neighborhood was completely destroyed, some people had been hiding there. Ukrainian women give birth in basements. Yesterday, 44 children were born in the basement in my hometown.

I don't have Russian friends. I don't consider Russians as my friends and people who I would ever be able to become friends with. From my perspective, they are all responsible for everything that is going on in Ukraine now. In 2014, Ukrainian students and people made our 4th president leave the country with shame because he didn't sign documents that would let us become a member of EU and NATO. And Russians can't stop their dictator? They have 144.1 million people in their population.

In this fight we need support from the United States and European Union countries. Please, stand with Ukraine, close the sky and continue your sanctions against the terrorist's country. They are violating our independence, rights, and committing crimes against humanity. We will never forget and never forgive. We will fight until the end, and we will win because we are Ukrainians.

Thank you for your attention. Glory to Ukraine!