Dear Friends:

This was a very busy week for committees and next week begins the hard work of figuring out this budget mess. We received news Friday afternoon that January revenues (or lack thereof) were released, showing revenues were down another $47 million in January.

• How can the estimates continue to be this far off? The reality is this kind of tax policy has no model and no trends – it’s never been done before, so it’s nearly impossible to predict.

This puts Kansas at a shortfall of $326 million for this fiscal year ending June 30.

If you’re interested in what the legislature will be working on next week, click here. Under “House Committee Agenda” about two-thirds through the Calendar, you can view hearings and briefings under review in each committee. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like to testify as I can help you through the process.

• Thanks to Landon Wilson for assisting in the House chamber this week as a Legislative Page. Landon ran errands for legislators, took a tour of the Capitol, and met the governor. Landon has paged before, but not since the renovated Capitol dome was open to tours. He ascended the 296 steps to what is known as the best view in Kansas! It is such a pleasure to host students and I have availability on March 18, so please reply if your student can page.
  
• Congratulations to Karsen Odle, senior at Beloit High School for her 1st place award in the Happy Birthday, Kansas! photo contest. Her visit to the Capitol and award winning photo are below.

Personal Activities

I am pleased to share I was elected Chair of the Legislative Rural Caucus. We will work together to protect rural interests and provide information to members on rural issues.

As we hear rising complaints from urban and suburban counties about how ag land is valued and taxed, the Rural Caucus hosted a presentation and conversation about Land Use Valuation. Even for those familiar with the algorithm, it is complicated. The presentation was helpful and I encourage you to check out the KS Department of Revenue’s Land Use Values website for more information. 

Please join me for upcoming coffees to discuss legislative issues:

• Feb. 14, 8:30 am at Kristey’s in Concordia
• Feb. 21, 9:00 am at Guaranty State Bank in Beloit
• Mar. 3, 9:00 am at Tescott High School

I’m working on a bill to prevent insurance companies from dropping your insurance due to “Acts of Nature” like the massive hailstorm our area experienced last spring. If you have a story to share about weather-related claims, please reply to this email to share it with me!

On the Floor

We had a long debate over the rules of conduct for the Kansas House. Each year, the legislature passes rules which govern our proceedings and a few major changes were incorporated into this year’s rules:

• The Midnight Rule: This rule requires the House to adjourn between midnight and 8 am to encourage clearer thinking and more transparency for the public.
• Bill Bundling Ban: This rule prohibits the bundling of more than two bills in a conference committee report. These reports frequently combined ten or more bills!
• Salina Journal editorial: The Kansas House cleans up its house

Front Page News

HB 2133 is the governor’s rescission bill to cut from this year’s budget to fill the revenue hole (made bigger with today’s news above). House Appropriations heard the bill on Wednesday, will make changes to it on Monday, and it could be considered before the entire House by Tuesday. Key cuts in the rescission plan include (the full list is here):

• Delay of $40 million KPERS payment
• $1 million from Highway Patrol
• 4% across most state agencies
• $100 million from KDOT

That being said, this year’s SB 71, which is scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday. The bill would cut nearly $40 million from K-12 schools’ current budget between now and June 30, with more than $500,000 cut from our Ottawa, Cloud, Mitchell, and Lincoln County schools. Parents are in an uproar, and rightly so. I’ve provided district-by-district runs of how much each district stands to lose:

• KS Department of Education’s bill explanation
• KSDE district-by-district spreadsheet of cuts
  

Committee Work

Fed & State

When voters passed a constitutional amendment in November, allowing for charity raffles, the legislature’s intent with the proposed amendment was not to create another bureaucracy of regulation within the Kansas Lottery. However, a number of obstacles were added to require charities have a raffle license, report to the State Gaming Commission, and other unnecessary regulations. The committee blocked the regulations and formed a subcommittee to work with the Commission to clarify legislative intent. We wanted to make this easier for charities to raise money for their important work – not create more government red tape!

Health & Human Services

The Kansas State Board of Pharmacy provided an update on the Kansas Tracking and Reporting of Controlled Substances program known as K-TRACS. Your name is added to this clearinghouse when you pick up a prescription which includes a controlled substance (codeine, hydrocodone, Valium, etc.) to ensure you aren’t duplicating the prescription order or collecting prescriptions from a number of doctors.  

We held two hearings this week:

• HB 2016 would allow chiropractors to provide an “OK to return to practice or play” evaluation for student athletes.
• HB 2004 is the Kansas right to try act, and would allow Kansans with a terminal diagnosis to use investigational drugs, biological products, and/or devices.

Ag & Natural Resources

We held hearings on HB 2061, which would establish a conservation fund to assist with mitigation projects throughout the state, and expands on the duties of the Conservation Division of the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) and the State Conservation Commission in working with the U.S. Corps of Engineers on mitigation projects.

As we have watched California’s drought worsen over many years, water issues are becoming an all-too-familiar concern for many Kansans. Gary Harshberger with the Kansas Water Authority gave a presentation – the first of many, by a varied group of experts – on the state of water in Kansas.

It is always a pleasure to hear from you. Please do not hesitate to reply to this newsletter or call my office with questions or comments. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you in Topeka. 

Sincerely,

Rep. Susan Concannon
R-Beloit
Serving Ottawa, Lincoln, Mitchell, and Cloud Counties