IN THIS ISSUE:
* Senator Kultala Saves Taxpayers More Than $6000 By Refusing Legislative Postage Allowance
* Bill Would Outlaw Texting While Driving
* Tax Credit Proposed for Historic Restoration Projects
* Cerner, Wizards Coming to Kansas City
* Senator Kultala Introduces Bill To Establish A Scholarship Program for Early Graduates
* Finalists for Kansas Teacher of the Year Recognized
* “Pioneer” Class set to Graduate from KAMS
* Public Safety Still a Big Concern
* Unemployed Kansans to Receive Extended Assistance
*Useful State Phone Numbers
SENATOR KULTALA SAVES TAXPAYERS MORE THAN $6,000 BY REFUSING LEGISLATIVE POSTAGE ALLOWANCE
In an effort to help balance the budget and save the state money, this week I returned more than $6,000 which had been allocated to me for legislative postage costs. Each year, Senators are given $3,066 to pay for postage on state-related mailings such as newsletters. While it’s important for elected officials to stay in touch with constituents, I have made the personal decision to not use the money which was given to me last year and to refuse the money for this year. Although $6,000 might not sound like a lot, I believe that small sacrifices by each legislator could result in a really big savings for Kansas taxpayers.
Please note that I will continue to send legislative updates via e-mail and through a blog I have posted on my Facebook page. Any additional mailings will be paid for by me personally.
SHORT WEEK AT THE CAPITOL
The legislature met for only four days this week, so that all state employees could commemorate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday. Even with a short week, however, many bills were introduced on the Senate floor and committees were able to continue their work.
I am honored to serve as your Senator and am humbled by the support I receive from my community. I want to thank the people of the 5th District for allowing me this opportunity. My office is located in room 124-E. Please feel free to visit, or to contact me at (785) 296-7357, if you should have any questions.
Complete daily calendars are available for you to follow at www.kslegislature.org along with live broadcasts of Senate and House proceedings.
BILL WOULD OUTLAW TEXTING WHILE DRIVING
A bill introduced last week that would ban drivers from text messaging while operating a vehicle has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for further study. The bill, Senate Bill 351 outlaws typing on any “handheld wireless device” while driving, including wireless telephones, pagers, and laptop computers.
The bill would permit text messaging, laptops and similar devices to be used by police and EMT’s or in the case of an emergency, when reporting a safety hazard or a crime.
Drivers found guilty of illegally texting may receive a Class C misdemeanor. Those with two or more violations could lose their license for up to 90 days.
A Judiciary hearing on the bill is scheduled for Thursday, January 28th.
A 2007 study by Clemson University reported that drivers who were texting or using an iPod left their lanes 10 percent more often than non-distracted drivers. A similar report found that texting took the focus away from drivers an average of 4.6 seconds – enough time to travel the length of a football field at 55 mph.
According to a recent studies, teen drivers are the most at risk for having an accident while texting. According to a 2007 study by AAA, nearly half of all teen drivers – 46% – admit to texting while driving.
TAX CREDIT PROPOSED FOR HISTORIC RESTORATION PROJECTS
Members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee have introduced a bill to restore the state’s historic preservation tax credits by eliminating a cap that was placed last year.
The Kansas Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program would allow developers to receive tax credits worth up to 25 percent of a rehabilitation or preservation project that has been deemed a certified historic structure or is registered as a Kansas historic place. Projects which are already exempt from federal taxes can receive a credit up to 27 percent of the projects cost.
Although the State issued $10 million in credits in 2008, a downturn in the state’s economy led the legislature to place a $3.75 million cap on the program for fiscal years 2010 and 2011.
To qualify for a tax credit, a project must cost at least $5,000 and be filed by June 30th, 2011. To learn more or to claim the historic preservation credit you must fill out a Schedule K-35, which can be found on the Kansas Department of Revenue’s Web site at http://www.ksrevenue.org/pdf/
CERNER, WIZARDS COMING TO KANSAS CITY
The Unified Government of Wyandotte County announced this week that it has finalized a more than $400-million deal to bring a major expansion of the Cerner Corporation and an 18,000 seat stadium for the Kansas City Wizards MLS soccer team to the Village West tourism district in Wyandotte County.
Under the agreement, the Cerner Corporation will begin construction of a 600,000 square foot office complex by the end of 2011. Construction on the sports stadium will start in 2010 and be completed in time for the 2012 Major League Soccer season.
In addition to the soccer stadium, the proposal includes 18 tournament quality soccer fields designed to attract national soccer tournaments to be located in Wyandotte County Park. The $30-million tournament complex will be one of the largest in the Midwest, attracting more than two million athletes, family members and spectators every year to Kansas City. The tournament fields will be built before the end of 2012. The developers will also construct three recreational soccer fields located throughout Wyandotte County for use by residents.
As many as 3,000 construction workers could be put to work building the project. Once completed, this once-in-a-lifetime project will boast 4,500 permanent, high-paying jobs and bring a number of new economic development opportunities to northeast Kansas and the entire state.
SENATOR KULTALA INTRODUCES BILL TO ESTABLISH A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR EARLY GRADUATES
Kansas high school students planning to graduate early may receive financial help through a new scholarship program being proposed by Senator Kelly Kultala. The Program, called the “Early High School Graduation Scholarship Program”, would provide qualifying high school students with up to $4,000 in scholarship money to offset the costs of tuition and housing at any in-state college or university.
The state would pay for the scholarships by capturing money lost to school districts when students graduate early from high school. Any leftover money would be used to increase state aid to public school students.
To qualify, a student must meet the graduation criteria set up by the Department of Education and their school district, and discuss the pros and cons of graduating early with a school counselor.
Supporters and opponents of the program will have an opportunity to share their views at a hearing scheduled for Monday, January 25th at the Statehouse.
FINALISTS FOR KANSAS TEACHER OF THE YEAR RECOGNIZED
On Tuesday, the Senate unanimously approved a resolution congratulating and commending the eight teachers who have been chosen as finalists for 2010 Kansas Teacher of the Year.
Each year, the Kansas State Department of Education sponsors the Kansas Teacher of the Year program to honor excellent teaching in the elementary and secondary classrooms across our state. Two teachers – one elementary and one secondary – are selected from each of the state’s four congressional districts. The state winner will go on to represent Kansas in the National Teacher of the Year Program.
Karen M. Tritt, Shawnee Mission USD 512 – Kansas Teacher of the Year
Arthur R. Commons, Baxter Springs USD 508
Cathy Durano, Andover USD 385
Jeline D. Harclerode, Emporia USD 253
Joan L. Moore, McPherson USD 418
Rose M. Nemchik, De Soto USD 232
Beth Slawson, Paola USD 368
Tracey B. Repp, Andover USD 385
Congratulations to each of the nominees and to all the teachers and school employees in our community. Your work is greatly appreciated!
“PIONEER” CLASS SET TO GRADUATE FROM KAMS
Twenty-four students were recognized in the Senate Chambers this week as the first graduating class of the Kansas Academy of Math and Science (KAMS) at Fort Hays State University. Two of the students were from Lansing High School.
Opened in 2009, KAMS provides high school juniors and seniors who excel in mathematics or science with an accelerated two-year program that meets the requirements for both high school graduation and associate degrees.
Upon graduation, these students will have earned the college credits equivalent to an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree, in addition to a high school diploma.
Congratulations again to those graduates from our community.
PUBLIC SAFETY STILL A BIG CONCERN
As we talk about funding cuts and filling the budget gap, I am particularly concerned with the impact of these cuts on public safety. I asked the Department of Corrections to share information with me regarding the specific impact these cuts have had on local communities and the Kansas corrections system as a whole.
In an effort to lessen the impact of reduced funding, the Department prioritized the cuts based on their impact to public safety. First to go were things that had no immediate impact, specifically surplus beds at three small facilities which were closed. Then the Department cut those things that had the next-to-least immediate impact, such as programs or facilities serving lower risk offenders (boot camps and the remaining small minimum facilities), or those things where the impact would be felt further out (such as some education and treatment programming). The Department tried to retain staff in whom they had invested a great deal of training and skill development because they estimated it would take at least five years to recruit new staff, train them and get them to the same skill levels of the current staff. Some contractual services were cut instead, as those can generally be recovered more quickly.
Department officials indicate that the next round of cuts will mean early release of prisoners (there is no statutory authority for this early release) or dramatic reductions in the intensity of parole supervision. These program cuts would have the most immediate and apparent impact on public safety in Kansas, as it would mean offenders out of prison early and in your community with less supervision.
Secretary of Corrections, Roger Werholtz, has developed some of the most innovative and proven programs for reintegrating parolees back into society using risk reduction strategies that assist them in acquiring pro-social behaviors. These programs have been recognized nationally as ones which keep paroled offenders from continuing a life of crime and re-entering our prison system. Cutting these programs increases the risk of re-offending and long-term strain on Kansas corrections in the future.
As we move through the budget debate, it is critical to remember that further budget cuts will have a direct impact on you and your family. State government serves important functions in every Kansas community; keeping you safe is one of them.
UNEMPLOYED KANSANS TO RECEIVE EXTENDED ASSISTANCE
Thousands of out-of-work Kansans will learn this week if they’re eligible for extended unemployment benefits, the Kansas Department of Labor announced on Thursday. The Department is determining if more than 9,000 Kansans are now eligible for Emergency Unemployment Compensation Tier III benefits. If so, some Kansans may see the first payments delivered by the end of this week.
Given the very slow recovery the State of Kansas is seeing in the labor market, these additional benefits are critical for thousands of Kansans who continue to look for work.
The Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) Tier III program was signed into law in November and provides an additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits for individuals who have exhausted regular state benefits and existing EUC benefits.
Individuals who think they may be eligible for EUC Tier III benefits are encouraged to wait for notification from the Kansas Department of Labor.
So far, the Kansas Department of Labor has received approximately 5,400 applications for EUC Tier III benefits. More than 4,000 were processed this week with first payments being made to those eligible by Saturday.
The Kansas Department of Labor will mail an additional 6,500 letters on Jan. 21, 2010 to individuals who exhausted existing benefits after Dec. 18 and may also be eligible for EUC Tier III. Of those, approximately 5,000 remain in active claim status, which means they do not have to return an application for Tier III benefits. The Kansas Department of Labor will begin determining eligibility for those individuals immediately.
To be eligible for benefits, individuals must meet the following criteria:
• Exhausted regular state unemployment insurance benefits;
• Exhausted EUC Tier I and Tier II benefits;
• If Tier II benefits were exhausted prior to Nov. 22, 2009, all State Extended
Benefits (EB) must be exhausted before being eligible to apply for Tier III;
• Not eligible for a new state unemployment insurance claim in any state;
• Currently unemployed or working less than full-time.
The Tier III EUC program is the fifth benefit extension program implemented in Kansas since July 2008. More information about the Tier III EUC benefits and eligibility criteria is available on the Kansas Department of Labor Web site at www.dol.ks.gov.
USEFUL STATE PHONE NUMBERS
The following is a list of numbers I often receive requests for during the legislative session. You can find these as well as many others online at the following Web site: http://da.state.ks.us/
Child/Adult Abuse Hotline
(800) 922-5330
Crime Tip Hotline
(800) 572-7463
Crime Victim Referral
(800) 828-9745
Driver’s License Bureau
(785) 296-3963
KPERS
(888) 275-5737
Constituent Services
(800) 748-4408
Highway Conditions
(800) 585-7623
Lt. Governor’s Office
(800) 748-4408
Housing Hotline
(800) 752-4422
KS Department on Aging
(800) 432-3535
Kansas Jobs
(785) 235-5627
Kansas Lottery
(785) 296-5700
Legislative Hotline
(800) 432-3924
Live Homework Help
School Safety Hotline
(877) 626-8203
Attorney General’s Office
(888) 428-8436
SRS
(785) 296-3959
Tax Refund Status Info
(800) 894-0318
Taxpayer Assistance
(800) 259-2829
Unclaimed Property
(800) 432-0386
Vital Statistics
(785) 296-1400
Voter Registration
(800) 262-8683
Welfare Fraud Hotline
(800) 432-3913
No comments:
Post a Comment