Week 8 Legislative Update: March 4, 2011

Good Morning All:

We have had a short week here at the capitol because of the Turnaround deadline.  Staff needed Monday and Tuesday this week to get caught up processing all of the legislation that passed out of both houses last week.  We actually only have about two weeks left of committee work, then all of our time will be spent on the senate floor working bills or in conference committees negotiating the House or Senate positions on bills.  It was wonderful to talk with people from back home representing the Parents As Teachers Programs in Kansas City, Kansas and Leavenworth and to talk with clients and staff from The Wyandot Center on Mental Health Advocacy Day.  I really appreciate all of you taking your time to come to capitol to visit. 

The weather has certainly taken a turn for the better, although I understand that the temperatures could drop later today and over the weekend.  We may even have a chance of rain or snow, however, it’s still better than the snowstorms of a few weeks ago.  I hope everyone has a safe, relaxed and happy weekend.

Best,

Kelly

Legislative Update

Week 8

Senator Kelly Kultala

March 4, 2011

IN THIS ISSUE:

·                  Work Continues Following Turnaround

·                  District Happenings

·                  Census Data Released

·                  Kansas Arts Commission Update

·                  Kansas Statewide Job Fair

·                  Kansas Ranked Top 10 Business Friendly State

·                  Kansas Legislators Support NBAF

·                  Mental Health Advocacy Day

·                  Important State Phone Numbers

WORK CONTINUES FOLLOWING TURNAOURND

Senators were back on the floor this Wednesday, following a four-day unpaid recess.  We worked through a number of bills that have flooded in from the House of Representatives, as well as conference committee reports. 

My time will continue to be split between committees and floor debate for the next few weeks.  At the end of March, we hit the deadline for House bills to be considered.  With little time left in the session, I encourage you to contact me with any concerns or questions you have about bills or committee meetings. 

All House and Senate sessions are open to the public.  And live broadcasts of Senate and House proceedings can be found at www.kslegislature.org.  To hear legislative proceedings, just click on the “Listen in Live” link.  

 

I am honored to serve as your Senator.  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.

DISTRICT HAPPENINGS

·        KCK Community College will hold an open forum for Board of Trustees candidates on Wednesday, March 9^th.  All 10 candidates will be available to answer questions from the public.

·                  The Leavenworth County Appraiser released his annual report this Monday, indicating that the county’s real estate values fell slightly in 2011.  Real estate valuation is down by .03 percent over last year. 

·                  Lansing city officials are asking the public for help to identify city street potholes created during winter’s freezing weather.  To report potholes, call the Public Works Department at 913-727-2400. 

·                  The St. Patrick Catholic Church general fund will benefit from the Fat Saturday dinner-dance to be held Saturday, March 5, at St. Patrick Parish Center, 94th and State.  A dinner will be served from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 7:45 p.m. Rudy Amato will perform contemporary and big band music. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 5-12. Reservations may be made to 913-788-8780.

·                  Wyandotte United Methodist Church, 7901 Oakland, will have a taco salad dinner and homemade desserts from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 19.

·                  Opening day at Wyandotte County Lake will be March 5, depending on the lake conditions. State and county permits are required for fishing. An opening day biscuit and sausage gravy breakfast from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. March 5 will be sponsored by Leavenworth Road Association at the Davis Hall at the lake. The breakfast costs $5 for adults and $2.50 for children. Call 913-573-8303, #5, for lake conditions if there is inclement weather.

·                  “A Bird in Hand” will be presented from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 12, at the Schlagle Public Library at Wyandotte County Lake Park. Craig Hensley, lead education specialist, will present the program about birds’ natural histories and bird band.

·                  The Yale University Redhot and Blue Vocal Jazz Ensemble will perform at 2 p.m. Monday, March 14, at the Kansas City Kansas Community College Performing Arts Center, 7250 State. 

CENSUS DATA RELEASED

The U.S. Census Bureau released new findings to state officials on Thursday morning.  Below are some figures you might find interesting:

·        Kansas City, Kansas is the third largest city in Kansas with a population of 145,786, which is a decrease of 0.7%, behind Wichita at #1 with a population of 382,368 and Overland Park at #2 with a population of 173,372.

·        Kansas’ population grew by about 6 percent over the decade, to 2.85 million residents.  That’s up from 2.7 million in 2000.  

·        Kansas’ Hispanic population has grown by 59 percent in the last decade.  More than 300,000 Kansas residents indicated they were of Hispanic descent.  That’s up from 188,000 in 2000. 

·     More than half of Kansas’ 105 counties have experienced a decrease in population since 2000.  The decrease is most evident in rural areas of the state.

·     Leavenworth County’s population has increased from 68,691 in 2000 to 76,227 in 2010 an increase of 10.97%.  Wyandotte County decreased from 157,882 in 2000 to 157,505 in 2010 a decrease of 0.24%.

KANSAS ARTS COMMISSION UPDATE

Two weeks after Governor Brownback signed an Executive Reorganization Order abolishing the Kansas Arts Commission, there is hope that the KAC can be saved.  The Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee officially rejected the order Thursday morning.

The order will now be sent to the full Senate for a vote.

According to the Kansas Constitution, a majority of votes in either the Senate or House of Representatives can overturn a Governor’s ERO.  If the ERO is not overturned within 60 days, it will automatically become law on July 1^st.

KANSAS STATEWIDE JOB FAIR

A statewide job fair will be held in Salina on Tuesday, March 8 from 2:30-6:30 pm at the Bicentennial Center, 800 The Midway.  There will be over 80 employers represented at the job fair.  If you cannot make it to the March 8 job fair, you can access additional information and dates for other job fairs on the KansasWorks.com website, click on Job Fairs on the left side of the screen.

KANSAS RANKED TOP-10 BUSINESS FRIENDLY STATE

For the third year in a row, Kansas has been ranked as a Top 10 Pro-Business state by Pollina Corporate Real Estate.  This year, Kansas ranked #7 behind states Virginia, Utah, Wyoming, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Nebraska.

The ranking system looks at factors controlled by state governments including taxation, economic incentive programs, economic development efforts and infrastructure.  They say states that score well are usually successful in attracting business and keeping it in the state.

Kansas has a great deal of economic and business potential, as evidenced by this ranking.  We need to continue to support efforts that will make Kansas a great place to work and raise a family.

KANSAS LEGISLATORS SUPPORT NBAF

Kansas Legislators and Congressional Leaders met in DC this week to encourage full federal funding for Manhattan’s National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).  Initial construction of the facility is scheduled for FY 2012.

This is the third year legislators have met with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security and Congressional Committees to reiterate Kansas’ support for the project.

When constructed, the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility will be a highly secure bio-security level 3 and 4 facility on K-State’s campus.  Top government scientists and researchers will study foreign animal, emerging and animal-transmitted diseases that threaten animal agriculture and public health.

NBAF will be a major economic driver for the State of Kansas.  Construction of the $650 million facility will create construction jobs and permanently employ a highly-educated workforce.  The economic impact on Kansas will be significant, estimated at up to $3.5 billion in the first 20 years of the facility’s use.

Additionally, the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility will serve as a magnet for private industry.  It will attract new jobs to Kansas as private biotechnology companies, professionals, and support infrastructure capitalize on new health and science assets.

To learn more about NBAF, visit www.nbafinkansas.org

MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY DAY

More than 300 supporters of mental health services descended upon the capitol Thursday.  The group rallied during its annual Mental Health Advocacy Day.

Mental Health consumers, family members, and community health providers met with legislators and Governor Brownback to discuss budget cuts to mental health services.  As you may recall, Governor Brownback’s proposed budget would eliminate $10 million for treatment to uninsured mental health patients and $5 million for children’s mental health care.  Governor Brownback has also proposed closing Topeka’s KNI, which houses more than 150 severely disabled Kansans.

Mental health services are essential to our local community.  I appreciated having the opportunity to meet with about 25 local advocates from the Wyandot Center in Kansas City, KS to discuss these important issues.