The Chamber in Hays is pleased to announce Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, are scheduled to participate in the upcoming session of The Chamber's Legislative Coffee Series.

The second event in the three-part annual series is set to take place starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday inside the Hays Public Library, 1205 Main.

The session will run until 10 a.m. The final event in the series is scheduled for April 6.

Sarah Wasinger, president/CEO of the Chamber in Hays, said she is grateful our area leaders will again participate.

"We are truly honored to have Senator Billinger, Representative Rahjes, and Representative Wasinger join us for this important event,” Sarah Wasinger said. “Their willingness to engage directly with our community underscores their commitment to serving the interests of our region."

The Legislative Coffee Series provides a vital platform for area residents to interact directly with their elected leaders, fostering open dialogue and the exchange of ideas, she said.

"It is imperative that our community members have the chance to voice their concerns and opinions directly to our elected officials,” Sarah Wasinger said. “These sessions serve as a bridge between our residents and the decision-makers, facilitating constructive conversations that contribute to the betterment of our community."

Residents are encouraged to participate by submitting questions in advance via email to hayscc@hayschamber.com. Questions must be received by noon the Friday before each event to be considered for inclusion.

While the Chamber organizes the event, Sarah Wasinger said it would not be possible without support from the community.

“The Chamber extends its gratitude to the premier sponsors of the event, The Hays Daily News and Midwest Energy, whose support makes this important community engagement possible,” Sarah Wasinger said. “We also appreciate the Hays Public Library for graciously hosting the event and to Cathedral Roast for providing coffee for attendees, contributing to a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.

"We look forward to welcoming members of our community to this session of the Legislative Coffee Series. We hope for a good crowd and productive conversations that will further strengthen our community and advance our shared goals."

For more information about the Chamber's Legislative Coffee Series and upcoming events, please visit <a href="http://hayschamber.com">hayschamber.com</a> or contact the Chamber office at 785-628-8201.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646612912485.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>SubmittedThe Chamber in Hays is pleased to announce Kansas Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, and Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays, are scheduled to participate in the upcoming session of The Chamber's Legislative Coffee Series.The second event in the three-part annual series is set to take place starting at 8:30 a.m. Saturday inside the Hays Public Library, 1205 Main.The session will run until 10 a.m. The final event in the series is scheduled for April 6.Sarah Wasinger, president/CEO of the Chamber in Hays, said she is grateful our area leaders will again participate."We are truly honored to have Senator Billinger, Representative Rahjes, and Representative Wasinger join us for this important event,” Sarah Wasinger said. “Their willingness to engage directly with our community underscores their commitment to serving the interests of our region."The Legislative Coffee Series provides a vital platform for area residents to interact directly with their elected leaders, fostering open dialogue and the exchange of ideas, she said."It is imperative that our community members have the chance to voice their concerns and opinions directly to our elected officials,” Sarah Wasinger said. “These sessions serve as a bridge between our residents and the decision-makers, facilitating constructive conversations that contribute to the betterment of our community."Residents are encouraged to participate by submitting questions in advance via email to hayscc@hayschamber.com. Questions must be received by noon the Friday before each event to be considered for inclusion.While the Chamber organizes the event, Sarah Wasinger said it would not be possible without support from the community.“The Chamber extends its gratitude to the premier sponsors of the event, The Hays Daily News and Midwest Energy, whose support makes this important community engagement possible,” Sarah Wasinger said. “We also appreciate the Hays Public Library for graciously hosting the event and to Cathedral Roast for providing coffee for attendees, contributing to a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere."We look forward to welcoming members of our community to this session of the Legislative Coffee Series. We hope for a good crowd and productive conversations that will further strengthen our community and advance our shared goals."For more information about the Chamber's Legislative Coffee Series and upcoming events, please visit <a href="http://hayschamber.com">hayschamber.com</a> or contact the Chamber office at 785-628-8201.

Kansas legislators to engage with community Saturday at Legislative Coffee

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A man sustained multiple injuries Friday following a fall at a house under construction in Hays, according to the Hays Fire Department.

The Hays Fire Department received a dispatch at 8:52 a.m. regarding a male who fell into a basement on Larned Circle.

At 8:59 a.m., fire crews reached the scene and worked with EMS who administered medical care to the individual, according to Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans.

"EMS treated the patient in the basement while our guys were getting what's called a low-angle rescue ready," Hagans said.

A low-angle rescue is essential for situations where slopes range from 0 to 30 degrees and require the use of ropes.

EMS stabilized the man in the basement, and he was brought up by 9:12 a.m. before being transported to Hays Medical Center in serious condition.

Hagans said that construction workers should conduct regular walkthroughs of their work sites to identify both hazardous and safe areas.

"It goes back to common sense in construction areas and being aware of your surroundings," he said.

The Hays Fire Department has not received any updates regarding the individual's condition.

Hagans said the rescue team of the Hays Fire Department was fully equipped and ready to respond to the call on Friday.

"We have been trained extensively on all types of technical rescue," he said. "We had the equipment, knowledge and the training to to take care of the situation."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702591235683.jpg" alt="" />
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 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA man sustained multiple injuries Friday following a fall at a house under construction in Hays, according to the Hays Fire Department.The Hays Fire Department received a dispatch at 8:52 a.m. regarding a male who fell into a basement on Larned Circle.At 8:59 a.m., fire crews reached the scene and worked with EMS who administered medical care to the individual, according to Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans."EMS treated the patient in the basement while our guys were getting what's called a low-angle rescue ready," Hagans said.A low-angle rescue is essential for situations where slopes range from 0 to 30 degrees and require the use of ropes.EMS stabilized the man in the basement, and he was brought up by 9:12 a.m. before being transported to Hays Medical Center in serious condition.Hagans said that construction workers should conduct regular walkthroughs of their work sites to identify both hazardous and safe areas."It goes back to common sense in construction areas and being aware of your surroundings," he said.The Hays Fire Department has not received any updates regarding the individual's condition.Hagans said the rescue team of the Hays Fire Department was fully equipped and ready to respond to the call on Friday."We have been trained extensively on all types of technical rescue," he said. "We had the equipment, knowledge and the training to to take care of the situation."

Man rescued at Hays construction site following basement fall 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709049284504.jpeg" alt="Hays Middle School seventh-grade boys’ basketball team won the MSWAC Championship. The A team went 13-1 and the B team went 14-0 for a combined 27-1. Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Hays Middle School seventh-grade boys’ basketball team won the MSWAC Championship. The A team went 13-1 and the B team went 14-0 for a combined 27-1. Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>

Hays Middle School 7th-grade boys’ basketball team wins championship

Hays Police Department has received multiple reports this past week of an individual claiming to be from the Hays Police Department demanding victims pay cash, Bitcoin or business gift cards to the individual.

Please know that this is a scam and is going on across the country. You may receive a telephone call, email, text message or a message on social media from a scammer alleging to be from a law enforcement agency. Scammers may claim to represent local, state or federal law enforcement agencies. &nbsp;

These impostors tell you there is a problem that you need to resolve immediately—usually by sending them a fee. Scammers often threaten fines, arrest or other penalties in an attempt to scare you into immediate action. They may ask for money or your personal information, such as your driver’s license or social security number. &nbsp;They can be extremely aggressive in their efforts to swindle you out of your money. Below are some tips on how to avoid being a victim. &nbsp;

How to avoid law enforcement impersonator scams

If you ever have concerns with a phone call you receive from someone claiming to be an officer, please call the Hays Police Department at 785-625-1030 to speak with an officer to verify the validity of the call.

Hays Police DepartmentHays Police Department has received multiple reports this past week of an individual claiming to be from the Hays Police Department demanding victims pay cash, Bitcoin or business gift cards to the individual.Please know that this is a scam and is going on across the country. You may receive a telephone call, email, text message or a message on social media from a scammer alleging to be from a law enforcement agency. Scammers may claim to represent local, state or federal law enforcement agencies. &nbsp;These impostors tell you there is a problem that you need to resolve immediately—usually by sending them a fee. Scammers often threaten fines, arrest or other penalties in an attempt to scare you into immediate action. They may ask for money or your personal information, such as your driver’s license or social security number. &nbsp;They can be extremely aggressive in their efforts to swindle you out of your money. Below are some tips on how to avoid being a victim. &nbsp;How to avoid law enforcement impersonator scams<ul>
 <li>Don’t give in to pressure.&nbsp;Even if the threats scare you, do not take immediate action. Hang up or ignore the message. If you think there is a possibility you have been contacted by a real law enforcement agent,&nbsp;call the agency directly&nbsp;using a non-emergency number to confirm. The non-emergent number for the Hays Police Department is 785-625-1030.</li><li>Never send money to strangers.&nbsp;Scammers will ask you to wire funds or buy prepaid gift cards to pay the required “fines.” Scammers prefer to receive money this way because it is hard to trace. Plus, you will not be able to get your money back.</li><li>Guard your personal information carefully.&nbsp;Don’t share information like your address, social security number or bank account information without first making sure you are speaking to a legitimate official – even if they already have some of your information.</li><li>Don’t answer messages from strangers.&nbsp;Don’t click on links or attachments in messages or emails from strangers. They are probably part of a phishing scam. Block unsolicited calls and text messages immediately.</li>
 </ul>If you ever have concerns with a phone call you receive from someone claiming to be an officer, please call the Hays Police Department at 785-625-1030 to speak with an officer to verify the validity of the call.

Hays Police warn of imposters claiming to be from HPD, demanding cash

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Hays set another record high for the second day in a row on Monday with a high of 82 degrees, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.

Those warm temperatures are not set to last.

By midday, the high is forecast to reach 66 degrees, but as a cold front blows in, temperatures are forecast to drop 49 degrees to a low of 17 overnight, according to the National Weather Service.

There's a slight chance of snow between 7 and 10 p.m. 

The front will aggravate the critical fire weather conditions expected across roughly the southern half of the area. Open burning is strongly discouraged areawide.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect this afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 49 mph.

Temperatures will rebound to the 50s and 60s on Thursday and Friday. It is forecast to remain breezy through the week with no chances of precipitation. Saturday's high is forecast for 75 degrees.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709047189026.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostHays set another record high for the second day in a row on Monday with a high of 82 degrees, according to the K-State Ag Research Center.Those warm temperatures are not set to last.By midday, the high is forecast to reach 66 degrees, but as a cold front blows in, temperatures are forecast to drop 49 degrees to a low of 17 overnight, according to the National Weather Service.There's a slight chance of snow between 7 and 10 p.m. The front will aggravate the critical fire weather conditions expected across roughly the southern half of the area. Open burning is strongly discouraged areawide.A Red Flag Warning is in effect this afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 49 mph.Temperatures will rebound to the 50s and 60s on Thursday and Friday. It is forecast to remain breezy through the week with no chances of precipitation. Saturday's high is forecast for 75 degrees.

Record high set Monday; temps to plummet this afternoon, tonight

RUSSELL – The Kansas Food Bank along with USDA is providing monthly food boxes to low income seniors.&nbsp; The Commodity Supplemental Food Program is available in Russell County at the Otterbein United Methodist Church – Agape Family Center to persons age 60 and above who qualify by meeting income requirements.&nbsp;

Interested seniors must fill out an application and provide the following:&nbsp; proof of ID and proof of address of their current address is not on their ID.&nbsp; Once approved, they will receive a monthly box.&nbsp; Seniors will self-declare if they meet income guidelines just like with the TEFAP program.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The Kansas Food Bank will be scheduling appointments in Russell at the Otterbein United Methodist Church – Agape Family Center, 527 N Maple St, on Thursday, March 7th, 10 am to noon, to register seniors for the program.&nbsp; To schedule an appointment, call Debi at the Kansas Food Bank, 316-265-3663.&nbsp; Applicants should bring their ID and proof of address with them. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Food packages include a variety of foods, such as nonfat dry and ultra-high temperature fluid milk, juice, farina, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, peanut butter, dry beans, canned meat, poultry or fish, and canned fruits and vegetables.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

SubmittedRUSSELL – The Kansas Food Bank along with USDA is providing monthly food boxes to low income seniors.&nbsp; The Commodity Supplemental Food Program is available in Russell County at the Otterbein United Methodist Church – Agape Family Center to persons age 60 and above who qualify by meeting income requirements.&nbsp;Interested seniors must fill out an application and provide the following:&nbsp; proof of ID and proof of address of their current address is not on their ID.&nbsp; Once approved, they will receive a monthly box.&nbsp; Seniors will self-declare if they meet income guidelines just like with the TEFAP program.&nbsp; &nbsp;Income guidelines are as follows:Household Size / Gross Income1 - $1,6232 - $2,2153 - $2,7984 - $3,380The Kansas Food Bank will be scheduling appointments in Russell at the Otterbein United Methodist Church – Agape Family Center, 527 N Maple St, on Thursday, March 7th, 10 am to noon, to register seniors for the program.&nbsp; To schedule an appointment, call Debi at the Kansas Food Bank, 316-265-3663.&nbsp; Applicants should bring their ID and proof of address with them. &nbsp;&nbsp;Food packages include a variety of foods, such as nonfat dry and ultra-high temperature fluid milk, juice, farina, oats, ready-to-eat cereal, rice, pasta, peanut butter, dry beans, canned meat, poultry or fish, and canned fruits and vegetables.This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Senior Food Box Program serves Russell County

By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays Post

It couldn’t have been scripted any better.

Let’s invite a lot of basketball alumni back to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our building, and then we tell this year’s teams to give them something to cheer about.

That’s what Fort Hays State University’s athletic department thought, and both the men’s and women’s Tiger teams came through in a big way.

Members of past FHSU teams attended a reunion Friday night on the eve of the Tigers’ home games with Missouri Southern State University.

They were joined by more former players the next day and watched as the FHSU women won in two overtimes, and the men followed that with an overtime victory over the visiting Lions.

Tigers from several generations returned to Hays for the event, including Bill Greving, who walked into Friday’s reunion at the Robbins Center wearing his letter jacket that is more than 50 years old.

Greving, who grew up in Phillips County, never got to play in GMC. After two years at Dodge City Community College, Greving played for the Tigers in 1967-69 – in the snakepit in Sheridan Coliseum.

But once a Tiger, always a Tiger. And Greving is proud of that letter jacket.

“It’s been a number of years since I put this on,” he said. “I thought this would be a good time to wear it.”

While many conversations on the weekend were, of course, about basketball, several people also talked about friendships made during their time at FHSU.

What the coaches meant to their players also was the topic of some of those conversations.

Barton Snow played for the Tigers during two different stints in the ’70s when he was a rebounding machine. However, after his sophomore year in 1972-73, he decided to leave school because “I was trying to find my place in the world.”

“A friend of mine found me a job working in a packing house on a kill floor,” he said. “One day, I had blood all over me, just shaking my head.”

Someone told Snow he needed to “go back to school.”

“So I called Coach (Chuck) Brehm and asked him if I could come back,” Snow said, “and he said ‘Yes.’ I owe Coach Brehm a lot.”

Coach Brehm knew what he was doing. He was glad to welcome back Snow, who had 25 rebounds in one game during his sophomore season.

Snow went on to dazzle Tiger fans for two more years while earning All-America honors in 1976. Almost 50 years later, he is still the program’s all-time leading rebounder with 980.

After 55 years of playing in the close confines of Sheridan Coliseum, the Tigers got a new home on the west side of Big Creek in 1973.

Hank Pierce and John Schippers Sr. were partners in Pierce-Schippers Construction, a local company that won the bid for the 322,979-square-foot Gross Memorial Coliseum that featured a tartan basketball floor surrounded by an indoor track.

The spacious new facility, which cost $7 million to build, included a health, physical education and recreation complex (Cunningham Hall) connected to GMC. GMC was named after Paul B. Gross, who coached basketball at FHSU from 1930 to'46 and also served as the university’s athletic director for several years.

A huge walking bridge was built for students to get from the main campus to Cunningham Hall for classes and to GMC for practice and games.

“We about froze walking across that bridge in the winter,” someone remembered at Friday’s reunion.

Family members of Pierce-Schippers Construction were honored at mid-court during Saturday’s games.

Included in that group was the son of John Schippers Jr., whose name coincidentally is Pierce Schippers.

Pierce-Schippers Construction had sold its company by the time John “Butch” Schippers Jr. and his wife Bobbie welcomed their youngest child into the world in 1994.

Butch and Bobbie were fans of Irish actor and film producer Pierce Brosnan. Thus, the name Pierce Schippers has been carried on for nearly three decades – and counting.

All four of the Tigers’ national championship teams were represented at the 50th anniversary celebration.

Ron Morse came from his home in Grove, Okla., for the reunion – and to visit his dad, Bill Morse, who still lives in Hays.

Bill Morse is the Tiger men’s basketball coach who guided FHSU to back-to-back NAIA national titles in 1984 and ’85. Those special years came after finishing third at nationals in Morse’s first year in 1983.

Ron Morse, who hit the game-winning shot in the 1985 finale, played for three years for the Tigers.

“It was a pretty special time,” he said. “The community was really into Tiger basketball, and we had a lot of support.”

He admitted that playing for his dad was challenging at times, but he learned valuable life lessons during his FHSU career – one he wouldn’t trade for anything.

It took only six more years for the Tigers to bring home another national title as the women won the 1991 title in FHSU’s final year in the NAIA.

Several members of that team returned for the anniversary celebration, including Coach John Klein and his wife, Petrece (Faulkner) Klein, one of the starting guards on that championship team.

The Wiles sisters who put tiny Hunter, Kansas on the map also were there.

Annette Wiles, the scoring and rebounding leader for the national championship team, is still the all-time leading scorer in FHSU women’s basketball with 2,407 career points, and her younger sister, DeAnne (Wiles) Thaemert, was a valuable player off the bench for the title team.

Another five years later, the Tiger men gave the school its first NCAA national championship in 1996.

Brothers Geoff and Mark Eck from Andale were starters on the 1995-96 team that finished undefeated at 34-0 under Coach Gary Garner. They both now live in nearby Ellis and attended the celebration. And point guard Chad Creamer made the trip from Colorado to celebrate.

Fans packed GMC to watch the Tigers beat South Dakota State in an exciting regional championship game back in March of 1996. They then won all three of their Elite Eight games in Louisville, Ky., to give FHSU its first NCAA basketball title.

Whether they played at FHSU the past couple of years or in decades past, the alumni had a good time reminiscing and taking group photos.

Klein held the attention of former players from the women’s teams Friday. All were smiling, listening to him telling stories of “the good ol’ days.”

Some who played under Klein (but not in 1990-91) noted they weren’t part of the national championship team, followed by somewhat sad looks.

“But you still played a part in our success,” Klein was quick to note. “You helped us build that winning foundation.”

The Tigers won their first game in the new coliseum, beating East Central (Okla.) 74-68 on Nov. 30, 1973.

An East Central player scored the first points in GMC, but the Tigers soon tied the score.

Brad Rumble, then a junior from Great Bend, tallied the first basket for FHSU. And he remembers the moment like it happened yesterday.

“On our first possession, I was at the top of the key and saw an opening and just went down the middle for a layup,” Rumble said. “It hit me as I as going on back on defense that I had just scored our&nbsp;first points in this new arena.”

Rumble, who now lives in Kansas City, Mo., still enjoys watching the Tigers of today – at the MIAA Conference Championships that are played each March in historic Municipal Auditorium.

He echoed the feelings of many attending the weekend activities, which were highlighted by the exciting finish to both games on Saturday.

“Those were the most enjoyable games you could have asked for,” he said. “It was loud and reminded me of our first games here. They were packed back then because the building was new, and people wanted to see us play there.”

Several teammates from that first team joined Rumble at the celebration. The head coach and a player from the first women’s team to play in GMC were also there.

Helen Miles, who coached the Tiger women from 1971-86, was joined by Debbie (Bealby) Maupin, on the GMC floor Saturday as the 130-plus former Tigers present were announced.

It was estimated that more than 250 former Tigers and their families attended the weekend activities.

Kathy Harper, wife of Keith Harper, a member of the 1973-74 team, remembers sitting on chairs early in that first season because the bleachers had not yet arrived.

“It was so new and beautiful that we didn’t care,” she said.

The Harpers are still loyal fans today. They are season ticket holders in the lower level of seating not far from the action on the floor.

The men’s team finished with a 14-9 record in 1973-74, and the women were 14-4 overall – setting a winning standard that is still adhered to today.

Gross Memorial Coliseum is still considered one of the best venues in NCAA Division II. The men’s and women’s teams consistently record some of the best attendance records in the country, and GMC has been voted one of the best arenas in D-II basketball by several ranking organizations.

Like any 50-year-old building, Gross Coliseum has seen some upgrades over the years.

A new wooden floor was installed following the national championship year in 1996.

Chairback seating has been added to the lower-level seating. A new video board was installed in 2017. And installation of air conditioning in the arena area is scheduled to be completed later this coming summer.

The multipurpose facility has been used for numerous state and national athletic contests, concerts and a variety of other events over the years.

It is also home to the Tiger volleyball, wrestling and indoor track and field teams.

But on this particular weekend, fans were treated to some of the best D-II basketball around.

“Gross Coliseum was, and still is, a phenomenal facility,” Ron Morse said. “I’m so glad I got to play here. It was electric back during our days.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709045128853.jpeg" alt="Numerous banners, including four national championship ones, hang above the court at Gross Memorial Coliseum, signifying 50 years of success of Tiger basketball. Photo courtesy of FHSU." />
 <figcaption>Numerous banners, including four national championship ones, hang above the court at Gross Memorial Coliseum, signifying 50 years of success of Tiger basketball. Photo courtesy of FHSU.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708110719636.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN Special to Hays PostIt couldn’t have been scripted any better.Let’s invite a lot of basketball alumni back to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our building, and then we tell this year’s teams to give them something to cheer about.That’s what Fort Hays State University’s athletic department thought, and both the men’s and women’s Tiger teams came through in a big way.Members of past FHSU teams attended a reunion Friday night on the eve of the Tigers’ home games with Missouri Southern State University.They were joined by more former players the next day and watched as the FHSU women won in two overtimes, and the men followed that with an overtime victory over the visiting Lions.Tigers from several generations returned to Hays for the event, including Bill Greving, who walked into Friday’s reunion at the Robbins Center wearing his letter jacket that is more than 50 years old.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709004049090.jpeg" alt="A photo of the very early stages of the building process of Gross Coliseum. Photo courtesy of FHSU." />
 <figcaption>A photo of the very early stages of the building process of Gross Coliseum. Photo courtesy of FHSU.</figcaption>
 </figure>Greving, who grew up in Phillips County, never got to play in GMC. After two years at Dodge City Community College, Greving played for the Tigers in 1967-69 – in the snakepit in Sheridan Coliseum.But once a Tiger, always a Tiger. And Greving is proud of that letter jacket.“It’s been a number of years since I put this on,” he said. “I thought this would be a good time to wear it.”While many conversations on the weekend were, of course, about basketball, several people also talked about friendships made during their time at FHSU.What the coaches meant to their players also was the topic of some of those conversations.Barton Snow played for the Tigers during two different stints in the ’70s when he was a rebounding machine. However, after his sophomore year in 1972-73, he decided to leave school because “I was trying to find my place in the world.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709004118524.jpeg" alt="Former Tiger standout Barton Snow, left, visits with former athletic trainer Brad Brown at last weekend’s reunion. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Former Tiger standout Barton Snow, left, visits with former athletic trainer Brad Brown at last weekend’s reunion. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>“A friend of mine found me a job working in a packing house on a kill floor,” he said. “One day, I had blood all over me, just shaking my head.”Someone told Snow he needed to “go back to school.”“So I called Coach (Chuck) Brehm and asked him if I could come back,” Snow said, “and he said ‘Yes.’ I owe Coach Brehm a lot.”Coach Brehm knew what he was doing. He was glad to welcome back Snow, who had 25 rebounds in one game during his sophomore season.Snow went on to dazzle Tiger fans for two more years while earning All-America honors in 1976. Almost 50 years later, he is still the program’s all-time leading rebounder with 980.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709004203088.jpeg" alt="Bill and Ron Morse, a dad-son/coach-player combination in the Tigers’ glory days in the 1980s, were able to celebrate the 50th anniversary together. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Bill and Ron Morse, a dad-son/coach-player combination in the Tigers’ glory days in the 1980s, were able to celebrate the 50th anniversary together. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A new home</h2>After 55 years of playing in the close confines of Sheridan Coliseum, the Tigers got a new home on the west side of Big Creek in 1973.Hank Pierce and John Schippers Sr. were partners in Pierce-Schippers Construction, a local company that won the bid for the 322,979-square-foot Gross Memorial Coliseum that featured a tartan basketball floor surrounded by an indoor track.The spacious new facility, which cost $7 million to build, included a health, physical education and recreation complex (Cunningham Hall) connected to GMC. GMC was named after Paul B. Gross, who coached basketball at FHSU from 1930 to'46 and also served as the university’s athletic director for several years.A huge walking bridge was built for students to get from the main campus to Cunningham Hall for classes and to GMC for practice and games.“We about froze walking across that bridge in the winter,” someone remembered at Friday’s reunion.Family members of Pierce-Schippers Construction were honored at mid-court during Saturday’s games.Included in that group was the son of John Schippers Jr., whose name coincidentally is Pierce Schippers.Pierce-Schippers Construction had sold its company by the time John “Butch” Schippers Jr. and his wife Bobbie welcomed their youngest child into the world in 1994.Butch and Bobbie were fans of Irish actor and film producer Pierce Brosnan. Thus, the name Pierce Schippers has been carried on for nearly three decades – and counting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709004291308.jpeg" alt="John Klein, head coach of the Tiger women’s national championship team of 1991, enjoys telling stories at the weekend reunion. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>John Klein, head coach of the Tiger women’s national championship team of 1991, enjoys telling stories at the weekend reunion. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>National championship teams</h2>All four of the Tigers’ national championship teams were represented at the 50th anniversary celebration.Ron Morse came from his home in Grove, Okla., for the reunion – and to visit his dad, Bill Morse, who still lives in Hays.Bill Morse is the Tiger men’s basketball coach who guided FHSU to back-to-back NAIA national titles in 1984 and ’85. Those special years came after finishing third at nationals in Morse’s first year in 1983.Ron Morse, who hit the game-winning shot in the 1985 finale, played for three years for the Tigers.“It was a pretty special time,” he said. “The community was really into Tiger basketball, and we had a lot of support.”He admitted that playing for his dad was challenging at times, but he learned valuable life lessons during his FHSU career – one he wouldn’t trade for anything.It took only six more years for the Tigers to bring home another national title as the women won the 1991 title in FHSU’s final year in the NAIA.Several members of that team returned for the anniversary celebration, including Coach John Klein and his wife, Petrece (Faulkner) Klein, one of the starting guards on that championship team.The Wiles sisters who put tiny Hunter, Kansas on the map also were there.Annette Wiles, the scoring and rebounding leader for the national championship team, is still the all-time leading scorer in FHSU women’s basketball with 2,407 career points, and her younger sister, DeAnne (Wiles) Thaemert, was a valuable player off the bench for the title team.Another five years later, the Tiger men gave the school its first NCAA national championship in 1996.Brothers Geoff and Mark Eck from Andale were starters on the 1995-96 team that finished undefeated at 34-0 under Coach Gary Garner. They both now live in nearby Ellis and attended the celebration. And point guard Chad Creamer made the trip from Colorado to celebrate.Fans packed GMC to watch the Tigers beat South Dakota State in an exciting regional championship game back in March of 1996. They then won all three of their Elite Eight games in Louisville, Ky., to give FHSU its first NCAA basketball title.Whether they played at FHSU the past couple of years or in decades past, the alumni had a good time reminiscing and taking group photos.Klein held the attention of former players from the women’s teams Friday. All were smiling, listening to him telling stories of “the good ol’ days.”Some who played under Klein (but not in 1990-91) noted they weren’t part of the national championship team, followed by somewhat sad looks.“But you still played a part in our success,” Klein was quick to note. “You helped us build that winning foundation.”The smiles quickly returned.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709004364620.jpeg" alt="Val McLean, a former Tiger basketball player, checks out old photos and trophies from the past 50 years. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Val McLean, a former Tiger basketball player, checks out old photos and trophies from the past 50 years. Photo by Diane Gasper-O’Brien/Special to the Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The way it all began</h2>The Tigers won their first game in the new coliseum, beating East Central (Okla.) 74-68 on Nov. 30, 1973.An East Central player scored the first points in GMC, but the Tigers soon tied the score.Brad Rumble, then a junior from Great Bend, tallied the first basket for FHSU. And he remembers the moment like it happened yesterday.“On our first possession, I was at the top of the key and saw an opening and just went down the middle for a layup,” Rumble said. “It hit me as I as going on back on defense that I had just scored our&nbsp;first points in this new arena.”Rumble, who now lives in Kansas City, Mo., still enjoys watching the Tigers of today – at the MIAA Conference Championships that are played each March in historic Municipal Auditorium.He echoed the feelings of many attending the weekend activities, which were highlighted by the exciting finish to both games on Saturday.“Those were the most enjoyable games you could have asked for,” he said. “It was loud and reminded me of our first games here. They were packed back then because the building was new, and people wanted to see us play there.”Several teammates from that first team joined Rumble at the celebration. The head coach and a player from the first women’s team to play in GMC were also there.Helen Miles, who coached the Tiger women from 1971-86, was joined by Debbie (Bealby) Maupin, on the GMC floor Saturday as the 130-plus former Tigers present were announced.It was estimated that more than 250 former Tigers and their families attended the weekend activities.Kathy Harper, wife of Keith Harper, a member of the 1973-74 team, remembers sitting on chairs early in that first season because the bleachers had not yet arrived.“It was so new and beautiful that we didn’t care,” she said.The Harpers are still loyal fans today. They are season ticket holders in the lower level of seating not far from the action on the floor.The men’s team finished with a 14-9 record in 1973-74, and the women were 14-4 overall – setting a winning standard that is still adhered to today.<h2>Still one of the best D-II venues</h2>Gross Memorial Coliseum is still considered one of the best venues in NCAA Division II. The men’s and women’s teams consistently record some of the best attendance records in the country, and GMC has been voted one of the best arenas in D-II basketball by several ranking organizations.Like any 50-year-old building, Gross Coliseum has seen some upgrades over the years.A new wooden floor was installed following the national championship year in 1996.Chairback seating has been added to the lower-level seating. A new video board was installed in 2017. And installation of air conditioning in the arena area is scheduled to be completed later this coming summer.The multipurpose facility has been used for numerous state and national athletic contests, concerts and a variety of other events over the years.It is also home to the Tiger volleyball, wrestling and indoor track and field teams.But on this particular weekend, fans were treated to some of the best D-II basketball around.“Gross Coliseum was, and still is, a phenomenal facility,” Ron Morse said. “I’m so glad I got to play here. It was electric back during our days.”It still is, Ron. It still is.

NWester: Gross Memorial Coliseum celebrates arena full of golden memories

Grow Hays, in conjunction with Network Kansas, will offer JUMP, a Kauffman FastTrac Entrepreneur Course.

The 12-week program is for new and growing entrepreneurs and small business owners to grow, scale or launch their businesses. The program will be delivered in a hybrid format. Limited number of scholarships are available to subsidize the cost of the course.

Who: Facilitated by Kris Munsch, Kira Cheree’ and Cedric Cobb of Kansas City, and local business leaders.

When: Class starts Tuesday, March 5, and meets once weekly for 12 weeks. 6-8 p.m.

Where: Hybrid classes, in-person will be at BriefSpace, 219 W. 10th St., Hays, KS 67601

Registration Fee: $150 per participant; <a href="http://www.ebbkc.com/register">www.ebbkc.com/register</a>

Kauffman FastTrac equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the business skills, insights, tools, resources, and peer networks necessary to start and grow successful businesses.

The program was launched by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., and carries out Mr. K’s belief that everyone has a fundamental right to turn an idea into an economic reality, regardless of who you are or where you’re from, with zero barriers in the way.

Kauffman FastTrac participants decide between self-paced, virtual learning or affiliate learning. Affiliate learning is in a classroom with other entrepreneurs and a FastTrac facilitator or in a virtual environment with a FastTrac facilitator. A blend of both virtual and in-person learning with a FastTrac facilitator is available, also.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574881377018.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Grow HaysGrow Hays, in conjunction with Network Kansas, will offer JUMP, a Kauffman FastTrac Entrepreneur Course.The 12-week program is for new and growing entrepreneurs and small business owners to grow, scale or launch their businesses. The program will be delivered in a hybrid format. Limited number of scholarships are available to subsidize the cost of the course.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708986729420.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>What: Grow Hays X JUMP CohortWho: Facilitated by Kris Munsch, Kira Cheree’ and Cedric Cobb of Kansas City, and local business leaders.When: Class starts Tuesday, March 5, and meets once weekly for 12 weeks. 6-8 p.m.Where: Hybrid classes, in-person will be at BriefSpace, 219 W. 10th St., Hays, KS 67601Registration Fee: $150 per participant; <a href="http://www.ebbkc.com/register">www.ebbkc.com/register</a>Hashtag: #JUMP #GROWHAYSAbout Kauffman FastTrac:Kauffman FastTrac equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the business skills, insights, tools, resources, and peer networks necessary to start and grow successful businesses.The program was launched by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., and carries out Mr. K’s belief that everyone has a fundamental right to turn an idea into an economic reality, regardless of who you are or where you’re from, with zero barriers in the way.Kauffman FastTrac participants decide between self-paced, virtual learning or affiliate learning. Affiliate learning is in a classroom with other entrepreneurs and a FastTrac facilitator or in a virtual environment with a FastTrac facilitator. A blend of both virtual and in-person learning with a FastTrac facilitator is available, also.

New entrepreneur course to be hosted by Grow Hays in conjunction with Network Kansas

Last week was turn around for the legislator. We spent most of our time on the Senate floor passing bills that will now go to the House for consideration. A few bills passed are as follows:

SB 272 would increase transfers from the State Highway Fund to the Public Use General Aviation Airport Development Fund from $5.0 million to $15.0 million annually, starting July 1, 2024. Continuing law authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to use these funds to provide grants to public use general aviation airports for planning, constructing, reconstructing, or rehabilitating facilities.

SB 339 would amend the effective date specified in the Insurance Code for the risk-based capital instructions promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for property and casualty companies and for life insurance companies. The instructions currently specified became effective on December 31, 2022. The bill would update the effective date of the RBC instructions to December 31, 2023.

SB 345 would create the Commercial Financing Disclosure Act, pertaining to certain commercial financing transactions between a provider and a business. The bill would require the disclosure of certain commercial financing product transaction information, provide for civil penalties for violations of the Act, and authorize the Attorney General to enforce the Act.

SB 352 would establish who may visit a patient in a medical care facility, require medical care facilities to provide for in-person visitation, and include parameters for medical care facilities as to restrictions regarding infection control protocols that may be placed on visitors. This legislation would ensure that patients in hospitals do not suffer and die alone.

SB 462 would authorize the Director of Vehicles to waive the knowledge and skills test for driving a commercial motor vehicle for an applicant who qualifies for a waiver under the military Even Exchange Program authorized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

SB 458 reforms the Kansas Standard Asset Seizure and Forfeiture Act. As National Review wrote in this article, “Civil forfeiture allows state and federal authorities to take your hard-earned cash without cause and keep it. The practice must be reformed.” The bill removes certain offenses from the list of conduct and offenses giving rise to forfeiture under the Act, whether there is a prosecution or conviction related to the offense.

SB420 would amend the crime of breach of privacy when the crime involves installing or using a device to photograph or record another person under or through their clothing, or a person who is nude or in a state of undress. Current law provides it is a crime to do the above actions using a concealed device, in a secret manner. Testimony was provided that this created a loophole where someone using a non-concealed device couldn’t be prosecuted. The bill will remove the elements of concealment and secrecy from the crime and simply make it a crime in all circumstances.

SB 431 would require the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial honoring the life of Emil Joseph Kapaun. Father Emil Joseph Kapaun was born in Pilsen, Kansas and served as a U.S. Army Chaplain in World War II and the Korean War, where he became a prisoner of war. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2013.

SB 359 would authorize issuance of five license plates on and after January 1, 2025: Kansas City Chiefs, Sporting Kansas City, Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Current.

SB 190 would amend the Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure to require a magistrate to order, as a condition of release for any person charged with a felony, that the person execute a waiver of extradition.

SB 455 would promote sound energy policy by adding and amending law regarding electric public utilities, coal-fired electric generating facilities, and the Kansas Corporation Commission. It outlines new requirements that the KCC must consider when deciding whether to close a coal plant, including: The utility will replace the retired plant with new electric generating capacity that is dispatchable and maintains or improves the reliability and resilience of the grid. Closure of the plant will not harm the utility’s ratepayers or decrease the utility’s regional rate competitiveness. Retirement of the plan must be for economic purposes and for the benefit of ratepayers and not solely based on achieving environmental, social, or governmental goals. Utility customers will have to save money when the plant is closed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576518921995.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Last week was turn around for the legislator. We spent most of our time on the Senate floor passing bills that will now go to the House for consideration. A few bills passed are as follows:SB 272 would increase transfers from the State Highway Fund to the Public Use General Aviation Airport Development Fund from $5.0 million to $15.0 million annually, starting July 1, 2024. Continuing law authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to use these funds to provide grants to public use general aviation airports for planning, constructing, reconstructing, or rehabilitating facilities.SB 339 would amend the effective date specified in the Insurance Code for the risk-based capital instructions promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for property and casualty companies and for life insurance companies. The instructions currently specified became effective on December 31, 2022. The bill would update the effective date of the RBC instructions to December 31, 2023.SB 345 would create the Commercial Financing Disclosure Act, pertaining to certain commercial financing transactions between a provider and a business. The bill would require the disclosure of certain commercial financing product transaction information, provide for civil penalties for violations of the Act, and authorize the Attorney General to enforce the Act.SB 352 would establish who may visit a patient in a medical care facility, require medical care facilities to provide for in-person visitation, and include parameters for medical care facilities as to restrictions regarding infection control protocols that may be placed on visitors. This legislation would ensure that patients in hospitals do not suffer and die alone.SB 462 would authorize the Director of Vehicles to waive the knowledge and skills test for driving a commercial motor vehicle for an applicant who qualifies for a waiver under the military Even Exchange Program authorized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.SB 458 reforms the Kansas Standard Asset Seizure and Forfeiture Act. As National Review wrote in this article, “Civil forfeiture allows state and federal authorities to take your hard-earned cash without cause and keep it. The practice must be reformed.” The bill removes certain offenses from the list of conduct and offenses giving rise to forfeiture under the Act, whether there is a prosecution or conviction related to the offense.SB420 would amend the crime of breach of privacy when the crime involves installing or using a device to photograph or record another person under or through their clothing, or a person who is nude or in a state of undress. Current law provides it is a crime to do the above actions using a concealed device, in a secret manner. Testimony was provided that this created a loophole where someone using a non-concealed device couldn’t be prosecuted. The bill will remove the elements of concealment and secrecy from the crime and simply make it a crime in all circumstances.SB 431 would require the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial honoring the life of Emil Joseph Kapaun. Father Emil Joseph Kapaun was born in Pilsen, Kansas and served as a U.S. Army Chaplain in World War II and the Korean War, where he became a prisoner of war. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2013.SB 359 would authorize issuance of five license plates on and after January 1, 2025: Kansas City Chiefs, Sporting Kansas City, Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas City Royals, Kansas City Current.SB 190 would amend the Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure to require a magistrate to order, as a condition of release for any person charged with a felony, that the person execute a waiver of extradition.SB 455 would promote sound energy policy by adding and amending law regarding electric public utilities, coal-fired electric generating facilities, and the Kansas Corporation Commission. It outlines new requirements that the KCC must consider when deciding whether to close a coal plant, including: The utility will replace the retired plant with new electric generating capacity that is dispatchable and maintains or improves the reliability and resilience of the grid. Closure of the plant will not harm the utility’s ratepayers or decrease the utility’s regional rate competitiveness. Retirement of the plan must be for economic purposes and for the benefit of ratepayers and not solely based on achieving environmental, social, or governmental goals. Utility customers will have to save money when the plant is closed.

BILLINGER: Senate Update, Feb. 26: State Highway Fund

Thursday marked a critical deadline known as “turnaround,” marking the official halfway point for the 2024 Legislative session. It was a busy week for the Senate, as we spent two full days debating and voting on and passing out over 40 bills ahead of the Turnaround deadline. After being on the floor all day Wednesday and Thursday, the Legislature will break until February 28th to give clerical staff time to process the significant amount of paperwork resulting from this week. By “turnaround,” a bill, with few exceptions, must have passed its Chamber of origin in order to be considered by the other Chamber before session is over for the year. When the Senate returns on Wednesday, the legislature is scheduled to meet for another month before our April recess. We will then return for a brief period to consider any vetoes prior to final adjournment. The focus for the next month will be to consider bills passed by the House Chamber and bills exempt from the Turnaround deadline. Under legislative rules, most bills must be adopted by one chamber in order to be considered by the other chamber. The major item we must complete prior to adjournment is passing the budget.

SENATE FLOOR ACTION SB 430 would amend workers compensation law to, amongst other things, increase lifetime benefit maximums, provide coverage for members of the Kansas National Guard, and modernize elements of the administrative process. I voted yes. The compromise bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 458 would reform the Kansas Standard Asset Seizure and Forfeiture Act. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 36-2.

SB 391 Enacting the constitutional right to health freedom act to regulate the activities of the secretary of health and environment related to public health functions; repealing statutes relating to the secretary's authority to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties. I voted yes. SB 391 passed the Senate 23-17.

SB 420 would eliminate the element of concealment from the crime of breach of privacy related to installing or using a device to photograph or record a person under or through their clothing, or a person who is nude or in a state of undress. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 455 would authorize electric public utilities to retain certain electric generating facilities in the utility's rate base, prohibiting the state corporation commission from authorizing the retirement of fossil fuel-fired electric generating facilities unless certain requirements are met. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 29-8.

HB 2392 would make updates to the Kansas Code of Military Justice (KCMJ). The bill would consolidate language from various provisions of Chapter 48 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated into new sections of law and repeal those sections that have been consolidated or otherwise removed. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 292 would create law to authorize the appointment of a State Judge Advocate by the Adjutant General; create and amend law related to death and disability benefits provided to Kansas Air and Army National Guard members. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 384 would authorize the Emergency Medical Services Board to grant a permanent variance from a rule and regulation adopted to implement, enforce, or otherwise regulate provisions regarding minimal staffing on each vehicle providing emergency service. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-0.

SB 333 would extend the sunset date for the State Use Law Committee, which is organized within the Department of Administration, to July 1, 2029. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 38-2.

SB 352 would establish the John D. Springer patient's bill of rights to require hospitals to allow in-person visitation, adopt visitation policies and procedures and creating a civil cause of action for violation of such rights. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 26-13.

SB 387 would provide for the continued enrollment of students who attend a school district of non-residence pursuant to the school district open enrollment law and authorizing an appeals process for denial of an open enrollment application. It would also specify that no school district shall be required to provide transportation to non-residents. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 37-3.

SB 431 would require the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial honoring the life of Emil Joseph Kapaun. Father Emil Joseph Kapaun was born in Pilsen, Kansas, and served as a U.S. Army Chaplain in World War II and the Korean War, where he became a prisoner of war (POW). He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2013. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 381 would amend law concerning the appointment of district coroners to allow a county in a multiple county judicial district to appoint, at the county’s expense, a district coroner, regardless of the county’s population. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 359 would authorize issuance of five license plates on and after January 1, 2025 - Kansas City Chiefs, Sporting Kansas City, Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas City Royals, and the Kansas City Current. I voted yes. The bill passed 36-2.

SB 162 would create the Riley County Unincorporated Area Nuisance Abatement Act and the Crawford County Unincorporated Area Nuisance Abatement Act. The acts would not apply to land, structures, or equipment used for agricultural activity or oil and gas exploration and development activity. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 34-5.

SB 190 would amend the Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure to require a magistrate to order, as a condition of release for any person charged with a felony that the person execute a waiver of extradition. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 31-6.

SB 272 would increase transfers from the State Highway Fund to the Public Use General Aviation Airport Development Fund from $5.0 million to $15.0 million annually, starting July 1, 2024. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 36-4.

SB 318 would amend law in the Kansas Code of Procedure for Municipal Courts governing fingerprinting for municipal convictions and the prosecution of cases by the city attorney in municipal court. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 338 would amend provisions pertaining to certain financial reporting requirements on group-funded liability and group-funded workers compensation pools. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 339 would amend the effective date specified in the Insurance Code for the risk-based capital instructions promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for property and casualty companies and for life insurance companies. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 340 would remove automobile club from the definition of person for purposes of enforcing penalties for violations of insurance law. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 345 would create the Commercial Financing Disclosure Act pertaining to certain commercial financing transactions between a provider and a business. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 38-2.

SB 356 would amend provisions governing examination fees and compensation for examiners in the Insurance Code to establish a tiered-fee structure for financial examinations of insurance companies and societies based on the gross premiums received by such entities. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 362 would remove the expiration date of July 1, 2024, on the Sedgwick County Urban Area Nuisance Abatement Act. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 34-5.

SB 398 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to set the amount of fees and fines for applications, licenses, license renewals, certificates of authority, and other required filings by certain insurance entities and public adjusters under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 405 would amend the Kansas Uniform Securities Act to address violations of the Act by a control person and subject the control person, in certain circumstances, to administrative and civil enforcement action. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 29-10.

SB 406 would repeal and replace the Kansas Money Transmitter Act with the Kansas Money Transmission Act. The bill would require the State Bank Commissioner to provide oversight of the electronic transmission of money. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 391 this act would remove the authority of the Secretary of Health and Environment to designate infectious or contagious diseases by rules and regulations. As in past years, it also removes the Department of Agriculture’s ability to monitor or take action to prevent highly infectious zoonotic disease such as avian bird blue and hoof and mouth disease if they spread to humans or from humans back to livestock which in our large rural districts would be problematic. I voted no. The bill passed the Senate 23-17.

SB 423 would grant the Commissioner of Insurance the ability to decrease the number of appointed board members on certain boards that fall under the Commissioner’s appointing authority. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.

SB 433 would clarify the practice privileges of institutional license holders who are employed by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) or the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), or by a third party contracted by the institution. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.

SB 417 would remove the secretary of wildlife and park's authority to exercise the right of eminent domain. An amendment on the Senate floor removed the Ag committee’s work on the bill – it will need to be reviewed on the House side to find a compromised approach to the current agency’s duties. I voted no. The bill passed the Senate 25-14.

SB 434 would exempt the practice of hair removal by sugaring from the definition of cosmetology. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 38-1.

SB 462 would authorize the Director of Vehicles to waive the knowledge and skills test for driving a commercial motor vehicle for an applicant who qualifies for a waiver under the military Even Exchange Program. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 467 would expand and make changes to membership on the Council on Travel and Tourism as well as make changes to the Department of Commerce’s matching grant program for the promotion of tourism. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.

SB 473 Authorizing a notice to appear that meets certain requirements to serve as a lawful complaint under the Kansas code of criminal procedure. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.

HB 2105 would create the Kansas Earned Wage Access Services Act and authorize the Office of the State Bank Commissioner to regulate earned wage access services providers. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 34-6.

S Sub for HB 2247 would remove and relocate mortgage-related provisions from the Kansas Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC) to the Kansas Mortgage Business Act (KMBA), add law supplemental to the KMBA and to the UCCC, amend contract rate law, and make several amendments to the UCCC. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 33-6.

SB 491 would create and amend law to standardize language pertaining to criminal history and record check fingerprinting requirements for all requesting entities and identify what criminal history records may be released to various agencies for the purpose of verifying a person’s identity, criminal history, qualifications, and fitness for employment. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 481 would rename the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus to Kansas State University Salina. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.

HB 2545 would make changes to the Self-Service Storage Act, specifically concerning sales of property after a notice of termination or non-renewal; non-delivery of rental agreements; and electronic signatures and delivery of rental agreements. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 438 would eliminate the requirement to subtract other aid from the state payment in the Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas (AO-K) Program. The bill would also limit the payment provided for each student to no more than $500 over the lifetime of the student. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

SB 363 would amend law regulating the practice of barbering and would create a new senior status license and add a written examination on the applicant’s knowledge of state laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of barbering to the requirements for licensure. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.

A full description of each bill can be found at www.kslegislature.org as well as the Final Action vote on each measure.

PAGES FOR THE SENATE – February 8, 15, and 22

On February 8th, Hadlee Brown and Journey Windscheffel from Russell; on February 15th, Norman Jurgensen and Kaylee Songer from Marysville; and on February 22nd, Madex Swisher, Bennington, and Colyer Rensink, Minneapolis, served as pages for the Kansas Senate. The pages spent their day with us at the Capitol running errands, working in my office, attending committee meetings, and taking a historical tour of the Capitol as well as the dome tour.

Several legislative townhalls have been scheduled throughout the 36th Kansas Senate District with more scheduled in the upcoming few weeks. On Tuesday, February 27th, Representative Lisa Moser and I will be starting the day with a townhall in Mankato at 8:00 am at Possibilities. Next, Representative Troy Waymaster and I will be in Smith Center at 10:30 am at 2 Cup Café; and, then we will go to Osborne at 2:00 pm at The Hideout. On March 2nd, Representative Waymaster and I will be in Russell for a townhall at 9:30 am at the Russell Historical Museum. On March 9th, Representative Susan Concannon and I will be in Bennington at 9:30 am at Westside Ventures. On March 16th, Representative Moser and I will be in Marysville at 8:30 at Landoll Lanes. Next, we will be in Washington at 11:00 am at the Sale Barn Café. Then, we will go to Belleville at 1:30 pm at the Belleville Public Library.

Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org . For those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of bills, go to and pull up “Bills &amp; Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research &amp; reviser staff. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ or watch session at this website as well as reviewing past committee meetings and sessions.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Topeka, KS 66612 elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov

785 296-7389 https://elainebowers.com/ www.kslegislature.org

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist. File photo" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist. File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SENATE HIGHLIGHTSThursday marked a critical deadline known as “turnaround,” marking the official halfway point for the 2024 Legislative session. It was a busy week for the Senate, as we spent two full days debating and voting on and passing out over 40 bills ahead of the Turnaround deadline. After being on the floor all day Wednesday and Thursday, the Legislature will break until February 28th to give clerical staff time to process the significant amount of paperwork resulting from this week. By “turnaround,” a bill, with few exceptions, must have passed its Chamber of origin in order to be considered by the other Chamber before session is over for the year. When the Senate returns on Wednesday, the legislature is scheduled to meet for another month before our April recess. We will then return for a brief period to consider any vetoes prior to final adjournment. The focus for the next month will be to consider bills passed by the House Chamber and bills exempt from the Turnaround deadline. Under legislative rules, most bills must be adopted by one chamber in order to be considered by the other chamber. The major item we must complete prior to adjournment is passing the budget.SENATE FLOOR ACTION SB 430 would amend workers compensation law to, amongst other things, increase lifetime benefit maximums, provide coverage for members of the Kansas National Guard, and modernize elements of the administrative process. I voted yes. The compromise bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 458 would reform the Kansas Standard Asset Seizure and Forfeiture Act. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 36-2.SB 391 Enacting the constitutional right to health freedom act to regulate the activities of the secretary of health and environment related to public health functions; repealing statutes relating to the secretary's authority to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties. I voted yes. SB 391 passed the Senate 23-17.SB 420 would eliminate the element of concealment from the crime of breach of privacy related to installing or using a device to photograph or record a person under or through their clothing, or a person who is nude or in a state of undress. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 455 would authorize electric public utilities to retain certain electric generating facilities in the utility's rate base, prohibiting the state corporation commission from authorizing the retirement of fossil fuel-fired electric generating facilities unless certain requirements are met. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 29-8.HB 2392 would make updates to the Kansas Code of Military Justice (KCMJ). The bill would consolidate language from various provisions of Chapter 48 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated into new sections of law and repeal those sections that have been consolidated or otherwise removed. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 292 would create law to authorize the appointment of a State Judge Advocate by the Adjutant General; create and amend law related to death and disability benefits provided to Kansas Air and Army National Guard members. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 384 would authorize the Emergency Medical Services Board to grant a permanent variance from a rule and regulation adopted to implement, enforce, or otherwise regulate provisions regarding minimal staffing on each vehicle providing emergency service. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-0.SB 333 would extend the sunset date for the State Use Law Committee, which is organized within the Department of Administration, to July 1, 2029. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 38-2.SB 352 would establish the John D. Springer patient's bill of rights to require hospitals to allow in-person visitation, adopt visitation policies and procedures and creating a civil cause of action for violation of such rights. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 26-13.SB 387 would provide for the continued enrollment of students who attend a school district of non-residence pursuant to the school district open enrollment law and authorizing an appeals process for denial of an open enrollment application. It would also specify that no school district shall be required to provide transportation to non-residents. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 37-3.SB 431 would require the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial honoring the life of Emil Joseph Kapaun. Father Emil Joseph Kapaun was born in Pilsen, Kansas, and served as a U.S. Army Chaplain in World War II and the Korean War, where he became a prisoner of war (POW). He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2013. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 381 would amend law concerning the appointment of district coroners to allow a county in a multiple county judicial district to appoint, at the county’s expense, a district coroner, regardless of the county’s population. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 359 would authorize issuance of five license plates on and after January 1, 2025 - Kansas City Chiefs, Sporting Kansas City, Sedgwick County Zoo, Kansas City Royals, and the Kansas City Current. I voted yes. The bill passed 36-2.SB 162 would create the Riley County Unincorporated Area Nuisance Abatement Act and the Crawford County Unincorporated Area Nuisance Abatement Act. The acts would not apply to land, structures, or equipment used for agricultural activity or oil and gas exploration and development activity. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 34-5.SB 190 would amend the Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure to require a magistrate to order, as a condition of release for any person charged with a felony that the person execute a waiver of extradition. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 31-6.SB 272 would increase transfers from the State Highway Fund to the Public Use General Aviation Airport Development Fund from $5.0 million to $15.0 million annually, starting July 1, 2024. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 36-4.SB 318 would amend law in the Kansas Code of Procedure for Municipal Courts governing fingerprinting for municipal convictions and the prosecution of cases by the city attorney in municipal court. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 338 would amend provisions pertaining to certain financial reporting requirements on group-funded liability and group-funded workers compensation pools. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 339 would amend the effective date specified in the Insurance Code for the risk-based capital instructions promulgated by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners for property and casualty companies and for life insurance companies. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 340 would remove automobile club from the definition of person for purposes of enforcing penalties for violations of insurance law. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 345 would create the Commercial Financing Disclosure Act pertaining to certain commercial financing transactions between a provider and a business. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 38-2.SB 356 would amend provisions governing examination fees and compensation for examiners in the Insurance Code to establish a tiered-fee structure for financial examinations of insurance companies and societies based on the gross premiums received by such entities. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 362 would remove the expiration date of July 1, 2024, on the Sedgwick County Urban Area Nuisance Abatement Act. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 34-5.SB 398 would authorize the Commissioner of Insurance to set the amount of fees and fines for applications, licenses, license renewals, certificates of authority, and other required filings by certain insurance entities and public adjusters under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 405 would amend the Kansas Uniform Securities Act to address violations of the Act by a control person and subject the control person, in certain circumstances, to administrative and civil enforcement action. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 29-10.SB 406 would repeal and replace the Kansas Money Transmitter Act with the Kansas Money Transmission Act. The bill would require the State Bank Commissioner to provide oversight of the electronic transmission of money. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 391 this act would remove the authority of the Secretary of Health and Environment to designate infectious or contagious diseases by rules and regulations. As in past years, it also removes the Department of Agriculture’s ability to monitor or take action to prevent highly infectious zoonotic disease such as avian bird blue and hoof and mouth disease if they spread to humans or from humans back to livestock which in our large rural districts would be problematic. I voted no. The bill passed the Senate 23-17.SB 423 would grant the Commissioner of Insurance the ability to decrease the number of appointed board members on certain boards that fall under the Commissioner’s appointing authority. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.SB 433 would clarify the practice privileges of institutional license holders who are employed by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) or the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), or by a third party contracted by the institution. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.SB 417 would remove the secretary of wildlife and park's authority to exercise the right of eminent domain. An amendment on the Senate floor removed the Ag committee’s work on the bill – it will need to be reviewed on the House side to find a compromised approach to the current agency’s duties. I voted no. The bill passed the Senate 25-14.SB 434 would exempt the practice of hair removal by sugaring from the definition of cosmetology. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 38-1.SB 462 would authorize the Director of Vehicles to waive the knowledge and skills test for driving a commercial motor vehicle for an applicant who qualifies for a waiver under the military Even Exchange Program. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 467 would expand and make changes to membership on the Council on Travel and Tourism as well as make changes to the Department of Commerce’s matching grant program for the promotion of tourism. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.SB 473 Authorizing a notice to appear that meets certain requirements to serve as a lawful complaint under the Kansas code of criminal procedure. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.HB 2105 would create the Kansas Earned Wage Access Services Act and authorize the Office of the State Bank Commissioner to regulate earned wage access services providers. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 34-6.S Sub for HB 2247 would remove and relocate mortgage-related provisions from the Kansas Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC) to the Kansas Mortgage Business Act (KMBA), add law supplemental to the KMBA and to the UCCC, amend contract rate law, and make several amendments to the UCCC. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 33-6.SB 491 would create and amend law to standardize language pertaining to criminal history and record check fingerprinting requirements for all requesting entities and identify what criminal history records may be released to various agencies for the purpose of verifying a person’s identity, criminal history, qualifications, and fitness for employment. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 481 would rename the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus to Kansas State University Salina. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 39-1.HB 2545 would make changes to the Self-Service Storage Act, specifically concerning sales of property after a notice of termination or non-renewal; non-delivery of rental agreements; and electronic signatures and delivery of rental agreements. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 438 would eliminate the requirement to subtract other aid from the state payment in the Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas (AO-K) Program. The bill would also limit the payment provided for each student to no more than $500 over the lifetime of the student. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.SB 363 would amend law regulating the practice of barbering and would create a new senior status license and add a written examination on the applicant’s knowledge of state laws and regulations pertaining to the practice of barbering to the requirements for licensure. I voted yes. The bill passed the Senate 40-0.A full description of each bill can be found at www.kslegislature.org as well as the Final Action vote on each measure.PAGES FOR THE SENATE – February 8, 15, and 22On February 8th, Hadlee Brown and Journey Windscheffel from Russell; on February 15th, Norman Jurgensen and Kaylee Songer from Marysville; and on February 22nd, Madex Swisher, Bennington, and Colyer Rensink, Minneapolis, served as pages for the Kansas Senate. The pages spent their day with us at the Capitol running errands, working in my office, attending committee meetings, and taking a historical tour of the Capitol as well as the dome tour.LEGISLATIVE TOWNHALLSSeveral legislative townhalls have been scheduled throughout the 36th Kansas Senate District with more scheduled in the upcoming few weeks. On Tuesday, February 27th, Representative Lisa Moser and I will be starting the day with a townhall in Mankato at 8:00 am at Possibilities. Next, Representative Troy Waymaster and I will be in Smith Center at 10:30 am at 2 Cup Café; and, then we will go to Osborne at 2:00 pm at The Hideout. On March 2nd, Representative Waymaster and I will be in Russell for a townhall at 9:30 am at the Russell Historical Museum. On March 9th, Representative Susan Concannon and I will be in Bennington at 9:30 am at Westside Ventures. On March 16th, Representative Moser and I will be in Marysville at 8:30 at Landoll Lanes. Next, we will be in Washington at 11:00 am at the Sale Barn Café. Then, we will go to Belleville at 1:30 pm at the Belleville Public Library.THANK YOU FOR ENGAGINGThank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at www.kslegislature.org . For those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of bills, go to and pull up “Bills &amp; Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research &amp; reviser staff. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ or watch session at this website as well as reviewing past committee meetings and sessions.Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine BowersKansas State Capitol BuildingRoom 223-E300 SW 10th St.Topeka, KS 66612 elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov785 296-7389 https://elainebowers.com/ www.kslegislature.org

BOWERS: Senate Scene, Week 7; Turnaround

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