2023 Senate Scene Week 4 Senate Happenings

Last week, the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation. Over 440 bills have been introduced in both Chambers. Senate Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks as well as standing committees preparing to send bills out to the Senate floor for debate and votes.

SNAPSHOT OF THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE 2023

The Kansas Senate consists of 40Senators – 28 Republicans, 11 Democrats, one Independent with 16 women and 24 men. Eleven Senators live in cities of 100,000+ population, ten with 20,000 to 100,000, six with 5,000-20,000 and six with 2,000-5,000 and seven with 0-2,000 (this an increase of one over last year). The Kansas House of Representatives consists of 125 with eighty-five Republicans and 40 Democrats with 33 women and 92 men.

Last week, the Kansas Senate adopted Joint Rules for the 2023-24 biennium, which combined with chamber-specific rules, govern how the legislature operates and processes legislation, including various deadlines for bills to make it through the process. With the Kansas House having previously adopted the joint rules, the legislature is now fully operational for the next two sessions.

Over the summer, I was approached by constituents asking about sales tax at locker plants. I asked for SB 60 to be drafted. If passed, it would provide a sales tax exemption for service of slaughtering, butchering, custom cutting, dressing, processing, and packaging of an animal for human consumption when the animal is owned by and is intended for consumption by the customer. The sales tax exemption would go into effect on July 1, 2023. This bill would be a continued cost savings on food as we discuss food sales tax reductions and also note - Nebraska does not tax processing of meat so an extra boost to our companies along the northern border of Kansas. A hearing was held on February 2nd in the Senate Tax Committee with Farm Bureau and Kansas Livestock Association testifying in favor as well.

Kansas Tourism – Kansas Department of Commerce

In honor of the state’s 162nd birthday, Kansas Tourism Kansas Department of Commerce released a video that showcases the values and essence of the Sunflower State set to lyrics penned 150 years in the past. The video pays tribute to the state song, Home on the Range, originally penned 150 years ago near Athol in Senate District #36. The Department indicated that the Kansas Day video, set to the famous song, highlights the uniqueness of the state. From scenic prairies and large night skies to urban and vibrant moments. The video showcases how the lyrics still ring true a century-and-a-half later.

APEX – Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion Act – 2023 MEGAPROJECT APPROVED

Last year, the Republican legislature adopted the “APEX Bill” that allows the Department of Commerce to negotiate a megaproject once a year as long as the policy is in place. APEX stands for Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion, and allows for incentives to be offered to attract targeted

industries that plan to invest more than $1 billion to the Kansas economy by expansion or relocation of their business anywhere in Kansas.

Near this time of last year, Panasonic decided to build a battery plant in De Soto. This week, it was announced that Integra Technologies will build a new semiconductor factory in Wichita as a result of an incentive package offered under the APEX bill. According to the Department of Commerce, it is the second largest economic development project in state history – with the first being the Panasonic project. The agreement with Integra was approved by the State Finance Council on Thursday. Integra Technologies is the largest U.S. OSAT Company providing semiconductor back-end services to companies worldwide. 

The employee-owned company’s headquarters is in Wichita. Benefits to the project include $1.8 billion in capital investment, 2,000 high-quality jobs paying around $51,000 in wages, a boost to an important sector of the Kansas economy, and assisting reducing recent risks identified in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. 

Integra was founded in Wichita 40 years ago and is an employee-owned company (ESOP) with operations in Wichita and Silicon Valley, providing high-quality OSAT services for more than 500 active customers, including many from critical infrastructure sectors such as the military, aerospace, medical, aviation, automotive, commercial, and industrial.

Tax Reduction for existing Kansas Corporations

This newest project will also result in the reduction of taxes for all Kansas businesses. Under the APEX bill, upon the successful location of an APEX project, the corporate income tax in Kansas will be reduced by 0.5%. So, as a result of both the Panasonic and Integra projects, the corporate tax rates will drop a total of 1% - which will benefit all corporations in Kansas.

KANSAS 988 – SB 19 FROM 2022- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

In June 2022, Governor Kelly signed Senate Bill 19, bipartisan legislation to create the state’s three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. A press release on February 1st noted that since the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was launched in July, it has seen a nearly 27% increase in call volume compared to the previous six months. Based on national projections, it indicated Kansas is expected to reach 120,000 calls in the first full year of operation. 

The hotline has been backed by federal funds, with the idea that just like 911 – 988 is easier to remember in a crisis. The 988 line can also accept text messages. Those who call or text will be connected to a local crisis center for help and also online https://988lifeline.org/chat/.

STATE TREASURERS’ OFFICE - Senate District #36 has over $1.3M in unclaimed funds

Feb. 1st is marked as National Unclaimed Property Day, and the Kansas State Treasurers’ Office says there is quite a bit of money left unclaimed in Kansas. “Our office currently holds more than $500 million in unclaimed property for Kansans,” Kansas Treasurer Steven Johnson said in a news release. “It is estimated that one in 10 people nationwide has unclaimed property – so it’s worth checking regularly to see if you, your family, or friends have funds available to claim. The news release says the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) estimates that nearly 33 million people in the United States have unclaimed property. This amount could be in financial accounts or items of value in which the owner has not initiated any activity for a number of years. 

When the company cannot locate the owner, the assets are given to the state. Some of those assets could be unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts, safe deposit boxes, and unused rebate cards. 

It is free for Kansans to search for and claim unclaimed property, and the news release says to be wary of third-party individuals offering to assist in filing claims for a fee. While some operate legally, there are also bad actors who use the promise of assistance as a hook for scams. Feel free to call my office in Topeka to check for your name or visit <a href="https://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/up_search.php">https://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com</a>.

KANSAS ATTORNEY CONSUMER ALERT – Consumer Protection

Keep your defenses up when shopping for Super Bowl fan gear, ticket packages.

The Kansas Attorney General’s office advises consumers to protect themselves against purchasing counterfeit Super Bowl merchandise. “We are of course proud of the Kansas City Chiefs’ success this season and excited to see them once again in the Super Bowl,” Deputy Attorney General Fran Oleen from the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division said. “Chiefs’ fans should keep up their guard against scammers selling fake merchandise or bogus tickets, looking to make a quick buck off the team’s success.” 

Oleen offers the following tips for making a purchase related to the Super Bowl:

Buying tickets: Purchase tickets through a verified source. Consumers can purchase guaranteed tickets and travel packages through the Kansas City Chiefs’ official website. Additionally, the National Football League (NFL) uses the platform TicketMaster, and guarantees the authenticity of the tickets sold through that retailer as well. The NFL also provides an official ticket resale marketplace called the NFL Ticket Exchange, also provided through TicketMaster.

Be wary of purchasing tickets from someone you don’t know on Craigslist, eBay, or other similar person-to-person marketplace or auction sites. Do not pay for tickets with cash, wire transfer, gift cards or pre-paid money transfer, as these payment methods are difficult to trace or recover. If you pay by credit card and the tickets turn out to be fake, you can dispute the charge. If you plan on using a mobile wallet or peer-to-peer payment service, be sure you understand the protections the service provides before making a transaction. Beware of phone scams. Scammers may use numbers that appear local offering discounted tickets sold online. Be sure to purchase tickets through a verified source. As always, be wary of advertisements with very low prices.

Check the tag: All officially licensed NFL products will bear the league’s shield on the tag. If the tag on the merchandise doesn’t have the shield, it may be counterfeit. A good indication of official merchandise includes where it is manufactured and the quality of the logo on the item.

Door-to-door and ‘pop-up stand’ sales. According to Kansas law, consumers have three days to cancel any purchase made for merchandise over $25 if the purchase is made at the consumer’s home, or any location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business or local address. Kansas door-to-door statutes regulate sales, for example, from "pop-up" sidewalk stands and tents in parking lots. Kansas law requires the sales receipt to be in the same language as the sales presentation, be dated, show the name and address of the seller, be in a large legible font, and explain the consumer’s right to cancel. The seller must provide written and verbal notice of this right to cancel, along with the seller’s contact information, at the time of the purchase. Consumers who cancel the transaction should do so by certified mail for tracking purposes. Sellers are required to refund the consumer’s money within 10 days of receiving the cancellation. 

Consumers who believe they may have fallen victim to a Super Bowl-related scam, or any scam, should contact their local law enforcement, or call the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800 432-2310. File complaints at <a href="https://ag.ks.gov/in-your-corner-kansas/">www.InYourCornerKansas.org</a>.

Local Award-Winning Student from Senate District 36 –State Winner – Jocelyn Leanna!

Jocelyn Leanna, Agra, was chosen as the north-central regional and overall state winner of the League of Kansas Municipalities’ “My City, My Home” essay contest. She attended the Mayor’s Luncheon with her teacher Kelsi Blew and her parents, and was honored in an awards presentation in Topeka for Local Government Day on January 25th. She received an award plaque and a check for $250. You can find her essay at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LeagueofKansasMunicipalities">https://www.facebook.com/LeagueofKansasMunicipalities</a>.

As always, I’ll keep you updated on the activities of the Senate while we continue through the last few weeks before turn-around. 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 <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and suggestions. An email is the best at this point in the session.

Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="https://elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">https://elainebowers.com/</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas which includes:

* Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville; Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek, Herkimer and Logan * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg; Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom, Glenwood, Greenwood, Plum, Rushville, Solomon (part), Sumner, Valley and Walnut

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644853578448.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>2023 Senate Scene Week 4 Senate HappeningsLast week, the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation. Over 440 bills have been introduced in both Chambers. Senate Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks as well as standing committees preparing to send bills out to the Senate floor for debate and votes.SNAPSHOT OF THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE 2023The Kansas Senate consists of 40Senators – 28 Republicans, 11 Democrats, one Independent with 16 women and 24 men. Eleven Senators live in cities of 100,000+ population, ten with 20,000 to 100,000, six with 5,000-20,000 and six with 2,000-5,000 and seven with 0-2,000 (this an increase of one over last year). The Kansas House of Representatives consists of 125 with eighty-five Republicans and 40 Democrats with 33 women and 92 men.JOINT RULES APPROVEDLast week, the Kansas Senate adopted Joint Rules for the 2023-24 biennium, which combined with chamber-specific rules, govern how the legislature operates and processes legislation, including various deadlines for bills to make it through the process. With the Kansas House having previously adopted the joint rules, the legislature is now fully operational for the next two sessions.Tax Committee – SB 60Over the summer, I was approached by constituents asking about sales tax at locker plants. I asked for SB 60 to be drafted. If passed, it would provide a sales tax exemption for service of slaughtering, butchering, custom cutting, dressing, processing, and packaging of an animal for human consumption when the animal is owned by and is intended for consumption by the customer. The sales tax exemption would go into effect on July 1, 2023. This bill would be a continued cost savings on food as we discuss food sales tax reductions and also note - Nebraska does not tax processing of meat so an extra boost to our companies along the northern border of Kansas. A hearing was held on February 2nd in the Senate Tax Committee with Farm Bureau and Kansas Livestock Association testifying in favor as well.Kansas Tourism – Kansas Department of Commerce In honor of the state’s 162nd birthday, Kansas Tourism Kansas Department of Commerce released a video that showcases the values and essence of the Sunflower State set to lyrics penned 150 years in the past. The video pays tribute to the state song, Home on the Range, originally penned 150 years ago near Athol in Senate District #36. The Department indicated that the Kansas Day video, set to the famous song, highlights the uniqueness of the state. From scenic prairies and large night skies to urban and vibrant moments. The video showcases how the lyrics still ring true a century-and-a-half later.APEX – Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion Act – 2023 MEGAPROJECT APPROVEDLast year, the Republican legislature adopted the “APEX Bill” that allows the Department of Commerce to negotiate a megaproject once a year as long as the policy is in place. APEX stands for Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion, and allows for incentives to be offered to attract targetedindustries that plan to invest more than $1 billion to the Kansas economy by expansion or relocation of their business anywhere in Kansas.Near this time of last year, Panasonic decided to build a battery plant in De Soto. This week, it was announced that Integra Technologies will build a new semiconductor factory in Wichita as a result of an incentive package offered under the APEX bill. According to the Department of Commerce, it is the second largest economic development project in state history – with the first being the Panasonic project. The agreement with Integra was approved by the State Finance Council on Thursday. Integra Technologies is the largest U.S. OSAT Company providing semiconductor back-end services to companies worldwide. The employee-owned company’s headquarters is in Wichita. Benefits to the project include $1.8 billion in capital investment, 2,000 high-quality jobs paying around $51,000 in wages, a boost to an important sector of the Kansas economy, and assisting reducing recent risks identified in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. Integra was founded in Wichita 40 years ago and is an employee-owned company (ESOP) with operations in Wichita and Silicon Valley, providing high-quality OSAT services for more than 500 active customers, including many from critical infrastructure sectors such as the military, aerospace, medical, aviation, automotive, commercial, and industrial.Tax Reduction for existing Kansas CorporationsThis newest project will also result in the reduction of taxes for all Kansas businesses. Under the APEX bill, upon the successful location of an APEX project, the corporate income tax in Kansas will be reduced by 0.5%. So, as a result of both the Panasonic and Integra projects, the corporate tax rates will drop a total of 1% - which will benefit all corporations in Kansas.KANSAS 988 – SB 19 FROM 2022- National Suicide Prevention LifelineIn June 2022, Governor Kelly signed Senate Bill 19, bipartisan legislation to create the state’s three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. A press release on February 1st noted that since the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline was launched in July, it has seen a nearly 27% increase in call volume compared to the previous six months. Based on national projections, it indicated Kansas is expected to reach 120,000 calls in the first full year of operation. The hotline has been backed by federal funds, with the idea that just like 911 – 988 is easier to remember in a crisis. The 988 line can also accept text messages. Those who call or text will be connected to a local crisis center for help and also online https://988lifeline.org/chat/.STATE TREASURERS’ OFFICE - Senate District #36 has over $1.3M in unclaimed fundsFeb. 1st is marked as National Unclaimed Property Day, and the Kansas State Treasurers’ Office says there is quite a bit of money left unclaimed in Kansas. “Our office currently holds more than $500 million in unclaimed property for Kansans,” Kansas Treasurer Steven Johnson said in a news release. “It is estimated that one in 10 people nationwide has unclaimed property – so it’s worth checking regularly to see if you, your family, or friends have funds available to claim. The news release says the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA) estimates that nearly 33 million people in the United States have unclaimed property. This amount could be in financial accounts or items of value in which the owner has not initiated any activity for a number of years. When the company cannot locate the owner, the assets are given to the state. Some of those assets could be unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts, safe deposit boxes, and unused rebate cards. It is free for Kansans to search for and claim unclaimed property, and the news release says to be wary of third-party individuals offering to assist in filing claims for a fee. While some operate legally, there are also bad actors who use the promise of assistance as a hook for scams. Feel free to call my office in Topeka to check for your name or visit <a href="https://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com/up_search.php">https://www.kansasstatetreasurer.com</a>.KANSAS ATTORNEY CONSUMER ALERT – Consumer ProtectionKeep your defenses up when shopping for Super Bowl fan gear, ticket packages.The Kansas Attorney General’s office advises consumers to protect themselves against purchasing counterfeit Super Bowl merchandise. “We are of course proud of the Kansas City Chiefs’ success this season and excited to see them once again in the Super Bowl,” Deputy Attorney General Fran Oleen from the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division said. “Chiefs’ fans should keep up their guard against scammers selling fake merchandise or bogus tickets, looking to make a quick buck off the team’s success.” Oleen offers the following tips for making a purchase related to the Super Bowl:Buying tickets: Purchase tickets through a verified source. Consumers can purchase guaranteed tickets and travel packages through the Kansas City Chiefs’ official website. Additionally, the National Football League (NFL) uses the platform TicketMaster, and guarantees the authenticity of the tickets sold through that retailer as well. The NFL also provides an official ticket resale marketplace called the NFL Ticket Exchange, also provided through TicketMaster.Be wary of purchasing tickets from someone you don’t know on Craigslist, eBay, or other similar person-to-person marketplace or auction sites. Do not pay for tickets with cash, wire transfer, gift cards or pre-paid money transfer, as these payment methods are difficult to trace or recover. If you pay by credit card and the tickets turn out to be fake, you can dispute the charge. If you plan on using a mobile wallet or peer-to-peer payment service, be sure you understand the protections the service provides before making a transaction. Beware of phone scams. Scammers may use numbers that appear local offering discounted tickets sold online. Be sure to purchase tickets through a verified source. As always, be wary of advertisements with very low prices.Check the tag: All officially licensed NFL products will bear the league’s shield on the tag. If the tag on the merchandise doesn’t have the shield, it may be counterfeit. A good indication of official merchandise includes where it is manufactured and the quality of the logo on the item.Door-to-door and ‘pop-up stand’ sales. According to Kansas law, consumers have three days to cancel any purchase made for merchandise over $25 if the purchase is made at the consumer’s home, or any location that is not the seller’s permanent place of business or local address. Kansas door-to-door statutes regulate sales, for example, from "pop-up" sidewalk stands and tents in parking lots. Kansas law requires the sales receipt to be in the same language as the sales presentation, be dated, show the name and address of the seller, be in a large legible font, and explain the consumer’s right to cancel. The seller must provide written and verbal notice of this right to cancel, along with the seller’s contact information, at the time of the purchase. Consumers who cancel the transaction should do so by certified mail for tracking purposes. Sellers are required to refund the consumer’s money within 10 days of receiving the cancellation. Consumers who believe they may have fallen victim to a Super Bowl-related scam, or any scam, should contact their local law enforcement, or call the Kansas Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800 432-2310. File complaints at <a href="https://ag.ks.gov/in-your-corner-kansas/">www.InYourCornerKansas.org</a>.Local Award-Winning Student from Senate District 36 –State Winner – Jocelyn Leanna!Jocelyn Leanna, Agra, was chosen as the north-central regional and overall state winner of the League of Kansas Municipalities’ “My City, My Home” essay contest. She attended the Mayor’s Luncheon with her teacher Kelsi Blew and her parents, and was honored in an awards presentation in Topeka for Local Government Day on January 25th. She received an award plaque and a check for $250. You can find her essay at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LeagueofKansasMunicipalities">https://www.facebook.com/LeagueofKansasMunicipalities</a>.As always, I’ll keep you updated on the activities of the Senate while we continue through the last few weeks before turn-around. 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 <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website. 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 Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="https://elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">https://elainebowers.com/</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas which includes: * Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville; Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek, Herkimer and Logan * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg; Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom, Glenwood, Greenwood, Plum, Rushville, Solomon (part), Sumner, Valley and Walnut

BOWERS: Senate Scene Week 4, Feb. 6, 2023

Senator Rick Billinger Newsletter February 6, 2023

Attention Senior Citizens and Disabled Veterans: Property Tax Relief. 

During the 2022 session, there were several changes to tax law. One change is the first step in a property tax freeze for low-income seniors and disabled veterans via a rebate program administered by the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR). 

Applications for property tax relief must be submitted by April 18, 2023, and can found at: <a href="http://chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ksrevenue.gov/pdf/k-40svr.pdf">https://www.ksrevenue.gov/pdf/k-40svr.pdf</a>.

Please note that to qualify for the “freeze” a household annual income must be $50,000 or below, a homeowner must be 65 years or older, and the value of the home cannot be above $350,000. A disabled veteran must be at least 50% disabled. 

Property taxes are still paid to the county and then a homeowner may apply to KDOR for a refund on their increase, resulting in a freeze. In 2023 we will continue to look for solutions for all the reduction in property taxes for all Kansans, including our senior citizens and veterans.

Last week the Republican legislature, announces the second large-scale economic development and job growth project is coming to Kansas. Last year, Panasonic decided to build a battery plant in DeSoto. This week, it was announced that Integra Technologies will build a new secondary factory in Wichita because of an incentive package offered under the APEX bill. According to the Department of Commerce, it is the second largest economic development project in state history with the first being the Panasonic project. The agreement with Integra was approved by the State Finance Council on Thursday. Integra Technologies is the largest U.S. OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) Company providing semiconductor back-end services to companies worldwide. The employee-owned company’s headquarters is in Wichita. 

As part of the release announcing the deal, Senate President Ty Masterson offered support for the deal, noting that it falls under the tenets of the “Better Way: Our Commitment to Kansas” Republican legislative agenda. “APEX exists to promote unique large-scale opportunities as economic and job growth, and there is no better way to do that than having a Kansas company step up and fulfill our commitment to boost the Kansas economy and grow the Kansas workforce. Wichita is increasingly the epicenter of critical global industries, and this exciting megaproject continues that proud tradition.” 

Benefits to the project include $1.8 billion in capital investment, 2,000 high-quality jobs, a boost to an important sector of the Kansas economy and assisting reducing recent risks identified in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. This all with a company headquartered in Kansas. It will also result in the reduction of taxes for all Kansas businesses. 

Under the APEX bill, upon the successful location of an APEX project, the corporate income tax in Kansas will be reduced by 0.5%. As a result of both the Panasonic and Integra projects, the corporate tax rates will drop a total of 1%, which will benefit all corporations in Kansas. 

Last year, the Republican legislature adopted the “APEX Bill” that allows the Department of Commerce to negotiate a megaproject once a year as long as the policy is in place. The APEX stands for Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion and allows for incentives to be offered to attract targeted industries that plan to invest more than $1 billion to the Kansas economy by expansion or relocation of their business anywhere in Kansas.

My office has several dates available for 6th graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available:

February 13, 20 or March 6th. Please contact Donna at 785-296-7399 to reserve a date.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions or concerns.&nbsp; My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.

Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th District senator which includes:

* Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties * Phillips County: Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed;&nbsp;Townships: Beaver, Belmont, Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,&nbsp;Solomon (part) and Towanda

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675701343257.jpeg" alt="Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. speaks at a legislative coffee in Hays. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. speaks at a legislative coffee in Hays. Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Senator Rick Billinger Newsletter February 6, 2023 Attention Senior Citizens and Disabled Veterans: Property Tax Relief. During the 2022 session, there were several changes to tax law. One change is the first step in a property tax freeze for low-income seniors and disabled veterans via a rebate program administered by the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR). Applications for property tax relief must be submitted by April 18, 2023, and can found at: <a href="http://chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.ksrevenue.gov/pdf/k-40svr.pdf">https://www.ksrevenue.gov/pdf/k-40svr.pdf</a>. Please note that to qualify for the “freeze” a household annual income must be $50,000 or below, a homeowner must be 65 years or older, and the value of the home cannot be above $350,000. A disabled veteran must be at least 50% disabled. Property taxes are still paid to the county and then a homeowner may apply to KDOR for a refund on their increase, resulting in a freeze. In 2023 we will continue to look for solutions for all the reduction in property taxes for all Kansans, including our senior citizens and veterans.Last week the Republican legislature, announces the second large-scale economic development and job growth project is coming to Kansas. Last year, Panasonic decided to build a battery plant in DeSoto. This week, it was announced that Integra Technologies will build a new secondary factory in Wichita because of an incentive package offered under the APEX bill. According to the Department of Commerce, it is the second largest economic development project in state history with the first being the Panasonic project. The agreement with Integra was approved by the State Finance Council on Thursday. Integra Technologies is the largest U.S. OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) Company providing semiconductor back-end services to companies worldwide. The employee-owned company’s headquarters is in Wichita. As part of the release announcing the deal, Senate President Ty Masterson offered support for the deal, noting that it falls under the tenets of the “Better Way: Our Commitment to Kansas” Republican legislative agenda. “APEX exists to promote unique large-scale opportunities as economic and job growth, and there is no better way to do that than having a Kansas company step up and fulfill our commitment to boost the Kansas economy and grow the Kansas workforce. Wichita is increasingly the epicenter of critical global industries, and this exciting megaproject continues that proud tradition.” Benefits to the project include $1.8 billion in capital investment, 2,000 high-quality jobs, a boost to an important sector of the Kansas economy and assisting reducing recent risks identified in the U.S. semiconductor supply chain. This all with a company headquartered in Kansas. It will also result in the reduction of taxes for all Kansas businesses. Under the APEX bill, upon the successful location of an APEX project, the corporate income tax in Kansas will be reduced by 0.5%. As a result of both the Panasonic and Integra projects, the corporate tax rates will drop a total of 1%, which will benefit all corporations in Kansas. Last year, the Republican legislature adopted the “APEX Bill” that allows the Department of Commerce to negotiate a megaproject once a year as long as the policy is in place. The APEX stands for Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion and allows for incentives to be offered to attract targeted industries that plan to invest more than $1 billion to the Kansas economy by expansion or relocation of their business anywhere in Kansas.My office has several dates available for 6th graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available:February 13, 20 or March 6th. Please contact Donna at 785-296-7399 to reserve a date.I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov or call me with your questions or concerns.&nbsp; My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th District senator which includes:* Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties * Phillips County: Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed;&nbsp;Townships: Beaver, Belmont, Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,&nbsp;Solomon (part) and Towanda

BILLINGER: Senate Update, Feb. 6, 2023

In Native American tradition, January moons can have&nbsp;many names, including the cold moon, the moon of strong cold, the moon when limbs are broken by snow, and the frozen ground moon. Because of&nbsp;activities&nbsp;outside my&nbsp;country home&nbsp;bedroom window&nbsp;decades&nbsp;ago, I think of it as the moon when great horned owls whisper of love.​

Twenty years&nbsp;ago, I first heard a nightly serenade provided by a pair of amorous great horned owls. As I&nbsp;tried to fall asleep&nbsp;in our dark bedroom, I heard&nbsp;the male’s deeper hootsfollowed by&nbsp;the female’s slightly higher pitched responses as they courted&nbsp;in cottonwoods lining nearby&nbsp;Big Creek.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Listening as&nbsp;their romance developed&nbsp;night after night, I&nbsp;snuggled safely in the darkness of my room,&nbsp;hearing&nbsp;two&nbsp;owls&nbsp;whispering sweet nothings.&nbsp;I imagined them bowing and preening between&nbsp;their&nbsp;shushed&nbsp;sweet talk. I&nbsp;struggled&nbsp;to imagine birds better known for roles in horror movies and as harbingers of death as tender love birds, but based on this pair’s&nbsp;nocturnal&nbsp;conversations, these&nbsp;shared&nbsp;an affectionate&nbsp;nature. &nbsp;Their&nbsp;vocalizations&nbsp;continued&nbsp;well into February.&nbsp;Then evenings&nbsp;returned to normal quiet hours.&nbsp;

After several uneventful weeks, the&nbsp;courting&nbsp;dialogue assumed a&nbsp;distinctly&nbsp;family-oriented tone.&nbsp;Obviously, they nested nearby.&nbsp;I heard the female soothing fuzzy owlets with gentle noises&nbsp;similar to&nbsp;a lullaby. Her utterings put me as well as her offspring to sleep.&nbsp;If I managed to stay awake listening to her and the babes, their&nbsp;muffled&nbsp;but&nbsp;raucous&nbsp;noises finally shushed&nbsp;to&nbsp;late-winter&nbsp;silence&nbsp;sometime after midnight.

On occasion, Mama Owl’s&nbsp;youngsters&nbsp;fussed as much as mine had, and I heard them squabbling&nbsp;(the nest gets crowded as they grow). In short time,&nbsp;mama’s gentle gurglings calmed them. &nbsp;

Sometimes,&nbsp;I awakened in&nbsp;alarm when the&nbsp;lady of the house&nbsp;captured&nbsp;dinner right outsidethe&nbsp;window. After listening to more than&nbsp;one last will and testament of a&nbsp;rabbit&nbsp;the&nbsp;owl&nbsp;parents caught to feed their young, my stomach turned&nbsp;at the thought of meat so rare. The high-pitchedscreeches&nbsp;shot&nbsp;me&nbsp;straight&nbsp;out of&nbsp;deep sleep, alert to every&nbsp;outside&nbsp;sound.&nbsp;After the final&nbsp;death cry, I’d&nbsp;soon&nbsp;hear the excited&nbsp;uproar of young birds&nbsp;jostling to&nbsp;gobble&nbsp;dinner&nbsp;momma deliveredfresh off the prairie.

After&nbsp;decades, I&nbsp;value&nbsp;those&nbsp;moments&nbsp;because&nbsp;they didn’t occur year-round or&nbsp;even&nbsp;every year. That&nbsp;short-lived&nbsp;courtship&nbsp;required&nbsp;close attention&nbsp;on my part&nbsp;to&nbsp;hear&nbsp;those sweet nothings before they&nbsp;turned to&nbsp;memory.&nbsp;Ditto for listening to&nbsp;the rearing of the young. In less than&nbsp;a dozen short weeks, that new generation of hunters&nbsp;fledged,&nbsp;and their mutterings and rustlings&nbsp;vanished.

Because&nbsp;I&nbsp;eavesdropped&nbsp;long ago&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;great horned owl courtship&nbsp;and&nbsp;nesting, I listen&nbsp;to late night noises&nbsp;each January&nbsp;and February,&nbsp;hoping&nbsp;that once again, wooing&nbsp;owls&nbsp;might&nbsp;make me privy to their love songs.&nbsp;I&nbsp;pray&nbsp;the 20x great-grands of the&nbsp;owl&nbsp;pair I&nbsp;once&nbsp;heard start&nbsp;theirfamily still raise young on the banks of Big Creek.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675357703712.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By KAREN MADORINIn Native American tradition, January moons can have&nbsp;many names, including the cold moon, the moon of strong cold, the moon when limbs are broken by snow, and the frozen ground moon. Because of&nbsp;activities&nbsp;outside my&nbsp;country home&nbsp;bedroom window&nbsp;decades&nbsp;ago, I think of it as the moon when great horned owls whisper of love.​Twenty years&nbsp;ago, I first heard a nightly serenade provided by a pair of amorous great horned owls. As I&nbsp;tried to fall asleep&nbsp;in our dark bedroom, I heard&nbsp;the male’s deeper hootsfollowed by&nbsp;the female’s slightly higher pitched responses as they courted&nbsp;in cottonwoods lining nearby&nbsp;Big Creek.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658158605319.jpeg" alt="Karen Madorin" />
 <figcaption>Karen Madorin</figcaption>
 </figure>Listening as&nbsp;their romance developed&nbsp;night after night, I&nbsp;snuggled safely in the darkness of my room,&nbsp;hearing&nbsp;two&nbsp;owls&nbsp;whispering sweet nothings.&nbsp;I imagined them bowing and preening between&nbsp;their&nbsp;shushed&nbsp;sweet talk. I&nbsp;struggled&nbsp;to imagine birds better known for roles in horror movies and as harbingers of death as tender love birds, but based on this pair’s&nbsp;nocturnal&nbsp;conversations, these&nbsp;shared&nbsp;an affectionate&nbsp;nature. &nbsp;Their&nbsp;vocalizations&nbsp;continued&nbsp;well into February.&nbsp;Then evenings&nbsp;returned to normal quiet hours.&nbsp;After several uneventful weeks, the&nbsp;courting&nbsp;dialogue assumed a&nbsp;distinctly&nbsp;family-oriented tone.&nbsp;Obviously, they nested nearby.&nbsp;I heard the female soothing fuzzy owlets with gentle noises&nbsp;similar to&nbsp;a lullaby. Her utterings put me as well as her offspring to sleep.&nbsp;If I managed to stay awake listening to her and the babes, their&nbsp;muffled&nbsp;but&nbsp;raucous&nbsp;noises finally shushed&nbsp;to&nbsp;late-winter&nbsp;silence&nbsp;sometime after midnight.On occasion, Mama Owl’s&nbsp;youngsters&nbsp;fussed as much as mine had, and I heard them squabbling&nbsp;(the nest gets crowded as they grow). In short time,&nbsp;mama’s gentle gurglings calmed them. &nbsp;Sometimes,&nbsp;I awakened in&nbsp;alarm when the&nbsp;lady of the house&nbsp;captured&nbsp;dinner right outsidethe&nbsp;window. After listening to more than&nbsp;one last will and testament of a&nbsp;rabbit&nbsp;the&nbsp;owl&nbsp;parents caught to feed their young, my stomach turned&nbsp;at the thought of meat so rare. The high-pitchedscreeches&nbsp;shot&nbsp;me&nbsp;straight&nbsp;out of&nbsp;deep sleep, alert to every&nbsp;outside&nbsp;sound.&nbsp;After the final&nbsp;death cry, I’d&nbsp;soon&nbsp;hear the excited&nbsp;uproar of young birds&nbsp;jostling to&nbsp;gobble&nbsp;dinner&nbsp;momma deliveredfresh off the prairie.After&nbsp;decades, I&nbsp;value&nbsp;those&nbsp;moments&nbsp;because&nbsp;they didn’t occur year-round or&nbsp;even&nbsp;every year. That&nbsp;short-lived&nbsp;courtship&nbsp;required&nbsp;close attention&nbsp;on my part&nbsp;to&nbsp;hear&nbsp;those sweet nothings before they&nbsp;turned to&nbsp;memory.&nbsp;Ditto for listening to&nbsp;the rearing of the young. In less than&nbsp;a dozen short weeks, that new generation of hunters&nbsp;fledged,&nbsp;and their mutterings and rustlings&nbsp;vanished.Because&nbsp;I&nbsp;eavesdropped&nbsp;long ago&nbsp;on&nbsp;a&nbsp;great horned owl courtship&nbsp;and&nbsp;nesting, I listen&nbsp;to late night noises&nbsp;each January&nbsp;and February,&nbsp;hoping&nbsp;that once again, wooing&nbsp;owls&nbsp;might&nbsp;make me privy to their love songs.&nbsp;I&nbsp;pray&nbsp;the 20x great-grands of the&nbsp;owl&nbsp;pair I&nbsp;once&nbsp;heard start&nbsp;theirfamily still raise young on the banks of Big Creek.&nbsp;

MADORIN: Remembering amorous owls

By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;

Well, maybe there wasn’t an ad that said exactly that, but when a former school building and gymnasium came for sale in his area, one young man saw the opportunity to create a sports training facility that would serve young people across the region.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Lucas and Kate Boss are the founders and owners of Performance Sports in Reading, Kansas. Both grew up in Osage City as outstanding athletes.&nbsp;

Lucas played football and earned his degree at Emporia State. Kate played basketball at Johnson County Community College, on the team that won the national women’s junior college championship in 2000. She went on to finish her education degree at Kansas State University.&nbsp;

Lucas and Kate got married and became teachers and coaches, earning their master’s degrees at Emporia State. When their first child was school age, they chose to return to the Osage City school district where they teach, coach and farm today. They especially enjoyed their involvement with youth sports and are active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.&nbsp;

In 2019, a unique opportunity arose. After a series of school consolidations, the empty school building and gymnasium at nearby Reading was up for sale. The city of Reading had an option to buy but declined.&nbsp;

Shortly after, the Bosses committed to buy it. “It’s a God thing all the way around,” Lucas said. The building was still a beautiful and well-maintained facility. Lucas and Kate saw it as a potential training site for student athletes.&nbsp;

In 2019, they opened Performance Sports in what had been the Reading school gym.&nbsp;&nbsp;It began with a Hoops Academy for young basketball players who wanted to improve their skills.&nbsp;

When Covid hit and schools closed, Lucas and Kate moved their RV to the property and lived there temporarily. “Our kids had access to the playground and the gym,” Lucas said. Their facility would also serve for tournaments and practices.&nbsp;

While the gym was in use, the main school building was not. After other educational institutions chose not to use that space, Lucas and Kate decided to tear out the classrooms and use the building for storage.&nbsp;

“I said, `Let’s put some turf down in here so kids can work out,’” Lucas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;hat big open space has now become an ideal site for training in track and field throwing events.&nbsp;

In 2021, they opened the Track &amp; Field Throwing Academy. Jacquelyne Leffler, the former collegiate track athlete whom we have previously profiled, is one of the coaches.&nbsp;&nbsp;Athletes are traveling from as far as three hours away to train at Reading. Kids can sign up for different sessions to train for the shotput, javelin or discus.&nbsp;

Lucas and Kate have five children: Son Landon, a high school senior; and four daughters: Lexi (tenth grade), Kaelyn (seventh), Kendyl (fifth), and Lakyn (second). They are all active in sports and help on the farm.&nbsp;

“We run cattle and raise a lot of hay. We put up a lot of small square bales,” Lucas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;That involves a lot of chores and labor, which helps teach responsibility and work ethic.&nbsp;

“Our kids are super tough and strong, and (the farmwork) is part of why they’re successful,” Lucas said. &nbsp;

What is the motivation to operate a sports academy?&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s for the kids,” Lucas said. “We want to help them improve as athletes and enjoy the sports that they like doing,” he said. &nbsp;

The business website states: “We have dedicated our lives to our faith, our family, our farm, and to working with student-athletes throughout our teaching and coaching careers.” &nbsp;

Students are coming to train from as far away as Hoisington and Neodesha. That’s impressive for a business in the rural community of Reading, population 181 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.performance-sports.net/">www.performance-sports.net</a>.&nbsp;

“School for sale.” Maybe there wasn’t an ad with that exact wording, but there was an opportunity to acquire a former school that would work well for youth athletic training.&nbsp;&nbsp;We commend Kate and Lucas Boss for making a difference with this initiative. In Reading, excellence in athletics lives on.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675263952240.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;“School for Sale.”&nbsp;Well, maybe there wasn’t an ad that said exactly that, but when a former school building and gymnasium came for sale in his area, one young man saw the opportunity to create a sports training facility that would serve young people across the region.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Lucas and Kate Boss are the founders and owners of Performance Sports in Reading, Kansas. Both grew up in Osage City as outstanding athletes.&nbsp;Lucas played football and earned his degree at Emporia State. Kate played basketball at Johnson County Community College, on the team that won the national women’s junior college championship in 2000. She went on to finish her education degree at Kansas State University.&nbsp;Lucas and Kate got married and became teachers and coaches, earning their master’s degrees at Emporia State. When their first child was school age, they chose to return to the Osage City school district where they teach, coach and farm today. They especially enjoyed their involvement with youth sports and are active with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.&nbsp;In 2019, a unique opportunity arose. After a series of school consolidations, the empty school building and gymnasium at nearby Reading was up for sale. The city of Reading had an option to buy but declined.&nbsp;Shortly after, the Bosses committed to buy it. “It’s a God thing all the way around,” Lucas said. The building was still a beautiful and well-maintained facility. Lucas and Kate saw it as a potential training site for student athletes.&nbsp;In 2019, they opened Performance Sports in what had been the Reading school gym.&nbsp;&nbsp;It began with a Hoops Academy for young basketball players who wanted to improve their skills.&nbsp;When Covid hit and schools closed, Lucas and Kate moved their RV to the property and lived there temporarily. “Our kids had access to the playground and the gym,” Lucas said. Their facility would also serve for tournaments and practices.&nbsp;While the gym was in use, the main school building was not. After other educational institutions chose not to use that space, Lucas and Kate decided to tear out the classrooms and use the building for storage.&nbsp;“I said, `Let’s put some turf down in here so kids can work out,’” Lucas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;hat big open space has now become an ideal site for training in track and field throwing events.&nbsp;In 2021, they opened the Track &amp; Field Throwing Academy. Jacquelyne Leffler, the former collegiate track athlete whom we have previously profiled, is one of the coaches.&nbsp;&nbsp;Athletes are traveling from as far as three hours away to train at Reading. Kids can sign up for different sessions to train for the shotput, javelin or discus.&nbsp;Lucas and Kate have five children: Son Landon, a high school senior; and four daughters: Lexi (tenth grade), Kaelyn (seventh), Kendyl (fifth), and Lakyn (second). They are all active in sports and help on the farm.&nbsp;“We run cattle and raise a lot of hay. We put up a lot of small square bales,” Lucas said.&nbsp;&nbsp;That involves a lot of chores and labor, which helps teach responsibility and work ethic.&nbsp;“Our kids are super tough and strong, and (the farmwork) is part of why they’re successful,” Lucas said. &nbsp;What is the motivation to operate a sports academy?&nbsp;&nbsp;“It’s for the kids,” Lucas said. “We want to help them improve as athletes and enjoy the sports that they like doing,” he said. &nbsp;The business website states: “We have dedicated our lives to our faith, our family, our farm, and to working with student-athletes throughout our teaching and coaching careers.” &nbsp;Students are coming to train from as far away as Hoisington and Neodesha. That’s impressive for a business in the rural community of Reading, population 181 people.&nbsp;&nbsp;Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, see&nbsp;<a href="http://www.performance-sports.net/">www.performance-sports.net</a>.&nbsp;“School for sale.” Maybe there wasn’t an ad with that exact wording, but there was an opportunity to acquire a former school that would work well for youth athletic training.&nbsp;&nbsp;We commend Kate and Lucas Boss for making a difference with this initiative. In Reading, excellence in athletics lives on.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Lucas Boss, Performance Sports 

Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes:

* Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities: Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens, Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center, Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa, Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center (part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver (part), Cedron, Elkhorn (part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner, Center, Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633970422056.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675423810788.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675423834770.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House&nbsp;Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes:* Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties * Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland * Jewell County: Cities: Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens, Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center, Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa, Walnut and White Mound * Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center (part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver (part), Cedron, Elkhorn (part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper * Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner, Center, Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home, Feb. 3, 2023

Next week, the&nbsp;diversity in school&nbsp;debate returns to neighboring state Missouri&nbsp;via House Bill 952, its anti-1619 Project&nbsp;bill, joining&nbsp;the earlier proposed Parent’s Bill of Rights, SB 776. Missouri, a&nbsp;bellwether&nbsp;for&nbsp;policymaking&nbsp;in Kansas, points to the likely resuscitation of&nbsp;this&nbsp;political debate&nbsp;after similar efforts slowed in the Kansas legislature. Coupled with Florida’s recent&nbsp;rejection of AP African American Course in public schools, the two events mark a resurging salvo in a larger argument over school curriculum and diversity.

The&nbsp;Parent’s&nbsp;Bill prohibits school districts&nbsp;from&nbsp;denying&nbsp;parental&nbsp;review&nbsp;ofcurricula&nbsp;and educational materials utilized by the school.&nbsp;Other elements&nbsp;include: notification about safety issues impacting their children, the right to visit their child in school, the right to review&nbsp;their children’s&nbsp;school records, and the right to be heard at school board meetings.&nbsp;Hardly any of these&nbsp;issues&nbsp;are&nbsp;prohibited by school systems.&nbsp;The more dangerous component includes parent rights to review information on teachers, lecturers, and presenters; and the right to object to materials parents find inappropriate.&nbsp;

Additionally,&nbsp;the bill&nbsp;undergirds&nbsp;a larger educational framework&nbsp;by&nbsp;the Missouri&nbsp;General Assembly to ban&nbsp;Critical&nbsp;Race&nbsp;Theory&nbsp;(CRT)&nbsp;and 1619 Project.&nbsp;The combined legislation, which acts to empower parental say over curriculum, is a bit of misnomer given&nbsp;the bill does&nbsp;not extend to calculus, physics, and other areas of study, but is a legislative condemnation of all things “diversity.”

The problem&nbsp;is&nbsp;that Missouri’s bill, similar to the Kansas version, incorrectly conflates CRT theory with any diversity related subject matter, particularly black history.&nbsp;The law is&nbsp;abstractly&nbsp;constructed&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;broad framework that allows&nbsp;parents and politicians&nbsp;to excise&nbsp;certain subject matter for political propaganda.

​For example, an educator cannot identify people, entities, or institutions in the United States as “inherently, immutably, or systematically sexist, racist, anti-LGBT, bigoted, biased, privileged, or oppressed.” Is the legislation suggesting that the Ku Klux Klan (an entity) is&nbsp;not&nbsp;inherently racist?&nbsp;Although numerous studies&nbsp;repeatedly&nbsp;confirm that the&nbsp;criminal justice system (an American institution)&nbsp;unequally treats&nbsp;Black Americans, are educators to ignore the incongruities in the system?&nbsp;Other elements&nbsp;of the law&nbsp;are just as confounding.

Logical&nbsp;analysis of&nbsp;the&nbsp;educational curriculum is not what’s at stake here, nor is it the real intent.&nbsp;Political operatives&nbsp;who&nbsp;focused on&nbsp;CRT&nbsp;as a&nbsp;mechanism to denounce “liberal” education, ironically use it to craft&nbsp;their own&nbsp;doctrine of education- an America with no imperfections.&nbsp;Black History&nbsp;and other “diversity” subjects are&nbsp;uncomfortable, because&nbsp;they&nbsp;question&nbsp;the centrality of democracy as a&nbsp;shared&nbsp;American identity. Within Black history is always the question- freedom for who?&nbsp;When? How?

The&nbsp;circumstances of this legislation&nbsp;are also&nbsp;more ominous than political division. The&nbsp;adversarial nature of these politicized claims of “unpatriotic” education&nbsp;has&nbsp;created an&nbsp;upsurge in&nbsp;harassment by opponents to diversity. Teachers, lectures,&nbsp;and&nbsp;writers become the focus of online&nbsp;and physical&nbsp;harassment.&nbsp;

​Parents should think deeply about this legislation&nbsp;when debate returns to Kansas. How are&nbsp;parents&nbsp;truly empowered? What will their children fail to learn about themselves or society? In what ways are teachers and educators endangered by these sentiments? Why would censorship provide the pathway to patriotism?&nbsp;Finally,&nbsp;they should ask themselves if&nbsp;fear of diversity&nbsp;is&nbsp;a good way to prepare children for a future in a multicultural America?

Nishani Frazier is Associate Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Kansas. Prior to Kansas, she held positions as Associate Curator of African American History and Archives at Western Reserve Historical Society, Assistant to the Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Archives at the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and personal assistant for Dr. John Hope Franklin, before and during his tenure as chair of President Bill Clinton's advisory board on "One America."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675191230725.jpeg" alt="Nishani Frazier is Associate Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Kansas. " />
 <figcaption>Nishani Frazier is Associate Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Kansas. </figcaption>
 </figure>Next week, the&nbsp;diversity in school&nbsp;debate returns to neighboring state Missouri&nbsp;via House Bill 952, its anti-1619 Project&nbsp;bill, joining&nbsp;the earlier proposed Parent’s Bill of Rights, SB 776. Missouri, a&nbsp;bellwether&nbsp;for&nbsp;policymaking&nbsp;in Kansas, points to the likely resuscitation of&nbsp;this&nbsp;political debate&nbsp;after similar efforts slowed in the Kansas legislature. Coupled with Florida’s recent&nbsp;rejection of AP African American Course in public schools, the two events mark a resurging salvo in a larger argument over school curriculum and diversity.The&nbsp;Parent’s&nbsp;Bill prohibits school districts&nbsp;from&nbsp;denying&nbsp;parental&nbsp;review&nbsp;ofcurricula&nbsp;and educational materials utilized by the school.&nbsp;Other elements&nbsp;include: notification about safety issues impacting their children, the right to visit their child in school, the right to review&nbsp;their children’s&nbsp;school records, and the right to be heard at school board meetings.&nbsp;Hardly any of these&nbsp;issues&nbsp;are&nbsp;prohibited by school systems.&nbsp;The more dangerous component includes parent rights to review information on teachers, lecturers, and presenters; and the right to object to materials parents find inappropriate.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Additionally,&nbsp;the bill&nbsp;undergirds&nbsp;a larger educational framework&nbsp;by&nbsp;the Missouri&nbsp;General Assembly to ban&nbsp;Critical&nbsp;Race&nbsp;Theory&nbsp;(CRT)&nbsp;and 1619 Project.&nbsp;The combined legislation, which acts to empower parental say over curriculum, is a bit of misnomer given&nbsp;the bill does&nbsp;not extend to calculus, physics, and other areas of study, but is a legislative condemnation of all things “diversity.”The problem&nbsp;is&nbsp;that Missouri’s bill, similar to the Kansas version, incorrectly conflates CRT theory with any diversity related subject matter, particularly black history.&nbsp;The law is&nbsp;abstractly&nbsp;constructed&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;broad framework that allows&nbsp;parents and politicians&nbsp;to excise&nbsp;certain subject matter for political propaganda.​For example, an educator cannot identify people, entities, or institutions in the United States as “inherently, immutably, or systematically sexist, racist, anti-LGBT, bigoted, biased, privileged, or oppressed.” Is the legislation suggesting that the Ku Klux Klan (an entity) is&nbsp;not&nbsp;inherently racist?&nbsp;Although numerous studies&nbsp;repeatedly&nbsp;confirm that the&nbsp;criminal justice system (an American institution)&nbsp;unequally treats&nbsp;Black Americans, are educators to ignore the incongruities in the system?&nbsp;Other elements&nbsp;of the law&nbsp;are just as confounding.Logical&nbsp;analysis of&nbsp;the&nbsp;educational curriculum is not what’s at stake here, nor is it the real intent.&nbsp;Political operatives&nbsp;who&nbsp;focused on&nbsp;CRT&nbsp;as a&nbsp;mechanism to denounce “liberal” education, ironically use it to craft&nbsp;their own&nbsp;doctrine of education- an America with no imperfections.&nbsp;Black History&nbsp;and other “diversity” subjects are&nbsp;uncomfortable, because&nbsp;they&nbsp;question&nbsp;the centrality of democracy as a&nbsp;shared&nbsp;American identity. Within Black history is always the question- freedom for who?&nbsp;When? How?The&nbsp;circumstances of this legislation&nbsp;are also&nbsp;more ominous than political division. The&nbsp;adversarial nature of these politicized claims of “unpatriotic” education&nbsp;has&nbsp;created an&nbsp;upsurge in&nbsp;harassment by opponents to diversity. Teachers, lectures,&nbsp;and&nbsp;writers become the focus of online&nbsp;and physical&nbsp;harassment.&nbsp;​Parents should think deeply about this legislation&nbsp;when debate returns to Kansas. How are&nbsp;parents&nbsp;truly empowered? What will their children fail to learn about themselves or society? In what ways are teachers and educators endangered by these sentiments? Why would censorship provide the pathway to patriotism?&nbsp;Finally,&nbsp;they should ask themselves if&nbsp;fear of diversity&nbsp;is&nbsp;a good way to prepare children for a future in a multicultural America?Nishani Frazier is Associate Professor of History and American Studies at the University of Kansas. Prior to Kansas, she held positions as Associate Curator of African American History and Archives at Western Reserve Historical Society, Assistant to the Director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Archives at the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolent Social Change, and personal assistant for Dr. John Hope Franklin, before and during his tenure as chair of President Bill Clinton's advisory board on "One America."&nbsp;

INSIGHT KANSAS: Missouri Parents Bill of Rights vs. diversity

The summer of 1997 was&nbsp;a period&nbsp;marked by great triumph&nbsp;and&nbsp;tragedy. In June, the world was introduced to the world of wizardry with the UK publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. In July, NASA’s Pathfinder rover safely landed on Mars and began sending back data and stunning images from the “Red Planet.”&nbsp;And in August,&nbsp;the world learned of the tragic death of Princess Diana in Paris.&nbsp;<a></a>

The summer of&nbsp;1997&nbsp;was also significant at Fort Hays State University as we took a major strategic step forward into the future of learning.&nbsp;

<a></a>That spring and summer, now a&nbsp;decade&nbsp;into what would become&nbsp;more than&nbsp;27&nbsp;years of service as FHSU president,&nbsp;Dr.&nbsp;Edward Hammond saw an opportunity to deliver on a promise he made when he was first hired. During his interview,&nbsp;President Hammond&nbsp;told the Kansas Board of Regents-led search committee that he would transform FHSU into a “high touch-high tech” institution if given the opportunity.&nbsp;

Once hired, President Hammond immediately went to work building the foundation necessary to realize his goal. By&nbsp;the mid-1990s,&nbsp;he had positioned FHSU well to take advantage of the&nbsp;breakup of the Bell System monopoly in the 1980s&nbsp;that&nbsp;introduced competition and new opportunities to forge traditional (wired) and new (cellular) communications technology partnerships in rural Kansas.&nbsp;

President&nbsp;Hammond&nbsp;established several partnerships that expanded the reach of FHSU distance learning programs via fiber-wire-connected two-way video conferencing to students in Colby, Goodland, Garden City, and Dodge City. Under his leadership, FHSU became the first university in Kansas to deliver academic programs via this medium.

<a></a>Then came the Internet. Created in 1960 as a way for government researchers to share information, the Internet was initially designed for the military and major research institutions to share national security-related information.

Access to the&nbsp;Internet didn’t become available to the&nbsp;rest of the&nbsp;world until 1993. By 1997, there were 70 million users online. Today,&nbsp;that number exceeds 5 billion.&nbsp;

Sensing a fresh opportunity to&nbsp;leverage this emerging technology and&nbsp;expand the FHSU high touch-high tech model, President Hammond and Provost Rodolfo Arevalo charged Dean Tony Fernandez of the College of Health and Life Sciences with establishing a new unit tasked with transitioning FHSU distance education to online delivery.&nbsp;The new unit would be known as the Virtual College.

<a></a>Out of the gate, the fledgling Virtual College faced several challenges. While internet access was expanding, many homes still had no way to connect to the Internet. Those who could access the new technology did not enjoy the connectivity or bandwidth to stream instructional videos.&nbsp;There remained a dependence on CD or DVD production and distribution in Virtual College operations.&nbsp;

New processes for delivering course materials through the mail&nbsp;needed to be developed to address these issues, and the&nbsp;campus bookstore was&nbsp;the answer. The space was&nbsp;renovated to include an area in the&nbsp;bookstore&nbsp;basement where boxes could be filled with books, videotapes, and DVDs&nbsp;for shipment to Virtual College students.&nbsp;

Moving away from live, two-way videoconferencing meant that faculty needed to be licensed and trained in using a learning management system. To assist with the transition, Virtual College staff developed a tool kit called “Web Course in a Box” to help faculty restructure their courses for asynchronous or on-demand delivery.&nbsp;

In the early 2000s, the university licensed the Blackboard learning management system that offers a wealth of virtual course planning and delivery tools. A new organization staffed by instructional technology specialists, the Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning Technologies (CTELT), was created and charged with faculty training and learning technology research.&nbsp;

Now known as Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies&nbsp;(TILT), this group has led the effort on campus to research, test, evaluate, and adopt new technologies.&nbsp;

<a></a>The focus on high touch-high tech learning introduced by President Hammond back in the 1980s remains the principal focus of FHSU Online (formerly the Virtual College).&nbsp;

From an initial enrollment of around 900 students in 1997,&nbsp;annual&nbsp;online enrollment at FHSU now&nbsp;exceeds&nbsp;6,500 students and&nbsp;amounts to nearly 48% of total university enrollment.&nbsp;

<a></a>Unlike many universities, whose transition to online instruction&nbsp;was a direct result of the&nbsp;COVIDpandemic, we&nbsp;were&nbsp;already&nbsp;recruiting technology-savvy faculty and&nbsp;developing best practices in teaching and student support for online learners for nearly 25 years. &nbsp;

We were early adopters of services like online tutoring and professional advisors. Several years ago, we created a Virtual Student Senate to give online students a&nbsp;voice&nbsp;in major decisions that impact online students and the university. We remain&nbsp;one of very few&nbsp;universities to includeonline students in shared governance in this manner. FHSU is also one of six institutions to be awarded the rigorous United States Distance Learning Association quality certification.&nbsp;

It&nbsp;has&nbsp;been said that students learn as much or more in college out of the classroom. Part of our planning for the future will include spending more time and expertise on the development of what we call “ecosystem resources.”&nbsp;Simply put, we&nbsp;are creating&nbsp;expanded and more engaged learning environments that move the learning experience beyond the constraints of time, space, and the boundaries of traditional instruction.

<a></a>So,&nbsp;even as we celebrate an amazing 25 years of online learning, we are already looking ahead to the next 25 years of FHSU Online. We know that digital resources and online learning&nbsp;practices&nbsp;have evolved&nbsp;over the past few years, and we&nbsp;are&nbsp;investing time and talent to ensure we continue to evolve with that change.

Last year, we created a team of campus experts to develop what we are calling a digital master plan for the university. Much like a master plan that guides the building, renovation, and removal of obsolete buildings and structures, our digital master plan will guide our future efforts to remain leaders and innovators in this space.&nbsp;

The remarkable 25-year history of online learning at FHSU is a testament to what an innovative, resilient, and engaged campus community can do when unbounded by real and imagined barriers. The amazing people who built FHSU Online were instrumental in transforming this university into what we call today “the best value in education anywhere.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>The summer of 1997 was&nbsp;a period&nbsp;marked by great triumph&nbsp;and&nbsp;tragedy. In June, the world was introduced to the world of wizardry with the UK publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. In July, NASA’s Pathfinder rover safely landed on Mars and began sending back data and stunning images from the “Red Planet.”&nbsp;And in August,&nbsp;the world learned of the tragic death of Princess Diana in Paris.&nbsp;<a></a>The summer of&nbsp;1997&nbsp;was also significant at Fort Hays State University as we took a major strategic step forward into the future of learning.&nbsp;<a></a>That spring and summer, now a&nbsp;decade&nbsp;into what would become&nbsp;more than&nbsp;27&nbsp;years of service as FHSU president,&nbsp;Dr.&nbsp;Edward Hammond saw an opportunity to deliver on a promise he made when he was first hired. During his interview,&nbsp;President Hammond&nbsp;told the Kansas Board of Regents-led search committee that he would transform FHSU into a “high touch-high tech” institution if given the opportunity.&nbsp;Once hired, President Hammond immediately went to work building the foundation necessary to realize his goal. By&nbsp;the mid-1990s,&nbsp;he had positioned FHSU well to take advantage of the&nbsp;breakup of the Bell System monopoly in the 1980s&nbsp;that&nbsp;introduced competition and new opportunities to forge traditional (wired) and new (cellular) communications technology partnerships in rural Kansas.&nbsp;President&nbsp;Hammond&nbsp;established several partnerships that expanded the reach of FHSU distance learning programs via fiber-wire-connected two-way video conferencing to students in Colby, Goodland, Garden City, and Dodge City. Under his leadership, FHSU became the first university in Kansas to deliver academic programs via this medium.<a></a>Then came the Internet. Created in 1960 as a way for government researchers to share information, the Internet was initially designed for the military and major research institutions to share national security-related information.Access to the&nbsp;Internet didn’t become available to the&nbsp;rest of the&nbsp;world until 1993. By 1997, there were 70 million users online. Today,&nbsp;that number exceeds 5 billion.&nbsp;Sensing a fresh opportunity to&nbsp;leverage this emerging technology and&nbsp;expand the FHSU high touch-high tech model, President Hammond and Provost Rodolfo Arevalo charged Dean Tony Fernandez of the College of Health and Life Sciences with establishing a new unit tasked with transitioning FHSU distance education to online delivery.&nbsp;The new unit would be known as the Virtual College.<a></a>Out of the gate, the fledgling Virtual College faced several challenges. While internet access was expanding, many homes still had no way to connect to the Internet. Those who could access the new technology did not enjoy the connectivity or bandwidth to stream instructional videos.&nbsp;There remained a dependence on CD or DVD production and distribution in Virtual College operations.&nbsp;New processes for delivering course materials through the mail&nbsp;needed to be developed to address these issues, and the&nbsp;campus bookstore was&nbsp;the answer. The space was&nbsp;renovated to include an area in the&nbsp;bookstore&nbsp;basement where boxes could be filled with books, videotapes, and DVDs&nbsp;for shipment to Virtual College students.&nbsp;Moving away from live, two-way videoconferencing meant that faculty needed to be licensed and trained in using a learning management system. To assist with the transition, Virtual College staff developed a tool kit called “Web Course in a Box” to help faculty restructure their courses for asynchronous or on-demand delivery.&nbsp;In the early 2000s, the university licensed the Blackboard learning management system that offers a wealth of virtual course planning and delivery tools. A new organization staffed by instructional technology specialists, the Center for Teaching Excellence and Learning Technologies (CTELT), was created and charged with faculty training and learning technology research.&nbsp;Now known as Teaching Innovation and Learning Technologies&nbsp;(TILT), this group has led the effort on campus to research, test, evaluate, and adopt new technologies.&nbsp;<a></a>The focus on high touch-high tech learning introduced by President Hammond back in the 1980s remains the principal focus of FHSU Online (formerly the Virtual College).&nbsp;From an initial enrollment of around 900 students in 1997,&nbsp;annual&nbsp;online enrollment at FHSU now&nbsp;exceeds&nbsp;6,500 students and&nbsp;amounts to nearly 48% of total university enrollment.&nbsp;<a></a>Unlike many universities, whose transition to online instruction&nbsp;was a direct result of the&nbsp;COVIDpandemic, we&nbsp;were&nbsp;already&nbsp;recruiting technology-savvy faculty and&nbsp;developing best practices in teaching and student support for online learners for nearly 25 years. &nbsp;We were early adopters of services like online tutoring and professional advisors. Several years ago, we created a Virtual Student Senate to give online students a&nbsp;voice&nbsp;in major decisions that impact online students and the university. We remain&nbsp;one of very few&nbsp;universities to includeonline students in shared governance in this manner. FHSU is also one of six institutions to be awarded the rigorous United States Distance Learning Association quality certification.&nbsp;It&nbsp;has&nbsp;been said that students learn as much or more in college out of the classroom. Part of our planning for the future will include spending more time and expertise on the development of what we call “ecosystem resources.”&nbsp;Simply put, we&nbsp;are creating&nbsp;expanded and more engaged learning environments that move the learning experience beyond the constraints of time, space, and the boundaries of traditional instruction.<a></a>So,&nbsp;even as we celebrate an amazing 25 years of online learning, we are already looking ahead to the next 25 years of FHSU Online. We know that digital resources and online learning&nbsp;practices&nbsp;have evolved&nbsp;over the past few years, and we&nbsp;are&nbsp;investing time and talent to ensure we continue to evolve with that change.Last year, we created a team of campus experts to develop what we are calling a digital master plan for the university. Much like a master plan that guides the building, renovation, and removal of obsolete buildings and structures, our digital master plan will guide our future efforts to remain leaders and innovators in this space.&nbsp;The remarkable 25-year history of online learning at FHSU is a testament to what an innovative, resilient, and engaged campus community can do when unbounded by real and imagined barriers. The amazing people who built FHSU Online were instrumental in transforming this university into what we call today “the best value in education anywhere.”&nbsp;

Heart of a Tiger: FHSU Online at 25 years

By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie&nbsp;County farmer and rancher This past weekend was my favorite Kansas Farm Bureau event, the Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&amp;R) Conference. I am going to let you in on a secret, I am over 35. I know you are all shocked, and I am a bit surprised they still let me through the doors. I guess they either take pity on me or they let me in because I am on the state board of directors. Either way I am always happy to sneak in and get my batteries recharged. I think I have figured out the fountain of youth, and it is to spend time around this outstanding group of young farmers, ranchers, agribusiness people and students. Their enthusiasm and energy is contagious, even for an old guy several years past the YF&amp;R expiration date. The conference itself is outstanding. The keynote speakers and information shared is some of the best and most timely for those of us in agriculture. Then there are the breakout sessions and workshops, again some of the leading experts in their fields and cutting edge information. Include that with contests showcasing our industry’s best and brightest along with social events and you have a great weekend. The best part is it is planned, coordinated and put on by the Young Farmer and Rancher committee, the best and brightest members 35 and younger in Kansas Farm Bureau. Does it sound like I am bragging? I hope so because I am. We hear all the time about the aging agriculture industry and often pundits wonder where we are headed. Will our producers age out? Will we be able to feed a growing, hungry population? Spend a weekend at the Young Farmer and Rancher Conference and you know we will be in good hands. Spending time with this group will renew your faith in the future. I love listening to the conversations and hearing the new ideas and enthusiasm. This conference was crucial for Jennifer and I as we started our journey in agriculture. So many times you feel alone and it seems like no one understands what you are going through. Then you come to your first YF&amp;R Conference and find out there are many others going through the same trials and tribulations. The networking in the hallways and the friendships you make over the weekend are truly the most valuable part of the conference. We still have friendships that were forged during this conference. That is why each year I look forward to this weekend. I must admit I am being a little selfish because I know I get more out of it than I give to the participants I meet. This old guy is transformed back into a time when anything was possible and my career was ahead of me. I wish I could bottle the excitement and energy up for all of you, it is something we all need these days. I can’t do that, but I can go forth knowing agriculture is in good hands.

"Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1576508626397.png" alt="Glenn Brunkow" />
 <figcaption>Glenn Brunkow</figcaption>
 </figure>By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie&nbsp;County farmer and rancher This past weekend was my favorite Kansas Farm Bureau event, the Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&amp;R) Conference. I am going to let you in on a secret, I am over 35. I know you are all shocked, and I am a bit surprised they still let me through the doors. I guess they either take pity on me or they let me in because I am on the state board of directors. Either way I am always happy to sneak in and get my batteries recharged. I think I have figured out the fountain of youth, and it is to spend time around this outstanding group of young farmers, ranchers, agribusiness people and students. Their enthusiasm and energy is contagious, even for an old guy several years past the YF&amp;R expiration date. The conference itself is outstanding. The keynote speakers and information shared is some of the best and most timely for those of us in agriculture. Then there are the breakout sessions and workshops, again some of the leading experts in their fields and cutting edge information. Include that with contests showcasing our industry’s best and brightest along with social events and you have a great weekend. The best part is it is planned, coordinated and put on by the Young Farmer and Rancher committee, the best and brightest members 35 and younger in Kansas Farm Bureau. Does it sound like I am bragging? I hope so because I am. We hear all the time about the aging agriculture industry and often pundits wonder where we are headed. Will our producers age out? Will we be able to feed a growing, hungry population? Spend a weekend at the Young Farmer and Rancher Conference and you know we will be in good hands. Spending time with this group will renew your faith in the future. I love listening to the conversations and hearing the new ideas and enthusiasm. This conference was crucial for Jennifer and I as we started our journey in agriculture. So many times you feel alone and it seems like no one understands what you are going through. Then you come to your first YF&amp;R Conference and find out there are many others going through the same trials and tribulations. The networking in the hallways and the friendships you make over the weekend are truly the most valuable part of the conference. We still have friendships that were forged during this conference. That is why each year I look forward to this weekend. I must admit I am being a little selfish because I know I get more out of it than I give to the participants I meet. This old guy is transformed back into a time when anything was possible and my career was ahead of me. I wish I could bottle the excitement and energy up for all of you, it is something we all need these days. I can’t do that, but I can go forth knowing agriculture is in good hands."Insight" is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.&nbsp;

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: Faith in the future of agriculture

I have a love-hate relationship with squirrels, also known as limb chickens or tree bacon in our neck of the woods. They taunt our two little pups from the top of my back fence or from the roof of our neighbor’s garage and work them into an absolute frenzy. They hang upside-down from their heels on the side of the tree, just out of reach and chatter away as if to say “Come and get me you yappy little mongrels!” 

Squirrels are not to be trifled with and can give a nasty bite, but just once I wish my dumb mutts would learn to work together and snag one. Like maybe one pup could prance around the tree with a big grin on its face, clutching an acorn in its teeth, luring the little bird-feeder-vandal near the ground, while the other pup sneaks up from the other side, pounces on its back and cleans it off the side of tree. But it would be just my luck&nbsp;that&nbsp;instead of crumpling to the ground with the pooch on its back, it would head for the top of the tree with the pooch on its back. At that point I don’t know which would be worse, the hapless hound hangin’ on to end up somewhere in the treetops, or fallin’ off somewhere over the middle of the yard.

Pesky as they are, I know of no other wild critter in the US more pampered than the squirrel. I have to admit squirrels are fun to watch as they roll around inside those glass jar feeders.&nbsp;We even found plans and built a “maize” feeder, where the squirrel must enter through one of two holes in the side, than navigate around partitions inside to reach ears of corn.&nbsp;People&nbsp;buy corn to feed them, and then buy feeders to hold the corn.&nbsp;My son’s father-in-law has his trained to take peanuts from his hand, and the little buggers even tap on his front door when they want a snack.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A couple years back a squirrel with only half a tail became a regular at our feeder; we named it “Ole’ Stumpy.” We thought at first that Stumpy was a male, but there&nbsp;were&nbsp;no bulging body parts on Stumpy’s underside,&nbsp;so we deemed her a girl. We can only guess at how Stumpy lost the end of her tail, but I did a little research on Ole’ Stumpy’s tail dilemma on a website named “The Squirrel Board” (I can’t make this stuff up!) It seems Stumpy&nbsp;was&nbsp;not alone and squirrel tails are made so they will “deglove” or snap off if a predator has hold of it. The jury seemed to still be out as to whether it would ever grow back and Stumpy would be whole again. The squirrel lovers on that site were&nbsp;way&nbsp;out of my league. One guy said “If you’re feeding peanuts to your squirrels make sure they are roasted…I feed mine chopped almonds because they are healthier than peanuts.” (Really; sounds like his squirrels eat better than I do.) He went on to say “Thanksgiving week we fed them almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, chestnuts and hazelnuts for a variety.” I have to admit that would make for some tasty squirrel if you roasted em’ while they were still full of nuts.&nbsp;

Now&nbsp;even though Cousin Eddy from the National Lampoon movie “Christmas Vacation” says squirrels are high in cholesterol, they are not. Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters of Walmart, has an annual World Champion Squirrel Cook-Off that draws TV crews, executive chefs and visitors from around the globe. Their theme is “Squirrel – it’s for Supper,” and they offer “organic tree-to-table squirrel” in dishes like squirrel pizza and squirrel flavored ice cream. And are you aware there is actually an organization&nbsp;called “Squirrels Unlimited?” (SQU for short) Its mission statement reads: “SQU is dedicated to the recognition and promotion of the squirrel as one of mankind’s greatest gifts.”&nbsp;

There is also a market for squirrel tails. Fishing lure manufacturer Mepps in Wisconsin actually pays for squirrel tails because they seem to work better as skirts on their fishing lures than any other product they have tried. Depending on the species of tails you send, they pay&nbsp;from 12 cents apiece for tails that are only partially useable to 25 cents apiece for&nbsp;tails that are fully useable.&nbsp;On their website they caution “Mepps is only interested in “recycling” tails from squirrels harvested for the table. We do not advocate taking squirrels strictly for their&nbsp;tails.” Mepps&nbsp;says that when they receive the tails, members of their experienced team will grade the tails as premium, average or unusable.&nbsp;

We never knew what became of Ole’ Stumpy, she just sort-of disappeared.&nbsp;Perhaps, because of her deformity,&nbsp;she was run-off by more dominant members of our squirrel community. Perhaps her&nbsp;snapper-off tail caused her such shame that she ended it all by throwing herself in front of a school bus. Or perhaps she simply died of old age and crossed the rainbow bridge with dignity. Every time I sit in a deer stand or turkey blind and hear a squirrel chattering and barking at me, I have to wonder if its Ole’ Stumpy reincarnated just to give me a few more minutes of entertainment…&nbsp;Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>I have a love-hate relationship with squirrels, also known as limb chickens or tree bacon in our neck of the woods. They taunt our two little pups from the top of my back fence or from the roof of our neighbor’s garage and work them into an absolute frenzy. They hang upside-down from their heels on the side of the tree, just out of reach and chatter away as if to say “Come and get me you yappy little mongrels!” Squirrels are not to be trifled with and can give a nasty bite, but just once I wish my dumb mutts would learn to work together and snag one. Like maybe one pup could prance around the tree with a big grin on its face, clutching an acorn in its teeth, luring the little bird-feeder-vandal near the ground, while the other pup sneaks up from the other side, pounces on its back and cleans it off the side of tree. But it would be just my luck&nbsp;that&nbsp;instead of crumpling to the ground with the pooch on its back, it would head for the top of the tree with the pooch on its back. At that point I don’t know which would be worse, the hapless hound hangin’ on to end up somewhere in the treetops, or fallin’ off somewhere over the middle of the yard.Pesky as they are, I know of no other wild critter in the US more pampered than the squirrel. I have to admit squirrels are fun to watch as they roll around inside those glass jar feeders.&nbsp;We even found plans and built a “maize” feeder, where the squirrel must enter through one of two holes in the side, than navigate around partitions inside to reach ears of corn.&nbsp;People&nbsp;buy corn to feed them, and then buy feeders to hold the corn.&nbsp;My son’s father-in-law has his trained to take peanuts from his hand, and the little buggers even tap on his front door when they want a snack.&nbsp;&nbsp;A couple years back a squirrel with only half a tail became a regular at our feeder; we named it “Ole’ Stumpy.” We thought at first that Stumpy was a male, but there&nbsp;were&nbsp;no bulging body parts on Stumpy’s underside,&nbsp;so we deemed her a girl. We can only guess at how Stumpy lost the end of her tail, but I did a little research on Ole’ Stumpy’s tail dilemma on a website named “The Squirrel Board” (I can’t make this stuff up!) It seems Stumpy&nbsp;was&nbsp;not alone and squirrel tails are made so they will “deglove” or snap off if a predator has hold of it. The jury seemed to still be out as to whether it would ever grow back and Stumpy would be whole again. The squirrel lovers on that site were&nbsp;way&nbsp;out of my league. One guy said “If you’re feeding peanuts to your squirrels make sure they are roasted…I feed mine chopped almonds because they are healthier than peanuts.” (Really; sounds like his squirrels eat better than I do.) He went on to say “Thanksgiving week we fed them almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, chestnuts and hazelnuts for a variety.” I have to admit that would make for some tasty squirrel if you roasted em’ while they were still full of nuts.&nbsp;Now&nbsp;even though Cousin Eddy from the National Lampoon movie “Christmas Vacation” says squirrels are high in cholesterol, they are not. Bentonville, Arkansas, headquarters of Walmart, has an annual World Champion Squirrel Cook-Off that draws TV crews, executive chefs and visitors from around the globe. Their theme is “Squirrel – it’s for Supper,” and they offer “organic tree-to-table squirrel” in dishes like squirrel pizza and squirrel flavored ice cream. And are you aware there is actually an organization&nbsp;called “Squirrels Unlimited?” (SQU for short) Its mission statement reads: “SQU is dedicated to the recognition and promotion of the squirrel as one of mankind’s greatest gifts.”&nbsp;There is also a market for squirrel tails. Fishing lure manufacturer Mepps in Wisconsin actually pays for squirrel tails because they seem to work better as skirts on their fishing lures than any other product they have tried. Depending on the species of tails you send, they pay&nbsp;from 12 cents apiece for tails that are only partially useable to 25 cents apiece for&nbsp;tails that are fully useable.&nbsp;On their website they caution “Mepps is only interested in “recycling” tails from squirrels harvested for the table. We do not advocate taking squirrels strictly for their&nbsp;tails.” Mepps&nbsp;says that when they receive the tails, members of their experienced team will grade the tails as premium, average or unusable.&nbsp;We never knew what became of Ole’ Stumpy, she just sort-of disappeared.&nbsp;Perhaps, because of her deformity,&nbsp;she was run-off by more dominant members of our squirrel community. Perhaps her&nbsp;snapper-off tail caused her such shame that she ended it all by throwing herself in front of a school bus. Or perhaps she simply died of old age and crossed the rainbow bridge with dignity. Every time I sit in a deer stand or turkey blind and hear a squirrel chattering and barking at me, I have to wonder if its Ole’ Stumpy reincarnated just to give me a few more minutes of entertainment…&nbsp;Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.&nbsp;

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Ole’ Stumpy

A few years&nbsp;ago,&nbsp;when I began trapping beavers, one particular bend in a stream taught me a valuable lesson about wildlife sign. It was along a&nbsp;rutted dirt road&nbsp;somewhere between the middle of nowhere and the&nbsp;end of the line where&nbsp;an old bridge spanned the stream&nbsp;as it&nbsp;meandered through a&nbsp;sand hill&nbsp;pasture thick with cedars.&nbsp;Cottonwoods of various sizes grew near&nbsp;the stream, and from the&nbsp;truck I could see that several of the bigger ones had been&nbsp;severely gnawed by beavers. 

The owner had told me of&nbsp;fresh beaver chewings along this&nbsp;creek, but I hadn’t expected the amount&nbsp;I was seeing. I donned chest waders and shoulder length gloves, and with traps and stakes in hand headed for the stream. In a sharp bend ahead of me a scraggly brushy tree had toppled from the high bank above and lay intact in&nbsp;a&nbsp;deep pool in&nbsp;the creek below.&nbsp;I was pretty sure its thick mass of roots sheltered a beaver den dug deeply into the mud&nbsp;beneath, because cleanly stripped sticks floated around the edges&nbsp;of the pool, and pine boughs lay on the banks nearby.&nbsp;

The water around the uprooted tree was too deep to wade into, so&nbsp;I&nbsp;went a ways in both directions from the den,&nbsp;set four&nbsp;traps and&nbsp;headed home with visions of 4 beavers the next day. After all, given the amount of fresh sign, beavers had to be thick in this creek…&nbsp;or were&nbsp;they?&nbsp;Four days later, I&nbsp;had&nbsp;only1 large beaver to show for my enthusiasm. That year,&nbsp;I learned&nbsp;a valuable lesson about beaver trapping that I had&nbsp;long ago learned about hunting and trapping other species;&nbsp;the amount of sign left by our&nbsp;four-legged quarry is seldom a true picture of the number of critters.

Some weeks&nbsp;after&nbsp;that, following a&nbsp;good tracking snow, I headed for the woods&nbsp;to see what the fresh snow could show me. My first stop was a&nbsp;30-acre&nbsp;soybean stubble field nestled along the river and surrounded by hedge trees on all sides. There were quite literally&nbsp;thousands of deer tracks criss-crossing that field! It looked like an elementary school&nbsp;playground after recess.&nbsp;Now I know there are lots of deer there, but are there thousands? Look under any bridge that crosses a stream and you’ll find&nbsp;literally hundreds of raccoon tracks in the mud. There are lots of raccoons in this part of Kansas, but again, do hundreds visit that bridge?&nbsp;I’m learning that the same is true of signs left by beavers along any waterway. Severed branches floating everywhere and chewed &amp; toppled trees by the dozens do not mean dozens of beavers.&nbsp;

For starters,&nbsp;we need to consider that all mammals we hunt and trap have 4 legs, and 4 feet can leave a multitude of tracks in one night’s time. Secondly,&nbsp;animal’s&nbsp;lives revolve around survival, and a&nbsp;major part of that survival is foraging for food. Lots of steps&nbsp;are&nbsp;taken each night in pursuit of that, two-&nbsp;legged birds&nbsp;included.&nbsp;All of you who have watched deer browse or raccoons waddle along a stream know that they don’t stand in one place&nbsp;very long. Multiply&nbsp;their&nbsp;movements by&nbsp;eight&nbsp;hours&nbsp;or more&nbsp;and that’s a lot of tracks!&nbsp;If we were to freshly paint the floors and isles of our workplaces then observe the number of shoe&nbsp;prints there at the end of an&nbsp;eight-hour&nbsp;shift, we’d be amazed how many tracks just a few of&nbsp;us would make.&nbsp;Or if we could somehow count the number of&nbsp;human&nbsp;footprints&nbsp;in just one isle at the grocery store in one&nbsp;days’ time&nbsp;as&nbsp;shoppers wondered the store,&nbsp;it would be astounding, but would not be a true&nbsp;estimation&nbsp;of the number of shoppers.

As a&nbsp;side&nbsp;note, I was recently asked&nbsp;how to tell the difference between a large dog track and the track of a big cat. Canine tracks, which include dogs, coyotes and foxes, are slightly long and narrow, and will show claw marks in the mud or snow,&nbsp;while any cat track will be rounder&nbsp;(look at the paw of a house or barn cat)&nbsp;and will show NO claw marks as&nbsp;all cats have&nbsp;retractable&nbsp;claws, and walk with them retracted.

In the end, this all amounts to&nbsp;a few animals&nbsp;leaving a multitude of life-signs of various kinds. When scouting there is no better find&nbsp;than tracks and other signs left by our&nbsp;four- legged quarry. And while it is true that the more tracks and other signs&nbsp;you see, the more animals&nbsp;there are using&nbsp;that&nbsp;particular area, we just need to consider all the above when estimating&nbsp;wildlife numbers.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;to be on the conservative side, count the&nbsp;number of wildlife&nbsp;tracks and divide by four! Continue to Explore Kansas outdoors.

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at&nbsp;stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>A few years&nbsp;ago,&nbsp;when I began trapping beavers, one particular bend in a stream taught me a valuable lesson about wildlife sign. It was along a&nbsp;rutted dirt road&nbsp;somewhere between the middle of nowhere and the&nbsp;end of the line where&nbsp;an old bridge spanned the stream&nbsp;as it&nbsp;meandered through a&nbsp;sand hill&nbsp;pasture thick with cedars.&nbsp;Cottonwoods of various sizes grew near&nbsp;the stream, and from the&nbsp;truck I could see that several of the bigger ones had been&nbsp;severely gnawed by beavers. The owner had told me of&nbsp;fresh beaver chewings along this&nbsp;creek, but I hadn’t expected the amount&nbsp;I was seeing. I donned chest waders and shoulder length gloves, and with traps and stakes in hand headed for the stream. In a sharp bend ahead of me a scraggly brushy tree had toppled from the high bank above and lay intact in&nbsp;a&nbsp;deep pool in&nbsp;the creek below.&nbsp;I was pretty sure its thick mass of roots sheltered a beaver den dug deeply into the mud&nbsp;beneath, because cleanly stripped sticks floated around the edges&nbsp;of the pool, and pine boughs lay on the banks nearby.&nbsp;The water around the uprooted tree was too deep to wade into, so&nbsp;I&nbsp;went a ways in both directions from the den,&nbsp;set four&nbsp;traps and&nbsp;headed home with visions of 4 beavers the next day. After all, given the amount of fresh sign, beavers had to be thick in this creek…&nbsp;or were&nbsp;they?&nbsp;Four days later, I&nbsp;had&nbsp;only1 large beaver to show for my enthusiasm. That year,&nbsp;I learned&nbsp;a valuable lesson about beaver trapping that I had&nbsp;long ago learned about hunting and trapping other species;&nbsp;the amount of sign left by our&nbsp;four-legged quarry is seldom a true picture of the number of critters.Some weeks&nbsp;after&nbsp;that, following a&nbsp;good tracking snow, I headed for the woods&nbsp;to see what the fresh snow could show me. My first stop was a&nbsp;30-acre&nbsp;soybean stubble field nestled along the river and surrounded by hedge trees on all sides. There were quite literally&nbsp;thousands of deer tracks criss-crossing that field! It looked like an elementary school&nbsp;playground after recess.&nbsp;Now I know there are lots of deer there, but are there thousands? Look under any bridge that crosses a stream and you’ll find&nbsp;literally hundreds of raccoon tracks in the mud. There are lots of raccoons in this part of Kansas, but again, do hundreds visit that bridge?&nbsp;I’m learning that the same is true of signs left by beavers along any waterway. Severed branches floating everywhere and chewed &amp; toppled trees by the dozens do not mean dozens of beavers.&nbsp;For starters,&nbsp;we need to consider that all mammals we hunt and trap have 4 legs, and 4 feet can leave a multitude of tracks in one night’s time. Secondly,&nbsp;animal’s&nbsp;lives revolve around survival, and a&nbsp;major part of that survival is foraging for food. Lots of steps&nbsp;are&nbsp;taken each night in pursuit of that, two-&nbsp;legged birds&nbsp;included.&nbsp;All of you who have watched deer browse or raccoons waddle along a stream know that they don’t stand in one place&nbsp;very long. Multiply&nbsp;their&nbsp;movements by&nbsp;eight&nbsp;hours&nbsp;or more&nbsp;and that’s a lot of tracks!&nbsp;If we were to freshly paint the floors and isles of our workplaces then observe the number of shoe&nbsp;prints there at the end of an&nbsp;eight-hour&nbsp;shift, we’d be amazed how many tracks just a few of&nbsp;us would make.&nbsp;Or if we could somehow count the number of&nbsp;human&nbsp;footprints&nbsp;in just one isle at the grocery store in one&nbsp;days’ time&nbsp;as&nbsp;shoppers wondered the store,&nbsp;it would be astounding, but would not be a true&nbsp;estimation&nbsp;of the number of shoppers.As a&nbsp;side&nbsp;note, I was recently asked&nbsp;how to tell the difference between a large dog track and the track of a big cat. Canine tracks, which include dogs, coyotes and foxes, are slightly long and narrow, and will show claw marks in the mud or snow,&nbsp;while any cat track will be rounder&nbsp;(look at the paw of a house or barn cat)&nbsp;and will show NO claw marks as&nbsp;all cats have&nbsp;retractable&nbsp;claws, and walk with them retracted.In the end, this all amounts to&nbsp;a few animals&nbsp;leaving a multitude of life-signs of various kinds. When scouting there is no better find&nbsp;than tracks and other signs left by our&nbsp;four- legged quarry. And while it is true that the more tracks and other signs&nbsp;you see, the more animals&nbsp;there are using&nbsp;that&nbsp;particular area, we just need to consider all the above when estimating&nbsp;wildlife numbers.&nbsp;So,&nbsp;to be on the conservative side, count the&nbsp;number of wildlife&nbsp;tracks and divide by four! Continue to Explore Kansas outdoors.Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at&nbsp;stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Count the tracks and divide by four

2023 Senate Scene Week 3 January 30, 2023<a> </a>

Last week the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation. The Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks. Hearings on bills in committees are continuing with the Senate returning to General Orders where we will see the first committee bills to have a vote from the entire Senate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Tuesday, January 24th, Governor Kelly gave her State of the State address, where she outlined her budget and priorities for Kansas which included tax cuts, increased funding to special education, water supply, Medicaid expansion, and the legalization of medical marijuana.&nbsp; The Governor’s agenda for this session had no surprises and several familiar themes. Governor Kelly reiterated her plans to “meet in the middle” with legislative leadership.&nbsp; She reiterated her desire to completely eliminate the food sales tax immediately, create a sales tax holiday for school supplies, and gradually cut taxes on Social Security income.&nbsp; The issue of cutting income tax on Social Security benefits is a positive first step as it has long been supported by legislatures over the years.&nbsp;&nbsp; The budget was released earlier in the month and Ways and Means has begun the process of sorting through the budget proposed by the governor’s office.&nbsp;

Earlier this week, hundreds of Kansans came out on a cold day for the annual March and Rally for Life at the Statehouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;On January 22, 1974, the first&nbsp;March For Life was held on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol. An estimated 20,000 committed pro-life Americans rallied this day with attendance numbers rising every year.&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition to the march and rally, events include workshops, pro-life educational booths, capitol tours, visiting legislators, and attending general legislative sessions and committees.

Two wind energy bills – SB46 and SB49 - received hearings in Senate Utilities last week.&nbsp; The bills are addressing&nbsp;light-mitigating technology systems and in particular&nbsp;ADLS&nbsp;(aircraft detection lighting system) which is a technology designed to reduce the impact of night-time&nbsp;lights.&nbsp; The latest radar-based&nbsp;system&nbsp;will only activate the&nbsp;lights&nbsp;when it detects low-flying aircraft nearby.&nbsp; SB49 will be for new construction moving forward and SB46 is retrospective for windfarms which are operating today.&nbsp; The goal of both bills will be to turn off the lights unless the radar system detects an aircraft. &nbsp;Each tower is also regulated by FAA for this technology and has the final approval at each location.&nbsp;

Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam announced that the report of the Wildfire Task Force is not complete but will be available soon.&nbsp; He noted that the primary focus areas are: 1. Increased funding for weather monitoring through the MESONET program of Kansas State University; 2. More accurate reporting of wildfires to access federal financial support; 3.&nbsp;<a>Investigate ways to support volunteer firefighters (tax exemptions etc.) and incentivize employers to support volunteer firefighters</a>; 4. Improve communications systems for volunteers; 5. Investigate and mitigate causes of fires; 6. Increase awareness of steps citizens may take to reduce risk of fire (discussion included elimination of plant materials around structures, allow burn mitigation practices on CRP acres etc.). Representative Troy Waymaster and I both serve on The Wildfire Task Force committee.&nbsp;

Kansas Chief Justice Marla Luckert recently created a new committee to study unmet legal need in rural Kansas. The ratio of attorneys to population in Kansas ranges from two for every 535 residents in urban areas to one for every 808 residents in rural areas. Eighty percent of Kansas attorneys live in six urban counties — Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee, and Wyandotte — which make up about half the state’s population. Citing American Bar Association data, 40% of all counties in the United States — 1,272 of 3,141 — have fewer than one lawyer per 1,000 residents. There are about four lawyers for every 1,000 residents nationally. Forty-three percent&nbsp;of Kansans live in rural areas, but only 20% of Kansas attorneys live in rural communities. This leaves an attorneys-to-population-ratio of one active attorney for every 808 residents. In contrast, Kansans in urban areas have two active attorneys for every 535 residents.&nbsp; This is a select committee I was assigned to and I am looking forward to working with the Judicial branch and others in our 18-month time frame to offer solutions for this problem which also exists in other states across the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The next meeting will be held February 10th, 2023.

Kansas Day and Senate District #36

January 29th&nbsp;of 2023 marked the 162th&nbsp;anniversary of President James Buchanan signing a bill to make Kansas the 34th&nbsp;state of the United States of America.&nbsp; Kansas is named for the Kansa, the Algonquian word for the Kaw.&nbsp;&nbsp; Kansas is full of rich history, beautiful scenes of nature, and notable landmarks.&nbsp; In Kansas Senate District 36, we have remarkable landmarks such as memorial to Pony Express Riders in Marshall County, the Nazareth Motherhouse in Concordia, Rock City outside of Minneapolis, and the “Home on the Range Cabin” in Smith County, birthplace of our state song.&nbsp; “Home on the Range” was adopted by the Kansas State Legislature as the official state song on June 30, 1947.&nbsp; Along with our state song, Kansas has not one, but two official state marches, “The Kansas March” and “Here’s Kansas.”&nbsp; But while the marches are grand, nothing brings as much pride into the hearts of the residents of the Sunflower State as that of seeing our great flag dancing in the breeze.&nbsp; The flag was designed by Hazel Avery of Lincoln County in 1925.&nbsp; Directly in the center on the field of blue is the Great Seal of the State of Kansas with our motto arching near the top: “Ad Astra Per Aspera” to the stars through difficulties. The flag was modified in 1961 by a bill introduced by Senator Ross Doyen of Concordia to add the word “KANSAS.”

VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF KANSAS -&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansas.gov/" target="_blank">www.kansas.gov</a>

You can find a wealth of information at this well-designed website which focuses on Kansas with topics of business, education, government, residents, and services with links to agencies and staff to help answer any question you might have.&nbsp; Webfile will take you directly to the Department of Revenue to file your taxes; Form finder will take you to the Secretary of State’s office for all types of forms for businesses; Learning Quest will direct you to the State Treasurer’s Office; the three branches of Government; and Plan your Trip to Kansas will open to the Department of Wildlife and Parks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas residents can access information on legislation, legislative procedure, state government, public policy issues, and more by calling 1-800-432-3924.&nbsp; Calls are answered by experienced reference/research librarians at the State Library of Kansas and kept confidential.&nbsp; Lines are open weekdays 8 a.m. -5 p.m.&nbsp; Callers can also leave brief messages to be delivered to legislators as well as request copies of bills, journals, and other legislative documents.&nbsp; Questions can also be left at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:infodesk@ks.gov" target="_blank">infodesk@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;on weekends and evenings.&nbsp; Kansans can now chat with a librarian in real-time through the library’s Ask A Librarian service found at kslib.info/ask. You will have the option of installing a mobile app connecting users to all the State Library’s services, including chat, texting, and email.&nbsp; Text questions to 785-256-0733.&nbsp; The State Library is located on the 3rd floor, north wing of the Capitol.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644853578448.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>2023 Senate Scene Week 3 January 30, 2023<a> </a>SENATE HAPPENINGSLast week the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation. The Ways and Means Committee is starting to work the budget bill with subcommittee meetings to report to the full committee in a few weeks. Hearings on bills in committees are continuing with the Senate returning to General Orders where we will see the first committee bills to have a vote from the entire Senate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a>STATE OF THE STATE</a>On Tuesday, January 24th, Governor Kelly gave her State of the State address, where she outlined her budget and priorities for Kansas which included tax cuts, increased funding to special education, water supply, Medicaid expansion, and the legalization of medical marijuana.&nbsp; The Governor’s agenda for this session had no surprises and several familiar themes. Governor Kelly reiterated her plans to “meet in the middle” with legislative leadership.&nbsp; She reiterated her desire to completely eliminate the food sales tax immediately, create a sales tax holiday for school supplies, and gradually cut taxes on Social Security income.&nbsp; The issue of cutting income tax on Social Security benefits is a positive first step as it has long been supported by legislatures over the years.&nbsp;&nbsp; The budget was released earlier in the month and Ways and Means has begun the process of sorting through the budget proposed by the governor’s office.&nbsp;MARCH AND RALLY FOR LIFEEarlier this week, hundreds of Kansans came out on a cold day for the annual March and Rally for Life at the Statehouse.&nbsp;&nbsp;On January 22, 1974, the first&nbsp;March For Life was held on the west steps of the U.S. Capitol. An estimated 20,000 committed pro-life Americans rallied this day with attendance numbers rising every year.&nbsp;&nbsp;In addition to the march and rally, events include workshops, pro-life educational booths, capitol tours, visiting legislators, and attending general legislative sessions and committees.SENATE UTILITY COMMITTEETwo wind energy bills – SB46 and SB49 - received hearings in Senate Utilities last week.&nbsp; The bills are addressing&nbsp;light-mitigating technology systems and in particular&nbsp;ADLS&nbsp;(aircraft detection lighting system) which is a technology designed to reduce the impact of night-time&nbsp;lights.&nbsp; The latest radar-based&nbsp;system&nbsp;will only activate the&nbsp;lights&nbsp;when it detects low-flying aircraft nearby.&nbsp; SB49 will be for new construction moving forward and SB46 is retrospective for windfarms which are operating today.&nbsp; The goal of both bills will be to turn off the lights unless the radar system detects an aircraft. &nbsp;Each tower is also regulated by FAA for this technology and has the final approval at each location.&nbsp;<a>WILDFIRE TASK FORCE</a>Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam announced that the report of the Wildfire Task Force is not complete but will be available soon.&nbsp; He noted that the primary focus areas are: 1. Increased funding for weather monitoring through the MESONET program of Kansas State University; 2. More accurate reporting of wildfires to access federal financial support; 3.&nbsp;<a>Investigate ways to support volunteer firefighters (tax exemptions etc.) and incentivize employers to support volunteer firefighters</a>; 4. Improve communications systems for volunteers; 5. Investigate and mitigate causes of fires; 6. Increase awareness of steps citizens may take to reduce risk of fire (discussion included elimination of plant materials around structures, allow burn mitigation practices on CRP acres etc.). Representative Troy Waymaster and I both serve on The Wildfire Task Force committee.&nbsp;RURAL KANSAS LAWYER SHORTAGEKansas Chief Justice Marla Luckert recently created a new committee to study unmet legal need in rural Kansas. The ratio of attorneys to population in Kansas ranges from two for every 535 residents in urban areas to one for every 808 residents in rural areas. Eighty percent of Kansas attorneys live in six urban counties — Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee, and Wyandotte — which make up about half the state’s population. Citing American Bar Association data, 40% of all counties in the United States — 1,272 of 3,141 — have fewer than one lawyer per 1,000 residents. There are about four lawyers for every 1,000 residents nationally. Forty-three percent&nbsp;of Kansans live in rural areas, but only 20% of Kansas attorneys live in rural communities. This leaves an attorneys-to-population-ratio of one active attorney for every 808 residents. In contrast, Kansans in urban areas have two active attorneys for every 535 residents.&nbsp; This is a select committee I was assigned to and I am looking forward to working with the Judicial branch and others in our 18-month time frame to offer solutions for this problem which also exists in other states across the nation.&nbsp;&nbsp;The next meeting will be held February 10th, 2023.Kansas Day and Senate District #36January 29th&nbsp;of 2023 marked the 162th&nbsp;anniversary of President James Buchanan signing a bill to make Kansas the 34th&nbsp;state of the United States of America.&nbsp; Kansas is named for the Kansa, the Algonquian word for the Kaw.&nbsp;&nbsp; Kansas is full of rich history, beautiful scenes of nature, and notable landmarks.&nbsp; In Kansas Senate District 36, we have remarkable landmarks such as memorial to Pony Express Riders in Marshall County, the Nazareth Motherhouse in Concordia, Rock City outside of Minneapolis, and the “Home on the Range Cabin” in Smith County, birthplace of our state song.&nbsp; “Home on the Range” was adopted by the Kansas State Legislature as the official state song on June 30, 1947.&nbsp; Along with our state song, Kansas has not one, but two official state marches, “The Kansas March” and “Here’s Kansas.”&nbsp; But while the marches are grand, nothing brings as much pride into the hearts of the residents of the Sunflower State as that of seeing our great flag dancing in the breeze.&nbsp; The flag was designed by Hazel Avery of Lincoln County in 1925.&nbsp; Directly in the center on the field of blue is the Great Seal of the State of Kansas with our motto arching near the top: “Ad Astra Per Aspera” to the stars through difficulties. The flag was modified in 1961 by a bill introduced by Senator Ross Doyen of Concordia to add the word “KANSAS.”VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF KANSAS -&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansas.gov/" target="_blank">www.kansas.gov</a>You can find a wealth of information at this well-designed website which focuses on Kansas with topics of business, education, government, residents, and services with links to agencies and staff to help answer any question you might have.&nbsp; Webfile will take you directly to the Department of Revenue to file your taxes; Form finder will take you to the Secretary of State’s office for all types of forms for businesses; Learning Quest will direct you to the State Treasurer’s Office; the three branches of Government; and Plan your Trip to Kansas will open to the Department of Wildlife and Parks.&nbsp;&nbsp;TOLL-FREE LEGISLATIVE HOTLINEKansas residents can access information on legislation, legislative procedure, state government, public policy issues, and more by calling 1-800-432-3924.&nbsp; Calls are answered by experienced reference/research librarians at the State Library of Kansas and kept confidential.&nbsp; Lines are open weekdays 8 a.m. -5 p.m.&nbsp; Callers can also leave brief messages to be delivered to legislators as well as request copies of bills, journals, and other legislative documents.&nbsp; Questions can also be left at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:infodesk@ks.gov" target="_blank">infodesk@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;on weekends and evenings.&nbsp; Kansans can now chat with a librarian in real-time through the library’s Ask A Librarian service found at kslib.info/ask. You will have the option of installing a mobile app connecting users to all the State Library’s services, including chat, texting, and email.&nbsp; Text questions to 785-256-0733.&nbsp; The State Library is located on the 3rd floor, north wing of the Capitol.&nbsp;Thank you for the honor of serving you!Senator Elaine Bowers Kansas State Capitol Building Room 223-E 300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <a href="https://elainebowers.com/" target="_blank">https://elainebowers.com/</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a> Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is senator of the 36th District in Kansas which includes: * Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville; Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek, Herkimer and Logan * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg; Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom, Glenwood, Greenwood, Plum, Rushville, Solomon (part), Sumner, Valley and Walnut

BOWERS: 2023 Senate Scene, Week 3

Senator Rick Billinger Newsletter January 30, 2023

Last week, hundreds of Kansans came out on a cold day for the annual March and Rally for Life at the Statehouse. Senator Masterson addressed the crowd and further committed us to a culture of life, telling those gathered that, “It will be a cold day in you-know-what before we stop fighting to protect women and children, including unborn children.” Republicans will continue to support a culture of life in Kansas and work to reduce abortions through support for crisis pregnancy centers and preserving protections currently in law that are supported by the vast majority of Kansans.

A bill of interest to our rural committees is SB13. This bill will allow local broadcast companies to broadcast sporting events for our rural schools. Currently KSHSAA (Kansas State High School Activities Association) has contracted with NFHS network to broadcast sporting events across the state of Kansas. The contract with NFHS prohibits local broadcasters from broadcasting regular and post season activities. The proposed SB13 would allow local broadcasters to broadcast regular season activities and post season activities. Rural broadcasters have been denied access to stream or broadcast sporting activities when a school has contracted with NFHS. When a school is contracted with NFHS our listeners are then required to pay a fee to listen to their favorite team play.

The Local Government Committee is working on a bill which would allow county commissioners to appoint members to a hospital board who would reside in adjoining counties. Many times, in rural communities finding people who are willing to serve on boards, including hospital boards is difficult to accomplish.

This week the Senate Ways and Means Committee will start with subcommittee hearings on the budget. The budget committee plans to focus this session on paying of debt, putting additional money into the rainy-day fund, looking at bonds that are payable and finding opportunities to use federal dollars to fund onetime expenses.

My office has several dates available for 6th&nbsp;graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available:

February 6, 13, 20 or March 6th. Please contact Donna at 785-296-7399 to reserve a date.

I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th&nbsp;Senate District in Kansas. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me by email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call me with your questions or concerns, my office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644852447177.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist. File photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Senator Rick Billinger Newsletter January 30, 2023Last week, hundreds of Kansans came out on a cold day for the annual March and Rally for Life at the Statehouse. Senator Masterson addressed the crowd and further committed us to a culture of life, telling those gathered that, “It will be a cold day in you-know-what before we stop fighting to protect women and children, including unborn children.” Republicans will continue to support a culture of life in Kansas and work to reduce abortions through support for crisis pregnancy centers and preserving protections currently in law that are supported by the vast majority of Kansans.A bill of interest to our rural committees is SB13. This bill will allow local broadcast companies to broadcast sporting events for our rural schools. Currently KSHSAA (Kansas State High School Activities Association) has contracted with NFHS network to broadcast sporting events across the state of Kansas. The contract with NFHS prohibits local broadcasters from broadcasting regular and post season activities. The proposed SB13 would allow local broadcasters to broadcast regular season activities and post season activities. Rural broadcasters have been denied access to stream or broadcast sporting activities when a school has contracted with NFHS. When a school is contracted with NFHS our listeners are then required to pay a fee to listen to their favorite team play.The Local Government Committee is working on a bill which would allow county commissioners to appoint members to a hospital board who would reside in adjoining counties. Many times, in rural communities finding people who are willing to serve on boards, including hospital boards is difficult to accomplish.This week the Senate Ways and Means Committee will start with subcommittee hearings on the budget. The budget committee plans to focus this session on paying of debt, putting additional money into the rainy-day fund, looking at bonds that are payable and finding opportunities to use federal dollars to fund onetime expenses.My office has several dates available for 6th&nbsp;graders through high school to serve as a page. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If your child is interested in being a page for my office the following dates are available:February 6, 13, 20 or March 6th. Please contact Donna at 785-296-7399 to reserve a date.I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th&nbsp;Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">rick.billinger@senate.ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call me with your questions or concerns, my office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.Rick Billingr, R-Goodland, is the 40th District senator which includes:* Cheyenne, Decatur, Ellis, Gove, Graham, Logan, Norton, Rawlins,&nbsp;Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace counties * Phillips County: Cities: Logan, Long Island, Prairie View, Speed;&nbsp;Townships: Beaver, Belmont, Dayton, Granite, Logan, Long Island, Mound, Plainview, Prairie View,&nbsp;Solomon (part) and Towanda

BILLINGER: Senate Update, Jan. 30, 2023

By TISA MASON, BEN SCHEARS and ERIC BURK FHSU, Northwest Tech and NCK Tech presidents

Fort Hays State University, North Central Kansas Technical College, and Northwest Kansas Technical College have long been beacons of opportunity and drivers of economic prosperity in rural Kansas. We, the three presidents and creators of a new institutional affiliation initiative, believe it is now more essential than ever that every Kansan must have a chance to develop their talents, skills, and interests fully.&nbsp;

Our affiliation initiative was created to deliver solutions for rural Kansas. These include the development of market-smart academic programs, integrated student services, and leveraging new efficiencies and optimizations that reduce unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to student success. We will also create a powerful coalition of businesses, industries, and communities focused on increasing opportunities for our students, expanding entrepreneurship, and meeting local workforce development needs.

You may ask why this affiliation and why now? Simply put, our institutions exist to serve our students and communities. This is the true north that guides all of our work. Our shared responsibility is to recognize and embrace our role in creating opportunities for rural Kansans and their communities. Today and in the days ahead, our communities face significant demographic and economic challenges, including:&nbsp;

•A shrinking rural population:&nbsp;Experts from the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State forecast a 33 percent decline in rural populations in Kansas by 2064.&nbsp;•An aging workforce:&nbsp;According to the Administration on Aging, more than one-half-million people in Kansas are now over 60. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts nearly 25 percent of the state’s population will be 60 or older by 2030.•A decline in the number of college-bound students in rural Kansas:&nbsp;According to a 2018 report titled&nbsp;Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education, Kansas will see a 15 percent drop in college-going students by 2029.

The economic impact of these demographic changes is unfortunately straightforward: a declining workforce means a declining rural Kansas economy.

As we work to implement our initiative, our primary focus will be to deliver better and more effective solutions for the students, businesses, and communities we serve.&nbsp;

For students, our efforts will focus on increasing access and creating new pathways to achieve our students’ educational goals. These include opportunities to earn a certificate, secure stackable credentials, or earn an associate, bachelor, or graduate degree.&nbsp;

We also will create new hands-on learning opportunities, expand career networks, and deliver integrated professional advising services that help students navigate what we expect to be an expanding range of choices and options.&nbsp;&nbsp;

For employers, the partnership will grow the talent pipeline, create more experiential learning partnerships, and allow employers to shape how those programs are developed and delivered. Employers will also benefit from expanding access to employee professional/workforce development programs and services ranging from training and consulting programs to continuing education opportunities.&nbsp;

This affiliation will create opportunities for employers to engage with and assess prospective employees through micro internships and “earn as you learn” programs.&nbsp;These programs will allow employers to&nbsp;recruit and train future employees who are job and work-culture-ready on day one. Our initial academic pilot programs in agriculture, nursing, and construction were selected purposefully to address critical workforce needs in rural Kansas.

This affiliation will build stronger communities by addressing our demographic and workforce challenges. Our efforts will keep our graduates local so they can contribute to the vitality of our region through the careers they build and through their many contributions to the economic, social, and civic health of our hometowns.

To turn the tide against the threats facing our rural communities, we will need your help. Join us as we work to identify new opportunities and strengthen our ties to the communities we serve.

Each of our institutions is prepared to pursue this initiative from a position of strength and at a time when the challenges we face may be proactively addressed. Our efforts will forge stronger connections between our three institutions, our students, and the communities, businesses, and industries we serve.&nbsp;This affiliation initiative is the right move at the right time.

Follow our strategic affiliation initiative and share your feedback and questions online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/president/affiliation/">fhsu.edu/affiliation</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675012264290.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By TISA MASON, BEN SCHEARS and ERIC BURK FHSU, Northwest Tech and NCK Tech presidentsFort Hays State University, North Central Kansas Technical College, and Northwest Kansas Technical College have long been beacons of opportunity and drivers of economic prosperity in rural Kansas. We, the three presidents and creators of a new institutional affiliation initiative, believe it is now more essential than ever that every Kansan must have a chance to develop their talents, skills, and interests fully.&nbsp;Our affiliation initiative was created to deliver solutions for rural Kansas. These include the development of market-smart academic programs, integrated student services, and leveraging new efficiencies and optimizations that reduce unnecessary bureaucratic barriers to student success. We will also create a powerful coalition of businesses, industries, and communities focused on increasing opportunities for our students, expanding entrepreneurship, and meeting local workforce development needs.You may ask why this affiliation and why now? Simply put, our institutions exist to serve our students and communities. This is the true north that guides all of our work. Our shared responsibility is to recognize and embrace our role in creating opportunities for rural Kansans and their communities. Today and in the days ahead, our communities face significant demographic and economic challenges, including:&nbsp;•A shrinking rural population:&nbsp;Experts from the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State forecast a 33 percent decline in rural populations in Kansas by 2064.&nbsp;•An aging workforce:&nbsp;According to the Administration on Aging, more than one-half-million people in Kansas are now over 60. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts nearly 25 percent of the state’s population will be 60 or older by 2030.•A decline in the number of college-bound students in rural Kansas:&nbsp;According to a 2018 report titled&nbsp;Demographics and the Demand for Higher Education, Kansas will see a 15 percent drop in college-going students by 2029.The economic impact of these demographic changes is unfortunately straightforward: a declining workforce means a declining rural Kansas economy.As we work to implement our initiative, our primary focus will be to deliver better and more effective solutions for the students, businesses, and communities we serve.&nbsp;For students, our efforts will focus on increasing access and creating new pathways to achieve our students’ educational goals. These include opportunities to earn a certificate, secure stackable credentials, or earn an associate, bachelor, or graduate degree.&nbsp;We also will create new hands-on learning opportunities, expand career networks, and deliver integrated professional advising services that help students navigate what we expect to be an expanding range of choices and options.&nbsp;&nbsp;For employers, the partnership will grow the talent pipeline, create more experiential learning partnerships, and allow employers to shape how those programs are developed and delivered. Employers will also benefit from expanding access to employee professional/workforce development programs and services ranging from training and consulting programs to continuing education opportunities.&nbsp;This affiliation will create opportunities for employers to engage with and assess prospective employees through micro internships and “earn as you learn” programs.&nbsp;These programs will allow employers to&nbsp;recruit and train future employees who are job and work-culture-ready on day one. Our initial academic pilot programs in agriculture, nursing, and construction were selected purposefully to address critical workforce needs in rural Kansas.This affiliation will build stronger communities by addressing our demographic and workforce challenges. Our efforts will keep our graduates local so they can contribute to the vitality of our region through the careers they build and through their many contributions to the economic, social, and civic health of our hometowns.To turn the tide against the threats facing our rural communities, we will need your help. Join us as we work to identify new opportunities and strengthen our ties to the communities we serve.Each of our institutions is prepared to pursue this initiative from a position of strength and at a time when the challenges we face may be proactively addressed. Our efforts will forge stronger connections between our three institutions, our students, and the communities, businesses, and industries we serve.&nbsp;This affiliation initiative is the right move at the right time.Follow our strategic affiliation initiative and share your feedback and questions online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/president/affiliation/">fhsu.edu/affiliation</a>.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

Presidents: Affiliation plan a powerful step forward for rural Kansas

One of the simplest ways to define politics is as a struggle for power.

This power struggle has flared up again. The legislature began their 2023 session by introducing a bill that would further disrupt the current power division between state and local and also undermine Kansas voters.

Often, in Topeka, this is a struggle between parties — Republicans versus Democrats — or between branches — the legislature versus the governor. But more and more often over the past few years we have seen the struggle for power play out as state government versus local government.

As you may recall, following the outbreak of COVID-19, the state legislature restricted localities’ ability to respond to the pandemic.

Last year, the state legislature also banned cities from declaring themselves “sanctuary cities” and from restricting single-use items such as bags, cups, and other packaging made of plastic — Governor Kelly signed the former and vetoed the latter.

Now, under current Kansas law, localities cannot regulate abortion services. That power is left to the state alone. This law was originally put in place to prevent certain cities from making access to abortion easier than could be found under state law.&nbsp;

Now however, following the state Supreme Court’s 2019&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;decision and the failure of the “Value Them Both” amendment last August, it effectively prevents cities from restricting access to abortion services in opposition to the statewide constitutional protection.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633377761670.jpeg" alt="Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University." />
 <figcaption>Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the simplest ways to define politics is as a struggle for power.This power struggle has flared up again. The legislature began their 2023 session by introducing a bill that would further disrupt the current power division between state and local and also undermine Kansas voters.Often, in Topeka, this is a struggle between parties — Republicans versus Democrats — or between branches — the legislature versus the governor. But more and more often over the past few years we have seen the struggle for power play out as state government versus local government.As you may recall, following the outbreak of COVID-19, the state legislature restricted localities’ ability to respond to the pandemic.Last year, the state legislature also banned cities from declaring themselves “sanctuary cities” and from restricting single-use items such as bags, cups, and other packaging made of plastic — Governor Kelly signed the former and vetoed the latter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Now, under current Kansas law, localities cannot regulate abortion services. That power is left to the state alone. This law was originally put in place to prevent certain cities from making access to abortion easier than could be found under state law.&nbsp;Now however, following the state Supreme Court’s 2019&nbsp;Hodes&nbsp;decision and the failure of the “Value Them Both” amendment last August, it effectively prevents cities from restricting access to abortion services in opposition to the statewide constitutional protection.Legislation has been introduced that would repeal this law, allowing localities to ban abortion.On August 2, 2022, Kansans spoke loud and clear about their desire to protect access to abortion services in our state. The “Value Them Both” amendment was a resounding failure.Not only does this bill show a lack of respect for the large number of voters who made their voices heard last August, but also for Home Rule, which is protected in the state constitution. Should it pass it would further establish a precedent that localities can be used as political pawns at the whims of the legislature.Any restrictions would still be unconstitutional under the state constitution, but would set the stage for localities to challenge the state and create yet another power tug of war.Kansans made their position clear twice last election cycle, in both the primary and the general election. They don’t want to increase the legislature’s power.Across our country and our state, trust in government is at an all time low precisely because of actions such as these.In the 2022 Kansas Speaks public opinion survey distributed by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University, a mere thirty-one percent of Kansans expressed satisfaction with the performance of the state legislature.And yet, legislators are supposed to be representing our voice in government.As we celebrate Kansas Day on January 29, let’s not forget the long struggle for home rule and popular sovereignty that led to our statehood.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

Opinion