By GLENN BRUNKOW Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher Last week I had the privilege of being at my Kansas Farm Bureau district’s issue surfacing meeting. We had a great meeting with very good attendance and a lively discussion of issues affecting farmers and ranchers in northeast Kansas. I would hate to say how many issue surfacing meetings I have attended, but I look forward to them each and every year because they are the very epitome of what Kansas Farm Bureau is about. Just the week before I was explaining to a friend about how Farm Bureau’s policy development process works. It’s an explanation I have given many times over the years, and one I never get tired of sharing. Explaining how we do things also makes me so proud that our organization truly is one that works at a grassroots level. The policy development process for Farm Bureau can be kind of clunky. &nbsp;It is never fast, but it is truly driven by the members in each county. At our meeting last week, I saw fellow members bring forth issues affecting them and their operations each and every day. Some were issues I am familiar with, but others were topics that I had not thought of. &nbsp;Everything discussed was important and relevant to individual members. That every part of our policy started out as an issue surfaced by a member is something we should be proud of, and it should be the core of what we do. We should never lose sight that the most important part of our policy development are the needs of our members at the county level. An idea is brought forth at an issue surfacing meeting and then it is researched, discussed and policy is molded by Kansas Farm Bureau’s Resolutions Committee. Then in the fall, the refined policy proposal is brought to the membership that surfaced it to make sure it meets their expectations and needs. Finally, the proposed policy is discussed and voted on by our delegates at the Kansas Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. Then, and only then, is it part of our policy that will guide our work with legislators and other organizations. I know I am repeating this to most of you involved in Farm Bureau, but it is a good refresher to remind us that all policy comes from our grassroots. Those grassroots are the foundation and the strength of Kansas Farm Bureau. It is what makes us the most powerful general farm organization in Kansas and across the country. It is the power of millions of members coming together to represent agriculture. If you have been part of this process, thank you and keep up the good work. If you are a member and have not participated in the process, I urge you to take part either this spring or next fall. The truth is that we need every member to be a part of our policy development; we need your perspective, your unique viewpoint and, most importantly, your input. Contact your county office and find out how to get involved and then make the commitment, I promise you won’t regret it.

"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 County farmer and rancher Last week I had the privilege of being at my Kansas Farm Bureau district’s issue surfacing meeting. We had a great meeting with very good attendance and a lively discussion of issues affecting farmers and ranchers in northeast Kansas. I would hate to say how many issue surfacing meetings I have attended, but I look forward to them each and every year because they are the very epitome of what Kansas Farm Bureau is about. Just the week before I was explaining to a friend about how Farm Bureau’s policy development process works. It’s an explanation I have given many times over the years, and one I never get tired of sharing. Explaining how we do things also makes me so proud that our organization truly is one that works at a grassroots level. The policy development process for Farm Bureau can be kind of clunky. &nbsp;It is never fast, but it is truly driven by the members in each county. At our meeting last week, I saw fellow members bring forth issues affecting them and their operations each and every day. Some were issues I am familiar with, but others were topics that I had not thought of. &nbsp;Everything discussed was important and relevant to individual members. That every part of our policy started out as an issue surfaced by a member is something we should be proud of, and it should be the core of what we do. We should never lose sight that the most important part of our policy development are the needs of our members at the county level. An idea is brought forth at an issue surfacing meeting and then it is researched, discussed and policy is molded by Kansas Farm Bureau’s Resolutions Committee. Then in the fall, the refined policy proposal is brought to the membership that surfaced it to make sure it meets their expectations and needs. Finally, the proposed policy is discussed and voted on by our delegates at the Kansas Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. Then, and only then, is it part of our policy that will guide our work with legislators and other organizations. I know I am repeating this to most of you involved in Farm Bureau, but it is a good refresher to remind us that all policy comes from our grassroots. Those grassroots are the foundation and the strength of Kansas Farm Bureau. It is what makes us the most powerful general farm organization in Kansas and across the country. It is the power of millions of members coming together to represent agriculture. If you have been part of this process, thank you and keep up the good work. If you are a member and have not participated in the process, I urge you to take part either this spring or next fall. The truth is that we need every member to be a part of our policy development; we need your perspective, your unique viewpoint and, most importantly, your input. Contact your county office and find out how to get involved and then make the commitment, I promise you won’t regret it. "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: Proposing policies

By VICTOR MATHESON <a href="https://theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a>

“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball,” second baseman Rogers Hornsby <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1074319018415267841?lang=en">once said</a>. “I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”

For a while, it was looking like the start of spring would come and go without any baseball on the horizon.

But just when <a target="_blank" href="https://thecomeback.com/mlb/fans-react-mlb-lockout-rob-manfred.html">fan morale was at its nadir</a>, Major League Baseball announced <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2022/03/10/with-mlb-lockout-over-here-are-all-the-details-of-new-2022-26-labor-deal/?sh=3439736f23e2">a five-year agreement with its players</a>, ending the second-longest labor interruption in MLB history. Now, April 7, 2022, will serve as most teams’ opening day.

<a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jR65pQoAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Sports economists like me</a> have long studied labor disruptions in sports. In this dispute – the first major one in baseball <a target="_blank" href="https://www.si.com/mlb/indians/opinion/reliving-the-1994-mlb-strike-as-2022-labor-negotiations-continue">since the mid-1990s</a>
 – player grievances largely centered on two issues: the length of time 
it takes them to reach free agency and the lack of a payroll floor. Both
 policies suppressed their salaries despite the fact that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/193466/total-league-revenue-of-the-mlb-since-2005/">league revenues have grown in recent years</a>.

The new collective bargaining agreement takes some important steps 
toward correcting these problems. But it mostly just pushes the big 
issues another five years down the track. The deal also leaves baseball 
players with a fundamentally different – and very likely worse – 
arrangement than their counterparts in the other major American sports 
leagues have

MLB requires players to be on a big league roster for six years before they’re allowed to hit <a target="_blank" href="https://franchisesports.co.uk/mlb-free-agency-explained/">free agency</a> and negotiate a salary with any team of their choosing. In the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nba.com/news/free-agency-explained">NBA</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://operations.nfl.com/updates/football-ops/2021-nfl-free-agency-questions-answers/">NFL</a>,
 players need to play for only four years before they become free 
agents. And unlike football and basketball – sports in which players 
usually go straight from college to the pros – baseball players often 
spend several years in the minor leagues before getting called up to the
 Show. Those seasons don’t count toward the required service time for 
free agency.

Therefore, many players don’t get the right to freely negotiate for 
their services until they are in their late 20s or early 30s – ages at 
which many players are already past their prime.

In the period before free agency, players are bound to teams in ways 
that allow the teams to underpay them relative to their contributions to
 team success both on the field and for the team’s bottom line. For 
example, because he was in only his second season in the league, the 
Cleveland Guardians’ <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/biebesh01.shtml">Shane Bieber</a> earned just $231,000 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/shane-bieber-wins-2020-al-cy-young">despite winning the American League’s Cy Young Award</a>
 as the league’s best pitcher. In a market in which he could freely 
negotiate for his services, Bieber would have likely earned in excess of
 $20 million. But he won’t actually get the right to earn market value 
for his talents until 2025, at which point he will be nearly 30 years 
old.

Since most players’ <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070709131254.htm">MLB careers</a> are shorter than six years, the majority of players never make it through “lean” years to that big free-agency payoff.

These free-agency rules remain unchanged in the new agreement, although the league’s minimum salary has been increased from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33470321/sources-mlb-union-reach-tentative-agreement-new-cba-salvage-162-game-season">$570,500 to $700,000</a>
 and will grow to $780,000 by the end of the deal. Another $50 million 
will be distributed each season to players who have yet to reach salary <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/what-is-arbitration-mlb-what-does-it-mean-baseball-eligibility-process/1atg6pycmf69o1x5yy2v31o03w">arbitration</a>,
 a system that grants pre-free-agency players at least some level of 
bargaining power with their existing team. In addition, the agreement 
includes incentives to encourage teams to bring up players from the 
minor leagues somewhat earlier, which should result in some players 
achieving free agency at a younger age.

While these are welcome additions that will increase wages for MLB’s 
lowest-paid players by about 40%, the new amounts allocated to players 
still total less than 1% of MLB’s annual revenue.

The MLB is also unique in that players are not entitled to specified 
percentages of league revenues, and teams are not required to spend a 
minimum amount on payroll. The new agreement does little to change this 
structure.

In the NFL, for example, organizations must spend at least <a target="_blank" href="https://nflpa.com/posts/nfl-economics-101">48% of league revenue</a> on player compensation, and individual teams have a salary cap of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-sets-salary-cap-at-208-2-million-per-team-for-2022-season">$208.2 million in 2022</a>.
 They’re also obligated to spend at least 89% of the cap on salaries 
over the course of several seasons, which effectively creates a salary 
floor of roughly $185 million.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/193466/total-league-revenue-of-the-mlb-since-2005/">MLB revenues</a> rose 15%, from $9.03 billion in 2016 to $10.37 billion in 2019, while the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/236213/mean-salaray-of-players-in-majpr-league-baseball/">average salary</a> remained flat at $4.38 million, indicating that players were taking home a smaller piece of the economic pie.

Though revenue took a huge hit in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.libertymedia.com/investors/news-events/press-releases/detail/461/liberty-media-corporation-reports-fourth-quarter-and-year">some data suggests</a>
 that revenues in 2021 largely recovered to their pre-pandemic levels 
while average salaries fell nearly 5%. On top of that, the average 
figures are distorted by record-breaking contracts from just a handful 
of superstars. The <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/spotrac/status/1498823166650638336">median salary</a>
 of an MLB player fell from $1.65 million in 2015 to $1.15 million in 
2021 – a decline of over 30%. Over half of all players earn at or near 
the league’s minimum salary, since they are ineligible for either free 
agency or arbitration.

While MLB doesn’t have a salary cap that limits what teams can spend on players, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-mlb-cbt-explained-luxury-tax-20220304-rtmzefdymbcghll7vhsn42zqni-story.html">it does have a luxury tax</a>
 that penalizes teams that spend more than a certain amount on payroll. 
The luxury tax, which effectively serves as a soft salary cap, is set to
 increase from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-mlbpa-agree-to-cba">$210 to $230 million</a> in the new agreement, and will rise to $244 million by 2026.

However, since only eight teams exceeded the threshold even once 
between 2003 and 2019 – and only the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers have 
paid the luxury tax on a regular basis – this increase is unlikely to 
have a substantial impact on the wages paid to the typical player.

Most importantly, MLB teams – unlike their counterparts in other 
sports – have no salary floor. Such teams as the Orioles, Pirates and 
Marlins <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/">spend less on their entire active rosters</a>
 than some other teams spend on a single starting pitcher. These teams 
cycle through underpaid young players and then let them sign elsewhere 
when they’re eligible for free agency. Although these teams tend to be 
wildly unsuccessful on the field and at the ticket office, generous 
revenue sharing arrangements with the league <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/04/09/despite-lockdown-mlb-teams-gain-value-in-2020/?sh=5ec8e3002010">still allow them to make money</a>.

Nothing in the new agreement changes the incentives for these teams or provides relief for their long-suffering fans.

To me, the owners’ strategy was transparent. They knew the players 
had legitimate grievances that might result in a strike later in the 
season, so they wanted to force concessions as soon as possible, knowing
 that the players’ bargaining power would rise as the season progressed.
 A players strike right before playoffs in the fall would have inflicted
 the maximum pain on the owners.

Time was always on the owners’ side: Their careers as owners tend to 
be much longer than those of players, whose bodies are always aging.

Baseball junkies will notice <a target="_blank" href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/mlb-rules-changes-baseball-cba-deal-dh-pitch-clock-bases-postseason">several cosmetic changes</a>
 to the game right away: an expanded postseason, sponsor advertisements 
on jerseys and a designated hitter in the National League. The agreement
 also <a target="_blank" href="https://fansided.com/2022/03/10/mlb-lockout-new-rules-cba/">opens the door for rule changes in 2023</a>
 that include larger bases, limits on defensive shifts and a pitch 
clock. Other than some real improvements to the salaries for the 
league’s lowest-paid players, however, the economics of baseball’s 
underlying labor model remains as flawed as ever.

Nevertheless, for this summer – and for the next five years, at least
 – fans will be able to grab their peanuts and Cracker Jack and head out
 to the old ballgame.

This article is republished from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a>&nbsp;under a Creative Commons license. Read the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/mlbs-new-collective-bargaining-agreement-fails-to-address-players-biggest-grievances-178583">original article</a>.

Victor Matheson is a professor of economics and accounting at College of the Holy Cross in Worchester, Mass.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647369478369.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By VICTOR MATHESON <a href="https://theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a>“People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball,” second baseman Rogers Hornsby <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mlb/status/1074319018415267841?lang=en">once said</a>. “I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”For a while, it was looking like the start of spring would come and go without any baseball on the horizon.But just when <a target="_blank" href="https://thecomeback.com/mlb/fans-react-mlb-lockout-rob-manfred.html">fan morale was at its nadir</a>, Major League Baseball announced <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maurybrown/2022/03/10/with-mlb-lockout-over-here-are-all-the-details-of-new-2022-26-labor-deal/?sh=3439736f23e2">a five-year agreement with its players</a>, ending the second-longest labor interruption in MLB history. Now, April 7, 2022, will serve as most teams’ opening day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=jR65pQoAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">Sports economists like me</a> have long studied labor disruptions in sports. In this dispute – the first major one in baseball <a target="_blank" href="https://www.si.com/mlb/indians/opinion/reliving-the-1994-mlb-strike-as-2022-labor-negotiations-continue">since the mid-1990s</a>
 – player grievances largely centered on two issues: the length of time 
it takes them to reach free agency and the lack of a payroll floor. Both
 policies suppressed their salaries despite the fact that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/193466/total-league-revenue-of-the-mlb-since-2005/">league revenues have grown in recent years</a>.The new collective bargaining agreement takes some important steps 
toward correcting these problems. But it mostly just pushes the big 
issues another five years down the track. The deal also leaves baseball 
players with a fundamentally different – and very likely worse – 
arrangement than their counterparts in the other major American sports 
leagues have<h2>The indentured servants of pro sports</h2>MLB requires players to be on a big league roster for six years before they’re allowed to hit <a target="_blank" href="https://franchisesports.co.uk/mlb-free-agency-explained/">free agency</a> and negotiate a salary with any team of their choosing. In the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nba.com/news/free-agency-explained">NBA</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://operations.nfl.com/updates/football-ops/2021-nfl-free-agency-questions-answers/">NFL</a>,
 players need to play for only four years before they become free 
agents. And unlike football and basketball – sports in which players 
usually go straight from college to the pros – baseball players often 
spend several years in the minor leagues before getting called up to the
 Show. Those seasons don’t count toward the required service time for 
free agency.Therefore, many players don’t get the right to freely negotiate for 
their services until they are in their late 20s or early 30s – ages at 
which many players are already past their prime.In the period before free agency, players are bound to teams in ways 
that allow the teams to underpay them relative to their contributions to
 team success both on the field and for the team’s bottom line. For 
example, because he was in only his second season in the league, the 
Cleveland Guardians’ <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/biebesh01.shtml">Shane Bieber</a> earned just $231,000 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/shane-bieber-wins-2020-al-cy-young">despite winning the American League’s Cy Young Award</a>
 as the league’s best pitcher. In a market in which he could freely 
negotiate for his services, Bieber would have likely earned in excess of
 $20 million. But he won’t actually get the right to earn market value 
for his talents until 2025, at which point he will be nearly 30 years 
old.Since most players’ <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070709131254.htm">MLB careers</a> are shorter than six years, the majority of players never make it through “lean” years to that big free-agency payoff.These free-agency rules remain unchanged in the new agreement, although the league’s minimum salary has been increased from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/33470321/sources-mlb-union-reach-tentative-agreement-new-cba-salvage-162-game-season">$570,500 to $700,000</a>
 and will grow to $780,000 by the end of the deal. Another $50 million 
will be distributed each season to players who have yet to reach salary <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/news/what-is-arbitration-mlb-what-does-it-mean-baseball-eligibility-process/1atg6pycmf69o1x5yy2v31o03w">arbitration</a>,
 a system that grants pre-free-agency players at least some level of 
bargaining power with their existing team. In addition, the agreement 
includes incentives to encourage teams to bring up players from the 
minor leagues somewhat earlier, which should result in some players 
achieving free agency at a younger age.While these are welcome additions that will increase wages for MLB’s 
lowest-paid players by about 40%, the new amounts allocated to players 
still total less than 1% of MLB’s annual revenue.<h2>A soft cap – and no floor</h2>The MLB is also unique in that players are not entitled to specified 
percentages of league revenues, and teams are not required to spend a 
minimum amount on payroll. The new agreement does little to change this 
structure.In the NFL, for example, organizations must spend at least <a target="_blank" href="https://nflpa.com/posts/nfl-economics-101">48% of league revenue</a> on player compensation, and individual teams have a salary cap of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-sets-salary-cap-at-208-2-million-per-team-for-2022-season">$208.2 million in 2022</a>.
 They’re also obligated to spend at least 89% of the cap on salaries 
over the course of several seasons, which effectively creates a salary 
floor of roughly $185 million.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/193466/total-league-revenue-of-the-mlb-since-2005/">MLB revenues</a> rose 15%, from $9.03 billion in 2016 to $10.37 billion in 2019, while the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/236213/mean-salaray-of-players-in-majpr-league-baseball/">average salary</a> remained flat at $4.38 million, indicating that players were taking home a smaller piece of the economic pie.Though revenue took a huge hit in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.libertymedia.com/investors/news-events/press-releases/detail/461/liberty-media-corporation-reports-fourth-quarter-and-year">some data suggests</a>
 that revenues in 2021 largely recovered to their pre-pandemic levels 
while average salaries fell nearly 5%. On top of that, the average 
figures are distorted by record-breaking contracts from just a handful 
of superstars. The <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/spotrac/status/1498823166650638336">median salary</a>
 of an MLB player fell from $1.65 million in 2015 to $1.15 million in 
2021 – a decline of over 30%. Over half of all players earn at or near 
the league’s minimum salary, since they are ineligible for either free 
agency or arbitration.While MLB doesn’t have a salary cap that limits what teams can spend on players, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/mets/ny-mlb-cbt-explained-luxury-tax-20220304-rtmzefdymbcghll7vhsn42zqni-story.html">it does have a luxury tax</a>
 that penalizes teams that spend more than a certain amount on payroll. 
The luxury tax, which effectively serves as a soft salary cap, is set to
 increase from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-mlbpa-agree-to-cba">$210 to $230 million</a> in the new agreement, and will rise to $244 million by 2026.However, since only eight teams exceeded the threshold even once 
between 2003 and 2019 – and only the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers have 
paid the luxury tax on a regular basis – this increase is unlikely to 
have a substantial impact on the wages paid to the typical player.Most importantly, MLB teams – unlike their counterparts in other 
sports – have no salary floor. Such teams as the Orioles, Pirates and 
Marlins <a target="_blank" href="https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll/">spend less on their entire active rosters</a>
 than some other teams spend on a single starting pitcher. These teams 
cycle through underpaid young players and then let them sign elsewhere 
when they’re eligible for free agency. Although these teams tend to be 
wildly unsuccessful on the field and at the ticket office, generous 
revenue sharing arrangements with the league <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2020/04/09/despite-lockdown-mlb-teams-gain-value-in-2020/?sh=5ec8e3002010">still allow them to make money</a>.Nothing in the new agreement changes the incentives for these teams or provides relief for their long-suffering fans.<h2>Owners had time on their side</h2>To me, the owners’ strategy was transparent. They knew the players 
had legitimate grievances that might result in a strike later in the 
season, so they wanted to force concessions as soon as possible, knowing
 that the players’ bargaining power would rise as the season progressed.
 A players strike right before playoffs in the fall would have inflicted
 the maximum pain on the owners.Time was always on the owners’ side: Their careers as owners tend to 
be much longer than those of players, whose bodies are always aging.Baseball junkies will notice <a target="_blank" href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/lists/mlb-rules-changes-baseball-cba-deal-dh-pitch-clock-bases-postseason">several cosmetic changes</a>
 to the game right away: an expanded postseason, sponsor advertisements 
on jerseys and a designated hitter in the National League. The agreement
 also <a target="_blank" href="https://fansided.com/2022/03/10/mlb-lockout-new-rules-cba/">opens the door for rule changes in 2023</a>
 that include larger bases, limits on defensive shifts and a pitch 
clock. Other than some real improvements to the salaries for the 
league’s lowest-paid players, however, the economics of baseball’s 
underlying labor model remains as flawed as ever.Nevertheless, for this summer – and for the next five years, at least
 – fans will be able to grab their peanuts and Cracker Jack and head out
 to the old ballgame.This article is republished from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/">The Conversation</a>&nbsp;under a Creative Commons license. Read the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/mlbs-new-collective-bargaining-agreement-fails-to-address-players-biggest-grievances-178583">original article</a>.Victor Matheson is a professor of economics and accounting at College of the Holy Cross in Worchester, Mass.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

OPINION: MLB agreement fails to address players’ biggest grievances

Hello from Topeka. We are on schedule for first adjournment
on April 1st.

Since the beginning of the&nbsp;COVID-19 pandemic, the legislature has worked quickly to
provide responsive legislation to address&nbsp;concerns in both the healthcare and business industries.
This past week the House passed SB 286, with a&nbsp;vote of 102-17. SB 286 extends the expiration dates from
March 31, 2022 to January 20, 2023 for certain&nbsp;portions of the governmental response to the COVID-19
pandemic. 

• Expansion of telemedicine • Use of hospital beds and non-hospital space • Immunity from civil liability for health care providers
related to the COVID-19 public health • Immunity from civil liability for COVID-19 claims for businesses in substantial compliance with public health directives • Retroactivity provision regarding immunity from civil
liability • Bed usage by critical access hospitals

The House amended the bill to make adjustments to the healthcare
provider civil immunity provisions.&nbsp;The House further amended the bill to add provisions of HB
2620, which provides for protections for&nbsp;healthcare workers. The bill creates the crime of
interference with the conduct of a hospital and amends&nbsp;the crime of battery to include battery against a healthcare
worker. The bill was requested by a&nbsp;bipartisan group of legislators and was passed by the House
Judiciary Committee earlier this session. SB&nbsp;286 goes back to the Senate for consideration of the House
amendments.

Overwhelming support for ensuring long-term stability of
state retirees’ plan

Last week the House Insurance and Pensions Committee
recommended SB 421 favorably and the House&nbsp;endorsed the bill with a vote of 113-5. SB 421 contains the contents of HB 2561, which uses the budget&nbsp;surplus to stabilize the KPERS system, bringing KPERS above the recommended 80 percent funded level,&nbsp;lowering future costs for taxpayers by reducing the state’s share of employer contributions, and saving&nbsp;taxpayers $429 million over the next five years. During debate, Rep. Steven Johnson reminded the body&nbsp;about why it is essential to direct stabilization funding to the KPERS Trust Fund. He provided a historical&nbsp;snapshot of the extreme downturn in the economy just over a decade ago and relayed the importance&nbsp;of keeping the fund secure. Johnson referenced the 2009 KPERS Comprehensive Annual Financial&nbsp;Report. In just one year’s time the funded ratio plummeted from 70.8 percent to 59 percent, while the&nbsp;Unfunded Actuarial Liability ballooned from $5.55 billion to $8.28 billion. KPERS’ investment returns&nbsp;declined by 19.6 percent over the previous year. The Legislature has made strides to ensure that KPERS&nbsp;remains stable and to provide certainty so that it will be there for our teachers, our firefighters, and&nbsp;other public employees when they need it. SB 421 is an extremely important piece of legislation to&nbsp;continue that effort.

Each House session is opened with a prayer and the Pledge of
Allegiance. The House is blessed to be&nbsp;served by Chaplain Eunice Brubaker, who has served as House Chaplain since the 2007 Session. She is a&nbsp;cancer survivor and unfortunately is in the midst of another bout with cancer. In her absence&nbsp; last week,&nbsp;Rep. Steven Johnson delivered the following prayer:

Gracious God, We have so much for which to be thankful. We are thankful to be here. We are thankful for all you have given us. We pray that your providence be with those fighting in Ukraine,&nbsp;that your kingdom may be established and prevail there and throughout the world. May we all continually consider how our actions and words&nbsp;serve your kingdom above our earthly kingdoms. Today, we pray again for our sister Eunice, that your healing hand is upon her. In our journey together to the stars, we can only make it with Your great love and guidance. When hate, envy or deceit wells within or around us, help us to instead reflect Your love,&nbsp;understanding and truth. Amen.

You can follow along on happenings in the legislature online at kslegislature.org and you can watch committee meetings and when the House and Senate are on the floor on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel. If you would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My statehouse phone number is (785) 296-7463 and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.

Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp; Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644854972078.jpeg" alt="State Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>Hello from Topeka. We are on schedule for first adjournment
on April 1st. Since the beginning of the&nbsp;COVID-19 pandemic, the legislature has worked quickly to
provide responsive legislation to address&nbsp;concerns in both the healthcare and business industries.
This past week the House passed SB 286, with a&nbsp;vote of 102-17. SB 286 extends the expiration dates from
March 31, 2022 to January 20, 2023 for certain&nbsp;portions of the governmental response to the COVID-19
pandemic. Those provisions include: • Expansion of telemedicine • Use of hospital beds and non-hospital space • Immunity from civil liability for health care providers
related to the COVID-19 public health • Immunity from civil liability for COVID-19 claims for businesses in substantial compliance with public health directives • Retroactivity provision regarding immunity from civil
liability • Bed usage by critical access hospitalsThe House amended the bill to make adjustments to the healthcare
provider civil immunity provisions.&nbsp;The House further amended the bill to add provisions of HB
2620, which provides for protections for&nbsp;healthcare workers. The bill creates the crime of
interference with the conduct of a hospital and amends&nbsp;the crime of battery to include battery against a healthcare
worker. The bill was requested by a&nbsp;bipartisan group of legislators and was passed by the House
Judiciary Committee earlier this session. SB&nbsp;286 goes back to the Senate for consideration of the House
amendments.Overwhelming support for ensuring long-term stability of
state retirees’ planLast week the House Insurance and Pensions Committee
recommended SB 421 favorably and the House&nbsp;endorsed the bill with a vote of 113-5. SB 421 contains the contents of HB 2561, which uses the budget&nbsp;surplus to stabilize the KPERS system, bringing KPERS above the recommended 80 percent funded level,&nbsp;lowering future costs for taxpayers by reducing the state’s share of employer contributions, and saving&nbsp;taxpayers $429 million over the next five years. During debate, Rep. Steven Johnson reminded the body&nbsp;about why it is essential to direct stabilization funding to the KPERS Trust Fund. He provided a historical&nbsp;snapshot of the extreme downturn in the economy just over a decade ago and relayed the importance&nbsp;of keeping the fund secure. Johnson referenced the 2009 KPERS Comprehensive Annual Financial&nbsp;Report. In just one year’s time the funded ratio plummeted from 70.8 percent to 59 percent, while the&nbsp;Unfunded Actuarial Liability ballooned from $5.55 billion to $8.28 billion. KPERS’ investment returns&nbsp;declined by 19.6 percent over the previous year. The Legislature has made strides to ensure that KPERS&nbsp;remains stable and to provide certainty so that it will be there for our teachers, our firefighters, and&nbsp;other public employees when they need it. SB 421 is an extremely important piece of legislation to&nbsp;continue that effort.Legislative PrayerEach House session is opened with a prayer and the Pledge of
Allegiance. The House is blessed to be&nbsp;served by Chaplain Eunice Brubaker, who has served as House Chaplain since the 2007 Session. She is a&nbsp;cancer survivor and unfortunately is in the midst of another bout with cancer. In her absence&nbsp; last week,&nbsp;Rep. Steven Johnson delivered the following prayer:Gracious God, We have so much for which to be thankful. We are thankful to be here. We are thankful for all you have given us. We pray that your providence be with those fighting in Ukraine,&nbsp;that your kingdom may be established and prevail there and throughout the world. May we all continually consider how our actions and words&nbsp;serve your kingdom above our earthly kingdoms. Today, we pray again for our sister Eunice, that your healing hand is upon her. In our journey together to the stars, we can only make it with Your great love and guidance. When hate, envy or deceit wells within or around us, help us to instead reflect Your love,&nbsp;understanding and truth. Amen.You can follow along on happenings in the legislature online at kslegislature.org and you can watch committee meetings and when the House and Senate are on the floor on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube channel. If you would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My statehouse phone number is (785) 296-7463 and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at (785) 302-8416.It is my honor to serve you.Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp; Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

RAHJES REPORT: March 14, 2022

Senate Committees continued to review bills which have been sent over from the House and we had two days of General Orders last week in the Senate.&nbsp; As we work though committee bills on the floor, we will also begin to have&nbsp;Conference Committee reports to vote on as well.&nbsp; A Conference Committee is a small, bipartisan and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House’s and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the Conference Committee comes to a compromise, the committee’s version of the bill will be sent to both the House and the Senate for a final vote, before advancing the bill to the Governor’s desk.&nbsp;

The Senate confirmed the appointments of Angela Coble - a Plainville native - to the Kansas Court of Appeals and Janet Stanek as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment.

SB282&nbsp;offers a series of tax credits in addition to property tax relief for Kansans. The components of the bill included:

Aviation Tax Credit -&nbsp;the bill would allow employers whose principal business activity involves the aviation sector to receive a nonrefundable income tax credit.

Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit Act&nbsp;- the purpose of HITCA is to bring housing investment dollars to communities lacking adequate&nbsp;housing, and that development of housing will complement economic development of rural and urban areas.&nbsp;

Kansas Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act (AHTCA) -&nbsp;the bill would create tax credits for individual, person, firm, corporation, or other entity owning an interest in a “qualified development” and subject to applicable Kansas taxes.&nbsp; Qualified developments would be low-income housing projects which are located in Kansas and determined by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation to be eligible for a federal tax credit.

Teacher Classroom Supplies Tax Credit -&nbsp;the bill would create an individual income tax credit for public or private school teachers residing in Kansas equal to the taxpayer’s expenditures for school and classroom supplies during the tax year.&nbsp;The credit would be effective beginning in tax year 2022 and would be limited to $250 per year.

Homestead Property Tax Refund Claims -&nbsp;the bill would provide for refund claims to be paid to claimants for the amount by which the claimant’s residential property tax exceeds the amount of the claimants’ property tax in the claimant’s base year.&nbsp;Claimants would be required to be at least 65 years old or a disabled veteran, reside in a homestead with an appraised value of $350,000 or less for the entire year, and have a household income of $50,000 or less.

<a>Residential Property Tax Exemption</a><a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;</a>the bill would increase the amount of the residential exemption from the 20 mill uniform statewide school finance property tax levy from $20,000 of valuation to $65,000 of valuation beginning in tax year.&nbsp;SB 282 passed the Senate 33-4.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb523/" target="_blank">SB 523</a>&nbsp;would authorize the transfer of $1.0 billion from the State General Fund (SGF) to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Trust Fund in four scheduled payments. Of that amount, $600.0 million would be transferred in FY 2022 in two installments—$300.0 million on the effective date of the bill and $300.0 million on June 1, 2022. The remaining $400.0 million would be transferred in FY 2023 in two installments, both subject to approval from the State Finance Council—$200.0 million on October 1, 2022, and $200.0 million on January 1, 2023.&nbsp;SB 523 passed the Senate 28-12.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb479/" target="_blank">SB 479</a>&nbsp;would require the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial in the state capitol commemorating the work of Kansas suffragists toward achieving the right of women to vote in Kansas and the passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 479 passed 40-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2591/" target="_blank">HB 2591</a>&nbsp;would repeal the statute that authorizes quarterly $100,000 State General Fund and $200,000 Conservation Fee Fund transfers to the Abandoned Oil and Gas Well Fund in the Kansas Corporation Commission.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2591 passed 40-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb326/" target="_blank">SB 326</a>&nbsp;would create an income tax credit for any Class II or III railroad or any owner or lessee of rail siding located on or adjacent to a Class II or III railroad for tax years 2022 through 2031 equal to 50 percent of the qualified track maintenance expenditures paid or incurred during the taxable year for track located in the state of Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 326 passed 29-7-4.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb276/" target="_blank">SB 276</a>&nbsp;prohibit blindness from being a determinant factor for denial or restriction of legal custody, residency, or parenting time when it is determined to otherwise be in the best interest of a child.&nbsp;SB 276 passed 40-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2075/" target="_blank">HB 2075</a>&nbsp;would amend a provision governing the venue of agency adoptions in the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act to allow such adoption proceedings to take place in a county where the Department for Children and Families (DCF) or subcontracting agency has an office when the State or a department of the State is the adoption agency.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2075 passed 34-0-6.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2237/" target="_blank">HB 2237</a>&nbsp;would amend law related to the Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) student loan repayment program and the child day care services income tax credit.&nbsp; The bill would extend the sunset on the ROZ student loan repayment program to July 1, 2026 and would also extend the sunset on the income tax credit and reporting requirements for the Secretary of Commerce to January 1, 2027. The bill also would expand the eligibility for the ROZ income tax credit to include individuals who move to a ROZ on or after July 1, 2021, and prior to January 1, 2026, from a metropolitan county within Kansas, which would be defined to be Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee, and Wyandotte counties. The bill also would also allow any income or privilege taxpayer to claim the child day care services credit and would permit taxpayers to claim 50 percent of expenditures paid to an organization providing childcare to the taxpayer’s employees beginning in tax year 2021. Current law limits the credit to corporation income taxpayers and does not permit the credit for payments made to organizations.&nbsp;HB 2237 passed the Senate 32-5-3.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2329/" target="_blank">HB 2329</a>&nbsp;would modify the list of entities that are subject to Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) rules and regulations adopted to ensure conformity with the federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2329 passe the Senate 40-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2594/" target="_blank">HB 2594</a>&nbsp;would create an exemption in law related to vehicle identification number (VIN) offenses for antique vehicles.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2594 passe the Senate 40-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2057/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2057</a>&nbsp;would enact the Kansas Assistance Animals in Housing Act. The bill would allow a housing provider, upon receiving a request for exemption from the housing provider’s pet policy for the purpose of housing an assistance animal, to require the requestor provide reliable documentation of the disability-related need for the animal. The housing provider would be prohibited from requiring documentation if the requestor’s need is readily apparent or already known to the housing provider. S Sub for HB 2057 passed 29-6-3.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2279/" target="_blank">S Sub. for HB 2279</a>&nbsp;expands access to APRNs by amending provisions in the Kansas Nurse Practice Act governing the licensure of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to allow an APRN to prescribe drugs without a written protocol as authorized by a responsible physician, maintain the scope of practice defined currently in law and be regulated by the state Board of Nursing, require an APRN to maintain malpractice insurance, and require national certification for initial licensure as an APRN.&nbsp;&nbsp;S Sub for HB 2279 passed the Senate 30-7-1.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2231/" target="_blank">HB 2231</a>&nbsp;would exclude from the definition of the crime of conducting a pyramid promotional scheme plans and operations in which participants give consideration in return for the right to receive compensation based upon purchases, provided that the plan or operation does not cause “inventory loading.” The bill would define “inventory loading” to mean the requirement or encouragement by a plan or operation to have an independent salesperson purchase inventory in an amount that exceeds the amount the salesperson can expect to resell or to use or consume in a reasonable time period.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2231 passed 36-0-2.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2560/" target="_blank">HB 2560</a>&nbsp;would extend the sunset for the Water Right Transition Assistance Program (WTAP) from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2030, and extend the sunset for various existing fees of the Pesticide and Fertilizer Program within the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2028.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2560 passed the Senate 36-4.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb418/" target="_blank">SB 418</a>&nbsp;specifies the Governor, the Secretary of State, and any other officer in the executive branch could not enter into a consent decree or other agreement with any state or federal court or any agreement with any other party regarding the enforcement of election law or the alteration of any election procedure without specific approval by the Legislature. If the Legislature is not in session when such agreement is submitted for review, the bill would require approval be sought from the LCC.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 418 passed the Senate 28-12.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb439/" target="_blank">SB 439</a>&nbsp;would allow a county election officer to remove a registered voter from the registration list if such registrant has had no election-related activity for any four-calendar year period, or if the registrant has failed to respond to a confirmation notice sent by the county election&nbsp;

officer.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 439 passed the Senate 33-6.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2387/" target="_blank">HB 2387</a>&nbsp;would create the crime of operating an aircraft under the influence, provide for testing related to the crime, and repeal current statutes prohibiting the operation of aircraft under influence of alcohol or drugs and providing for related testing.&nbsp;HB 2387 passed the Senate 40-0.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2361/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2361</a>&nbsp;would create law requiring the Kansas Supreme Court to adopt rules for establishment and operation of specialty court programs within the State.&nbsp; It defines “specialty court” to mean a district court program that uses therapeutic or problem-solving procedures to address underlying factors that may be contributing to a person’s involvement in the judicial system, including, but not limited to, mental illness or drug, alcohol, or other addictions.&nbsp;S Sub for HB 2361 passed the Senate 38-1.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb506/" target="_blank">SB 506</a>&nbsp;authorizes a Kansas Down syndrome awareness distinctive license plate for issuance on or after January 1, 2023, for use on a passenger vehicle or truck registered for a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less. The bill would authorize the North Central Kansas Down Syndrome Society to authorize the use of its logo to be affixed on these license plates.&nbsp;SB 506 passed the Senate 40-0.

Full texts of the bills and supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp;

<a>PAGES FOR THE SENATE – March 9</a>

Gabriel and Taryn Paulino from Bennington; Dreyton Hughes from Phillipsburg, and Allison Rhea from Kensington spent the day with us in the Capitol where they ran errands for the Senators, attended Committee hearings, had lunch with me, and toured the capitol.

This month I will be conducting numerous legislative townhalls throughout the 36th Kansas Senate District. On Saturday, March 19, Representative Lisa Moser, Senator Dennis Pyle, and I have a Legislative Forum scheduled for 9 AM at Landoll Lanes.&nbsp; On Thursday, March 24, Representative Troy Waymaster and I will be starting the day in&nbsp;Mankato&nbsp;at 8:30 AM.&nbsp; We will then have a townhall in&nbsp;Smith Center&nbsp;at 10 AM.&nbsp; In the afternoon, we will then move to&nbsp;Osborne&nbsp;for a scheduled townhall at 1 PM; and then move on to&nbsp;Paradise&nbsp;United Methodist Church for one scheduled at 3 PM.&nbsp; On Saturday, March 26, Representative Waymaster, Representative Susan Concannon, and I will be conducting a townhall at Violette’s Coffee Shop in&nbsp;Lincoln&nbsp;at 9 AM.

WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a>&nbsp;– Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings.

<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature Audio</a>&nbsp;– Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well.

Kansas Legislature website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;- has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.

Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website to current committees and also past hearings. 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. <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <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,&nbsp;Smith and Washington Counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville;&nbsp;Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek,&nbsp;Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg;&nbsp;Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom,&nbsp;Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum,&nbsp;Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner,&nbsp;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>MARCH 14, 2022 TOPEKASENATE HIGHLIGHTSSenate Committees continued to review bills which have been sent over from the House and we had two days of General Orders last week in the Senate.&nbsp; As we work though committee bills on the floor, we will also begin to have&nbsp;Conference Committee reports to vote on as well.&nbsp; A Conference Committee is a small, bipartisan and bicameral committee that works to smooth out the differences between the House’s and Senate’s version of a similar bill. Once the Conference Committee comes to a compromise, the committee’s version of the bill will be sent to both the House and the Senate for a final vote, before advancing the bill to the Governor’s desk.&nbsp;SENATE FLOOR ACTIONThe Senate confirmed the appointments of Angela Coble - a Plainville native - to the Kansas Court of Appeals and Janet Stanek as Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment.SB282&nbsp;offers a series of tax credits in addition to property tax relief for Kansans. The components of the bill included:Aviation Tax Credit -&nbsp;the bill would allow employers whose principal business activity involves the aviation sector to receive a nonrefundable income tax credit.Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit Act&nbsp;- the purpose of HITCA is to bring housing investment dollars to communities lacking adequate&nbsp;housing, and that development of housing will complement economic development of rural and urban areas.&nbsp;Kansas Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act (AHTCA) -&nbsp;the bill would create tax credits for individual, person, firm, corporation, or other entity owning an interest in a “qualified development” and subject to applicable Kansas taxes.&nbsp; Qualified developments would be low-income housing projects which are located in Kansas and determined by Kansas Housing Resources Corporation to be eligible for a federal tax credit.Teacher Classroom Supplies Tax Credit -&nbsp;the bill would create an individual income tax credit for public or private school teachers residing in Kansas equal to the taxpayer’s expenditures for school and classroom supplies during the tax year.&nbsp;The credit would be effective beginning in tax year 2022 and would be limited to $250 per year.Homestead Property Tax Refund Claims -&nbsp;the bill would provide for refund claims to be paid to claimants for the amount by which the claimant’s residential property tax exceeds the amount of the claimants’ property tax in the claimant’s base year.&nbsp;Claimants would be required to be at least 65 years old or a disabled veteran, reside in a homestead with an appraised value of $350,000 or less for the entire year, and have a household income of $50,000 or less.<a>Residential Property Tax Exemption</a><a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;</a>the bill would increase the amount of the residential exemption from the 20 mill uniform statewide school finance property tax levy from $20,000 of valuation to $65,000 of valuation beginning in tax year.&nbsp;SB 282 passed the Senate 33-4.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb523/" target="_blank">SB 523</a>&nbsp;would authorize the transfer of $1.0 billion from the State General Fund (SGF) to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Trust Fund in four scheduled payments. Of that amount, $600.0 million would be transferred in FY 2022 in two installments—$300.0 million on the effective date of the bill and $300.0 million on June 1, 2022. The remaining $400.0 million would be transferred in FY 2023 in two installments, both subject to approval from the State Finance Council—$200.0 million on October 1, 2022, and $200.0 million on January 1, 2023.&nbsp;SB 523 passed the Senate 28-12.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb479/" target="_blank">SB 479</a>&nbsp;would require the Capitol Preservation Committee to approve plans to place a permanent memorial in the state capitol commemorating the work of Kansas suffragists toward achieving the right of women to vote in Kansas and the passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 479 passed 40-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2591/" target="_blank">HB 2591</a>&nbsp;would repeal the statute that authorizes quarterly $100,000 State General Fund and $200,000 Conservation Fee Fund transfers to the Abandoned Oil and Gas Well Fund in the Kansas Corporation Commission.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2591 passed 40-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb326/" target="_blank">SB 326</a>&nbsp;would create an income tax credit for any Class II or III railroad or any owner or lessee of rail siding located on or adjacent to a Class II or III railroad for tax years 2022 through 2031 equal to 50 percent of the qualified track maintenance expenditures paid or incurred during the taxable year for track located in the state of Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 326 passed 29-7-4.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb276/" target="_blank">SB 276</a>&nbsp;prohibit blindness from being a determinant factor for denial or restriction of legal custody, residency, or parenting time when it is determined to otherwise be in the best interest of a child.&nbsp;SB 276 passed 40-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2075/" target="_blank">HB 2075</a>&nbsp;would amend a provision governing the venue of agency adoptions in the Kansas Adoption and Relinquishment Act to allow such adoption proceedings to take place in a county where the Department for Children and Families (DCF) or subcontracting agency has an office when the State or a department of the State is the adoption agency.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2075 passed 34-0-6.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2237/" target="_blank">HB 2237</a>&nbsp;would amend law related to the Rural Opportunity Zone (ROZ) student loan repayment program and the child day care services income tax credit.&nbsp; The bill would extend the sunset on the ROZ student loan repayment program to July 1, 2026 and would also extend the sunset on the income tax credit and reporting requirements for the Secretary of Commerce to January 1, 2027. The bill also would expand the eligibility for the ROZ income tax credit to include individuals who move to a ROZ on or after July 1, 2021, and prior to January 1, 2026, from a metropolitan county within Kansas, which would be defined to be Douglas, Johnson, Leavenworth, Sedgwick, Shawnee, and Wyandotte counties. The bill also would also allow any income or privilege taxpayer to claim the child day care services credit and would permit taxpayers to claim 50 percent of expenditures paid to an organization providing childcare to the taxpayer’s employees beginning in tax year 2021. Current law limits the credit to corporation income taxpayers and does not permit the credit for payments made to organizations.&nbsp;HB 2237 passed the Senate 32-5-3.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2329/" target="_blank">HB 2329</a>&nbsp;would modify the list of entities that are subject to Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) rules and regulations adopted to ensure conformity with the federal Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2329 passe the Senate 40-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2594/" target="_blank">HB 2594</a>&nbsp;would create an exemption in law related to vehicle identification number (VIN) offenses for antique vehicles.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2594 passe the Senate 40-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2057/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2057</a>&nbsp;would enact the Kansas Assistance Animals in Housing Act. The bill would allow a housing provider, upon receiving a request for exemption from the housing provider’s pet policy for the purpose of housing an assistance animal, to require the requestor provide reliable documentation of the disability-related need for the animal. The housing provider would be prohibited from requiring documentation if the requestor’s need is readily apparent or already known to the housing provider. S Sub for HB 2057 passed 29-6-3.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2279/" target="_blank">S Sub. for HB 2279</a>&nbsp;expands access to APRNs by amending provisions in the Kansas Nurse Practice Act governing the licensure of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to allow an APRN to prescribe drugs without a written protocol as authorized by a responsible physician, maintain the scope of practice defined currently in law and be regulated by the state Board of Nursing, require an APRN to maintain malpractice insurance, and require national certification for initial licensure as an APRN.&nbsp;&nbsp;S Sub for HB 2279 passed the Senate 30-7-1.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2231/" target="_blank">HB 2231</a>&nbsp;would exclude from the definition of the crime of conducting a pyramid promotional scheme plans and operations in which participants give consideration in return for the right to receive compensation based upon purchases, provided that the plan or operation does not cause “inventory loading.” The bill would define “inventory loading” to mean the requirement or encouragement by a plan or operation to have an independent salesperson purchase inventory in an amount that exceeds the amount the salesperson can expect to resell or to use or consume in a reasonable time period.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2231 passed 36-0-2.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2560/" target="_blank">HB 2560</a>&nbsp;would extend the sunset for the Water Right Transition Assistance Program (WTAP) from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2030, and extend the sunset for various existing fees of the Pesticide and Fertilizer Program within the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2028.&nbsp;&nbsp;HB 2560 passed the Senate 36-4.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb418/" target="_blank">SB 418</a>&nbsp;specifies the Governor, the Secretary of State, and any other officer in the executive branch could not enter into a consent decree or other agreement with any state or federal court or any agreement with any other party regarding the enforcement of election law or the alteration of any election procedure without specific approval by the Legislature. If the Legislature is not in session when such agreement is submitted for review, the bill would require approval be sought from the LCC.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 418 passed the Senate 28-12.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb439/" target="_blank">SB 439</a>&nbsp;would allow a county election officer to remove a registered voter from the registration list if such registrant has had no election-related activity for any four-calendar year period, or if the registrant has failed to respond to a confirmation notice sent by the county election&nbsp;

officer.&nbsp;&nbsp;SB 439 passed the Senate 33-6.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2387/" target="_blank">HB 2387</a>&nbsp;would create the crime of operating an aircraft under the influence, provide for testing related to the crime, and repeal current statutes prohibiting the operation of aircraft under influence of alcohol or drugs and providing for related testing.&nbsp;HB 2387 passed the Senate 40-0.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/hb2361/" target="_blank">S Sub for HB 2361</a>&nbsp;would create law requiring the Kansas Supreme Court to adopt rules for establishment and operation of specialty court programs within the State.&nbsp; It defines “specialty court” to mean a district court program that uses therapeutic or problem-solving procedures to address underlying factors that may be contributing to a person’s involvement in the judicial system, including, but not limited to, mental illness or drug, alcohol, or other addictions.&nbsp;S Sub for HB 2361 passed the Senate 38-1.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb506/" target="_blank">SB 506</a>&nbsp;authorizes a Kansas Down syndrome awareness distinctive license plate for issuance on or after January 1, 2023, for use on a passenger vehicle or truck registered for a gross weight of 20,000 pounds or less. The bill would authorize the North Central Kansas Down Syndrome Society to authorize the use of its logo to be affixed on these license plates.&nbsp;SB 506 passed the Senate 40-0.Full texts of the bills and supplemental notes as well as the Final Action vote on these measures can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>.&nbsp; <a>PAGES FOR THE SENATE – March 9</a>Gabriel and Taryn Paulino from Bennington; Dreyton Hughes from Phillipsburg, and Allison Rhea from Kensington spent the day with us in the Capitol where they ran errands for the Senators, attended Committee hearings, had lunch with me, and toured the capitol.<a>LEGISLATIVE TOWNHALLS</a>This month I will be conducting numerous legislative townhalls throughout the 36th Kansas Senate District. On Saturday, March 19, Representative Lisa Moser, Senator Dennis Pyle, and I have a Legislative Forum scheduled for 9 AM at Landoll Lanes.&nbsp; On Thursday, March 24, Representative Troy Waymaster and I will be starting the day in&nbsp;Mankato&nbsp;at 8:30 AM.&nbsp; We will then have a townhall in&nbsp;Smith Center&nbsp;at 10 AM.&nbsp; In the afternoon, we will then move to&nbsp;Osborne&nbsp;for a scheduled townhall at 1 PM; and then move on to&nbsp;Paradise&nbsp;United Methodist Church for one scheduled at 3 PM.&nbsp; On Saturday, March 26, Representative Waymaster, Representative Susan Concannon, and I will be conducting a townhall at Violette’s Coffee Shop in&nbsp;Lincoln&nbsp;at 9 AM.WATCH AND LISTEN TO THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A?view_as=subscriber" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature YouTube</a>&nbsp;– Here you can follow the legislature live as it happens, or access archives of past sessions and committee meetings.<a href="http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00287/Harmony/en/View/Calendar/" target="_blank">Kansas Legislature Audio</a>&nbsp;– Here you can listen in on session or committees when they are in session, or access prior committee meetings, as well.Kansas Legislature website –&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;- has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature. Committee schedules, bills, and other helpful information can be easily accessed through the legislature’s website at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>. You are also able to ‘listen in live’ at this website to current committees and also past hearings. 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. <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov</a> 785-296-7389 <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,&nbsp;Smith and Washington Counties * Marshall County: Cities: Blue Rapids, Marysville, Oketo and Waterville;&nbsp;Townships: Blue Rapids, Blue Rapids City, Cottage Hill, Elm Creek,&nbsp;Herkimer, Logan, Marysville, Oketo, Walnut and Waterville * Phillips County: Cities: Agra, Glade, Kirwin and Phillipsburg;&nbsp;Townships: Arcade, Bow Creek, Crystal Deer Creek, Freedom,&nbsp;Glenwood, Greenwood, Kirwin, Phillipsburg, Plum,&nbsp;Rushville, Solomon(part), Sumner,&nbsp;Valley and Walnut

BOWERS: 2022 Senate Scene, Week Nine

Senator Rick Billinger&nbsp;Newsletter March 14, 2022

TOPEKA - Last week we passed the budget out of Ways and Means. On Tuesday debate will be held on the Senate floor to pass said budget. Next week I will let you know the highlights of the budget passed out of the Senate.

The Senate confirmed Janet Stanek as Secretary of Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Angela Coble to the Kansas Court of Appeals.

It is fiscally responsible to use one-time money to pay off debt. Given the influx of federal funds, Republicans are leading the effort to reduce the state’s debt and meet our obligation to retirees. SB523 passed the Senate and will authorize the transfer of $1.0 billion from the State General Fund to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Trust fund in four scheduled payments. Of that amount, $600 million would be transferred in FY 2022 in two installments - $300.0 million on the effective date of the bill and $300.0 million on June 1, 2022. The remaining $400.0 million would be $200.0 million on October 1, 2022, and $200.0 million on January 1, 2023, with the State Finance Council’s approval after reviewing the State’s financial position.

A tax package was approved by the Senate, which offers a series of tax credits in addition to property tax relief for Kansans. The components include:

*Aviation Tax Credit which will allow employers whose principal business activity involves the aviation sector to receive a nonrefundable income tax credit beginning, tax year 2023, for tuition or certain program specific course-fee reimbursements paid to a full-time “qualified employee,” as defined by the bill, who has graduated from an accredited engineering or technology undergraduate or graduate degree program, an associate of applied science degree program, or career technical program.

*Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit is to facilitate investment in suitable housing that will support the growth of communities lacking housing by attracting new employees, residents and families and will support the development and expansion of businesses that are job and wealth creating enterprises.

*Kansas Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act will create tax credits for individual, person, firm, corporation or other entity owning as interest in a “qualified development” and subject to applicable Kansas taxes. Qualified developments would be low-income housing projects.

*Teacher Classroom Supplies Tax Credits will create an individual income tax credit for public or private school teachers residing in Kansas equal to the taxpayer’s expenditures for school and classroom supplies during the year. The credit would be effective beginning in tax year 2022 and would be limited to $250 per year.

*Homestead Property Tax Refund Claims will provide for refund claims to be paid to claimants who are at least 65 years old or a disabled veteran, reside in a homestead with an appraisal value of $350,000 or less for the entire year, and have a household income of $50,000 or less. The $50,000 amount would be annually adjusted by the cost of living.

*Residential Property Tax Exemption will increase the amount of the residential exemption from the 20 mills uniform statewide school finance property tax levy from $20,000 of valuation to $65,000 of valuation beginning in tax year 2022 and provide for the amount to be increased in future tax years according to the average percentage change in statewide residential real property for the preceding 10 tax years.

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, 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/2022/2/1644852447177.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist." />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Rick Billinger, R-Goodland, 40th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>Senator Rick Billinger&nbsp;Newsletter March 14, 2022 TOPEKA - Last week we passed the budget out of Ways and Means. On Tuesday debate will be held on the Senate floor to pass said budget. Next week I will let you know the highlights of the budget passed out of the Senate.The Senate confirmed Janet Stanek as Secretary of Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Angela Coble to the Kansas Court of Appeals.It is fiscally responsible to use one-time money to pay off debt. Given the influx of federal funds, Republicans are leading the effort to reduce the state’s debt and meet our obligation to retirees. SB523 passed the Senate and will authorize the transfer of $1.0 billion from the State General Fund to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Trust fund in four scheduled payments. Of that amount, $600 million would be transferred in FY 2022 in two installments - $300.0 million on the effective date of the bill and $300.0 million on June 1, 2022. The remaining $400.0 million would be $200.0 million on October 1, 2022, and $200.0 million on January 1, 2023, with the State Finance Council’s approval after reviewing the State’s financial position.A tax package was approved by the Senate, which offers a series of tax credits in addition to property tax relief for Kansans. The components include:*Aviation Tax Credit which will allow employers whose principal business activity involves the aviation sector to receive a nonrefundable income tax credit beginning, tax year 2023, for tuition or certain program specific course-fee reimbursements paid to a full-time “qualified employee,” as defined by the bill, who has graduated from an accredited engineering or technology undergraduate or graduate degree program, an associate of applied science degree program, or career technical program.*Kansas Housing Investor Tax Credit is to facilitate investment in suitable housing that will support the growth of communities lacking housing by attracting new employees, residents and families and will support the development and expansion of businesses that are job and wealth creating enterprises.*Kansas Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act will create tax credits for individual, person, firm, corporation or other entity owning as interest in a “qualified development” and subject to applicable Kansas taxes. Qualified developments would be low-income housing projects.*Teacher Classroom Supplies Tax Credits will create an individual income tax credit for public or private school teachers residing in Kansas equal to the taxpayer’s expenditures for school and classroom supplies during the year. The credit would be effective beginning in tax year 2022 and would be limited to $250 per year.*Homestead Property Tax Refund Claims will provide for refund claims to be paid to claimants who are at least 65 years old or a disabled veteran, reside in a homestead with an appraisal value of $350,000 or less for the entire year, and have a household income of $50,000 or less. The $50,000 amount would be annually adjusted by the cost of living.*Residential Property Tax Exemption will increase the amount of the residential exemption from the 20 mills uniform statewide school finance property tax levy from $20,000 of valuation to $65,000 of valuation beginning in tax year 2022 and provide for the amount to be increased in future tax years according to the average percentage change in statewide residential real property for the preceding 10 tax years.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, 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, March 14, 2022

Recently, the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University published the results from the 2021 Kansas Speaks survey. For those not familiar with Kansas Speaks, it is an annual public opinion survey that gauges public opinion on various issues of interest to Kansas citizens, including public policy.

According to the survey, nearly 73% of respondents support expanding KanCare — our state’s Medicaid program. This is a considerable increase in support. In 2015, the first year Kansas Speaks measured attitudes about Medicaid expansion, only 62% of respondents supported growing the program.

Considering elected officials genuinely care about issues that are important to their constituents — if only because they need constituent support to win re-election — why hasn’t Medicaid expansion been passed?&nbsp;

Despite high public support, and federal Affordable Care Act funds to cover 90% of the cost of expansion, there is a lack of political will to expand KanCare in the legislature.

There is bipartisan support for expansion, with most Democrats and some Republicans in favor. However, it’s a zero sum game for legislative Republicans.

Currently, Republicans would not politically benefit from expansion. In fact, it could put the GOP at a distinct disadvantage should Medicaid expansion pass in an election year like this one.&nbsp;

In 2018, Governor Kelly ran on a platform that included Medicaid expansion and members of her party have been trying to expand the program ever since. However, Republicans in the legislature, most of whom support expansion, don’t want to expand KanCare under a Democratic governor. Doing so would give Kelly’s administration an extremely popular policy win right before this year’s gubernatorial election.

The GOP also faces very little public backlash for not prioritizing Medicaid expansion.&nbsp;

While, 62% of survey respondents indicated that the issue of Medicaid expansion is important in deciding who to vote for come November, in practice it’s not popular enough for any more than a tiny fraction of Republicans voters to vote against their party.

It’s another win for partisan politics, but a major loss for Kansans.

Not only is KanCare expansion a popular public policy, it would create significant economic job growth. According to a 2021 report by George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, expanding Medicaid would create approximately 23,000 jobs in our state — 11,900 new jobs in healthcare, 2,400 in retail, 1,600 in construction, 700 jobs in finance and insurance, and 6,300 new jobs in other sectors. The report also stated that Kansas’ economic output would rise $17 billion by 2025, and personal income could rise by $6.3 billion due to increased employment.

Medicaid expansion is extremely beneficial for Kansans. But it’s unlikely to pass this year. Or any year where the legislature and governor’s mansion are divided by partisanship.

Even those legislative Republicans who support expansion will hold KanCare hostage until passage would give them a political advantage, which won’t happen under a Democratic governor. If the roles were reversed, Democrats would likely do the same.

A vast majority of citizens decide to run for public office to make their communities better. But once elected, officials have to play the politics game to gain and maintain power, otherwise they would never be able to pass legislation.&nbsp;

The result? Extremely popular policies like Medicaid expansion get buried in the name of “playing the game” and Kansans suffer.

Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

<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>Recently, the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University published the results from the 2021 Kansas Speaks survey. For those not familiar with Kansas Speaks, it is an annual public opinion survey that gauges public opinion on various issues of interest to Kansas citizens, including public policy.According to the survey, nearly 73% of respondents support expanding KanCare — our state’s Medicaid program. This is a considerable increase in support. In 2015, the first year Kansas Speaks measured attitudes about Medicaid expansion, only 62% of respondents supported growing the program.Considering elected officials genuinely care about issues that are important to their constituents — if only because they need constituent support to win re-election — why hasn’t Medicaid expansion been passed?&nbsp;It should be a slam dunk. Right?Well, not quite.Despite high public support, and federal Affordable Care Act funds to cover 90% of the cost of expansion, there is a lack of political will to expand KanCare in the legislature.There is bipartisan support for expansion, with most Democrats and some Republicans in favor. However, it’s a zero sum game for legislative Republicans.Currently, Republicans would not politically benefit from expansion. In fact, it could put the GOP at a distinct disadvantage should Medicaid expansion pass in an election year like this one.&nbsp;In 2018, Governor Kelly ran on a platform that included Medicaid expansion and members of her party have been trying to expand the program ever since. However, Republicans in the legislature, most of whom support expansion, don’t want to expand KanCare under a Democratic governor. Doing so would give Kelly’s administration an extremely popular policy win right before this year’s gubernatorial election.The GOP also faces very little public backlash for not prioritizing Medicaid expansion.&nbsp;While, 62% of survey respondents indicated that the issue of Medicaid expansion is important in deciding who to vote for come November, in practice it’s not popular enough for any more than a tiny fraction of Republicans voters to vote against their party.It’s another win for partisan politics, but a major loss for Kansans.Not only is KanCare expansion a popular public policy, it would create significant economic job growth. According to a 2021 report by George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, expanding Medicaid would create approximately 23,000 jobs in our state — 11,900 new jobs in healthcare, 2,400 in retail, 1,600 in construction, 700 jobs in finance and insurance, and 6,300 new jobs in other sectors. The report also stated that Kansas’ economic output would rise $17 billion by 2025, and personal income could rise by $6.3 billion due to increased employment.Medicaid expansion is extremely beneficial for Kansans. But it’s unlikely to pass this year. Or any year where the legislature and governor’s mansion are divided by partisanship.Even those legislative Republicans who support expansion will hold KanCare hostage until passage would give them a political advantage, which won’t happen under a Democratic governor. If the roles were reversed, Democrats would likely do the same.A vast majority of citizens decide to run for public office to make their communities better. But once elected, officials have to play the politics game to gain and maintain power, otherwise they would never be able to pass legislation.&nbsp;The result? Extremely popular policies like Medicaid expansion get buried in the name of “playing the game” and Kansans suffer.Alexandra Middlewood, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wichita State University.

INSIGHT KANSAS: Despite public support, Medicaid expansion still stalled

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

A pedestrian bridge is being installed in a southeast Kansas park. This project did not involve any supply chain issues, because this bridge didn’t come on a slow boat from somewhere. This 60 foot long bridge was built from scratch and installed by a craftsman in rural Kansas.&nbsp;

Nancy Crum is the owner and operations manager of&nbsp;C Cross Custom Welding, the company that produced this 60 foot long pedestrian bridge. Her husband Chip primarily does the welding and fabrication. C Cross Custom Welding is based in the Elk County town of Howard.&nbsp;

Nancy grew up in the Howard area. Chip also lived in Colorado for a time before coming back to Howard. They met and were married.&nbsp;

“My grandpa was a blacksmith,” Chip said. “My dad was a farrier, a farmer and a carpenter,” he said. “One day when my dad was farming, the disk broke in the field. I welded it and it stayed together.”&nbsp;

Perhaps this showed that Chip had a gift for welding, although he didn’t have formal training.&nbsp;

“It came easy to me,” Chip said. “All I’ve had is on the job training. If you keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut, you can learn a lot.” Now, there’s some wise advice.&nbsp;

Nancy does bookkeeping for local businesses. “I worked with computers and I liked art,” Nancy said. Chip was working at a nearby rock quarry and dabbled in welding.&nbsp;

“His passion was doing welding and fabrication,” Nancy said. He started building gates and panels in the shop at home. They soon had the opportunity to purchase a building along the highway.&nbsp;

In 2014, C Cross Custom Welding began. The C Cross name comes from a family tradition. “That was my parents’ cattle brand,” Chip said. Nancy does the computer designs and Chip does the fabrication.&nbsp;

Today, C Cross Custom Welding specializes in creating custom-built metal products, such as specialized farm equipment, gate personalization, custom art and more. The C Cross website states: “We create products for government clients, rock quarries, parks, farms and ranches, industrial clients, and for our friends and neighbors.”&nbsp;

The sky is the limit for custom projects. “It’s all about the customer,” Chip said. “We do whatever the customer needs.”&nbsp;

His contacts at the rock quarries generated projects for them. “We do a lot of work for the rock quarries,” Chip said. Because of his familiarity with the equipment, he is good at repairing or modifying the crushers, conveyors and related equipment, as needed.&nbsp;

“I like doing the big iron,” Chip said.&nbsp;

“We have a CNC plasma table so we can cut parts for big equipment,” Nancy said.&nbsp;

They use mig and tig welders. Chip recently built 54 foot long heating coils for an asphalt plant in Wichita, and he's worked as far away as Kansas City.&nbsp;

Custom-built fire pits and benches have been popular. “I built a fire pit and gave it away for a local fundraiser,” Chip said. Now those have become quite a popular item as he can customize the cutouts in the design.&nbsp;

“Every time we start, it’s a challenge,” Nancy said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Chip is very good at fabricating metal,” she said.&nbsp;

The demand for custom-made projects has snowballed. “When we got started, I had all these thoughts in my head of things I wanted to build. I haven’t gotten any of them done yet,” Chip said with a smile.&nbsp;

Recently people in Moline, Kan. asked C Cross Custom Welding to build a 60 foot long pedestrian bridge for the park along Highway 160. Chip got it built and installed.&nbsp;

It’s an impressive project for a small company based in the rural community of Howard, population 687 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;

For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cccwelding.com/">www.cccwelding.com</a>.&nbsp;

It’s time to leave southeast Kansas where a 60 foot long pedestrian bridge has been built and installed by this local craftsman. We commend the husband and wife team of Chip and Nancy Crum for making a difference with their entrepreneurship and creativity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Their projects represent a bridge to opportunity.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646850170369.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;By RON WILSON Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development&nbsp;A pedestrian bridge is being installed in a southeast Kansas park. This project did not involve any supply chain issues, because this bridge didn’t come on a slow boat from somewhere. This 60 foot long bridge was built from scratch and installed by a craftsman in rural Kansas.&nbsp;Nancy Crum is the owner and operations manager of&nbsp;C Cross Custom Welding, the company that produced this 60 foot long pedestrian bridge. Her husband Chip primarily does the welding and fabrication. C Cross Custom Welding is based in the Elk County town of Howard.&nbsp;Nancy grew up in the Howard area. Chip also lived in Colorado for a time before coming back to Howard. They met and were married.&nbsp;“My grandpa was a blacksmith,” Chip said. “My dad was a farrier, a farmer and a carpenter,” he said. “One day when my dad was farming, the disk broke in the field. I welded it and it stayed together.”&nbsp;Perhaps this showed that Chip had a gift for welding, although he didn’t have formal training.&nbsp;“It came easy to me,” Chip said. “All I’ve had is on the job training. If you keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut, you can learn a lot.” Now, there’s some wise advice.&nbsp;Nancy does bookkeeping for local businesses. “I worked with computers and I liked art,” Nancy said. Chip was working at a nearby rock quarry and dabbled in welding.&nbsp;“His passion was doing welding and fabrication,” Nancy said. He started building gates and panels in the shop at home. They soon had the opportunity to purchase a building along the highway.&nbsp;In 2014, C Cross Custom Welding began. The C Cross name comes from a family tradition. “That was my parents’ cattle brand,” Chip said. Nancy does the computer designs and Chip does the fabrication.&nbsp;Today, C Cross Custom Welding specializes in creating custom-built metal products, such as specialized farm equipment, gate personalization, custom art and more. The C Cross website states: “We create products for government clients, rock quarries, parks, farms and ranches, industrial clients, and for our friends and neighbors.”&nbsp;The sky is the limit for custom projects. “It’s all about the customer,” Chip said. “We do whatever the customer needs.”&nbsp;His contacts at the rock quarries generated projects for them. “We do a lot of work for the rock quarries,” Chip said. Because of his familiarity with the equipment, he is good at repairing or modifying the crushers, conveyors and related equipment, as needed.&nbsp;“I like doing the big iron,” Chip said.&nbsp;“We have a CNC plasma table so we can cut parts for big equipment,” Nancy said.&nbsp;They use mig and tig welders. Chip recently built 54 foot long heating coils for an asphalt plant in Wichita, and he's worked as far away as Kansas City.&nbsp;Custom-built fire pits and benches have been popular. “I built a fire pit and gave it away for a local fundraiser,” Chip said. Now those have become quite a popular item as he can customize the cutouts in the design.&nbsp;“Every time we start, it’s a challenge,” Nancy said.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Chip is very good at fabricating metal,” she said.&nbsp;The demand for custom-made projects has snowballed. “When we got started, I had all these thoughts in my head of things I wanted to build. I haven’t gotten any of them done yet,” Chip said with a smile.&nbsp;Recently people in Moline, Kan. asked C Cross Custom Welding to build a 60 foot long pedestrian bridge for the park along Highway 160. Chip got it built and installed.&nbsp;It’s an impressive project for a small company based in the rural community of Howard, population 687 people. Now, that’s rural.&nbsp;For more information, go to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cccwelding.com/">www.cccwelding.com</a>.&nbsp;It’s time to leave southeast Kansas where a 60 foot long pedestrian bridge has been built and installed by this local craftsman. We commend the husband and wife team of Chip and Nancy Crum for making a difference with their entrepreneurship and creativity.&nbsp;&nbsp;Their projects represent a bridge to opportunity.&nbsp;

Now That’s Rural: Nancy and Chip Crum, C Cross Custom Welding

Topeka March 11, 2022

On Wednesday of this week, the House of Representatives debated five bills. Here are some of the details of those bills:

* Senate Bill 2 would allow the Kansas State Fair Board to designate a common consumption district on the fair grounds. Also, of the taxes collected from the gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic liquor, 30% shall be credited to the State General Fund. This bill passed, 87-31.

* House Bill 2462 amends current law to remove committee membership requirements for legislators appointed to the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations. This bill passed, 118-0.

* Senate Bill 421 authorizes a payment from the State General Fund of $1 billion to the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS) unfunded liability. By authorizing this payment, we would eliminate a layered payment with a current interest rate of 7.75% and lowering the unfunded liability, both of which is an annual cost savings. This passed 113-5.

* House Bill 2652 extends the expiration dates for certain portions of the governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill passed 102-7.

* The final bill was 2466 which states during the 2023-2024 school year, each high school shall offer at least one course of computer science or submit a plan to the State Board of Education regarding how the district plans to offer a computer science course. This bill passed 115-4. I voted in favor of all five bills.

This week the House Appropriations Committee completed all of the budget recommendations from the respective budget committees. We had the budgets of the Kansas Department of Transportation, Department of Corrections, and the Postsecondary Education system on Monday. We continued Tuesday with the budgets for the Kansas Department of Labor and the Judicial Branch. Wednesday, we had the budget recommendations for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and the Department of Children and Families. We concluded the budget recommendations with the Kansas Department of Education. Next week, we will be compiling all the budget recommendations to reconstruct the House’s position for the state budget.

Convention of States &amp; Legislative Forums

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives debated a resolution that would apply to Congress to call a convention of the states. This resolution has been discussed in prior legislative sessions and this is the third time that we have debated it on the House Floor.

House Concurrent Resolution 5027, if passed, would make an application for Congress, under Article V of the US Constitution, for a convention to propose amendments that would impose fiscal restraints on the US Federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the Federal government, and set term limits for federal officials. Currently, only 17 states have passed similar resolutions, where there needs to be 34 in order to call the convention. There were numerous amendments proposed during the nearly two-hour debate, though many did not pass.

The resolution failed as it requires a supermajority to pass out of the house with 84 votes. I voted “yes.”

This month I will be conducting numerous legislative townhalls throughout the 109th Kansas House District. On Thursday, March 24, Senator Elaine Bowers and I will be starting the day in Mankato at 8:30 AM. We will then have a townhall in Smith Center at 10 AM. In the afternoon, we will then move to Osborne for a scheduled townhall at 1 PM and then move on to Paradise United Methodist Church for one scheduled at 3 PM. On Saturday, March 26, we will be conducting a townhall at Violette’s Coffee Shop in Lincoln at 9 AM.

Anytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.

As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.

It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

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="Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill" />
 <figcaption>Troy L. Waymaster, State Representative, 109th Kansas House, R-Bunker Hill</figcaption>
 </figure> Topeka March 11, 2022Bills Debated in the HouseOn Wednesday of this week, the House of Representatives debated five bills. Here are some of the details of those bills:* Senate Bill 2 would allow the Kansas State Fair Board to designate a common consumption district on the fair grounds. Also, of the taxes collected from the gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic liquor, 30% shall be credited to the State General Fund. This bill passed, 87-31.* House Bill 2462 amends current law to remove committee membership requirements for legislators appointed to the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations. This bill passed, 118-0.* Senate Bill 421 authorizes a payment from the State General Fund of $1 billion to the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS) unfunded liability. By authorizing this payment, we would eliminate a layered payment with a current interest rate of 7.75% and lowering the unfunded liability, both of which is an annual cost savings. This passed 113-5.* House Bill 2652 extends the expiration dates for certain portions of the governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill passed 102-7.* The final bill was 2466 which states during the 2023-2024 school year, each high school shall offer at least one course of computer science or submit a plan to the State Board of Education regarding how the district plans to offer a computer science course. This bill passed 115-4. I voted in favor of all five bills.Appropriations CommitteeThis week the House Appropriations Committee completed all of the budget recommendations from the respective budget committees. We had the budgets of the Kansas Department of Transportation, Department of Corrections, and the Postsecondary Education system on Monday. We continued Tuesday with the budgets for the Kansas Department of Labor and the Judicial Branch. Wednesday, we had the budget recommendations for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and the Department of Children and Families. We concluded the budget recommendations with the Kansas Department of Education. Next week, we will be compiling all the budget recommendations to reconstruct the House’s position for the state budget.Convention of States &amp; Legislative ForumsOn Tuesday, the House of Representatives debated a resolution that would apply to Congress to call a convention of the states. This resolution has been discussed in prior legislative sessions and this is the third time that we have debated it on the House Floor.House Concurrent Resolution 5027, if passed, would make an application for Congress, under Article V of the US Constitution, for a convention to propose amendments that would impose fiscal restraints on the US Federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the Federal government, and set term limits for federal officials. Currently, only 17 states have passed similar resolutions, where there needs to be 34 in order to call the convention. There were numerous amendments proposed during the nearly two-hour debate, though many did not pass.The resolution failed as it requires a supermajority to pass out of the house with 84 votes. I voted “yes.”This month I will be conducting numerous legislative townhalls throughout the 109th Kansas House District. On Thursday, March 24, Senator Elaine Bowers and I will be starting the day in Mankato at 8:30 AM. We will then have a townhall in Smith Center at 10 AM. In the afternoon, we will then move to Osborne for a scheduled townhall at 1 PM and then move on to Paradise United Methodist Church for one scheduled at 3 PM. On Saturday, March 26, we will be conducting a townhall at Violette’s Coffee Shop in Lincoln at 9 AM.Contact InformationAnytime that one would like to participate and listen to the developments of committee hearings or discussion on the House floor, one can tune in by listening to the audio footage at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>.As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov. Please contact me regarding any issues and legislation that we are discussing during session.It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.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, March 11, 2022

By DOUGLAS SCHULER and LAURA MARIE EDINGER-SCHONS <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/03/10/why-hundreds-of-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug/">Courtesy States Newsroom</a>

Many companies in the U.S. and elsewhere have been quick to sever ties to Russia – going well beyond applying the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/sanctions-imposed-so-far-on-russia-from-the-u-s-eu-and-u-k">sanctions ordered by their governments</a>.

IKEA, Nike and H&amp;M are <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/03/business/ikea-h-and-m-russia/index.html">temporarily closing their Russian stores</a>. Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/01/disney-and-warner-bros-pause-film-releases-in-russia-over-ukraine-invasion">paused the release of new films</a> in Russia. Apple, Samsung and Microsoft <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-microsoft-and-other-tech-companies-stop-sales-in-russia/">stopped selling their products there</a>. McKinsey, Ernst &amp; Young and many other top <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-auditors-to-leave-russia-amid-invasion-of-ukraine-11646666419?mod=djemCFO">accounting</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/6c412673-d65e-4e75-adbb-08146c42387c">consulting firms</a> said they are leaving the Russian market – possibly for good.

In all, <a target="_blank" href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-200-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain">over 300 companies have announced plans</a>
 to close stores, reassign staff or stop selling products in Russia 
since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, according to a running tally 
by Yale management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Most recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/business/mcdonalds-pepsi-coke-russia/index.html">McDonald’s</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/business/stocks-economy-inflation-ukraine">Starbucks</a> and Coca-Cola joined the list on March 8, 2022, announcing they would close stores and cease sales.

In some ways, these decisions fit in with a <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">recent trend in which companies have increasingly staked out</a>
 public positions on often controversial social and political issues, 
such as restrictions on trans rights and ability to vote. As <a target="_blank" href="https://business.rice.edu/person/douglas-schuler">business professors</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k7slUggAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">who study why</a> companies engage in activism, we feel the same factors that have driven those decisions to speak out are at work over Ukraine.

But we also believe Ukraine stands out for one important reason: For 
many of these companies, it may have been one of the easiest stands 
they’ve ever taken – even if there is a financial cost.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.1177/0022242920937000">Corporate sociopolitical activism</a>
 – the technical term we use – entails companies making public 
declarations or taking actions about significant social or political 
issues that extend beyond their core business.

Until relatively recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">companies rarely took stands</a> on social or political issues.

That didn’t really change until the 2000s, when LBGTQ rights were under attack and major companies such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-arkansas-analysis-idUSKBN0MT13E20150402">Walmart spoke out</a> against bills that would have allowed discrimination.

Since then, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://qz.com/work/1797058/2020-is-the-year-corporate-activism-and-global-political-risk-converge/">surge in companies taking proactive stands</a> on issues ranging from climate activism and racism to abortion and voting rights.

For example, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020, hundreds of CEOs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/ceos-unveil-plans-against-racial-inequality-after-george-floyd-death.html">signed a pledge</a> against racial discrimination and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ceoaction.com/purpose/">created an organization dedicated</a> to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2021, the CEOs of Dell, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and AT&amp;T <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/02/983709091/these-are-the-businesses-speaking-out-against-texass-newly-proposed-election-law">spoke out against a Texas bill</a> aimed at making it more difficult for citizens to vote.

Others have taken more decisive action. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/08/1035045952/lyft-uber-will-pay-drivers-legal-fees-if-theyre-sued-under-texas-abortion-law">Uber and Lyft</a>
 said they would pay to defend their drivers if they got sued under a 
Texas law that allows anyone to sue a person who helps someone get an 
abortion. And in 2016, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/27/bathroom-bill-to-cost-north-carolina-376-billion.html">PayPal and the NCAA pulled business</a> from North Carolina after the state passed a bill limiting LGBTQ protections.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/great-expectations-navigating-challenging-stakeholder-expectations-of-brandsexpectations-of-brands">Surveys show</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2021-11/ipsos-global-trends-2021-report.pdf">today’s consumers expect</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.5wpr.com/new/wp-content/uploads/pdf/5W_consumer_culture_report_2020final.pdf">companies to live up</a> to the <a target="_blank" href="https://certusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Markstein-Social-Responsibility-_-Certus-Insights-Research-_.pdf">values they espouse</a> in their press releases, and big corporate groups such as the Business Roundtable even began <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans">urging companies</a> to focus on creating value for everyone – not just shareholders.

More specifically, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/don-t-mix-business-with-politics-understanding-stakeholder-reactions-to-corporate-political-activism-appels-moritz/10012303252">research</a> has identified <a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0084">three major factors</a> that typically drive a company’s decision to pursue corporate activism: employee beliefs, consumer pressure and the <a target="_blank" href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/the-new-ceo-activists">CEO’s personal involvement</a> or conviction.

It’s not always clear what is driving corporate decisions to suspend 
operations in Russia, but it seems as if all three factors are at play.

IKEA, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2022/03/03/ikea-pauses-operations-in-russia-and-belarus">cited the support and security</a>
 of its workforce in announcing its “pause” in Russia and a donation of 
20 million euros for humanitarian assistance for those displaced by the 
war. After a #BoycottMcDonald’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mashed.com/789748/heres-why-boycott-mcdonalds-is-trending-on-twitter/">began trending on Twitter</a>
 to protest its presence in Russia, the fast-food chain said it was 
temporarily closing its stores there. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22958373/ukraine-russia-starlink-spacex-elon-musk">agreed to provide Ukraine</a> with free satellite internet after a Ukrainian official requested it on Twitter.

But ultimately, the decision whether or not to sever a relationship 
with a country – even if temporarily – is very different from taking a 
stand on an anti-trans measure.

Even so, the speed with which U.S. and other Western companies have 
abandoned Russia is something we’ve never seen in our lifetimes. And it 
suggests the decision was likely a no-brainer.

For one thing, Russia’s invasion has been met with widespread 
revulsion in the West. And even before the war, the public’s perception 
of Russia in Western countries <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/07/russia-and-putin-receive-low-ratings-globally">was very low</a>.

One post-invasion poll found that 86% of Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3837">saw the invasion as unjustified</a> – with broad bipartisan agreement – and another showed that half of the respondents would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.live5news.com/2022/03/07/poll-finds-majority-want-russian-oil-ban-divided-biden/">compare the actions of Vladimir Putin</a> with those of Adolf Hitler.

And governments including those like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-announces-paradigm-change-in-response-to-ukraine-invasion/a-60932652">Germany</a>
 that have close commercial ties to Russia have strongly condemned its 
actions and joined unprecedented sanctions. About 80% of Germans said 
they approved of their government’s decision to sanction Russia and 
export weapons to Ukraine – or said it didn’t go far enough.

Ultimately, the Russian market is just not that big for companies in the U.S, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/03/04/what-apple-risks-by-stopping-all-sales-operations-in-russia">Apple</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2022/03/disney-ukraine-theme-parks-disneyplus-1234973007/">Disney</a>. For others, such as McDonald’s, which has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/mcdonald-s-faces-tough-questions-with-large-exposure-to-russia?sref=Hjm5biAW">in Russia since 1990 and has about 850 locations there</a>, days of pressure finally persuaded company officials they had to pull out.

On many hot-button social issues like <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx">trans rights</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/13/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/">gun control</a>, the general public is split almost right down the middle, meaning taking a stand could alienate a lot of consumers.

But on the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many companies likely were more worried about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/mcdonalds-us-brands-pressure-stop-business-russia-rcna18990">risks to their reputation</a>
 were they to do nothing. With so many other companies pulling out, it 
likely seemed better to explain to shareholders and customers back home <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/02/business/companies-pulling-back-russia-ukraine-war-intl-hnk/index.html">why they’re leaving</a> than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60660006">why they’re staying</a>.

This article is republished from <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-apple-disney-ikea-and-hundreds-of-other-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug-178516">original article</a>.

Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University

Professor of Sustainable Business, University of Mannheim

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646948339628.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By DOUGLAS SCHULER and LAURA MARIE EDINGER-SCHONS <a href="https://www.nevadacurrent.com/2022/03/10/why-hundreds-of-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug/">Courtesy States Newsroom</a>Many companies in the U.S. and elsewhere have been quick to sever ties to Russia – going well beyond applying the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-02-28/sanctions-imposed-so-far-on-russia-from-the-u-s-eu-and-u-k">sanctions ordered by their governments</a>.IKEA, Nike and H&amp;M are <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/03/business/ikea-h-and-m-russia/index.html">temporarily closing their Russian stores</a>. Disney, Sony and Warner Bros. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/mar/01/disney-and-warner-bros-pause-film-releases-in-russia-over-ukraine-invasion">paused the release of new films</a> in Russia. Apple, Samsung and Microsoft <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-microsoft-and-other-tech-companies-stop-sales-in-russia/">stopped selling their products there</a>. McKinsey, Ernst &amp; Young and many other top <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/big-auditors-to-leave-russia-amid-invasion-of-ukraine-11646666419?mod=djemCFO">accounting</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/6c412673-d65e-4e75-adbb-08146c42387c">consulting firms</a> said they are leaving the Russian market – possibly for good.In all, <a target="_blank" href="https://som.yale.edu/story/2022/over-200-companies-have-withdrawn-russia-some-remain">over 300 companies have announced plans</a>
 to close stores, reassign staff or stop selling products in Russia 
since the invasion began on Feb. 24, 2022, according to a running tally 
by Yale management professor Jeffrey Sonnenfeld. Most recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/08/business/mcdonalds-pepsi-coke-russia/index.html">McDonald’s</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/08/business/stocks-economy-inflation-ukraine">Starbucks</a> and Coca-Cola joined the list on March 8, 2022, announcing they would close stores and cease sales.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In some ways, these decisions fit in with a <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">recent trend in which companies have increasingly staked out</a>
 public positions on often controversial social and political issues, 
such as restrictions on trans rights and ability to vote. As <a target="_blank" href="https://business.rice.edu/person/douglas-schuler">business professors</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k7slUggAAAAJ&amp;hl=en&amp;oi=ao">who study why</a> companies engage in activism, we feel the same factors that have driven those decisions to speak out are at work over Ukraine.But we also believe Ukraine stands out for one important reason: For 
many of these companies, it may have been one of the easiest stands 
they’ve ever taken – even if there is a financial cost.<h2>Taking a stand</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.1177/0022242920937000">Corporate sociopolitical activism</a>
 – the technical term we use – entails companies making public 
declarations or taking actions about significant social or political 
issues that extend beyond their core business.Until relatively recently, <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/how-corporate-ceos-found-their-political-voice-83127">companies rarely took stands</a> on social or political issues.That didn’t really change until the 2000s, when LBGTQ rights were under attack and major companies such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-arkansas-analysis-idUSKBN0MT13E20150402">Walmart spoke out</a> against bills that would have allowed discrimination.Since then, there’s been a <a target="_blank" href="https://qz.com/work/1797058/2020-is-the-year-corporate-activism-and-global-political-risk-converge/">surge in companies taking proactive stands</a> on issues ranging from climate activism and racism to abortion and voting rights.For example, in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020, hundreds of CEOs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/ceos-unveil-plans-against-racial-inequality-after-george-floyd-death.html">signed a pledge</a> against racial discrimination and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ceoaction.com/purpose/">created an organization dedicated</a> to diversity, equity and inclusion. In 2021, the CEOs of Dell, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and AT&amp;T <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/02/983709091/these-are-the-businesses-speaking-out-against-texass-newly-proposed-election-law">spoke out against a Texas bill</a> aimed at making it more difficult for citizens to vote.Others have taken more decisive action. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2021/09/08/1035045952/lyft-uber-will-pay-drivers-legal-fees-if-theyre-sued-under-texas-abortion-law">Uber and Lyft</a>
 said they would pay to defend their drivers if they got sued under a 
Texas law that allows anyone to sue a person who helps someone get an 
abortion. And in 2016, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2017/03/27/bathroom-bill-to-cost-north-carolina-376-billion.html">PayPal and the NCAA pulled business</a> from North Carolina after the state passed a bill limiting LGBTQ protections.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/great-expectations-navigating-challenging-stakeholder-expectations-of-brandsexpectations-of-brands">Surveys show</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/ct/publication/documents/2021-11/ipsos-global-trends-2021-report.pdf">today’s consumers expect</a> <a target="_blank" href="https://www.5wpr.com/new/wp-content/uploads/pdf/5W_consumer_culture_report_2020final.pdf">companies to live up</a> to the <a target="_blank" href="https://certusinsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Markstein-Social-Responsibility-_-Certus-Insights-Research-_.pdf">values they espouse</a> in their press releases, and big corporate groups such as the Business Roundtable even began <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessroundtable.org/business-roundtable-redefines-the-purpose-of-a-corporation-to-promote-an-economy-that-serves-all-americans">urging companies</a> to focus on creating value for everyone – not just shareholders.<h2>Why companies speak out</h2>More specifically, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.econbiz.de/Record/don-t-mix-business-with-politics-understanding-stakeholder-reactions-to-corporate-political-activism-appels-moritz/10012303252">research</a> has identified <a target="_blank" href="https://www.doi.org/10.5465/amr.2018.0084">three major factors</a> that typically drive a company’s decision to pursue corporate activism: employee beliefs, consumer pressure and the <a target="_blank" href="https://hbr.org/2018/01/the-new-ceo-activists">CEO’s personal involvement</a> or conviction.It’s not always clear what is driving corporate decisions to suspend 
operations in Russia, but it seems as if all three factors are at play.IKEA, for example, <a target="_blank" href="https://about.ikea.com/en/newsroom/2022/03/03/ikea-pauses-operations-in-russia-and-belarus">cited the support and security</a>
 of its workforce in announcing its “pause” in Russia and a donation of 
20 million euros for humanitarian assistance for those displaced by the 
war. After a #BoycottMcDonald’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mashed.com/789748/heres-why-boycott-mcdonalds-is-trending-on-twitter/">began trending on Twitter</a>
 to protest its presence in Russia, the fast-food chain said it was 
temporarily closing its stores there. And Tesla CEO Elon Musk <a target="_blank" href="https://www.vox.com/recode/22958373/ukraine-russia-starlink-spacex-elon-musk">agreed to provide Ukraine</a> with free satellite internet after a Ukrainian official requested it on Twitter.<h2>A corporate no-brainer</h2>But ultimately, the decision whether or not to sever a relationship 
with a country – even if temporarily – is very different from taking a 
stand on an anti-trans measure.Even so, the speed with which U.S. and other Western companies have 
abandoned Russia is something we’ve never seen in our lifetimes. And it 
suggests the decision was likely a no-brainer.For one thing, Russia’s invasion has been met with widespread 
revulsion in the West. And even before the war, the public’s perception 
of Russia in Western countries <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/02/07/russia-and-putin-receive-low-ratings-globally">was very low</a>.One post-invasion poll found that 86% of Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3837">saw the invasion as unjustified</a> – with broad bipartisan agreement – and another showed that half of the respondents would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.live5news.com/2022/03/07/poll-finds-majority-want-russian-oil-ban-divided-biden/">compare the actions of Vladimir Putin</a> with those of Adolf Hitler.And governments including those like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/german-chancellor-olaf-scholz-announces-paradigm-change-in-response-to-ukraine-invasion/a-60932652">Germany</a>
 that have close commercial ties to Russia have strongly condemned its 
actions and joined unprecedented sanctions. About 80% of Germans said 
they approved of their government’s decision to sanction Russia and 
export weapons to Ukraine – or said it didn’t go far enough.Ultimately, the Russian market is just not that big for companies in the U.S, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/22/03/04/what-apple-risks-by-stopping-all-sales-operations-in-russia">Apple</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://deadline.com/2022/03/disney-ukraine-theme-parks-disneyplus-1234973007/">Disney</a>. For others, such as McDonald’s, which has been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-08/mcdonald-s-faces-tough-questions-with-large-exposure-to-russia?sref=Hjm5biAW">in Russia since 1990 and has about 850 locations there</a>, days of pressure finally persuaded company officials they had to pull out.On many hot-button social issues like <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/350174/mixed-views-among-americans-transgender-issues.aspx">trans rights</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/13/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/">gun control</a>, the general public is split almost right down the middle, meaning taking a stand could alienate a lot of consumers.But on the issue of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many companies likely were more worried about the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/consumer/mcdonalds-us-brands-pressure-stop-business-russia-rcna18990">risks to their reputation</a>
 were they to do nothing. With so many other companies pulling out, it 
likely seemed better to explain to shareholders and customers back home <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/03/02/business/companies-pulling-back-russia-ukraine-war-intl-hnk/index.html">why they’re leaving</a> than <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-60660006">why they’re staying</a>.This article is republished from <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a target="_blank" href="https://theconversation.com/why-apple-disney-ikea-and-hundreds-of-other-western-companies-are-abandoning-russia-with-barely-a-shrug-178516">original article</a>.<h2>Douglas Schuler</h2>Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy, Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University<h2>Laura Marie Edinger-Schons</h2>Professor of Sustainable Business, University of Mannheim

OPINION: Western companies abandoning Russia with barely a shrug

By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau Growing up, this is about the time of year I spent plenty of weekends patrolling pastures for eastern red cedar trees to lop off with a pair of shears. It was easier to spot the evergreen saplings amidst the browns and tans of last year’s growing season. My job was to find the saplings growing in fence rows, draws and other areas where the fire we’d set a few weeks later was unlikely to reach them. From an evolutionary standpoint, this particular plant is a marvelous organism. A member of the juniper family, the trees seemingly thrive anywhere from deep soils to bare rock. Heat, cold and drought are simple inconveniences. These well-adapted trees have always been present in Kansas prairies, but they once were limited to some of the more marginal land. The cedars could flourish there precisely because there was little other organic matter around. On the open range, periodic wildfires would get hot enough to fully engulf full-grown trees allowing the grassland to reclaim the territory. Today, prescribed burns are used in place of wildfires, especially in the Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma. Here, an average of 2.2 million acres will be set ablaze this spring. In the coming weeks, evidence of these burns will be easily visible as plumes of smoke rise over the horizon. Thankfully, rangeland managers have become more purposeful in timing their burns to minimize how much smoke reaches urban areas. Voluntary efforts like the Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan allow landowners access to detailed forecast and smoke modeling tools at&nbsp;<a href="https://kfb.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=45bba928f411d21617c5eadbe&amp;id=6cb21fa496&amp;e=5bf0f0e5fe">www.ksfire.org</a>&nbsp;so they can balance the need for burning with the air quality of their neighbors. These extra steps are a small price to pay compared to the necessity of fire in preserving the prairie. For as well as cedars grow in marginal soils, they do even better in the sod of open ground. It’s not the plow or development that represents the greatest threat to the grasslands of tomorrow, rather it’s the advancement of woody plants like these. This encroachment puts pressure on working rangelands by decreasing livestock production and increasing wildfire risk as well as harming grassland biodiversity for existing wildlife. Expansive prairies are threatened with wholesale transition to woodland, and it can happen in short order. A recent report from Oklahoma State University points out woody plants have increased on more than 108 million acres in the western U.S. since 1999. In turn, that’s driving the potential collapse of the remaining Great Plains grassland. Fire is both fast and affordable, but for its ability to preserve large expanses of grassland, prescribed fires aren’t the same as the wildfires that once ripped through the prairie. There were no fences, road ditches or windbreaks on nearby homes that would interrupt the fire’s spread. Those areas today are a reservoir for mature cedars capable of producing seed that can travel a significant distance, advancing the line of encroachment. Now I’m not advocating we get rid of fences, ditches, windbreaks and other areas where cedars are safe from fire. Rather those with a vested stake in maintaining our productive prairies have to find ways to work together to manage this threat. What that means is a heightened vigilance and perpetual management of cedars and other woody plants, even if that means I’m going to be spending a few weekends in the spring patrolling pastures again to ensure the rangeland in Kansas remains resilient.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574694551876.png" alt="Greg Doering&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Greg Doering&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By GREG DOERING Kansas Farm Bureau Growing up, this is about the time of year I spent plenty of weekends patrolling pastures for eastern red cedar trees to lop off with a pair of shears. It was easier to spot the evergreen saplings amidst the browns and tans of last year’s growing season. My job was to find the saplings growing in fence rows, draws and other areas where the fire we’d set a few weeks later was unlikely to reach them. From an evolutionary standpoint, this particular plant is a marvelous organism. A member of the juniper family, the trees seemingly thrive anywhere from deep soils to bare rock. Heat, cold and drought are simple inconveniences. These well-adapted trees have always been present in Kansas prairies, but they once were limited to some of the more marginal land. The cedars could flourish there precisely because there was little other organic matter around. On the open range, periodic wildfires would get hot enough to fully engulf full-grown trees allowing the grassland to reclaim the territory. Today, prescribed burns are used in place of wildfires, especially in the Flint Hills of Kansas and Oklahoma. Here, an average of 2.2 million acres will be set ablaze this spring. In the coming weeks, evidence of these burns will be easily visible as plumes of smoke rise over the horizon. Thankfully, rangeland managers have become more purposeful in timing their burns to minimize how much smoke reaches urban areas. Voluntary efforts like the Flint Hills Smoke Management Plan allow landowners access to detailed forecast and smoke modeling tools at&nbsp;<a href="https://kfb.us11.list-manage.com/track/click?u=45bba928f411d21617c5eadbe&amp;id=6cb21fa496&amp;e=5bf0f0e5fe">www.ksfire.org</a>&nbsp;so they can balance the need for burning with the air quality of their neighbors. These extra steps are a small price to pay compared to the necessity of fire in preserving the prairie. For as well as cedars grow in marginal soils, they do even better in the sod of open ground. It’s not the plow or development that represents the greatest threat to the grasslands of tomorrow, rather it’s the advancement of woody plants like these. This encroachment puts pressure on working rangelands by decreasing livestock production and increasing wildfire risk as well as harming grassland biodiversity for existing wildlife. Expansive prairies are threatened with wholesale transition to woodland, and it can happen in short order. A recent report from Oklahoma State University points out woody plants have increased on more than 108 million acres in the western U.S. since 1999. In turn, that’s driving the potential collapse of the remaining Great Plains grassland. Fire is both fast and affordable, but for its ability to preserve large expanses of grassland, prescribed fires aren’t the same as the wildfires that once ripped through the prairie. There were no fences, road ditches or windbreaks on nearby homes that would interrupt the fire’s spread. Those areas today are a reservoir for mature cedars capable of producing seed that can travel a significant distance, advancing the line of encroachment. Now I’m not advocating we get rid of fences, ditches, windbreaks and other areas where cedars are safe from fire. Rather those with a vested stake in maintaining our productive prairies have to find ways to work together to manage this threat. What that means is a heightened vigilance and perpetual management of cedars and other woody plants, even if that means I’m going to be spending a few weekends in the spring patrolling pastures again to ensure the rangeland in Kansas remains resilient."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: Resilient rangeland

 It was good to see many people over the
weekend in Hays.&nbsp; Thanks to the Hays
Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring a legislative coffee with Senator Billinger
and Representatives Waymaster and Wasinger.&nbsp;
We are working on dates in April to come to other communities as we do
each year, watch for more details as they are worked out.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/eec6a9ec-1dba-45cf-a3c3-b6ba0adf78dd">SEE STORY OF SATURDAY'S LEGISLATIVE COFFEE ON HAYS POST&nbsp;</a>

Second Half of the Session Underway

The Legislature completed the first half of work on February
23, ahead of the Turnaround deadline, when non-exempt bills have to be
considered in their house of origin. The Legislature returned to action on
March 2 with House committees taking up bills sent over by the Senate.&nbsp; Work continues on big issues, including the
budget, taxes, and redistricting.

Highlights of the First Half of the 2022 Session

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646612827522.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes(center) R-Agra, at the Hays Chamber Legislative Coffee March 5. (Photo by James Bell/Hays Post)" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes(center) R-Agra, at the Hays Chamber Legislative Coffee March 5. (Photo by James Bell/Hays Post)</figcaption>
 </figure>March 7, 2022 TOPEKAHello from Topeka. It was good to see many people over the
weekend in Hays.&nbsp; Thanks to the Hays
Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring a legislative coffee with Senator Billinger
and Representatives Waymaster and Wasinger.&nbsp;
We are working on dates in April to come to other communities as we do
each year, watch for more details as they are worked out.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/eec6a9ec-1dba-45cf-a3c3-b6ba0adf78dd">SEE STORY OF SATURDAY'S LEGISLATIVE COFFEE ON HAYS POST&nbsp;</a>Second Half of the Session UnderwayThe Legislature completed the first half of work on February
23, ahead of the Turnaround deadline, when non-exempt bills have to be
considered in their house of origin. The Legislature returned to action on
March 2 with House committees taking up bills sent over by the Senate.&nbsp; Work continues on big issues, including the
budget, taxes, and redistricting.Highlights of the First Half of the 2022 Session•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Passing a
Congressional map, known as Ad Astra 2, in SB 355•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Approving
SB 347, the Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion (APEX) Act. APEX will ensure
that companies making a minimum investment in Kansas of $1 billion over a
five-year-period would be eligible for certain tax incentives and subject to
accountability measures.•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Extending
protections to keep hospitals and adult care homes staffed by temporarily
removing some of the red tape in rules and regulations in HB 2477•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Standing
Against Antisemitism, with unanimous approval of HCR 5030•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Giving
citizens the opportunity to vote on two constitutional amendments: HCR 5014,
which ensures legislative oversight of rules and regulations and HCR 5022,
which protects the right of voters to elect their county sheriff.•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Condemning
price gouging that occurred during the February 2021 extreme cold weather
event: HCR 5023•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Honoring
Gold Star Families with a memorial on the Statehouse grounds: HB 2540•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Establishing
a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license for Kansas kids, HB 2456Important Legislation Awaiting Action in the Second Half of
the 2022 SessionFollowing the Governor’s State of the State in January,
Republicans outlined priorities for the 2022 Session, including a three-pronged
approach:•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ratcheting
down the sales tax responsibly on not only food, but on other purchases our
families need to make through a plan that makes meaningful tax cuts, rather
than just giving away small, one-time handouts.•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Stabilizing
the KPERS retirement fund, so that it will be there for our teachers, our
firefighters, and other public employees when they need it.•&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Securing
the Rainy Day Fund, so that our families will not be on the hook for higher
taxes as the economy ebbs and flows.Legislation has been introduced to accomplish these
priorities in HB 2711 and HB 2561HB 2711 creates a comprehensive tax plan that reduces the
state food sales tax rate from 6.5 to 3.5 percent, while creating a path to
zero if funds are sufficient in the Budget Stabilization Fund.&nbsp; The plan also lowers the state sales tax rate
from 6.5 to 6.3 percent, addressing the totality of sales tax relief, rather
than a limited focus like the Governor’s proposal. The food sales tax income
tax credit becomes a refundable tax credit, effectively taking food sales tax
to zero for those that we have heard need it most – families with children,
seniors, disabled citizens.&nbsp; HB 2711 was
heard in the House Taxation Committee this week.HB 2561 uses the budget surplus to stabilize the KPERS
system, bringing KPERS above the 80 percent funded level, lowers future costs
for taxpayers by reducing the state’s share of employer contributions, and
saves $82 million in FY 2023 and $429 million over the next five years. The
bill also fully funds 2017 and 2019 payments, paying off layering payments, and
eliminating the annual $25.8 million payments on delayed employer
contributions. HB 2561 has passed out of the House Insurance and Pensions
Committee and awaits action by the House.The work to put a portion of budget surplus funds into the
Rainy Day Fund awaits action by the House Appropriations Committee.&nbsp; The Committee is finishing hearing all of the
Budget Committee recommendations and will soon be working HB 2588 and HB
2592.&nbsp; House Republicans proposed setting
aside some of the budget surplus to protect the Kansas economy from future ebbs
and flows.You can follow along on happenings in the legislature online
at <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">kslegislature.org</a> &nbsp;and you can watch
committee meetings and when the house and senate are on the floor on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_0NO-Pb96CFABvxDwXAq8A">Kansas
Legislature’s YouTube channel</a>.&nbsp; If you
would like to contact me: my office is still located in Room: 149-S.&nbsp; My statehouse phone number is (785) 296-7463
and email is: ken.rahjes@house.ks.gov and you can always try my cell number at
(785) 302-8416.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;It is my honor to serve you.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, is the Kansas state representative of the 110th Dist. House District 110 includes:&nbsp; Norton and Phillips Counties Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen;&nbsp;Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part),&nbsp;Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part) Graham County: City: Hill City;&nbsp;Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part) Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville,&nbsp;Stockton, Woodston and Zurich

Opinion