I recently wrote a column discussing how baseless claims of widespread and systematic voter fraud hurt democracy in Kansas.&nbsp;

Readers statewide sent me thoughtful feedback. Some was positive, like the Republican county clerk who thanked me for defending local election officials. I want to engage here, though, with common themes from the negative feedback.&nbsp;

One theme: Kansans don’t trust our elections.&nbsp;

Any mistrust of our elections is worrisome. However, the mistrustful are still the minority. The 2020&nbsp;FOX News&nbsp;Voter Analysis Survey showed that 68 percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that votes in “the presidential election in the U.S” would be “counted accurately.” Only 6 percent had no confidence. Sixty-three percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that ineligible persons “will not be allowed to vote.” Only 13 percent had no confidence.&nbsp;

Another theme: Voter fraud is common in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Readers differed on their “proof” for this fraud. Some suggested that the fraud is so well hidden in Kansas—without explaining how—that it is unprovable. Others broadly claimed that the fraud is obvious but intentionally ignored by the media.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some readers commented that Democratic victories in Johnson County prove that fraud occurred. Political outcomes that we dislike do not prove fraud. Both parties lose elections. That doesn’t prove that either is a victim of electoral “cancel culture” or that elections are fraudulent.&nbsp;

One reader cited the growing Latino vote in Southwest Kansas as evidence of fraud. Diversity among voters in diverse communities doesn’t prove fraud either.&nbsp;

Usually, credible evidence is essential for proving claims, and lack of evidence doesn’t mean conspiracy or ignorance. Plaintiffs bear the burden of proof, not defendants—at least in court, if not politics.&nbsp;

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab told&nbsp;KSNT News&nbsp;in November that “Kansas is not experiencing any issues with voter fraud.” If you don’t believe him, contact his office at 785-296-4575 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sos@ks.gov">sos@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Voter fraud accusations and their proposed solutions have always been political, no matter how real fraud has been historically. These claims have always involved political winners and losers.&nbsp;

Circa 1800, the rich routinely accused middle class white men of lying about their wealth to gain suffrage in states with economic restrictions on voting. The solution: task local tax assessors with creating the first voter registration systems, and allow them often unsupervised power to disenfranchise eligible middle class citizens.&nbsp;

Fraud claims later became a weapon for anti-city politics. Many states only required voter registration in cities, ignoring potential fraud in rural communities. In the 1920’s, Kansas only applied voter registration to cities of over 2,000 people.&nbsp;

One reader commented that “we can’t ignore people who think that Kansas elections are a sham.” True. Mistrust is alarming.&nbsp;&nbsp;

But how much should we cater to that mistrust?&nbsp;&nbsp;

How strictly will we limit voting in Kansas to secure an already secure system?&nbsp;

Was defending Kris Kobach’s unconstitutional voter registration law worth the potential $4 million bill put on Kansas taxpayers?&nbsp;&nbsp;

If Senator Jerry Moran gets a more conservative primary challenger in 2022, is losing his congressional seniority worth punishing him for voting to accept the Electoral College results?&nbsp;

The bigger problem here is not that a vocal minority mistrusts our elections. It’s that the politics industry feeds that mistrust intentionally and strategically, with no regard for its bigger consequences.&nbsp;

Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575644168170.png" alt="Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas." />
 <figcaption>Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.</figcaption>
 </figure>I recently wrote a column discussing how baseless claims of widespread and systematic voter fraud hurt democracy in Kansas.&nbsp;Readers statewide sent me thoughtful feedback. Some was positive, like the Republican county clerk who thanked me for defending local election officials. I want to engage here, though, with common themes from the negative feedback.&nbsp;One theme: Kansans don’t trust our elections.&nbsp;Any mistrust of our elections is worrisome. However, the mistrustful are still the minority. The 2020&nbsp;FOX News&nbsp;Voter Analysis Survey showed that 68 percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that votes in “the presidential election in the U.S” would be “counted accurately.” Only 6 percent had no confidence. Sixty-three percent of Kansans were very or somewhat confident that ineligible persons “will not be allowed to vote.” Only 13 percent had no confidence.&nbsp;Another theme: Voter fraud is common in Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;Readers differed on their “proof” for this fraud. Some suggested that the fraud is so well hidden in Kansas—without explaining how—that it is unprovable. Others broadly claimed that the fraud is obvious but intentionally ignored by the media.&nbsp;&nbsp;Some readers commented that Democratic victories in Johnson County prove that fraud occurred. Political outcomes that we dislike do not prove fraud. Both parties lose elections. That doesn’t prove that either is a victim of electoral “cancel culture” or that elections are fraudulent.&nbsp;One reader cited the growing Latino vote in Southwest Kansas as evidence of fraud. Diversity among voters in diverse communities doesn’t prove fraud either.&nbsp;Usually, credible evidence is essential for proving claims, and lack of evidence doesn’t mean conspiracy or ignorance. Plaintiffs bear the burden of proof, not defendants—at least in court, if not politics.&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab told&nbsp;KSNT News&nbsp;in November that “Kansas is not experiencing any issues with voter fraud.” If you don’t believe him, contact his office at 785-296-4575 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:sos@ks.gov">sos@ks.gov</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another theme: Denying politics.&nbsp;Voter fraud accusations and their proposed solutions have always been political, no matter how real fraud has been historically. These claims have always involved political winners and losers.&nbsp;Circa 1800, the rich routinely accused middle class white men of lying about their wealth to gain suffrage in states with economic restrictions on voting. The solution: task local tax assessors with creating the first voter registration systems, and allow them often unsupervised power to disenfranchise eligible middle class citizens.&nbsp;Fraud claims later became a weapon for anti-city politics. Many states only required voter registration in cities, ignoring potential fraud in rural communities. In the 1920’s, Kansas only applied voter registration to cities of over 2,000 people.&nbsp;One reader commented that “we can’t ignore people who think that Kansas elections are a sham.” True. Mistrust is alarming.&nbsp;&nbsp;But how much should we cater to that mistrust?&nbsp;&nbsp;How strictly will we limit voting in Kansas to secure an already secure system?&nbsp;Was defending Kris Kobach’s unconstitutional voter registration law worth the potential $4 million bill put on Kansas taxpayers?&nbsp;&nbsp;If Senator Jerry Moran gets a more conservative primary challenger in 2022, is losing his congressional seniority worth punishing him for voting to accept the Electoral College results?&nbsp;The bigger problem here is not that a vocal minority mistrusts our elections. It’s that the politics industry feeds that mistrust intentionally and strategically, with no regard for its bigger consequences.&nbsp;Patrick R. Miller is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Kansas.

INIGHT KANSAS: Where's the beef in voter fraud claims in Kan.? 

During the 1960s, there was an oil boom in Morrow County, Ohio, where we lived, and either there were no regulations on anything or no one followed them, because oil rigs appeared on tiny podunk patches of ground barely big enough to contain the equipment, and the drilling rigs were so thick that at night the countryside looked like the Emerald City. 

A company drilled a well on our place and told dad they hit oil, but one morning we awoke to find everything gone, oil tank and oil included, without him every seeing a cent. The area was left a mess, with lengths of oil well pipe, huge wooden timbers and chunks of steel cable laying everywhere in the weeds. Dad decided he was going to get something from them for our trouble, so, thinking surely they would come back and clean up their mess, he hooked the tractor onto several long oil well pipes and drug them to the other end of the farm and deposited them along a fencerow out of sight.&nbsp;

One of our favorite winter pastimes was rabbit hunting. We didn’t have a dog so we’d just wonder through the woods and along fencerows looking for tracks and rootin’ through weed and briar patches to kick out rabbits hiding therein. One snowy Saturday afternoon my buddy Ralph and I departed on a rabbit hunting excursion that followed our usual route, starting behind the barn and turning right at the end of a short pasture, then following a drainage ditch that was overgrown on both sides with all manner of briers, blackberries and other stellar rabbit hiding places. Ralph carried his old scratched and beat-up 12-gauge single-shot that broke into 2 pieces instead of hinging open like it was supposed to. Several inches of soft snow made for slow going, but the snow made rabbit tracks show-up like chocolate chips in pancakes. 

The drainage ditch ran for a couple hundred yards and where it ended against the next fencerow was where the high-jacked oil well pipes resided. Rabbit tracks littered the ground all around the pipes; one pipe in particular had a highway of tracks going into one end but none going out the other.&nbsp; A quick glance inside showed complete darkness, telling us Brer rabbit was certainly holed up inside. Eureka! But it seemed like a terrible waste of good rabbit meat to shoot him in the pipe and not be able to get him out. Surely pounding on the outside of the pipe would get him moving. With Ralph standing near one end, his old 12-gauge canon at the ready, I proceeded to jump around on the pipe. I tap-danced, kicked, beat and pounded all up-and-down one end of the pipe, but nothing. Since we couldn’t actually see him in there, maybe he was facing the other direction, we thought, so we traded ends and tried again, still nothing. Somewhere we found a long stick of some sort that reached part way through the pipe. While Ralph stood on guard, I poked and prodded from both ends, but still nothing! Curses, we were getting’ nowhere! Then suddenly I had a two-word epiphany that would solve our problem; John Deere!

We hiked back to the barn, started the old JD 3010 with a loader on front and headed through the snow back to the pipe. As we chugged along, we could almost taste the freshly fried rabbit, as surely no cottontail alive could keep its footing inside an oil well pipe with one end hoisted toward the sky. I swung the tractor around in front of the offending pipe, slid the loader bucket beneath it and lifted it a few feet in the air, all the while awaiting the thunder of Ralph’s old 12 gauge as Brer came sliding out the other end. Nothing. So, I hoisted the pipe even higher, and still nothing. What, had we found a bionic bunny with 4-wheel drive? I dropped the pipe back into the snow, pulled it away from the fence and slid the bucket under the other end. 

This would surely do it, we figured. Once again, I raised the pipe, awaiting the roar of the 12 gauge, and once again, nothing. I tried it all; jerking the pipe up and down, dropping it onto the ground with a thud, even sticking one loader tine into the end and whipping it up-and-down like a symphony conductor’s baton, all with the same results…nothing! If ole’ Brer was in there, I suppose by then he was either dead or passed out from fright. It was about then the realization hit us that whatever was blocking the pipe might not be a rabbit at all, but a clod of dirt dad scooped up when he drug the pipe to its new home, a nest of some sort or maybe a dead possum. Lucky for us it was not a skunk!&nbsp; Anyway, whatever was in there was either inanimate or dead and was not going to taste real good fried, so we accepted defeat and moved on.&nbsp;

Guys stake down old barrels in lakes as lairs for catfish, often noodling big flatheads out of them during the summer. Maybe we should have looked into renting out our oil well pipes to neighbors as “cottontail condos,” accepting a bunny nor two each year as payment.&nbsp; With all the forgotten, left-behind oil well pipes there must have been scattered throughout that county, we could have had dozens, perhaps hundreds of cottontail condo rentals. We could have become real estate moguls while&nbsp; still in high school! Yup, I can see it all now; R&amp;S (Ralph and Steve) Cottontail Condos, the full taste of the wild for only half the work! Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>During the 1960s, there was an oil boom in Morrow County, Ohio, where we lived, and either there were no regulations on anything or no one followed them, because oil rigs appeared on tiny podunk patches of ground barely big enough to contain the equipment, and the drilling rigs were so thick that at night the countryside looked like the Emerald City. A company drilled a well on our place and told dad they hit oil, but one morning we awoke to find everything gone, oil tank and oil included, without him every seeing a cent. The area was left a mess, with lengths of oil well pipe, huge wooden timbers and chunks of steel cable laying everywhere in the weeds. Dad decided he was going to get something from them for our trouble, so, thinking surely they would come back and clean up their mess, he hooked the tractor onto several long oil well pipes and drug them to the other end of the farm and deposited them along a fencerow out of sight.&nbsp;One of our favorite winter pastimes was rabbit hunting. We didn’t have a dog so we’d just wonder through the woods and along fencerows looking for tracks and rootin’ through weed and briar patches to kick out rabbits hiding therein. One snowy Saturday afternoon my buddy Ralph and I departed on a rabbit hunting excursion that followed our usual route, starting behind the barn and turning right at the end of a short pasture, then following a drainage ditch that was overgrown on both sides with all manner of briers, blackberries and other stellar rabbit hiding places. Ralph carried his old scratched and beat-up 12-gauge single-shot that broke into 2 pieces instead of hinging open like it was supposed to. Several inches of soft snow made for slow going, but the snow made rabbit tracks show-up like chocolate chips in pancakes. The drainage ditch ran for a couple hundred yards and where it ended against the next fencerow was where the high-jacked oil well pipes resided. Rabbit tracks littered the ground all around the pipes; one pipe in particular had a highway of tracks going into one end but none going out the other.&nbsp; A quick glance inside showed complete darkness, telling us Brer rabbit was certainly holed up inside. Eureka! But it seemed like a terrible waste of good rabbit meat to shoot him in the pipe and not be able to get him out. Surely pounding on the outside of the pipe would get him moving. With Ralph standing near one end, his old 12-gauge canon at the ready, I proceeded to jump around on the pipe. I tap-danced, kicked, beat and pounded all up-and-down one end of the pipe, but nothing. Since we couldn’t actually see him in there, maybe he was facing the other direction, we thought, so we traded ends and tried again, still nothing. Somewhere we found a long stick of some sort that reached part way through the pipe. While Ralph stood on guard, I poked and prodded from both ends, but still nothing! Curses, we were getting’ nowhere! Then suddenly I had a two-word epiphany that would solve our problem; John Deere!We hiked back to the barn, started the old JD 3010 with a loader on front and headed through the snow back to the pipe. As we chugged along, we could almost taste the freshly fried rabbit, as surely no cottontail alive could keep its footing inside an oil well pipe with one end hoisted toward the sky. I swung the tractor around in front of the offending pipe, slid the loader bucket beneath it and lifted it a few feet in the air, all the while awaiting the thunder of Ralph’s old 12 gauge as Brer came sliding out the other end. Nothing. So, I hoisted the pipe even higher, and still nothing. What, had we found a bionic bunny with 4-wheel drive? I dropped the pipe back into the snow, pulled it away from the fence and slid the bucket under the other end. This would surely do it, we figured. Once again, I raised the pipe, awaiting the roar of the 12 gauge, and once again, nothing. I tried it all; jerking the pipe up and down, dropping it onto the ground with a thud, even sticking one loader tine into the end and whipping it up-and-down like a symphony conductor’s baton, all with the same results…nothing! If ole’ Brer was in there, I suppose by then he was either dead or passed out from fright. It was about then the realization hit us that whatever was blocking the pipe might not be a rabbit at all, but a clod of dirt dad scooped up when he drug the pipe to its new home, a nest of some sort or maybe a dead possum. Lucky for us it was not a skunk!&nbsp; Anyway, whatever was in there was either inanimate or dead and was not going to taste real good fried, so we accepted defeat and moved on.&nbsp;Guys stake down old barrels in lakes as lairs for catfish, often noodling big flatheads out of them during the summer. Maybe we should have looked into renting out our oil well pipes to neighbors as “cottontail condos,” accepting a bunny nor two each year as payment.&nbsp; With all the forgotten, left-behind oil well pipes there must have been scattered throughout that county, we could have had dozens, perhaps hundreds of cottontail condo rentals. We could have become real estate moguls while&nbsp; still in high school! Yup, I can see it all now; R&amp;S (Ralph and Steve) Cottontail Condos, the full taste of the wild for only half the work! Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at stevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Farm kid rabbit huntin’

When Governor Laura Kelly introduced her budget to the Legislature in early January, the cornerstone of her budget is the reamortization of the unfunded liability for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system (KPERS).&nbsp; She had introduced this notion twice before and it was rejected by the legislature.&nbsp; Since Governor Kelly’s budget is contingent on refinancing the unfunded liability, we in the House Appropriations Committee have been dissecting all parts of the Governor’s budget in order to balance without this particular provision. I have consistently maintained a platform of being fiscally conservative, especially in my role as House Appropriations Chairman.&nbsp; However, the refinance of the unfunded liability does nothing but increase our debt load and it fails to fund our pension system and only dismisses the promises that we have made.&nbsp; The plan to

refinance does nothing but perpetuate an ongoing problem.&nbsp; We have made great strides in recent years in addressing the needs for KPERS and this proposal does nothing but add an additional $7.4 billion onto the taxpayers of Kansas by refinancing for an additional fifteen years.

Even the board of directors, who has the authority to refinance if they choose to do so, has publicly spoke against the Governor’s proposal to refinance KPERS.

Late last week, House Bill 2405 was introduced for the reamortization of KPERS in the House Appropriations Committee and this bill has been referred to the House Insurance and Pensions Committee.&nbsp; I am certain that even if this bill would be passed out of committee, it will suffer the same fate as before and fail on the House floor.

This week the House Appropriations Committee continued with numerous budget recommendations from the budget committees.&nbsp; We are nearing the end of this process and should be constructing our budget around the middle of March after we return from the midway point of the session, referenced as “Turnaround.”&nbsp;

One of the more notable budget committee recommendations came from the budget of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.&nbsp; The recommendation from the committee is that if no bill passes regarding Medicaid Expansion then the $19 million that the Governor had proposed in her budget for Medicaid Expansion and directs that money to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).&nbsp; One of the bills we passed out of committee was House Bill 2214, which transfers land from the Department of Corrections to the city of Beloit, Kansas.

<a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a>On Tuesday, February 23, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on five bills, all of these bills passed Wednesday and are on their way to the Kansas State Senate.</a>

One of those bills that we debated and voted on is House Bill 2237, which would extend the sunset on the Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZ).&nbsp; When ROZ was first enacted the program was to sunset after the tax year of 2021.&nbsp; This bill extends the sunset to 2023.&nbsp; The bill also extends the annual reporting requirements to the House and Senate Taxation Committees which would include how many are participating in the program.&nbsp; In the current fiscal year, the budget for ROZ is $950,000, all from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund which is funded by the Kansas Lottery money.&nbsp; This money is used to fund the obligations of the student loan forgiveness component of the ROZ program and the bill continues these obligations through fiscal year 2026. This bill passed the House, 107-16.

On Thursday, we debated House Bill 2093, which increases the criminal penalty for fleeing or eluding a police officer when operating a stolen vehicle.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 124-0.

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&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">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&nbsp;<a href="mailto:troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.

Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_h_109.pdf">109th Kansas House District</a>&nbsp;state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;

The 109th District includes&nbsp;Osborne, Russell, and Smith counties, and portions of Barton, Jewell, Lincoln and Rush counties.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577788173848.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>February 26, 2021Reamortization of KPERSWhen Governor Laura Kelly introduced her budget to the Legislature in early January, the cornerstone of her budget is the reamortization of the unfunded liability for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement system (KPERS).&nbsp; She had introduced this notion twice before and it was rejected by the legislature.&nbsp; Since Governor Kelly’s budget is contingent on refinancing the unfunded liability, we in the House Appropriations Committee have been dissecting all parts of the Governor’s budget in order to balance without this particular provision. I have consistently maintained a platform of being fiscally conservative, especially in my role as House Appropriations Chairman.&nbsp; However, the refinance of the unfunded liability does nothing but increase our debt load and it fails to fund our pension system and only dismisses the promises that we have made.&nbsp; The plan torefinance does nothing but perpetuate an ongoing problem.&nbsp; We have made great strides in recent years in addressing the needs for KPERS and this proposal does nothing but add an additional $7.4 billion onto the taxpayers of Kansas by refinancing for an additional fifteen years.Even the board of directors, who has the authority to refinance if they choose to do so, has publicly spoke against the Governor’s proposal to refinance KPERS.Late last week, House Bill 2405 was introduced for the reamortization of KPERS in the House Appropriations Committee and this bill has been referred to the House Insurance and Pensions Committee.&nbsp; I am certain that even if this bill would be passed out of committee, it will suffer the same fate as before and fail on the House floor.Appropriations CommitteeThis week the House Appropriations Committee continued with numerous budget recommendations from the budget committees.&nbsp; We are nearing the end of this process and should be constructing our budget around the middle of March after we return from the midway point of the session, referenced as “Turnaround.”&nbsp;One of the more notable budget committee recommendations came from the budget of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.&nbsp; The recommendation from the committee is that if no bill passes regarding Medicaid Expansion then the $19 million that the Governor had proposed in her budget for Medicaid Expansion and directs that money to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).&nbsp; One of the bills we passed out of committee was House Bill 2214, which transfers land from the Department of Corrections to the city of Beloit, Kansas.Bills Passed the House<a></a><a></a><a></a><a></a><a>On Tuesday, February 23, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on five bills, all of these bills passed Wednesday and are on their way to the Kansas State Senate.</a>One of those bills that we debated and voted on is House Bill 2237, which would extend the sunset on the Rural Opportunity Zones (ROZ).&nbsp; When ROZ was first enacted the program was to sunset after the tax year of 2021.&nbsp; This bill extends the sunset to 2023.&nbsp; The bill also extends the annual reporting requirements to the House and Senate Taxation Committees which would include how many are participating in the program.&nbsp; In the current fiscal year, the budget for ROZ is $950,000, all from the Economic Development Initiatives Fund which is funded by the Kansas Lottery money.&nbsp; This money is used to fund the obligations of the student loan forgiveness component of the ROZ program and the bill continues these obligations through fiscal year 2026. This bill passed the House, 107-16.On Thursday, we debated House Bill 2093, which increases the criminal penalty for fleeing or eluding a police officer when operating a stolen vehicle.&nbsp; This bill passed the House, 124-0.I voted “yes” on both bills.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&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">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&nbsp;<a href="mailto:troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_h_109.pdf">109th Kansas House District</a>&nbsp;state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;The 109th District includes&nbsp;Osborne, Russell, and Smith counties, and portions of Barton, Jewell, Lincoln and Rush counties.&nbsp;

WAYMASTER: From the Dome to Home Feb. 26

As the month of February progresses, so does our United Way Campus Campaign at Fort Hays State University. We have had one successful food truck Fridays with Smokin Co. BBQ and a birthday challenge. Since I turned 60 earlier this month, staff thought it would be fun to offer a challenge: Anyone who donates $60 or more to the United Way Campus Campaign will be eligible to win a prize from local businesses.

A special thank you to the following local businesses for supporting the United Way Campus Campaign, which is all about improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good: Anhelo Massage &amp; Wellness; CJ Snaps; Flowers by Frances; Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro and Market; PoPt Gourmet Popcorn; Stephanie Jacobs, All the Rage Studios; and The Inn at 117.

Speaking of advancing the common good, let me highlight just a few of our campus colleagues who responded when we asked, “What’s Your United Way Story?”

Jason Williby, president and CEO of the FHSU Foundation, has been a proud American Red Cross blood donor since his days as a Fort Hays State undergraduate. He has a vivid recollection of his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp), walking all new members to the blood drive at the Memorial Union. “As new members, we were all encouraged to donate at the same time as a team-building experience. Giving blood is such an easy way to give back to the community. In giving just one hour of your time, a donor can help save up to three lives. I am proud to have donated 65 times since 1994.”

FHSU senior Audra Boerger, a marketing major from McPherson and a VIP Ambassador on campus, worked for Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services through FHSU and Dane G. Hansen’s internship program last summer. Boerger said she was moved by her experience at Options, a United Way-supported agency. “After my program was over, I found a passion in helping survivors find the resources that they need and aiding them through their healing journey. Through the volunteer work I have done; I feel like I make an impact in a way that I cannot even begin to comprehend. The survivors are the ones who are important, and my job is to make them feel that way.”

Over the years, several of our students have really enjoyed their service with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Ellis County. One of those current volunteers is Amari Angram-Boldin, a senior Tiger football player from Pahokee, Fla. He said that he can identify with some of the children in the program after growing up the oldest of three children in a one-parent household. “When I considered volunteering, I instantly thought about how badly I wanted a big brother as a role model growing up. I look at it as an opportunity to pay back and make an impact in a kid’s life, because I know how happy it made me when older guys would take me under their wings when I was a child.”

Amy Schaffer, FHSU’s compliance officer, volunteers as a board member for the United Way because she has seen how the organization brings people, agencies and donations together to make the biggest impact. “I have always worked in jobs where I assist people going through difficult situations and often, I would connect them to a United Way agency to get additional support. I saw how the United Way partner agencies helped provide resources to help the person move forward, whether it was shelter, food, mentoring services or financial assistance. Since I joined the board, I have also seen how the United Way brings resources together to help bring positive changes to our community.”

Through its core grief support groups, the Center for Life Experience, Inc. (CFLE) provides peer-to-peer support for individuals dealing with loss. Thanks to funding from individuals and organizations such as the United Way, CFLE continues to work for hope and healing within our community. Dawne Leiker, an academic advisor in the Department of Informatics, serves as president of the executive board of CFLE. “I’m very grateful for the investment that United Way has made in our organization. It has helped us transition to a community-based 501c3, where we can be more responsive to our community’s needs. Peer-to-peer grief support is now so very critical, as many people are facing devastating losses throughout the pandemic. Thanks to United Way for supporting our mission!”

Janette Meis, communications specialist in the Office of the President, first became involved with the United Way in the late ’90s when she was the director of CASA of the High Plains, a member agency. “Since then I have been a long-time donor and now am involved with the Wonder Women League (WWL), which operates under the United Way. The WWL celebrates the power of women in this community who give not only money, but time and service for others. I’m proud to be associated with so many wonderful women and the work that we do.”

Justin Greenleaf, associate professor of leadership studies, volunteers for the United Way because the organization works for the common good of our community. “The United Way is able to address problems facing Ellis County in ways that I would not be able to alone. Through a systems-level approach, they provide support where it is needed most.”

FHSU junior Kellyn Wahlmeier, a communication sciences and disorders major from Colby and a VIP Ambassador , shared that she was surprised by how much she gained from serving as a big sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters. “It's time that I get to spend away from school, focusing on making someone else's day just a little bit brighter.”

I cannot think of a better sentiment than that – serving with love and fueled by the financial resources and shared mission of United Way agencies makes our communities better. It also consistently makes “someone else’s day just a little bit brighter.” For me, focusing on activities that can positively change the lives of other people is why I get up every morning with a smile and a purpose.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575301942236.jpeg" alt="Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Tisa Mason, FHSU president</figcaption>
 </figure>As the month of February progresses, so does our United Way Campus Campaign at Fort Hays State University. We have had one successful food truck Fridays with Smokin Co. BBQ and a birthday challenge. Since I turned 60 earlier this month, staff thought it would be fun to offer a challenge: Anyone who donates $60 or more to the United Way Campus Campaign will be eligible to win a prize from local businesses.A special thank you to the following local businesses for supporting the United Way Campus Campaign, which is all about improving lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good: Anhelo Massage &amp; Wellness; CJ Snaps; Flowers by Frances; Paisley Pear Wine Bar, Bistro and Market; PoPt Gourmet Popcorn; Stephanie Jacobs, All the Rage Studios; and The Inn at 117.Speaking of advancing the common good, let me highlight just a few of our campus colleagues who responded when we asked, “What’s Your United Way Story?”Jason Williby, president and CEO of the FHSU Foundation, has been a proud American Red Cross blood donor since his days as a Fort Hays State undergraduate. He has a vivid recollection of his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp), walking all new members to the blood drive at the Memorial Union. “As new members, we were all encouraged to donate at the same time as a team-building experience. Giving blood is such an easy way to give back to the community. In giving just one hour of your time, a donor can help save up to three lives. I am proud to have donated 65 times since 1994.”FHSU senior Audra Boerger, a marketing major from McPherson and a VIP Ambassador on campus, worked for Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services through FHSU and Dane G. Hansen’s internship program last summer. Boerger said she was moved by her experience at Options, a United Way-supported agency. “After my program was over, I found a passion in helping survivors find the resources that they need and aiding them through their healing journey. Through the volunteer work I have done; I feel like I make an impact in a way that I cannot even begin to comprehend. The survivors are the ones who are important, and my job is to make them feel that way.”Over the years, several of our students have really enjoyed their service with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Ellis County. One of those current volunteers is Amari Angram-Boldin, a senior Tiger football player from Pahokee, Fla. He said that he can identify with some of the children in the program after growing up the oldest of three children in a one-parent household. “When I considered volunteering, I instantly thought about how badly I wanted a big brother as a role model growing up. I look at it as an opportunity to pay back and make an impact in a kid’s life, because I know how happy it made me when older guys would take me under their wings when I was a child.”Amy Schaffer, FHSU’s compliance officer, volunteers as a board member for the United Way because she has seen how the organization brings people, agencies and donations together to make the biggest impact. “I have always worked in jobs where I assist people going through difficult situations and often, I would connect them to a United Way agency to get additional support. I saw how the United Way partner agencies helped provide resources to help the person move forward, whether it was shelter, food, mentoring services or financial assistance. Since I joined the board, I have also seen how the United Way brings resources together to help bring positive changes to our community.”Through its core grief support groups, the Center for Life Experience, Inc. (CFLE) provides peer-to-peer support for individuals dealing with loss. Thanks to funding from individuals and organizations such as the United Way, CFLE continues to work for hope and healing within our community. Dawne Leiker, an academic advisor in the Department of Informatics, serves as president of the executive board of CFLE. “I’m very grateful for the investment that United Way has made in our organization. It has helped us transition to a community-based 501c3, where we can be more responsive to our community’s needs. Peer-to-peer grief support is now so very critical, as many people are facing devastating losses throughout the pandemic. Thanks to United Way for supporting our mission!”Janette Meis, communications specialist in the Office of the President, first became involved with the United Way in the late ’90s when she was the director of CASA of the High Plains, a member agency. “Since then I have been a long-time donor and now am involved with the Wonder Women League (WWL), which operates under the United Way. The WWL celebrates the power of women in this community who give not only money, but time and service for others. I’m proud to be associated with so many wonderful women and the work that we do.”Justin Greenleaf, associate professor of leadership studies, volunteers for the United Way because the organization works for the common good of our community. “The United Way is able to address problems facing Ellis County in ways that I would not be able to alone. Through a systems-level approach, they provide support where it is needed most.”FHSU junior Kellyn Wahlmeier, a communication sciences and disorders major from Colby and a VIP Ambassador , shared that she was surprised by how much she gained from serving as a big sister for Big Brothers Big Sisters. “It's time that I get to spend away from school, focusing on making someone else's day just a little bit brighter.”I cannot think of a better sentiment than that – serving with love and fueled by the financial resources and shared mission of United Way agencies makes our communities better. It also consistently makes “someone else’s day just a little bit brighter.” For me, focusing on activities that can positively change the lives of other people is why I get up every morning with a smile and a purpose.

MASON: Making someone else’s day a little bit brighter

I am deeply concerned about our foster care system in Kansas.&nbsp; I’ve met with foster parents in my district and they recounted the poor communication between agencies, the lack of respite care for foster parents and foster kids being returned to parents despite numerous positive drug tests.&nbsp; News reports and testimony to legislative committees have laid out an even bleaker picture of the foster care system in Kansas. There are stories on multiple placements (one child having 130 placements), children sleeping in offices overnight, children running away from placements with the state having no idea where a child was located, and foster care children aging into the corrections system. A 2019 survey found that 1 in 3 Kansas inmates had been in foster care.&nbsp; This breaks my heart – but I have some good news.&nbsp;

The House voted on House Bill 2115 on Thursday of this past week which came as a result of recommendations from the Legislature’s Special Committee on Foster Care Oversight. The bill establishes the Joint Committee on Child Welfare System Oversight.&nbsp; It makes sure eyes remain on the administration’s management of the system and on long-term improvements for children in foster care.&nbsp; They will be doing things like reviewing child welfare data and study how the programs and services impact the children.&nbsp; They will dive into how DCF, KDHE &amp; KDADS as they impact children.&nbsp; The House passed the bill 118-4 and it now goes to the Senate for consideration.

There is so much to be done to fix the foster care system, but this is the start to calling for accountability. &nbsp; I have met with foster parents here in Hays and the list of issues is long and frankly, very distressing.&nbsp; We have failed our most precious resource – our children.&nbsp; HB 2115 is just the beginning. &nbsp;

111th District State Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578522379850.jpeg" alt="111th District State Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays" />
 <figcaption>111th District State Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Help and Change Coming For Foster Kids</h2>I am deeply concerned about our foster care system in Kansas.&nbsp; I’ve met with foster parents in my district and they recounted the poor communication between agencies, the lack of respite care for foster parents and foster kids being returned to parents despite numerous positive drug tests.&nbsp; News reports and testimony to legislative committees have laid out an even bleaker picture of the foster care system in Kansas. There are stories on multiple placements (one child having 130 placements), children sleeping in offices overnight, children running away from placements with the state having no idea where a child was located, and foster care children aging into the corrections system. A 2019 survey found that 1 in 3 Kansas inmates had been in foster care.&nbsp; This breaks my heart – but I have some good news.&nbsp;The House voted on House Bill 2115 on Thursday of this past week which came as a result of recommendations from the Legislature’s Special Committee on Foster Care Oversight. The bill establishes the Joint Committee on Child Welfare System Oversight.&nbsp; It makes sure eyes remain on the administration’s management of the system and on long-term improvements for children in foster care.&nbsp; They will be doing things like reviewing child welfare data and study how the programs and services impact the children.&nbsp; They will dive into how DCF, KDHE &amp; KDADS as they impact children.&nbsp; The House passed the bill 118-4 and it now goes to the Senate for consideration.There is so much to be done to fix the foster care system, but this is the start to calling for accountability. &nbsp; I have met with foster parents here in Hays and the list of issues is long and frankly, very distressing.&nbsp; We have failed our most precious resource – our children.&nbsp; HB 2115 is just the beginning. &nbsp;111th District State Rep. Barb Wasinger, R-Hays

WASINGER: Barb's Blog, Feb. 23

By ED CROSS Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association

In mid-February, an arctic blast swept
across Kansas and the nation and gave America a
preview of what an “existential threat” looks like.
Not the kind of fear-mongering “12-years to the
end of the earth” threat by the likes of U.S.
Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and fed
to Americans by President Biden as he issues job-
killing executive orders.


The threat we saw in February took away people’s power, heat, and clean water. The
blame lies with those who irresponsibly push not-ready-for-primetime renewable energy, like
wind and solar power, to make up a greater share of our energy grids.


There is a lot of conflicting information about electricity blackouts across the nation.
The root cause of the blackouts in Kansas and across the nation is national and state policy that
has prioritized the adoption of unreliable wind/solar energy over reliable energy.


For the last decade-plus energy policy in Kansas and the U.S. has been focused on
mandating or subsidizing as much wind and solar as possible.


The focus on wind has come above all at the expense of coal, natural gas, and nuclear
which has the resiliency advantage of being able to store large quantities of fuel onsite.


Because intermittent wind and solar can always go near zero, as we saw in mid-
February, they don't replace the cost of reliable power plants, they add to the cost of reliable
power plants. This is why the more wind and solar grids are used, the higher their electricity
prices.


To lessen the price increases from unreliable wind/solar energy, governments try to get
away with as few reliable power plants online as they can. The expense and distraction of
accommodating unreliable wind/solar energy takes away money and focus from resiliency.


While we don't know yet what exactly caused certain natural gas and coal plants to go
down, we know with 100% certainty that natural gas and coal plants can easily run in far more
adverse conditions than what was experienced in mid-February. And we know with 100%
certainty that even if no wind turbines had frozen they would have been nearly useless during
large portions of the weather in mid-February.


To expose the foolishness of the idea that fossil fuels could not handle the cold
temperatures in Texas, it helps to look at facts. In Texas, a spike in demand during cold
temperatures led to devastating blackouts. In Alberta, Canada, a spike in demand during far
colder temperatures led to very little disruption. Why? Alberta has a reliable grid with 43%
coal and 49% natural gas.


If you are looking at the facts, the obvious lesson here is: stop subsidizing and
mandating unreliable wind/solar energy, which are often useless when you need them most--
and do a better job at managing reliable energy sources like coal, natural gas, and nuclear.


Instead of acknowledging the reality that
unreliable wind/solar energy can't keep us warm
or powered in the winter and that the "100%
renewable" direction is disastrous, advocates of
unreliable wind/solar energy are instead implying
that no source of electricity can be relied upon, so
no need to single out wind.


This is, of course, not correct. We know how to produce enough low-cost, reliable
electricity for every situation. You build reliable power plants, including those with on-site fuel
storage--such as coal and nuclear. You place a premium on reliability and resilience. That's it.


Several areas across the country, including Kansas, had an electricity crisis during bad
winter weather because they did not focus enough on building reliable power plants and
infrastructure. They were obsessed with getting as much unreliable wind/solar electricity as
possible. Let's all learn from this mistake.


Plans to subsidize wind/solar energy should change. Biden’s energy plan calls for nearly
100% solar and wind electricity by 2035! Everyone should be asking how the Biden plan would
have fared in mid-February.


Kansas and America need to totally change direction in energy policy toward one of
energy freedom.


<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584027001010.png" alt="Ed Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association." />
 <figcaption>Ed Cross is president of the&nbsp;Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association.</figcaption>
 </figure>By ED CROSS Kansas Independent Oil &amp; Gas Association In mid-February, an arctic blast swept
across Kansas and the nation and gave America a
preview of what an “existential threat” looks like.
Not the kind of fear-mongering “12-years to the
end of the earth” threat by the likes of U.S.
Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and fed
to Americans by President Biden as he issues job-
killing executive orders.
The threat we saw in February took away people’s power, heat, and clean water. The
blame lies with those who irresponsibly push not-ready-for-primetime renewable energy, like
wind and solar power, to make up a greater share of our energy grids.
There is a lot of conflicting information about electricity blackouts across the nation.
The root cause of the blackouts in Kansas and across the nation is national and state policy that
has prioritized the adoption of unreliable wind/solar energy over reliable energy.
For the last decade-plus energy policy in Kansas and the U.S. has been focused on
mandating or subsidizing as much wind and solar as possible.
The focus on wind has come above all at the expense of coal, natural gas, and nuclear
which has the resiliency advantage of being able to store large quantities of fuel onsite.
Because intermittent wind and solar can always go near zero, as we saw in mid-
February, they don't replace the cost of reliable power plants, they add to the cost of reliable
power plants. This is why the more wind and solar grids are used, the higher their electricity
prices.
To lessen the price increases from unreliable wind/solar energy, governments try to get
away with as few reliable power plants online as they can. The expense and distraction of
accommodating unreliable wind/solar energy takes away money and focus from resiliency.
While we don't know yet what exactly caused certain natural gas and coal plants to go
down, we know with 100% certainty that natural gas and coal plants can easily run in far more
adverse conditions than what was experienced in mid-February. And we know with 100%
certainty that even if no wind turbines had frozen they would have been nearly useless during
large portions of the weather in mid-February.
To expose the foolishness of the idea that fossil fuels could not handle the cold
temperatures in Texas, it helps to look at facts. In Texas, a spike in demand during cold
temperatures led to devastating blackouts. In Alberta, Canada, a spike in demand during far
colder temperatures led to very little disruption. Why? Alberta has a reliable grid with 43%
coal and 49% natural gas.
If you are looking at the facts, the obvious lesson here is: stop subsidizing and
mandating unreliable wind/solar energy, which are often useless when you need them most--
and do a better job at managing reliable energy sources like coal, natural gas, and nuclear.
Instead of acknowledging the reality that
unreliable wind/solar energy can't keep us warm
or powered in the winter and that the "100%
renewable" direction is disastrous, advocates of
unreliable wind/solar energy are instead implying
that no source of electricity can be relied upon, so
no need to single out wind.
This is, of course, not correct. We know how to produce enough low-cost, reliable
electricity for every situation. You build reliable power plants, including those with on-site fuel
storage--such as coal and nuclear. You place a premium on reliability and resilience. That's it.
Several areas across the country, including Kansas, had an electricity crisis during bad
winter weather because they did not focus enough on building reliable power plants and
infrastructure. They were obsessed with getting as much unreliable wind/solar electricity as
possible. Let's all learn from this mistake.
Plans to subsidize wind/solar energy should change. Biden’s energy plan calls for nearly
100% solar and wind electricity by 2035! Everyone should be asking how the Biden plan would
have fared in mid-February.
Kansas and America need to totally change direction in energy policy toward one of
energy freedom.

CROSS: The perils of 'electrifying everything'

By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancher

Our first beef calves of the season arrived a few days into February. Each day into calving season temperatures grew colder, and our lives transitioned from normal routines to the highly vigilant survival mode required to weather the arctic storm. 

My quiet moments during this bitterly cold stretch have been filled with reflections on the farming and ranching lifestyle. Calving through a storm is hard work that takes a kind of deep, character-refining strength.

It takes strong logic to overcome a pull on your heartstrings that comes when you take a brand new calf away from a momma cow minutes after it is born. Farmers do this because they know that no matter how hard the cow tries to clean up her baby, she will never get it dry enough by herself in frigid temperatures. Spending a few hours under a heat lamp keeps the baby warm until she is dry enough to survive in the cold.

It takes strong purpose to put the needs of the herd before your own comfort. During the run-on days of the storm, farmers miss meals, delay bathroom breaks, ditch their gloves and lose the feeling their hands while milking a cow to teach a calf to nurse. They ruin clothing, end up with soiled vehicles, and may even sacrifice their bathtubs to the needs of the newborns.

It takes physical strength to chop through the layers of ice in water tanks or safely wrestle a 50-pound calf into the passenger seat of your pickup to move it to the warming shed. Farmers don’t give a second thought to the bruise forming on their leg from a baby calves’ flailing legs or the soreness in their muscles after long physical days because aches and pains seem like a small price to pay to protect the herd.  

It takes mental strength to wake at all hours of the night after a scarce 30-minute nap and reach a state of alertness to identify signs of distress during a frequent pen checks. Farmers make constant rounds day and night in the cold because they know that a cow may have a quick or a difficult labor. Being vigilant helps farmers to provide needed assistance as quickly as possible.  

It takes emotional strength not to feel weighed down with guilt when a calf is born in subzero temperatures and you just did not get there quick enough to save it. Farmers do not have the luxury of dwelling on what went wrong. They have to get back to helping their remaining animals and trying their best not to lose another one.

Calving through a storm is hard, but it is the kind of hard that’s worthwhile.

My most surprising reflection is that this storm has made me better. I feel a little bit like leaving the gym after a strength training session. My mind and body are exhausted, but I feel joy, peace and contentment. What looked so daunting at the beginning was overcome through perseverance and exercising logic, selflessness, compassion, wisdom and humility.

You may never have the chance to help a farm or ranch survive a calving season storm, but we all have storms in our lives. Opportunity to exercise our character by putting the needs of others before our own comfort; taking the uncomfortable steps to help others who cannot help themselves; and forgiving ourselves or letting go of things beyond our control. And we all have the strength to weather these storms.

"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.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575406519723.jpeg" alt="Jackie Mundt" />
 <figcaption>Jackie Mundt</figcaption>
 </figure>By JACKIE MUNDT Pratt County farmer and rancherOur first beef calves of the season arrived a few days into February. Each day into calving season temperatures grew colder, and our lives transitioned from normal routines to the highly vigilant survival mode required to weather the arctic storm. My quiet moments during this bitterly cold stretch have been filled with reflections on the farming and ranching lifestyle. Calving through a storm is hard work that takes a kind of deep, character-refining strength.It takes strong logic to overcome a pull on your heartstrings that comes when you take a brand new calf away from a momma cow minutes after it is born. Farmers do this because they know that no matter how hard the cow tries to clean up her baby, she will never get it dry enough by herself in frigid temperatures. Spending a few hours under a heat lamp keeps the baby warm until she is dry enough to survive in the cold.It takes strong purpose to put the needs of the herd before your own comfort. During the run-on days of the storm, farmers miss meals, delay bathroom breaks, ditch their gloves and lose the feeling their hands while milking a cow to teach a calf to nurse. They ruin clothing, end up with soiled vehicles, and may even sacrifice their bathtubs to the needs of the newborns.It takes physical strength to chop through the layers of ice in water tanks or safely wrestle a 50-pound calf into the passenger seat of your pickup to move it to the warming shed. Farmers don’t give a second thought to the bruise forming on their leg from a baby calves’ flailing legs or the soreness in their muscles after long physical days because aches and pains seem like a small price to pay to protect the herd. It takes mental strength to wake at all hours of the night after a scarce 30-minute nap and reach a state of alertness to identify signs of distress during a frequent pen checks. Farmers make constant rounds day and night in the cold because they know that a cow may have a quick or a difficult labor. Being vigilant helps farmers to provide needed assistance as quickly as possible. It takes emotional strength not to feel weighed down with guilt when a calf is born in subzero temperatures and you just did not get there quick enough to save it. Farmers do not have the luxury of dwelling on what went wrong. They have to get back to helping their remaining animals and trying their best not to lose another one.Calving through a storm is hard, but it is the kind of hard that’s worthwhile.My most surprising reflection is that this storm has made me better. I feel a little bit like leaving the gym after a strength training session. My mind and body are exhausted, but I feel joy, peace and contentment. What looked so daunting at the beginning was overcome through perseverance and exercising logic, selflessness, compassion, wisdom and humility.You may never have the chance to help a farm or ranch survive a calving season storm, but we all have storms in our lives. Opportunity to exercise our character by putting the needs of others before our own comfort; taking the uncomfortable steps to help others who cannot help themselves; and forgiving ourselves or letting go of things beyond our control. And we all have the strength to weather these storms."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.

Kansas Farm Bureau Insight: The strength to weather storms

I never feel like I catch as many coyotes as I should, so now that we had a little snow on the ground, I decided to drive around to a few properties where I’d had coyote traps this year to see if there were tracks in the snow. I drove across a couple fields of soybean stubble to a spot clear in the middle of a section where the bean stubble bordered an overgrown pasture. 

At one end of the field was the deep drainage ditch known locally as the “big ditch,” and several game trails going down the far side of the ditch and ending up in front of me on the other side were covered with fresh coyote tracks in the snow. I set snares in 3 of the trails, and the second morning one snare held the body of a coyote so terribly infected with mange that it was barely recognizable. The poor critter hardly had enough fur on its entire body to cover a pair of ear muffs.

After a discussion with my wife during which I whole-heartedly disputed a story she had heard about mange being intentionally introduced, I did some research. I found story-after-story and record-after-record verifying that fact. Between 1883 and 1918, Montana paid over $340,000 in bounties for the killing of more than 80,000 wolves. Seeking a cheaper method of control, for wolves and coyotes, a 1905 Montana law provided for the capture of a number of wild wolves and coyotes that were then intentionally infected with Sarcoptic mange and released back into the wild.&nbsp;

Sarcoptic Mange is a disease found in canines, both wild and domestic, caused by Sarcoptic Mites. These parasitic mites burrow into the skin, causing intense scratching and resulting hair loss, weakness and very possibly death as the infected animal loses most or all of its fur and becomes too weak to hunt. The hair loss usually begins on the tail and hind legs then slowly works its way across the animal’s entire body. Cold temperatures will not kill the mites as they are burrowed into the skin, so the mites won’t die until the coyote dies. Mange is highly treatable in domestic canines but obviously not in wild foxes, wolves and coyotes, thus it can wreak havoc with wild populations. I think most trappers here in the Midwest catch a few coyotes with mange every year. It’s not entirely known what kind of survival rate to expect, but that seems to be highly determined by winter conditions in the area. Our local conservation officer pointed out to me that despite some periods of frigid temperatures and a few snow storms, the last several winters have been fairly mild here in Kansas, possible allowing some infected animals to survive. It’s also thought that young coyote pups contracting mange will most certainly die. Mange is very transmittable from one animal to another, and the higher the wild population of that particular species, the more chances to transmit the disease. Coyotes are very family-oriented and live in family groups, so the mites have ample opportunities to spread throughout the entire family group.&nbsp;

Human infections of mange are extremely rare and short lived and are easily treated medically. Also, mange from wildlife very rarely transfers to domestic animals or livestock. Despite the rare likelihood of transmission, hunters and trappers should handle infected animals with gloves and should throw away or disinfect those gloves afterward. Carcasses of dead mange-infected animals can be buried or burned, or at very least left someplace where dogs or wild canines will not feed on them.

Most people take a dim view of coyotes because they can be such ruthless predators, so when trappers talk of disease problems among the coyote population most folks barely bat an eye. As stated above, the larger the coyote population, the easier it is for disease to get a foothold. Trapping is proven to be a very effective tool in controlling predator populations, and thus helping to control diseases. Besides, as a trapper I like trying to match wits with the wily buggers; I’m often unsuccessful, but I like trying. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!

Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at syevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574696211722.png" alt="Steve&nbsp;Gilliland" />
 <figcaption>Steve&nbsp;Gilliland</figcaption>
 </figure>I never feel like I catch as many coyotes as I should, so now that we had a little snow on the ground, I decided to drive around to a few properties where I’d had coyote traps this year to see if there were tracks in the snow. I drove across a couple fields of soybean stubble to a spot clear in the middle of a section where the bean stubble bordered an overgrown pasture. At one end of the field was the deep drainage ditch known locally as the “big ditch,” and several game trails going down the far side of the ditch and ending up in front of me on the other side were covered with fresh coyote tracks in the snow. I set snares in 3 of the trails, and the second morning one snare held the body of a coyote so terribly infected with mange that it was barely recognizable. The poor critter hardly had enough fur on its entire body to cover a pair of ear muffs.After a discussion with my wife during which I whole-heartedly disputed a story she had heard about mange being intentionally introduced, I did some research. I found story-after-story and record-after-record verifying that fact. Between 1883 and 1918, Montana paid over $340,000 in bounties for the killing of more than 80,000 wolves. Seeking a cheaper method of control, for wolves and coyotes, a 1905 Montana law provided for the capture of a number of wild wolves and coyotes that were then intentionally infected with Sarcoptic mange and released back into the wild.&nbsp;Sarcoptic Mange is a disease found in canines, both wild and domestic, caused by Sarcoptic Mites. These parasitic mites burrow into the skin, causing intense scratching and resulting hair loss, weakness and very possibly death as the infected animal loses most or all of its fur and becomes too weak to hunt. The hair loss usually begins on the tail and hind legs then slowly works its way across the animal’s entire body. Cold temperatures will not kill the mites as they are burrowed into the skin, so the mites won’t die until the coyote dies. Mange is highly treatable in domestic canines but obviously not in wild foxes, wolves and coyotes, thus it can wreak havoc with wild populations. I think most trappers here in the Midwest catch a few coyotes with mange every year. It’s not entirely known what kind of survival rate to expect, but that seems to be highly determined by winter conditions in the area. Our local conservation officer pointed out to me that despite some periods of frigid temperatures and a few snow storms, the last several winters have been fairly mild here in Kansas, possible allowing some infected animals to survive. It’s also thought that young coyote pups contracting mange will most certainly die. Mange is very transmittable from one animal to another, and the higher the wild population of that particular species, the more chances to transmit the disease. Coyotes are very family-oriented and live in family groups, so the mites have ample opportunities to spread throughout the entire family group.&nbsp;Human infections of mange are extremely rare and short lived and are easily treated medically. Also, mange from wildlife very rarely transfers to domestic animals or livestock. Despite the rare likelihood of transmission, hunters and trappers should handle infected animals with gloves and should throw away or disinfect those gloves afterward. Carcasses of dead mange-infected animals can be buried or burned, or at very least left someplace where dogs or wild canines will not feed on them.Most people take a dim view of coyotes because they can be such ruthless predators, so when trappers talk of disease problems among the coyote population most folks barely bat an eye. As stated above, the larger the coyote population, the easier it is for disease to get a foothold. Trapping is proven to be a very effective tool in controlling predator populations, and thus helping to control diseases. Besides, as a trapper I like trying to match wits with the wily buggers; I’m often unsuccessful, but I like trying. Continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors!Steve Gilliland, Inman, can be contacted by email at syevenrgilliland@gmail.com.

Exploring Outdoors Kansas: Mange, mange go away

By JOHN P. TRETBAR Operators continue to enjoy the highest prices in more than a year. U.S. crude futures prices jumped more than 3 percent Monday, topping $61 a barrel for the first time since early January of last year. By noon, the near-month contract for light sweet crude was up nearly $2 at $61.13 per barrel. London Brent was also up 3 percent at $64.65 per barrel. The government says gasoline inventories are increasing, signaling decreasing demand. But prices continue to rise at pumps across the country, largely due to spiking crude-oil prices. The Energy Information Administration says total motor gasoline inventories increased by 700,000 barrels last week and are about 1% above the five year average for this time of year. But gasoline prices have already topped last year's more than three dozen states. The motor club AAA said the gasoline price spike kept up with spiking crude-oil prices, and predicted both would soon top the highest prices of last year. The national average price at the pump last week was just over $2.57. Nearly 40 state average pump prices had already topped last year's highs, with half of those seeing double-digit increases. Kansas was the tenth cheapest state in the U.S. last week, with an average of just over $2.35 per gallon. That's up nearly eight cents over a week ago, and eighteen cents a gallon higher than a month ago. Filling up your 15-gallon tank cost just over $36, up more than a dollar from last week and nearly two dollars more than last month.&nbsp; Cold weather wreaked havoc in the oil patch last week. Output was down by more than two million barrels per day as the coldest weather in 30 years hits states that aren't used to it. Quoting unnamed traders and company executives, Bloomberg reported supply losses in the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico, along with the Eagle Ford play in southern Texas and the Anadarko basin in Oklahoma.&nbsp; The cold snap was good news for small natural gas producers. The freeze is giving a rare boost to a market that’s never recovered from a crash more than a ten years ago. As Texas output is disrupted by frozen pipes, prices have surged more than 4,000% in Oklahoma. &nbsp; The Rig Count in Kansas last week was unchanged statewide, down one east of Wichita and up one in Western Kansas. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service notes that operators have now reached total depth at new well in Ellis County and another in Stafford County. Baker Hughes reports the national rig count was unchanged. The count of oil rigs was up one, while the gas rig count was down one. Texas and North Dakota were each up one rig, while Louisiana and Alaska both dropped by one.&nbsp; There were just four new permits filed last week in Kansas. All of them were in counties east of Wichita. That's 94 permits for drilling at new locations in Kansas so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 16 newly-completed wells across Kansas last week, eight of them east of Wichita and eight in Western Kansas, including two in Ellis County. The government says U.S. crude-oil stockpiles dropped by 7.3 million barrels during the week ending February 12. The Energy Information Administration reports inventories are right at the five-year average for this time of year. EIA reports U.S. crude imports rose 41,000 barrels per day last week. We currently import an average of 5.9 million barrels per day. Over the last four weeks, imports have averaged 13% less than the same four-week period last year. U.S. crude-oil production dropped below 11 million barrels per day last week, and remains more than two million barrels per day behind year-ago totals. In a monthly report, the government predicts total shale production in the U.S. will continue to decline. Output from the seven major shale plays tracked by EIA will drop 77,000 barrels per day in March, to just over 7.5 million barrels per day. That would mark the sixth consecutive monthly decline. Shale production accounts for roughly three-fourths of U.S. crude-oil production. Regulators in North Dakota say production continues to drop in the #2 U.S. crude-producing state. The Department of Mineral Resources reported output of 1.19 million barrels per day in December, down nearly 35,000 barrels per day from the month before. Declining production in North Dakota has helped the state meet its environmental goals. In its latest report, DMR reported a 93 percent gas-capture rate. That means of all the natural gas produced at oil wells in North Dakota, only seven percent was vented or burned at the well head. During it's initial oil boom, the state's operators flared four times that amount. Last year marked the first in which the U.S. was a net petroleum exporter, exporting more petroleum than we imported on an annual basis. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says declining imports drove the shift, but now predicts we will return to net importer status for the next two years. In it's Short Term Energy Outlook, the government predicts U.S. petroleum consumption will continue to recover from the effects of the pandemic, growing by seven percent this year and another five percent next year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592847975802.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN P. TRETBAR Operators continue to enjoy the highest prices in more than a year. U.S. crude futures prices jumped more than 3 percent Monday, topping $61 a barrel for the first time since early January of last year. By noon, the near-month contract for light sweet crude was up nearly $2 at $61.13 per barrel. London Brent was also up 3 percent at $64.65 per barrel. The government says gasoline inventories are increasing, signaling decreasing demand. But prices continue to rise at pumps across the country, largely due to spiking crude-oil prices. The Energy Information Administration says total motor gasoline inventories increased by 700,000 barrels last week and are about 1% above the five year average for this time of year. But gasoline prices have already topped last year's more than three dozen states. The motor club AAA said the gasoline price spike kept up with spiking crude-oil prices, and predicted both would soon top the highest prices of last year. The national average price at the pump last week was just over $2.57. Nearly 40 state average pump prices had already topped last year's highs, with half of those seeing double-digit increases. Kansas was the tenth cheapest state in the U.S. last week, with an average of just over $2.35 per gallon. That's up nearly eight cents over a week ago, and eighteen cents a gallon higher than a month ago. Filling up your 15-gallon tank cost just over $36, up more than a dollar from last week and nearly two dollars more than last month.&nbsp; Cold weather wreaked havoc in the oil patch last week. Output was down by more than two million barrels per day as the coldest weather in 30 years hits states that aren't used to it. Quoting unnamed traders and company executives, Bloomberg reported supply losses in the Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico, along with the Eagle Ford play in southern Texas and the Anadarko basin in Oklahoma.&nbsp; The cold snap was good news for small natural gas producers. The freeze is giving a rare boost to a market that’s never recovered from a crash more than a ten years ago. As Texas output is disrupted by frozen pipes, prices have surged more than 4,000% in Oklahoma. &nbsp; The Rig Count in Kansas last week was unchanged statewide, down one east of Wichita and up one in Western Kansas. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service notes that operators have now reached total depth at new well in Ellis County and another in Stafford County. Baker Hughes reports the national rig count was unchanged. The count of oil rigs was up one, while the gas rig count was down one. Texas and North Dakota were each up one rig, while Louisiana and Alaska both dropped by one.&nbsp; There were just four new permits filed last week in Kansas. All of them were in counties east of Wichita. That's 94 permits for drilling at new locations in Kansas so far this year. Independent Oil &amp; Gas Service reports 16 newly-completed wells across Kansas last week, eight of them east of Wichita and eight in Western Kansas, including two in Ellis County. The government says U.S. crude-oil stockpiles dropped by 7.3 million barrels during the week ending February 12. The Energy Information Administration reports inventories are right at the five-year average for this time of year. EIA reports U.S. crude imports rose 41,000 barrels per day last week. We currently import an average of 5.9 million barrels per day. Over the last four weeks, imports have averaged 13% less than the same four-week period last year. U.S. crude-oil production dropped below 11 million barrels per day last week, and remains more than two million barrels per day behind year-ago totals. In a monthly report, the government predicts total shale production in the U.S. will continue to decline. Output from the seven major shale plays tracked by EIA will drop 77,000 barrels per day in March, to just over 7.5 million barrels per day. That would mark the sixth consecutive monthly decline. Shale production accounts for roughly three-fourths of U.S. crude-oil production. Regulators in North Dakota say production continues to drop in the #2 U.S. crude-producing state. The Department of Mineral Resources reported output of 1.19 million barrels per day in December, down nearly 35,000 barrels per day from the month before. Declining production in North Dakota has helped the state meet its environmental goals. In its latest report, DMR reported a 93 percent gas-capture rate. That means of all the natural gas produced at oil wells in North Dakota, only seven percent was vented or burned at the well head. During it's initial oil boom, the state's operators flared four times that amount. Last year marked the first in which the U.S. was a net petroleum exporter, exporting more petroleum than we imported on an annual basis. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says declining imports drove the shift, but now predicts we will return to net importer status for the next two years. In it's Short Term Energy Outlook, the government predicts U.S. petroleum consumption will continue to recover from the effects of the pandemic, growing by seven percent this year and another five percent next year.

News From the Oil Patch: Oil, gasoline prices reach 13-month highs

One of the most neglected tools for vegetable gardeners is a soil thermometer. Soil temperature is a much better measure of when to plant than air temperature or the calendar. Planting when soil is too cool can cause some seeds to rot and transplants to sit there. A number of vegetables can germinate and grow at cool temperatures. For example, peas will germinate and grow well at a soil temperature of 40 F. Though lettuce, parsnips, and spinach can sprout at a soil temperature of 35 F, they prefer at least 45 F for best germination and growth. &nbsp;Radishes also do well at a soil temperature of 45 F. &nbsp;Even if the seeds of these cool-season crops are planted below the recommended soil temperature, the seed will rarely rot. Warm-season crops such as tomatoes, sweet corn, and beans are different. &nbsp;They prefer at least 55 F for germination (or transplanting), but others such as peppers, cucumbers, melons, and sweet potatoes need it even warmer, about 60 F. &nbsp;If planted when soils are too cool, they likely will rot before germinating. Taking soil temperature accurately is a bit of a science. First, use a metal soil thermometer, which is sold in many garden, auto parts, and hardware stores. Take temperature 2.5 inches deep at about 10 to 11 a.m. Temperature variations throughout the day and night affect soil temperature, with the lowest readings after dawn and the warmest around mid-afternoon. The late-morning reading gives a good average temperature. If taking the soil temperature at this time is not practical, take a reading before you leave for work and a second when you return home and use the average. Also be sure to get a consistent reading for four to five days in a row before planting, and make sure a cold snap is not predicted.An excellent guide sheet on this subject is published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and is titled “Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination.” It can be found <a href="https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/12281/soiltemps.pdf">HERE</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580750915301.jpeg" alt="Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the most neglected tools for vegetable gardeners is a soil thermometer. Soil temperature is a much better measure of when to plant than air temperature or the calendar. Planting when soil is too cool can cause some seeds to rot and transplants to sit there. A number of vegetables can germinate and grow at cool temperatures. For example, peas will germinate and grow well at a soil temperature of 40 F. Though lettuce, parsnips, and spinach can sprout at a soil temperature of 35 F, they prefer at least 45 F for best germination and growth. &nbsp;Radishes also do well at a soil temperature of 45 F. &nbsp;Even if the seeds of these cool-season crops are planted below the recommended soil temperature, the seed will rarely rot. Warm-season crops such as tomatoes, sweet corn, and beans are different. &nbsp;They prefer at least 55 F for germination (or transplanting), but others such as peppers, cucumbers, melons, and sweet potatoes need it even warmer, about 60 F. &nbsp;If planted when soils are too cool, they likely will rot before germinating. Taking soil temperature accurately is a bit of a science. First, use a metal soil thermometer, which is sold in many garden, auto parts, and hardware stores. Take temperature 2.5 inches deep at about 10 to 11 a.m. Temperature variations throughout the day and night affect soil temperature, with the lowest readings after dawn and the warmest around mid-afternoon. The late-morning reading gives a good average temperature. If taking the soil temperature at this time is not practical, take a reading before you leave for work and a second when you return home and use the average. Also be sure to get a consistent reading for four to five days in a row before planting, and make sure a cold snap is not predicted.An excellent guide sheet on this subject is published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and is titled “Soil Temperature Conditions for Vegetable Seed Germination.” It can be found <a href="https://extension.oregonstate.edu/sites/default/files/documents/12281/soiltemps.pdf">HERE</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; Lauren Fick is the Horticulture Extension Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. If you have questions, she can be contacted by e-mail at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:lfick@k-state.edu">lfick@k-state.edu</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 785-628-9430 or 620-793-1910.&nbsp;

FICK: Soil temperature and vegetables 

This week marked the sixth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us.&nbsp; As we approach “turn-around” the Senate held floor debate on Tuesday and Thursday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full Senate.&nbsp; The bills voted on by the full Senate now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over.&nbsp;

On February 13th, our friend Senator Bud Estes passed away.&nbsp; Senator Estes was first elected to the Kansas Senate in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. He also served in the Kansas House prior to his Senate elections.&nbsp; The funeral for Senator Estes will be held on Monday, February 22nd&nbsp;and the Senate will not be operating other than on a pro-forma basis.

FLOOR ACTION – 12 BILLS PASSED OFF SENATE FLOOR

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb49/" target="_blank">SB 49</a>&nbsp;would extend the sunset on the single city port authority tax credit from the end of tax year 2021 to the end of tax year 2024 to corporation income taxpayers. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/SB52/" target="_blank">SB 52</a>&nbsp;establishes the Sedgwick County Urban Area Nuisance Abatement Act (Act). <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb60/" target="_blank">SB 60</a>&nbsp;requested by Attorney General Derek Schmidt would amend the statute governing jurisdictional application of the Kansas Criminal Code to define “proximate result.”&nbsp; Currently a crime is considered to have been committed partly within the state if the proximate result of the person’s act occurs within the state.&nbsp; This bill will help the state go after the bad actors who have filed fraudulent Kansas Unemployment claims. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb65/" target="_blank">SB 65</a>&nbsp;would decouple participation in the Kansas Industrial Training (KIT) program or the Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR) program as a method to qualify for the High

Performance Incentive Program (HPIP) tax credit.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb66/" target="_blank">SB 66</a>&nbsp;would reauthorize the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit Act (Act) until tax year 2026. The bill would also make changes to the definitions and elements of how the Act operates.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb67/" target="_blank">SB 67</a>&nbsp;would amend the definitions for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and recreational off-highway vehicle and would increase the maximum width of such a vehicle from 50 inches to 55 inches.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb77/" target="_blank">SB 77</a>&nbsp;would enact the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb85/" target="_blank">SB 85</a>&nbsp;would require a foster care case management contractor under contract with the Department for Children and Families (DCF) to notify DCF whenever a child in foster care has gone missing or spent any overnight period in a location not licensed as a placement for foster youth. The bill would establish time frames and actions that would be required to be taken, should the contractor notify DCF of the missing child or overnight stay at a non-licensed location and also establish fines on the contractor. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb88/" target="_blank">SB 88</a>&nbsp;would amend law regarding the process for vacation of city streets or other public easements and would add law regarding challenging a street vacation ordinance.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb103/" target="_blank">SB 103</a>&nbsp;would amend the Kansas Power of Attorney Act to state a power of attorney executed on or after July 1, 2021, would be deemed sufficient if in substantial compliance with a form set forth by the Judicial Council.

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb107/" target="_blank">SB 107</a>&nbsp;would enact the Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act (UFIPA).

<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb118/" target="_blank">SB 118</a>&nbsp;would establish a procedure by which a city or county may assume the powers, responsibilities, and duties of a special district within the city’s corporate boundary or the

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

TOUR THE STATE CAPITOL AND STATE-OWNED HISTORICAL SITES FROM HOME

Take an online tour of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol, floor by floor at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843" target="_blank">https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843</a>.&nbsp; The classically inspired building is an impressive public monument as well as the working offices for the governor and legislators. The building holds a dramatic array of art, architecture, and colorful Kansas history.&nbsp; There are also 16 state-owned sites, administered by the Kansas Historical Society, explore different topics in our state’s fascinating history.&nbsp; Two of these sites in Senate District #36 are Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover and Pawnee Indian Museum in Republic.&nbsp;

Explora&nbsp;is an online resource for middle and high school students that is available&nbsp;<a href="https://kslib.info/students" target="_blank">https://kslib.info/students</a>&nbsp;from the State Library of Kansas. Click on the grade appropriate icon for assistance with homework or class assignments.&nbsp;Explora&nbsp;delivers high-quality articles from reputable publishers with no pop-ups or ads. Reading level indicators allow selection of material that matches students’ reading abilities. Broad topic overviews provide students with a starting point for their research.&nbsp; If the link above asks for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas.&nbsp; Most schools and Kansans will be automatically recognized as being in Kansas and will not need this step. Questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kslc@ks.gov" target="_blank">kslc@ks.gov</a>.

I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature.&nbsp; 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-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785 296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>

Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580853658061.jpeg" alt="Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sen. Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, 36th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>February 22, 2021SENATE HIGHLIGHTSThis week marked the sixth week of session with the first half of the legislative session almost behind us.&nbsp; As we approach “turn-around” the Senate held floor debate on Tuesday and Thursday and worked bills which were sent out of committees to the full Senate.&nbsp; The bills voted on by the full Senate now cross over to the House of Representatives where the process starts over.&nbsp;REMEMBERING SENATOR BUD ESTESOn February 13th, our friend Senator Bud Estes passed away.&nbsp; Senator Estes was first elected to the Kansas Senate in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020. He also served in the Kansas House prior to his Senate elections.&nbsp; The funeral for Senator Estes will be held on Monday, February 22nd&nbsp;and the Senate will not be operating other than on a pro-forma basis.FLOOR ACTION – 12 BILLS PASSED OFF SENATE FLOOR<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb49/" target="_blank">SB 49</a>&nbsp;would extend the sunset on the single city port authority tax credit from the end of tax year 2021 to the end of tax year 2024 to corporation income taxpayers. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/SB52/" target="_blank">SB 52</a>&nbsp;establishes the Sedgwick County Urban Area Nuisance Abatement Act (Act). <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb60/" target="_blank">SB 60</a>&nbsp;requested by Attorney General Derek Schmidt would amend the statute governing jurisdictional application of the Kansas Criminal Code to define “proximate result.”&nbsp; Currently a crime is considered to have been committed partly within the state if the proximate result of the person’s act occurs within the state.&nbsp; This bill will help the state go after the bad actors who have filed fraudulent Kansas Unemployment claims. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb65/" target="_blank">SB 65</a>&nbsp;would decouple participation in the Kansas Industrial Training (KIT) program or the Kansas Industrial Retraining (KIR) program as a method to qualify for the HighPerformance Incentive Program (HPIP) tax credit.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb66/" target="_blank">SB 66</a>&nbsp;would reauthorize the Kansas Angel Investor Tax Credit Act (Act) until tax year 2026. The bill would also make changes to the definitions and elements of how the Act operates.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb67/" target="_blank">SB 67</a>&nbsp;would amend the definitions for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and recreational off-highway vehicle and would increase the maximum width of such a vehicle from 50 inches to 55 inches.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb77/" target="_blank">SB 77</a>&nbsp;would enact the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb85/" target="_blank">SB 85</a>&nbsp;would require a foster care case management contractor under contract with the Department for Children and Families (DCF) to notify DCF whenever a child in foster care has gone missing or spent any overnight period in a location not licensed as a placement for foster youth. The bill would establish time frames and actions that would be required to be taken, should the contractor notify DCF of the missing child or overnight stay at a non-licensed location and also establish fines on the contractor. <a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb88/" target="_blank">SB 88</a>&nbsp;would amend law regarding the process for vacation of city streets or other public easements and would add law regarding challenging a street vacation ordinance.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb103/" target="_blank">SB 103</a>&nbsp;would amend the Kansas Power of Attorney Act to state a power of attorney executed on or after July 1, 2021, would be deemed sufficient if in substantial compliance with a form set forth by the Judicial Council.<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb107/" target="_blank">SB 107</a>&nbsp;would enact the Uniform Fiduciary Income and Principal Act (UFIPA).<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb118/" target="_blank">SB 118</a>&nbsp;would establish a procedure by which a city or county may assume the powers, responsibilities, and duties of a special district within the city’s corporate boundary or thecounty’s boundaries. 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;ADDITIONAL RESOURCES&nbsp;&nbsp;<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;–&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">www.kslegislature.org</a>&nbsp;- has extensive information on legislators, committees, bills, and past sessions.TOUR THE STATE CAPITOL AND STATE-OWNED HISTORICAL SITES FROM HOMETake an online tour of the magnificent Kansas State Capitol, floor by floor at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843" target="_blank">https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-state-capitol-online-tour/15843</a>.&nbsp; The classically inspired building is an impressive public monument as well as the working offices for the governor and legislators. The building holds a dramatic array of art, architecture, and colorful Kansas history.&nbsp; There are also 16 state-owned sites, administered by the Kansas Historical Society, explore different topics in our state’s fascinating history.&nbsp; Two of these sites in Senate District #36 are Hollenberg Pony Express Station in Hanover and Pawnee Indian Museum in Republic.&nbsp;FROM THE KANSAS STATE LIBRARYExplora&nbsp;is an online resource for middle and high school students that is available&nbsp;<a href="https://kslib.info/students" target="_blank">https://kslib.info/students</a>&nbsp;from the State Library of Kansas. Click on the grade appropriate icon for assistance with homework or class assignments.&nbsp;Explora&nbsp;delivers high-quality articles from reputable publishers with no pop-ups or ads. Reading level indicators allow selection of material that matches students’ reading abilities. Broad topic overviews provide students with a starting point for their research.&nbsp; If the link above asks for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas.&nbsp; Most schools and Kansans will be automatically recognized as being in Kansas and will not need this step. Questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kslc@ks.gov" target="_blank">kslc@ks.gov</a>.I always encourage you to stay informed of the issues under consideration by the Kansas Legislature.&nbsp; 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-E300 SW 10th St. Topeka, KS 66612 <a href="mailto:elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov" target="_blank">elaine.bowers@senate.ks.gov 785 296-7389</a> <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/">www.kslegislature.org</a>Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Kansas District senator.&nbsp;The 36th District includes&nbsp;Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties.

BOWERS: Senate Scene, Week 6

What a difference a week makes, as we have seen a temperature shift of nearly 70 degrees. This is not only hard on us humans, but for our pets and especially outdoor livestock and those that are amid calving seasons. We wish you good luck. One of the things that last week brought out was the possibility of higher energy prices in your next bill. Our providers have been working hard to keep costs down and we are continuing to seek answers on where we go from here. This will become one of the top issues we will be dealing with the rest of the session.

Last week, the Commerce Committee worked on a bill that would provide more guidance to the Department of Labor in dealing with unemployment claims. This has been a frustrating issue and I am trying to work with Kansans and those who are continuing to run into roadblocks in receiving benefits that they have legitimately filed for. The Department of Labor sent an email to legislators late last week saying the backlog should be moving by March 1st.

I have received many comments on the issue of the failings of the Department of Labor, it is a situation that no one could have predicted. On one hand, the system was working before the pandemic so many would be upset if we have a grandiose system that was underutilized, and the legislature would have been scrutinized for unnecessarily spending money. On the other hand, should an upgrade been made, yes, but at what level and scope will always be open for speculation. I believe the legislature will make strides to fix many of these issues by the end of session.

Another issues that we continue to work on is the foster care system in Kansas. There are stories on multiple placements (one child having 130 placements), children sleeping in offices overnight, children running away from placements with the state having no idea where a child was located, and foster care children aging into the corrections system. In fact, a 2019 survey found that 1 in 3 Kansas inmates had been in foster care.

Last week, the House approved House Bill 2115, which emerged as one of the recommendations from the Legislature’s Special Committee on Foster Care Oversight. The bill establishes continual oversight – with creation of the Joint Committee on Child Welfare System Oversight – to ensure eyes remain on the administration’s management of the system and on long-term improvements for children in foster care. The House passed the bill 118-4. I voted for the bill. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Also, late last week, the House approved House Bill 2114, which establishes the Kansas Senior Care Task Force. The task force will study issues a range of issues that impact seniors in our state, including available care for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, other age-related mental health conditions; safeguards to prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation of seniors; and adult care home surveys and fines for violations. The House passed the bill, with a vote of 113-8.

The House also debated and approved House Bill 2151, a bill requested by Attorney General Derek Schmidt to improve efforts to prevent elder abuse in Kansas. Under HB 2151, a team of professionals would coordinate investigations of elder and dependent adult abuse. These teams, located in each of&nbsp;the state’s judicial districts, would also identify opportunities to improve the state’s response to the abuse of seniors. The House passed the bill, with a vote of 121-0. Both bills now go to the Senate for consideration. I voted for both.

It has been a quiet time in the agriculture committee, one of the bills we will be moving forward is commercialization of Industrial Hemp as the research phase has expired, we will reach “halftime” of the session the first weekend in March. Watch your local media outlet or social media as many county Farm Bureau’s are working on virtual town halls with legislators.

Because of COVID, we are not encouraging visitors to come to Topeka but if you would like to contact me, my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My 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. When you call or write you might hear from Terry Bernatis, my assistant during the session. You can also follow me on Facebook at Ken for Kansas.

It is my honor to be your representative.

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/2020/2/1581437228209.jpeg" alt="Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist." />
 <figcaption>Rep. Ken Rahjes, R-Agra, 110th Dist.</figcaption>
 </figure>02-22-21Hello from Topeka! What a difference a week makes, as we have seen a temperature shift of nearly 70 degrees. This is not only hard on us humans, but for our pets and especially outdoor livestock and those that are amid calving seasons. We wish you good luck. One of the things that last week brought out was the possibility of higher energy prices in your next bill. Our providers have been working hard to keep costs down and we are continuing to seek answers on where we go from here. This will become one of the top issues we will be dealing with the rest of the session.Last week, the Commerce Committee worked on a bill that would provide more guidance to the Department of Labor in dealing with unemployment claims. This has been a frustrating issue and I am trying to work with Kansans and those who are continuing to run into roadblocks in receiving benefits that they have legitimately filed for. The Department of Labor sent an email to legislators late last week saying the backlog should be moving by March 1st.I have received many comments on the issue of the failings of the Department of Labor, it is a situation that no one could have predicted. On one hand, the system was working before the pandemic so many would be upset if we have a grandiose system that was underutilized, and the legislature would have been scrutinized for unnecessarily spending money. On the other hand, should an upgrade been made, yes, but at what level and scope will always be open for speculation. I believe the legislature will make strides to fix many of these issues by the end of session.Another issues that we continue to work on is the foster care system in Kansas. There are stories on multiple placements (one child having 130 placements), children sleeping in offices overnight, children running away from placements with the state having no idea where a child was located, and foster care children aging into the corrections system. In fact, a 2019 survey found that 1 in 3 Kansas inmates had been in foster care.Last week, the House approved House Bill 2115, which emerged as one of the recommendations from the Legislature’s Special Committee on Foster Care Oversight. The bill establishes continual oversight – with creation of the Joint Committee on Child Welfare System Oversight – to ensure eyes remain on the administration’s management of the system and on long-term improvements for children in foster care. The House passed the bill 118-4. I voted for the bill. It now goes to the Senate for consideration.Also, late last week, the House approved House Bill 2114, which establishes the Kansas Senior Care Task Force. The task force will study issues a range of issues that impact seniors in our state, including available care for Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, other age-related mental health conditions; safeguards to prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation of seniors; and adult care home surveys and fines for violations. The House passed the bill, with a vote of 113-8.The House also debated and approved House Bill 2151, a bill requested by Attorney General Derek Schmidt to improve efforts to prevent elder abuse in Kansas. Under HB 2151, a team of professionals would coordinate investigations of elder and dependent adult abuse. These teams, located in each of&nbsp;the state’s judicial districts, would also identify opportunities to improve the state’s response to the abuse of seniors. The House passed the bill, with a vote of 121-0. Both bills now go to the Senate for consideration. I voted for both.It has been a quiet time in the agriculture committee, one of the bills we will be moving forward is commercialization of Industrial Hemp as the research phase has expired, we will reach “halftime” of the session the first weekend in March. Watch your local media outlet or social media as many county Farm Bureau’s are working on virtual town halls with legislators.Because of COVID, we are not encouraging visitors to come to Topeka but if you would like to contact me, my office is still located in Room: 149-S. My 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. When you call or write you might hear from Terry Bernatis, my assistant during the session. You can also follow me on Facebook at Ken for Kansas.It is my honor to be your representative.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: Feb. 22

	Life is challenging for children and for families. As a parent I worried about how I would protect my children from themselves and from others. While there is not a step-by-step guide for raising resilient kids, I often tell parents they just have to do the best job they can.

	As I shared in my prior three articles, the very first thing to do is to build a relationship with your children. Spend time with them and express your affection often. Demonstrate your love for your children by setting boundaries and limits. There should be no question that they must wear their seat belts and they cannot cross the street alone. When they become teens, parents must set the limits for what hours the phone can be used and that the phone will be charged overnight in the parent’s room. Parents must be good role models and follow the law.&nbsp; Children will learn that they too must follow the law. &nbsp;

	In the book “The Good Teen”, Richard Lerner discusses the 5 “C’s” of positive development for teens. Connection was the characteristic that made so much sense to me. Being involved in your child’s life is vitally important. Know what they are doing and who their friends are. Serve as a community volunteer as a family. Working together as a family contributes to family bonding. Get involved in your community so your children know the neighbors and those in community organizations. In turn, those adults will know your kids. As parents we do have to monitor what our children are doing. It is also helpful if everyone at school, at church and those in other organizations will help keep an eye out for your kids too.&nbsp;

	Kids need guidance. They also need to experience life to learn some things on their own. We cannot protect our children from all the disappointments in life. We can teach them to think through their actions and help them through the consequences of their actions, especially if things don’t turn out on the positive end. When your child’s behavior requires discipline, make sure the punishment is appropriate for the misbehavior.&nbsp;

	Be an advocate for your child. I did not go to a coach or a teacher and question the rules and guidelines they had set. However, if my child asked me to go with them to speak to a teacher, I joined them and listened in on the conversation. There is a fine line between monitoring your children’s activities and taking over and making decisions for them.&nbsp;

	The key to raising emotionally healthy children is to make sure that they are first and foremost in your life and that they know that they are. It may require that you as a parent lay down your phone. It saddens me to see adults more interested in their phone than they are in their children. Never give up on your kids or on their happiness. Be present and be there for them. 	&nbsp;

Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588274071306.jpeg" alt="Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District." />
 <figcaption>Berny Unruh is Family and Community Wellness agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.</figcaption>
 </figure>	Life is challenging for children and for families. As a parent I worried about how I would protect my children from themselves and from others. While there is not a step-by-step guide for raising resilient kids, I often tell parents they just have to do the best job they can.	As I shared in my prior three articles, the very first thing to do is to build a relationship with your children. Spend time with them and express your affection often. Demonstrate your love for your children by setting boundaries and limits. There should be no question that they must wear their seat belts and they cannot cross the street alone. When they become teens, parents must set the limits for what hours the phone can be used and that the phone will be charged overnight in the parent’s room. Parents must be good role models and follow the law.&nbsp; Children will learn that they too must follow the law. &nbsp;	In the book “The Good Teen”, Richard Lerner discusses the 5 “C’s” of positive development for teens. Connection was the characteristic that made so much sense to me. Being involved in your child’s life is vitally important. Know what they are doing and who their friends are. Serve as a community volunteer as a family. Working together as a family contributes to family bonding. Get involved in your community so your children know the neighbors and those in community organizations. In turn, those adults will know your kids. As parents we do have to monitor what our children are doing. It is also helpful if everyone at school, at church and those in other organizations will help keep an eye out for your kids too.&nbsp;	Kids need guidance. They also need to experience life to learn some things on their own. We cannot protect our children from all the disappointments in life. We can teach them to think through their actions and help them through the consequences of their actions, especially if things don’t turn out on the positive end. When your child’s behavior requires discipline, make sure the punishment is appropriate for the misbehavior.&nbsp;	Be an advocate for your child. I did not go to a coach or a teacher and question the rules and guidelines they had set. However, if my child asked me to go with them to speak to a teacher, I joined them and listened in on the conversation. There is a fine line between monitoring your children’s activities and taking over and making decisions for them.&nbsp;	The key to raising emotionally healthy children is to make sure that they are first and foremost in your life and that they know that they are. It may require that you as a parent lay down your phone. It saddens me to see adults more interested in their phone than they are in their children. Never give up on your kids or on their happiness. Be present and be there for them. 	&nbsp;	Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District.&nbsp; She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at <a href="mailto:bunruh@ksu.edu">bunruh@ksu.edu</a>

UNRUH: Be a protector

The would-be varsity cheerleader, the tattletale and Snapchat have 
converged in a Supreme Court free speech case sure to draw the interest 
of social media-loving students, concerned parents and wary school 
administrators everywhere.

In 2017, a ninth-grade student in Schuylkill County, Pa., who failed 
to make the varsity cheerleading squad, vented her frustration in an 
F-bomb laced Snapchat post. She repeated the same curse before each of 
the words “school,” “softball,” “cheer” and “everything.”

A teammate told a coach about the post, and administrators kicked her off the junior varsity cheerleading squad.

Now, in <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/mahanoy-area-school-district-v-b-l/" target="_blank">Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.</a>,
 the Supreme Court faces the question: Can school officials punish 
students for social media posts even when students post them off-campus,
 including in their own homes? The stakes are high: School 
administrators say they need to know the limits of their authority. 
Students deserve to know if schools can regulate them for social media 
posts they make off school grounds. The court could hear oral arguments 
as early as April.

The student, identified as “B.L.,” <a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/b.l._-_verified_complaint_-_9-25-17.pdf" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a> through her parents, alleging a violation of her First Amendment free speech rights. A federal district court <a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/memorandum_opinion_granting_summary_judgment_for_b.l._-_3_21_19_.pdf" target="_blank">ruled in her favor</a>,
 reasoning her profane snap was off-campus speech that did not cause a 
substantial disruption of school activities. The disruption of school 
functions is the key standard in student-speech cases from the Supreme 
Court’s famous 1969 decision in <a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/393/503.html" target="_blank">Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District</a>.

In Tinker, several students, including siblings Mary Beth and John Tinker,
 wore black armbands to school to protest U.S. involvement in the 
Vietnam War. School officials learned of the impending black armband 
protest and quickly passed a rule banning armbands. But they continued 
to allow students to wear other symbols, such as Iron Crosses and 
political campaign buttons. In effect, school officials had targeted a 
specific symbol associated with a particular political viewpoint.

The Supreme Court in Tinker delivered a <a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/2019/01/30/tinker-after-50-a-historic-ruling-still-relevant-after-all-these-years/" target="_blank">stunning victory</a>
 for student rights, declaring that neither students nor teachers “shed 
their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the 
schoolhouse gate.”

The court ruled that public school officials could not punish 
students for their speech unless the officials could reasonably forecast
 that the student speech would cause a substantial disruption of school 
activities.

Mahanoy school officials relied not on Tinker but another Supreme 
Court case to argue in support of their punishing the cheerleader 
student. In the 1986 case <a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/478/675.html" target="_blank">Bethel School District v. Fraser</a>,
 school officials who disciplined a student for delivering a sexually 
laced speech during a student assembly prevailed. The court ruled in 
that case that public school officials could prohibit student speech 
that was vulgar or lewd.

In the cheerleading student’s case, an appellate court said the 
Fraser rule did not apply because her speech was completely off-campus.

The appeals court ruled that Tinker doesn’t apply to her case, either
 — it applies when student speech takes place on campus, within the 
schoolhouse gates, but not when a student is posting on social media at 
home, the court said. A concurring judge separately found that the 
Tinker ruling does apply, but that school officials still lose because 
the student’s off-campus speech did not disrupt school activities.

The Mahanoy school district, in its appeal to the Supreme Court, 
emphasized the vitally important question of whether Tinker applies to 
off-campus speech.

“That question has become especially acute because social media has 
made it far easier for students’ off-campus messages to instantly reach a
 wide audience of classmates and dominate the on-campus environment,” 
the school district <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-255/151619/20200828144703420_Mahanoy%20Cert%20Petition%20-%20Final.pdf" target="_blank">wrote in its petition</a>.

School administrators, students, parents, teachers and others don’t 
know how far the arm of school authority extends off campus. At the very
 least, public school officials must show a clear connection between the
 off-campus post and events that take place at school.

The court’s decision should provide much-needed guidance in an <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3650306" target="_blank">unsettled area</a>
 of student-speech law. Free-speech advocates hope the decision will, 
like the Tinker decision more than 50 years ago, respect students and 
their free-speech rights. Students are the future of the country and 
need to learn in an environment that protects their constitutional 
freedoms.

David Hudson Jr. is a Freedom Forum fellow for the First 
Amendment and a law professor at Belmont University who publishes widely
 on First Amendment topics. He is the author of several First Amendment 
books, including “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguinrandomhouse.com%2Fbooks%2F209103%2Flet-the-students-speak-by-david-hudson%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C2685cd6ced894f04dd7c08d8ceab2bbc%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486582661751731%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0&amp;sdata=uHRw4fHnLNk9oFwbGjg9ckXMTppaXa0jcwqN1HPgwmk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Let The Students Speak!: A History of the Fight for Freedom of Expression in American Schools</a>” (2011). He is also the author of a 12-lecture audio course on the First Amendment titled, “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.audible.com%2Fpd%2FFreedom-of-Speech-Audiobook%2FB07KWDRZ5Z&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C174b7887b2b646d45e7d08d8ceaddfa2%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486593458613959%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=dNR6vBtIwJZjR5U7TFot4X7J0o7dT67xpUSgGUTb1RY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Freedom of Speech: Understanding the First Amendment,</a>” Now You Know Media (2018).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613679776461.jpeg" alt="David Hudson Jr. is a Freedom Forum fellow for the First Amendment and a law professor at Belmont University." />
 <figcaption>David Hudson Jr. is a Freedom Forum fellow for the First Amendment and a law professor at Belmont University.</figcaption>
 </figure>The would-be varsity cheerleader, the tattletale and Snapchat have 
converged in a Supreme Court free speech case sure to draw the interest 
of social media-loving students, concerned parents and wary school 
administrators everywhere.In 2017, a ninth-grade student in Schuylkill County, Pa., who failed 
to make the varsity cheerleading squad, vented her frustration in an 
F-bomb laced Snapchat post. She repeated the same curse before each of 
the words “school,” “softball,” “cheer” and “everything.”A teammate told a coach about the post, and administrators kicked her off the junior varsity cheerleading squad.Now, in <a href="https://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/mahanoy-area-school-district-v-b-l/" target="_blank">Mahanoy Area School District v. B.L.</a>,
 the Supreme Court faces the question: Can school officials punish 
students for social media posts even when students post them off-campus,
 including in their own homes? The stakes are high: School 
administrators say they need to know the limits of their authority. 
Students deserve to know if schools can regulate them for social media 
posts they make off school grounds. The court could hear oral arguments 
as early as April.The student, identified as “B.L.,” <a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/b.l._-_verified_complaint_-_9-25-17.pdf" target="_blank">filed a federal lawsuit</a> through her parents, alleging a violation of her First Amendment free speech rights. A federal district court <a href="https://www.aclupa.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/memorandum_opinion_granting_summary_judgment_for_b.l._-_3_21_19_.pdf" target="_blank">ruled in her favor</a>,
 reasoning her profane snap was off-campus speech that did not cause a 
substantial disruption of school activities. The disruption of school 
functions is the key standard in student-speech cases from the Supreme 
Court’s famous 1969 decision in <a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/393/503.html" target="_blank">Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District</a>.In Tinker, several students, including siblings Mary Beth and John Tinker,
 wore black armbands to school to protest U.S. involvement in the 
Vietnam War. School officials learned of the impending black armband 
protest and quickly passed a rule banning armbands. But they continued 
to allow students to wear other symbols, such as Iron Crosses and 
political campaign buttons. In effect, school officials had targeted a 
specific symbol associated with a particular political viewpoint.The Supreme Court in Tinker delivered a <a href="https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/2019/01/30/tinker-after-50-a-historic-ruling-still-relevant-after-all-these-years/" target="_blank">stunning victory</a>
 for student rights, declaring that neither students nor teachers “shed 
their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the 
schoolhouse gate.”The court ruled that public school officials could not punish 
students for their speech unless the officials could reasonably forecast
 that the student speech would cause a substantial disruption of school 
activities.Mahanoy school officials relied not on Tinker but another Supreme 
Court case to argue in support of their punishing the cheerleader 
student. In the 1986 case <a href="https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-supreme-court/478/675.html" target="_blank">Bethel School District v. Fraser</a>,
 school officials who disciplined a student for delivering a sexually 
laced speech during a student assembly prevailed. The court ruled in 
that case that public school officials could prohibit student speech 
that was vulgar or lewd.In the cheerleading student’s case, an appellate court said the 
Fraser rule did not apply because her speech was completely off-campus.The appeals court ruled that Tinker doesn’t apply to her case, either
 — it applies when student speech takes place on campus, within the 
schoolhouse gates, but not when a student is posting on social media at 
home, the court said. A concurring judge separately found that the 
Tinker ruling does apply, but that school officials still lose because 
the student’s off-campus speech did not disrupt school activities.The Mahanoy school district, in its appeal to the Supreme Court, 
emphasized the vitally important question of whether Tinker applies to 
off-campus speech.“That question has become especially acute because social media has 
made it far easier for students’ off-campus messages to instantly reach a
 wide audience of classmates and dominate the on-campus environment,” 
the school district <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-255/151619/20200828144703420_Mahanoy%20Cert%20Petition%20-%20Final.pdf" target="_blank">wrote in its petition</a>.School administrators, students, parents, teachers and others don’t 
know how far the arm of school authority extends off campus. At the very
 least, public school officials must show a clear connection between the
 off-campus post and events that take place at school.The court’s decision should provide much-needed guidance in an <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3650306" target="_blank">unsettled area</a>
 of student-speech law. Free-speech advocates hope the decision will, 
like the Tinker decision more than 50 years ago, respect students and 
their free-speech rights. Students are the future of the country and 
need to learn in an environment that protects their constitutional 
freedoms.David Hudson Jr. is a Freedom Forum fellow for the First 
Amendment and a law professor at Belmont University who publishes widely
 on First Amendment topics. He is the author of several First Amendment 
books, including “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.penguinrandomhouse.com%2Fbooks%2F209103%2Flet-the-students-speak-by-david-hudson%2F&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C2685cd6ced894f04dd7c08d8ceab2bbc%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486582661751731%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0&amp;sdata=uHRw4fHnLNk9oFwbGjg9ckXMTppaXa0jcwqN1HPgwmk%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Let The Students Speak!: A History of the Fight for Freedom of Expression in American Schools</a>” (2011). He is also the author of a 12-lecture audio course on the First Amendment titled, “<a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.audible.com%2Fpd%2FFreedom-of-Speech-Audiobook%2FB07KWDRZ5Z&amp;data=04%7C01%7Ccfitzpatrick%40freedomforum.org%7C174b7887b2b646d45e7d08d8ceaddfa2%7C769dac65dc844365a403d9a08681378c%7C0%7C0%7C637486593458613959%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&amp;sdata=dNR6vBtIwJZjR5U7TFot4X7J0o7dT67xpUSgGUTb1RY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Freedom of Speech: Understanding the First Amendment,</a>” Now You Know Media (2018).

FIRST FIVE: Snapchat rant tests students’ free speech rights

While it still seems early in the year to me, I must admit the days are going by in a hurry.&nbsp; Of course each day brings us one day closer to spring, which means warmer weather and longer bike rides.&nbsp; Those of you who come to my educational programs or read my columns know that I am passionate about topics related to health and wellness.&nbsp; Today I want to talk about another type of health — that is financial health.&nbsp;

If ever there was a year to drive home how important saving for emergencies is, the past year wins the prize. The sudden loss of income linked to COVID-19 caught people off guard. Businesses closed or reduced operations, leading to job losses or smaller paychecks for many in our communities.

The last week in February is designated as Kansas Saves week.&nbsp; This coincides with a national campaign America Saves.&nbsp; This is a great time to think about goals and consider setting, or renewing, a savings goal. &nbsp; &nbsp;

A fact sheet titled, “Spend Some, Save Some, Share Some: Family Budgeting” has good information to help you get started. Elizabeth Kiss, our Extension Specialist in the area of Financial Management, and author of the fact sheet, shares advice in key areas of your spending plan. She recommends spending no more than 25 percent of your income on housing and save a least 10 percent of each paycheck. It is also wise to put aside at least three months living expenses in a rainy-day fund. If possible consider contributing 10 percent of your income to your faith-based community or some other cause.

The idea of a budget often conjures up ideas of sacrifice or doing without. It doesn’t have to be that way. A budget, also called a spending plan, is a guide for how you will use your money over a specific period of time to meet your goals. Of course, to be most useful, it needs to be as realistic as possible. Events of the past year may have influenced your spending plan and created the need to adjust your plan.

When it comes to saving, you will need to determine what works best for your household. Many people have found that having a certain amount transferred automatically from each paycheck into a savings or investment account is the most effective way to save. Having clear goals for what you are saving for will help keep you motivated and you will be surprised at how quickly you can reach your goal.&nbsp;

Feel free to stop by my office, give me a call, or send an e-mail if you would like to receive the fact sheet, “Spend Some, Save Some, Share Some: Family Budgeting.”&nbsp;

Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp; You may reach her at (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573141404420.png" alt="Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>While it still seems early in the year to me, I must admit the days are going by in a hurry.&nbsp; Of course each day brings us one day closer to spring, which means warmer weather and longer bike rides.&nbsp; Those of you who come to my educational programs or read my columns know that I am passionate about topics related to health and wellness.&nbsp; Today I want to talk about another type of health — that is financial health.&nbsp;If ever there was a year to drive home how important saving for emergencies is, the past year wins the prize. The sudden loss of income linked to COVID-19 caught people off guard. Businesses closed or reduced operations, leading to job losses or smaller paychecks for many in our communities.The last week in February is designated as Kansas Saves week.&nbsp; This coincides with a national campaign America Saves.&nbsp; This is a great time to think about goals and consider setting, or renewing, a savings goal. &nbsp; &nbsp;A fact sheet titled, “Spend Some, Save Some, Share Some: Family Budgeting” has good information to help you get started. Elizabeth Kiss, our Extension Specialist in the area of Financial Management, and author of the fact sheet, shares advice in key areas of your spending plan. She recommends spending no more than 25 percent of your income on housing and save a least 10 percent of each paycheck. It is also wise to put aside at least three months living expenses in a rainy-day fund. If possible consider contributing 10 percent of your income to your faith-based community or some other cause.The idea of a budget often conjures up ideas of sacrifice or doing without. It doesn’t have to be that way. A budget, also called a spending plan, is a guide for how you will use your money over a specific period of time to meet your goals. Of course, to be most useful, it needs to be as realistic as possible. Events of the past year may have influenced your spending plan and created the need to adjust your plan.When it comes to saving, you will need to determine what works best for your household. Many people have found that having a certain amount transferred automatically from each paycheck into a savings or investment account is the most effective way to save. Having clear goals for what you are saving for will help keep you motivated and you will be surprised at how quickly you can reach your goal.&nbsp;Feel free to stop by my office, give me a call, or send an e-mail if you would like to receive the fact sheet, “Spend Some, Save Some, Share Some: Family Budgeting.”&nbsp;Donna Krug is the District Director and Family and Consumer Science Agent with K-State Research and Extension – Cottonwood District.&nbsp; You may reach her at (620)793-1910 or <a href="mailto:dkrug@ksu.edu">dkrug@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;

KRUG: Celebrate Kansas Saves Week

Democrat House impeachment managers clearly showed two things:&nbsp; 1) it's all political having nothing to do with right vs. wrong or the Constitution.&nbsp; &nbsp;2) they have pure unadulterated hate for Trump!.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;As a cradle to grave Christian, I need to pray for Democrats since my beliefs are that hatred toward a person leads straight to hell. Small wonder it is Trump that gets the Christian vote and not Democrats. There was lots of hypocrisy in the Dem presentations.&nbsp; It's wrong for Trump to use the word "fight" but common day rhetoric for Dems&nbsp; as a very lengthy clip demonstrated.&nbsp; Dems have used that word hundreds of times in the past to rile up their base. Another hypocrisy is that Trump voters should be censored or go to jail by claiming the election was stolen. Video clips showed everybody and their uncle on the Dem side screamed bloody murder about Trump stealing the election of 2016. Oh my god, then there's the coup that Trump colluded with Russia to win his election - followed by a multi million dollar three year investigation that proved nothing. Perhaps the most blatant hypocrisy was painting the Capital riot as the worst in American history and, of course, caused by Trump.&nbsp; None of the House managers or Dems in the Senate or Nancy Pelosi or President Biden condemned months of riots by terrorists across America by looting businesses, burning buildings, injuring police, even killing some.&nbsp; Even some Dems openly supported the riots. Trump was afforded no due process when the impeachment was in the House - an unprecedented and unconstitutional procedure. Every procedure used in a court of law was trampled on.&nbsp;&nbsp; I've written the following past three letters to the editor.&nbsp; &nbsp;One was on America as a third world country, then one claiming Dems can do anything with no accountability, and a third that there is no equality of justice as Dems have one standard and Reps another.&nbsp; The impeachment proved all of my points.&nbsp; The desperation of House managers, as their case fell apart, was despicable and immoral. They started making things up, doctored, fabricated, and created out of context clips.&nbsp; Last time I checked that's not a road to life hereafter either.&nbsp; The fact that the Capitol riot was planned weeks, maybe months, ahead of time should have been a red flag for Democrats.&nbsp; The rioters invaded the Capital before Trump even spoke at the rally so how did Trump incite the riot with his words?&nbsp; Why no capital security, a responsibility of Democrat leadership in congress?&nbsp; That is a huge question, yet to be answered.&nbsp;&nbsp; Justice was served with a Trump acquittal, but ethics, morality, and constitutionality took a back seat like never before in American history impeachment proceedings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1575913663048.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Democrat House impeachment managers clearly showed two things:&nbsp; 1) it's all political having nothing to do with right vs. wrong or the Constitution.&nbsp; &nbsp;2) they have pure unadulterated hate for Trump!.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;As a cradle to grave Christian, I need to pray for Democrats since my beliefs are that hatred toward a person leads straight to hell. Small wonder it is Trump that gets the Christian vote and not Democrats. There was lots of hypocrisy in the Dem presentations.&nbsp; It's wrong for Trump to use the word "fight" but common day rhetoric for Dems&nbsp; as a very lengthy clip demonstrated.&nbsp; Dems have used that word hundreds of times in the past to rile up their base. Another hypocrisy is that Trump voters should be censored or go to jail by claiming the election was stolen. Video clips showed everybody and their uncle on the Dem side screamed bloody murder about Trump stealing the election of 2016. Oh my god, then there's the coup that Trump colluded with Russia to win his election - followed by a multi million dollar three year investigation that proved nothing. Perhaps the most blatant hypocrisy was painting the Capital riot as the worst in American history and, of course, caused by Trump.&nbsp; None of the House managers or Dems in the Senate or Nancy Pelosi or President Biden condemned months of riots by terrorists across America by looting businesses, burning buildings, injuring police, even killing some.&nbsp; Even some Dems openly supported the riots. Trump was afforded no due process when the impeachment was in the House - an unprecedented and unconstitutional procedure. Every procedure used in a court of law was trampled on.&nbsp;&nbsp; I've written the following past three letters to the editor.&nbsp; &nbsp;One was on America as a third world country, then one claiming Dems can do anything with no accountability, and a third that there is no equality of justice as Dems have one standard and Reps another.&nbsp; The impeachment proved all of my points.&nbsp; The desperation of House managers, as their case fell apart, was despicable and immoral. They started making things up, doctored, fabricated, and created out of context clips.&nbsp; Last time I checked that's not a road to life hereafter either.&nbsp; The fact that the Capitol riot was planned weeks, maybe months, ahead of time should have been a red flag for Democrats.&nbsp; The rioters invaded the Capital before Trump even spoke at the rally so how did Trump incite the riot with his words?&nbsp; Why no capital security, a responsibility of Democrat leadership in congress?&nbsp; That is a huge question, yet to be answered.&nbsp;&nbsp; Justice was served with a Trump acquittal, but ethics, morality, and constitutionality took a back seat like never before in American history impeachment proceedings.&nbsp;&nbsp;Les Knoll, Victoria and Gilbert, Ariz.

LETTER: My takeaawy from Trumps impeachment

Rural Hospital Innovation Grant Fund

<a>When Governor Laura Kelly introduced her budget to the Legislature in early January, she indicated that she would have two Executive Reorganization orders (ERO).&nbsp; An ERO is a reorganization of departments or agencies made by the Governor that must be approved or disapproved by the legislature.&nbsp; The Governor did have two EROs last legislative session, both of which were disapproved by House of Representatives.</a>

ERO 47 renames the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) and combines it with the Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).&nbsp; The new state agency would be the Department of Human Services (DHS).&nbsp; This ERO is very similar to the ERO that was submitted to the Legislature last year, although, in last year’s ERO it also included the aspects of juvenile justice.&nbsp; However, this year the Governor did not include combining juvenile justice into DHS.

The Social Services Budget Committee had hearings on the ERO and then made the recommendation to the Appropriations Committee to once again disapprove the merger of the two agencies.&nbsp; The Appropriations Committee accepted the recommendation from the budget committee and now it awaits debate on the House floor.

There is a second ERO which would transfer Tourism from the Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism to the Department of Commerce.&nbsp; This ERO was heard in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee and their recommendation is to have&nbsp;it approved by the House.

Earlier this week, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which Kansas is part of, asked electric utilities to implement controlled and temporary emergency electricity reductions due to the extremely frigid temperatures we were experiencing.&nbsp; 

Across the state of Kansas, there were scheduled and planned rolling blackouts to prevent a larger uncontrolled and extended power outage.&nbsp; In some parts of the state, some utility companies began turning off electricity to blocks of their customers for approximately 30-60 minutes.&nbsp; Once the power was restored, then other outages rotated to other areas of the utility’s service area.&nbsp; They conducted these rolling blackouts throughout Monday afternoon and evening.&nbsp; After the blackouts, the strain on the power grid subsided and maintained and the SPP stated that there would not be any need for anymore scheduled rolling blackouts.

<a></a><a>On Wednesday, February 17, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on eleven bills, passing all of those bills to the Kansas State Senate.</a>

One of those bills that we debated and voted on is House Bill 2187, which would enact the first-time Home Buyer Act and would establish changes to the Kansas adjusted gross income of an individual for contributions to a first-time home buyer savings account.&nbsp; This will also allow for an individual to open first-time home buyer savings accounts to save for the purchase or construction of a home in the state of Kansas.&nbsp; This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 119-3.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/12/1577788173848.jpeg" alt="Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, 109th Dist.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>February 19, 2021Rural Hospital Innovation Grant Fund<a>When Governor Laura Kelly introduced her budget to the Legislature in early January, she indicated that she would have two Executive Reorganization orders (ERO).&nbsp; An ERO is a reorganization of departments or agencies made by the Governor that must be approved or disapproved by the legislature.&nbsp; The Governor did have two EROs last legislative session, both of which were disapproved by House of Representatives.</a>ERO 47 renames the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) and combines it with the Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS).&nbsp; The new state agency would be the Department of Human Services (DHS).&nbsp; This ERO is very similar to the ERO that was submitted to the Legislature last year, although, in last year’s ERO it also included the aspects of juvenile justice.&nbsp; However, this year the Governor did not include combining juvenile justice into DHS.The Social Services Budget Committee had hearings on the ERO and then made the recommendation to the Appropriations Committee to once again disapprove the merger of the two agencies.&nbsp; The Appropriations Committee accepted the recommendation from the budget committee and now it awaits debate on the House floor.There is a second ERO which would transfer Tourism from the Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism to the Department of Commerce.&nbsp; This ERO was heard in the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee and their recommendation is to have&nbsp;it approved by the House.Power GridEarlier this week, the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), which Kansas is part of, asked electric utilities to implement controlled and temporary emergency electricity reductions due to the extremely frigid temperatures we were experiencing.&nbsp; Across the state of Kansas, there were scheduled and planned rolling blackouts to prevent a larger uncontrolled and extended power outage.&nbsp; In some parts of the state, some utility companies began turning off electricity to blocks of their customers for approximately 30-60 minutes.&nbsp; Once the power was restored, then other outages rotated to other areas of the utility’s service area.&nbsp; They conducted these rolling blackouts throughout Monday afternoon and evening.&nbsp; After the blackouts, the strain on the power grid subsided and maintained and the SPP stated that there would not be any need for anymore scheduled rolling blackouts.Bills Passed the House<a></a><a>On Wednesday, February 17, the Kansas House of Representatives debated and voted on eleven bills, passing all of those bills to the Kansas State Senate.</a>One of those bills that we debated and voted on is House Bill 2187, which would enact the first-time Home Buyer Act and would establish changes to the Kansas adjusted gross income of an individual for contributions to a first-time home buyer savings account.&nbsp; This will also allow for an individual to open first-time home buyer savings accounts to save for the purchase or construction of a home in the state of Kansas.&nbsp; This bill passed out of the House with a vote of 119-3.On Thursday, we held debate on five additional bills.&nbsp; One of those bills was House Bill 2125 which would allow a copy of a will to be filed and admitted to probate.&nbsp; The bill also states the allowance of a will or copy of a will can be filed within six months after the death of the testator to be admitted to probate at any time. Current law was also amended to reflect that a copy of a decedent’s will may be filed with the district court in the county where the decedent last resided.&nbsp; This bill passed out of the House on Thursday with a vote of 118-3.&nbsp; I voted “yes.”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&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/" target="_blank">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&nbsp;<a href="mailto:troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov" target="_blank">troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov</a>.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.Troy L. Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the <a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020/s/pdf/district_maps/district_map_h_109.pdf">109th Kansas House District</a>&nbsp;state representative and chairman of the Appropriations Committee.&nbsp;

Opinion