SENATE HIGHLIGHTS
Thursday marked a critical deadline known as “turnaround,” marking the official halfway point for the 2020 Legislative session.
It was a busy week for the Senate, as we spent three full days debating and voting on and passing 56 bills ahead of the Turnaround deadline.
After being on the floor all day Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Legislature will break until March 4th to give clerical staff time to process the significant amount of paperwork resulting from this week.
By “turnaround,” a bill, with few exceptions, must have passed its Chamber of origin in order to be considered by the other Chamber before session is over for the year. When the Senate returns on Wednesday, the focus will be to consider bills passed by the House Chamber and bills exempt from the Turnaround deadline.
FLOOR ACTION THIS WEEK
SB 290 - Updating how the securities commissioner may be appointed and removed. SB 297 - Requiring appraisal directives to require compliance with uniform standards of professional appraisal practice in the performance of property tax appraisals. SB 331 - Authorizing department of corrections employees, local correctional or detention officers, judicial branch employees, and municipal court employees to have identifying information restricted from public access on public websites that identify home address. SB 334 -Modifying certain rules of evidence in the code of civil procedure related to authentication of records & documents. SB 390 -Placement of license plates on either the front or rear of a vehicle used as a concrete truck. SB 153 - Providing for KDHE response operations for water & soil pollutant release, discharge or escape. SB 307 - Updating approved types of personal flotation devices. SB 354 -Amending the private & out-of-state postsecondary educational institution act, clarifies the state board of regents' authority and provides additional student protections and institutional accountability. SB 256 - Repealing certain statutes regarding elections that pertain to the presidential preference primary; certain election-related contributions by corporations. SB 42 - Amending the meaning of the terms "rebate" and "interest" as used in the real estate brokers' and salespersons' license act. Sub SB 126 - Exempts certain public utilities from Kansas income taxation and requires the filing of new retail electric rates in certain circumstances. SB 264 – the bill would change the procedure of notification when a county appraiser no longer holds the office and sets up a hearing process before the name would be removed through the Kansas Administrative Procedure Act (KAPA). SB 265 - Requiring the state board of tax appeals to serve orders and notices by electronic means if requested by the party. SB 272 - Prohibiting county appraisers and the state board of tax appeals from increasing the valuation of county appraised property in valuation appeals. SB 358 - Providing that the highway patrol will provide the administration and oversight of state-certified ignition interlock manufacturers and their service providers. SB 294 - Would establish, beginning in 2021, new notice and public hearing requirements for certain taxing subdivisions prior to property tax increases above a revenue-neutral rate and is intended to provide transparency in tax increases for Kansans. The bill would not apply to school districts and would remove the tax lid. SB 339 - Allows KCC to approve certain electric contract rates & associated cost recovery from all rate classes. SB 377 - Designating a portion of K-7 as Senator Paul "Bud" Burke Memorial Highway. SB 295 - Provides that the appraised value of real property would not be increased solely as a result of normal repair, replacement, or maintenance of existing improvements on the property. SB 254 - Concerning requirements by the secretary of state; relating to session laws, the Kansas register, proposed amendments to the constitution of the state of Kansas and administrative rules & regulations and guidance documents. SB 266 - Requiring appraisal courses for county appraisers and BOTA members to be courses approved by the Kansas real estate appraisal board. SB 404 - Creating a process to terminate the parental rights of a person whose sexual assault of another has resulted in the conception of a child. SB 420 - Would require individuals convicted of taking pictures of others in a state of undress without their knowledge to be listed on the sex offender register. SB 427 - Reviewing and continuing expiring exceptions to the disclosure of public records under the open records act. SB 262 - State board of tax appeals; changing time to request full and complete opinion to be based on the date of service. SB 289 - Updating the version of risk-based capital instructions in effect. SB 383- Providing for the American Legion, Knights of Columbus & proud educator distinctive license plates & providing for lowered license plate commitments and costs prior to production. SB 221 - Would allow a patron of a club and drinking establishment to remove one or more containers of beer, domestic beer, and cereal malt beverage sold on licensed premises and served in refillable and sealable containers for consumption off the licensed premises. SB 284 -Providing motor vehicle disability placards for school districts & interlocal cooperatives. SB 373 - Modifying the crimes of selling sexual relations, promoting the sale of sexual relations and buying sexual relations by changing terminology from "sexual relations" to "a sex act." SB 382 - Amending the capital improvement state aid schedule to exclude U.S.D. No. 207, Fort Leavenworth. SB 271 - Repealing the sunset provision for the high-density at-risk weighting. SCR 1614 - states the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Kansas support Kansas farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses in the Rattlesnake Creek subbasin in protecting their water rights through collaboration with the Quivira National Wildlife Refuge to find a solution to an impairment complaint filed with the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Water Resources. SB 337 - Expanding the provision of the ACT college entrance exam and workkeys assessments to students enrolled in nonpublic schools. SB 308 – Allowing the sale of raw milk in the state and will label the packaging of raw milk as to the potential adverse health effects of consuming unpasteurized milk. SB 381 - Authorizing medical student and residency loan assistance to encourage the practice of obstetrics and gynecology in medically underserved areas of the state. SB 283 - Authorizing sports wagering under the Kansas expanded lottery act and ensure that 2% of the state’s assessed tax, would be transferred to the Problem Gambling Additions Grant Fund. SB 253 - Amending requirements for service of process on nonresident drivers and clarifying service of process on certain business entities. SB 405 - Amendments related to driving under the influence concerning motorized bicycle drivers' licenses, ignition interlock devices and driving under the influence by any person less than 21 years of age. SB 384 - Would require the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and the Department for Children and Families (DCF) to prepare an annual academic report card on educational outcome data for foster care students. SB 371 - Requiring posting of a human trafficking awareness notice approved by the attorney general in certain businesses and public places. SB 319 - Clarifying that bond agents are required to return certain people released on bond to the court in the county where the bond was issued. SB 275 - Eligibility requirements for restricted driving privileges and elimination of additional 90-day wait period of suspended or revoked licenses. SB 267 - Clarifying that a violation of the statute requiring secured vehicle loads is a traffic infraction. SB 251 - Allow businesses to elect to file business reports with the secretary of state annually, biennially or triennially. SB 424 - Amending certain provisions regarding business entities & business filings with the secretary of state extending the effective date of certain provisions pertaining to series of a limited liability company. SB 292 - Granting the commissioner of insurance flexibility in assessing certain excess lines coverage penalties. SB 355 - Prohibiting psychiatric or psychological examinations of victims of crimes. SB 374 - Allowing employees of salvage vehicle pools to perform VIN inspections. Sub SB 335 - Authorizing school districts to pay the tuition for a student's dual or concurrent enrollment in a post- secondary educational institution & requiring a tuition waiver for foster children who are dually or concurrently enrolled. SB 345 - Establishing requirements for the effective disposal of industrial hemp. SB 230 - Clarifying the authority of the Kansas commission for the deaf and hard of hearing. SB 152 - Authorizing the secretary of health and environment to collect underground injection control program fees and redirecting water well license program fees. SB 402 - Updating producer licensing statutes pertaining to appointment, fees, licensing, renewal dates, continuing education, suspension, revocation and denial of licensure and reinstatement. SB 380 - Restricting cities and counties from imposing certain regulations and fees on a video service provider for the provision of communications service through a micro wireless facility. SB 293 - Transferring duties concerning registration for charitable organizations and the address confidentiality program (safe at home) from the secretary of state to the attorney general.
KANSAS INSURANCE DEPARTMENT – NEW WEBSITE
The Kansas Legislature established the Kansas Insurance Department in 1871. The first Superintendent of Insurance, later changed to Commissioner of Insurance in 1927, was William C. Webb. There have been twenty-seven Commissioners to lead The Kansas Insurance Department, including current Commissioner Vicki Schmidt. The longest-serving Commissioner was Frank Sullivan, who served from 1947-1971.
In 2017, the Kansas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 23, which merged the Kansas Securities Commission with the Kansas Insurance Department. Prior to the 2017 Legislation, the Securities Commission was an executive branch agency that reported to the Governor. Established in 1911, Kansas became the first state to pass a law regulating the sale of investments. Following the great stock market crash of 1929, the federal government began to regulate investment activity with the passage of the Securities Act of 1933, and the creation of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1934.
Insurance and securities have changed over the years but the responsibility of The Kansas Insurance Department to the people of Kansas remains unchanged. The Kansas Insurance Department’s new website is: https://insurance.kansas.gov and the staff can be reached at 785 296-3071.
VISIT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF KANSAS - www.kansas.gov
You can find a wealth of information at this well-designed website which focuses on Kansas with topics of business, education, government, residents and services with links to agencies and staff to help answer any question you might have. Webfile will take you directly to the Department of Revenue to file your taxes; Form finder will take you to the Secretary of State’s office for all types of forms for businesses; Learning Quest will direct you to the State Treasurer’s Office; the three branches of Government; and Plan your Trip to Kansas will open to the Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
Thank you for all of your calls, emails, and letters this week. It is easy to “get into the weeds” on pieces of legislation that seem on the surface to have universal appeal, but for those who want to pursue a more in-depth analysis of the ones which did not have such agreement, go to www.kslegislature.org and pull up “Bills & Laws,” then “Senate Bills,” before scrolling to the desired number and hitting “SN” (Supplemental Notes) for a general explanation which is written by the Legislative research & reviser staff.
Thank you for the honor of serving you!
Senator Elaine Bowers
Kansas State Capitol Building
Room 223-E
300 SW 10th St.
Topeka, KS 66612 [email protected]
785 296-7389