HOUSE ACTION
The Kansas House of Representatives was fairly busy last week as it worked and voted on sixteen House Bills (HBs) and one Senate Concurrent Resolution. Detailed below are six bills from those worked:
· First is HB 2542. This legislation would rename a portion of US Highway 56, near Elkhart, as the Bill Tucker Memorial Highway. HB 2542 was voted out favorably in the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Transportation;
· Second is HB 2438. This bill would restrict online voter registration to only government run websites, with a .gov domain, or websites vetted and chosen by the Secretary of State, upon meeting several security criteria, like data encryption. HB 2438 was voted out favorably in the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Transportation;
· Third is HB 2478. This piece of legislation would mandate criminal history checks for nursing license applicants seeking to become advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) or registered nurse anethetists. HB 2478 was voted out favorably in the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare;
Fourth is HB 2533. This bill would provide the legal framework to join Kansas into an Occupational Therapist Licensure Compact, an inter-state organization aimed at greater cooperation between states. HB 2533 was voted out favorably in the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare;
· Fifth is HB 2416. This legislation would enact legal immunity for liability in civil lawsuits regarding nuisance, taking, or similar theories for racetrack venues that predated their civil plaintiffs. HB 2416 was voted out favorably in the House but has not yet been received by the Senate;
· Last is HB 2534. This bill would provide the legal framework to join Kansas into a Respiratory Therapist Licensure Compact, similar to HB 2533. HB 2534 was voted out favorably in the House and is now in the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare.
COMMITTEE HAPPENINGS
House Appropriations (HAPP) was quite busy again this week as it finished working through agency budgets, heard one senate bill, and then worked the House Budget Bill, HB 2434.
Monday saw two and a half agency budgets worked. Those agencies were the Kansas Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood, and the Department for Children and Families. Each agency received significant discussion, from discussing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to the consolidation of state agency functions with the new Office of Early Childhood.
On Tuesday the committee heard Senate Bill 181, adjusting State General Fund transfers, and worked on one and a half agency budgets. Those agencies were the Department for Children and Families and the Kansas Department of Health & Environment—Health. Just as the day before the committee discussed both agency budgets vigorously.
Wednesday witnessed the committee work two agency budgets and start work on HB 2434, the House’s Budget. The two agency budgets worked were the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and the Board of Regents. Again, lively discussion occurred, especially on curricula requirements in higher education.
Thursday and Friday saw HAPP continue work on the budget, ultimately passing it out to the floor after several hours of debate on Friday. Both days saw hours of discussion and covered topics ranging from housing development to helping first responders.
TAX RELIEF BILL HEARD
The House Committee on Taxation heard House Bill 2745 on February 12. HB 2745 is one of the more ambitious tax relief bills introduced this session. The legislation attempts multiple forms of property tax relief. First, it mandates elections within a taxing district for property tax rate increases above a three percent increase. Only tax rate increases beneath three percent, aimed at construction and improvements or repayment of bonds would be exempt from this mandate, along with school districts and the State of Kansas.
Second, it would create the Property Tax Relief Fund, funded by State General Fund and administered by the State Treasurer. The fund would be allocated to eligible taxing districts annually with a flat value, supplemented based on property valuations and population distribution. Only taxing districts that did not increase rates by more than three percent, through election, would be eligible for the fund.
It is a distinct honor to serve as your representative for the 109th Kansas House District and the state of Kansas. Please contact me with your thoughts, concerns, and questions. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.
Contact My Office
Representative Troy L. Waymaster
109th District
300 SW 10th Street
Topeka, Kansas 66612
troy.waymaster@house.ks.gov
www.kslegislature.org
www.troywaymaster.com