February 12, 2024
Topeka
This past week the Senate Ways and Means budget committee completed work on 35% of the budgets including hearing Higher Education budgets for Community Colleges, Technical Colleges and Tiered and Non-tiered. Budgets were also heard from Pittsburgh State, Emporia State, Fort Hays State University, Wichita State and Washburn University. This coming Monday the higher education sub-committee will hear the final budgets from Kansas State, Kansas University and Kansas University Medical Center which are some of the largest university budgets. The budget committee remains on schedule and plans to have the budget packaged and ready to pass out of committee by March 7.
A core function of government is to protect our children from harm, which is why one of the most impactful bills that the Senate will consider this year will be SB394, which would require the use of age verification software on websites in which 25% or more of the content is pornographic in nature. The impact on mental health is undeniable, according to data from the Addiction Center. With smart phones, the accessibility of pornography has never been higher, putting our children at risk. Heritage Action testified that “Currently, pornographic material is readily accessible online. In fact, 80% of 12-17 years old and 37% of children 9-11 years old have been exposed to sexually explicit material while online.” The need for SB 394 has never been more apparent. Age-verification laws have been incredibly successful in the states that have implemented them and are likely to be upheld in the courts given the advent of technology that allows adults access while protecting children.
In 2019 the Kansas Supreme Court retained jurisdiction requiring the legislature to add more money to schools to cover the cost of inflation after already adding more than $800 million in 2017 and 2018. The courts kept this ruling under their jurisdiction until the phased-in payments were met. Now that all the agreed funding has occurred the courts have agreed to close the case
It was nice to have the students from JAG-K at the capitol last week. It was especially nice to see the students from Goodland.
SB15 signed last week reinstates and makes changes to a tax credit designed to incentivize employment to Kansans with disabilities. This bill offers more opportunities for people with disabilities to work and earn a fair wage. This bill was vetoed by the governor last year which meant that the tax credits for businesses had expired at year end 2023. This income tax credit is for goods and services purchased from qualified businesses that employed disabled workers. The legislation also creates a new matching grant program to help transition sheltered workshop employers toward paying the minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
I am honored and grateful to represent the 40th Senate District in Kansas. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email: [email protected] or call me with your questions or concerns. My office number is 785-296-7399 or my cell is 785-899-4700. If you are in Topeka, stop by my office at 545-S.