02-16-21
Hello from Topeka!
It has been nearly 40 years since we have been experiencing this prolonged of a cold snap, the last few winters have been cold but temperatures near zero or below for several days. I appreciate you reading this column and responding back to it. I do ask that when you call my office please leave a phone number to contact you. It is tough to have a conversation when we cannot dialogue about your concern. We have several ways to communicate and I like to talk rather than email or text.
The House is pushing for an overhaul of the Kansas Department of Labor and the state’s unemployment system. Last week, the House Commerce Committee held a hearing on House Bill 2196, which is intended to immediately address the short-term problems at KDOL, but also guarantee the long-term stability of the state’s unemployment trust fund. The bill contains three main components:
•Oversight & IT Modernization. HB 2196 creates oversight to ensure IT system upgrades are implemented at KDOL. The bill also requires the department to implement over 30 features and components in their upgraded IT infrastructure to ensure security and convenience for Kansas workers.
•Fraud Immunity. The bill provides protections so that Kansas businesses are not left to pay the price for fraudulent claims paid out by the department over the past year. Prior the pandemic, the unemployment trust fund was stable with over $1.2 billion in reserves. Today, less than $200 million sits in the fund’s reserves with an unknown chunk of those dollars being paid out in fraudulent claims that were not authorized by employers. Employers should not bear the burden of replenishing funds that were lost due to fraud.
• Rate Table Adjustments. Because the trust fund is exclusively paid for by employers, employers would be required to pay exorbitant amounts in taxes to refill the trust fund due to the non-fraudulent claims paid out through this pandemic. While employers understand taxes will have to be paid to restore the health of the trust fund, there are structural limitations in the rate tables that – if not addressed - would leave employers to disproportionally pay back the fund. HB 2196 seeks to remedy that, establishing parity for businesses by proposing new rate tables that will spread the restoration of the trust fund more evenly across the employer community.
These bills should not be partisan and we are at a time when all of us as elected officials need to pass these bills and the Governor sign them as we work together as one Kansas.
Late last week, the House advanced Senate Bill 15, sending it to the Governor for consideration. This legislation would create the Kansas Economic Recovery Loan Deposit Program as a new resource for local businesses that may have been impacted economically by the pandemic.
The loan program, based on similar programs that have proven successful in other states, will make $60 million in state idle funds available – through our local financial institutions – in the form of low-interest loans. Kansas small businesses, farmers and ranchers are eligible for the loans, which may be up to
$250,000 with up to a 10-year term. The bill requires annual reporting on the outcome of the loan program so the Legislature can provide ongoing oversight.
A similar bill passed the House last May but was vetoed by Governor Kelly. It is a good bill for our rural communities. The Legislature remains hopeful the Governor will reconsider last year’s veto and make this financing available to Kansans.
My committee assignments this year: Chairperson of Committee on Agriculture, Member of Higher Education Budget and Member Committee on Appropriations.
Recently, I appeared on The Kansas Legislature show on Smoky Hills Public Television and Forward Ever podcast with Gary Shorman from Eagle. You can find those links on the internet.
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: [email protected] 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 @kenforkansas
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:
Norton and Phillips Counties
Ellis County: Cities: Catharine, Ellis and Schoenchen; Townships: Big Creek(part), Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog(part), Lookout(part) and Wheatland(part)
Graham County: City: Hill City; Townships: Hill City(part) and Nicodemus(part)
Rooks County: Cities: Damar, Palco, Plainville, Stockton, Woodston and Zurich