Topeka
March 11, 2022
Bills Debated in the House
On Wednesday of this week, the House of Representatives debated five bills. Here are some of the details of those bills:
* Senate Bill 2 would allow the Kansas State Fair Board to designate a common consumption district on the fair grounds. Also, of the taxes collected from the gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic liquor, 30% shall be credited to the State General Fund. This bill passed, 87-31.
* House Bill 2462 amends current law to remove committee membership requirements for legislators appointed to the Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations. This bill passed, 118-0.
* Senate Bill 421 authorizes a payment from the State General Fund of $1 billion to the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS) unfunded liability. By authorizing this payment, we would eliminate a layered payment with a current interest rate of 7.75% and lowering the unfunded liability, both of which is an annual cost savings. This passed 113-5.
* House Bill 2652 extends the expiration dates for certain portions of the governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill passed 102-7.
* The final bill was 2466 which states during the 2023-2024 school year, each high school shall offer at least one course of computer science or submit a plan to the State Board of Education regarding how the district plans to offer a computer science course. This bill passed 115-4. I voted in favor of all five bills.
Appropriations Committee
This week the House Appropriations Committee completed all of the budget recommendations from the respective budget committees. We had the budgets of the Kansas Department of Transportation, Department of Corrections, and the Postsecondary Education system on Monday. We continued Tuesday with the budgets for the Kansas Department of Labor and the Judicial Branch. Wednesday, we had the budget recommendations for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and the Department of Children and Families. We concluded the budget recommendations with the Kansas Department of Education. Next week, we will be compiling all the budget recommendations to reconstruct the House’s position for the state budget.
Convention of States & Legislative Forums
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives debated a resolution that would apply to Congress to call a convention of the states. This resolution has been discussed in prior legislative sessions and this is the third time that we have debated it on the House Floor.
House Concurrent Resolution 5027, if passed, would make an application for Congress, under Article V of the US Constitution, for a convention to propose amendments that would impose fiscal restraints on the US Federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the Federal government, and set term limits for federal officials. Currently, only 17 states have passed similar resolutions, where there needs to be 34 in order to call the convention. There were numerous amendments proposed during the nearly two-hour debate, though many did not pass.
The resolution failed as it requires a supermajority to pass out of the house with 84 votes. I voted “yes.”
This month I will be conducting numerous legislative townhalls throughout the 109th Kansas House District. On Thursday, March 24, Senator Elaine Bowers and I will be starting the day in Mankato at 8:30 AM. We will then have a townhall in Smith Center at 10 AM. In the afternoon, we will then move to Osborne for a scheduled townhall at 1 PM and then move on to Paradise United Methodist Church for one scheduled at 3 PM. On Saturday, March 26, we will be conducting a townhall at Violette’s Coffee Shop in Lincoln at 9 AM.
Contact Information
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 www.kslegislature.org.
As always, if you have any concerns, feel free to contact me (785) 296-7672, follow on twitter at @waymaster4house, or email me at [email protected]. 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. I always appreciate hearing from the residents of the 109th House District and others from the state of Kansas, as well.
Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, is the Kansas House Appropriations Chairman and 109th District state representative which includes:
* Osborne, Russell, and Smith Counties
* Barton County: Cities: Albert, Claflin, Galatia, Odin, Olmitz and Susank; Townships: Beaver, Cheyenne, Clarence, Cleveland, Fairview, Grant, Independent, Logan, Union, Walnut and Wheatland
* Jewell County: Cities:Burr Oak, Esbon and Mankato; Townships: Athens,Browns Creek, Burr Oak, Calvin, Center,Erving, Esbon, Harrison, Highland, Holmwood, Ionia, Limestone, Odessa,Walnut and White Mound
* Lincoln County: Cities: Lincoln Center(part) and Sylvan Grove; Townships: Battle Creek, Beaver(part), Cedron, Elkhorn(part), Golden Belt, Grant, Hanover, Highland, Indiana, Marion, Orange, Pleasant, Valley and Vesper
* Rush County: Cities: Bison, Otis, Rush Center and Timken; Townships: Banner,Center,Garfield, Illinois, Lone Star, Pioneer and Pleasantdale