Capitol Comments
March 4, 2003
We have entered our eighth week of the 2003 legislative session. At the end of the past week, we enjoyed a three day weekend for what is called turn-around day. All successful Senate bills, with the exception of bills in exempt committees, will now be moved to the House of Representatives, and the House successful bills will come to the Senate for our action, or inaction. Almost all of the major issues facing us this session have received little or no attention as yet. I am hopeful the process picks up soon as we don't want to relive the legislative failure we encountered last session.
ENHANCED WIRELESS 911 SYSTEM APPROVED BY SENATE
Substitute for SB 153 received favorable consideration by the Senate which will establish funding mechanisms to implement Phase I and Phase II of the wireless enhanced 911 system. Phase I of wireless enhanced 911 means the Public Safety Answering points (PSAPs) can identify the number of the wireless caller and the number of the cell tower which is transmitting the signal. Phase II means that the PSAPs can also identify the location of the wireless handset within 125 meters or about 400 feet. Under the bill, PSAPs would receive 25 cents; also 25 cents would go to a fund administered by the Department of Administration to make rural grants to the PSAPs to begin implementation of wireless E911. In addition, the wireless carriers would be permitted to recover their costs with a surcharge not to exceed 25 cents. This legislation is the product of negotiations between the Kansas Association of Counties, the League of Kansas Municipalities and the wireless industry. Locating people by means of their wireless phone who are having medical emergencies or who are involved in other life threatening situations should not be a privilege reserved for those living in urban areas. This technology should be available statewide for all Kansans.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE AGAIN PENALIZED BY STATE
Due to our state's fiscal crisis, the state delayed paying $138
million to the school districts as scheduled to be made on March 1. State Budget Director
Duane Goossen indicated that after making payroll on March 1 there was not a sufficient
cash flow to also make the payment to the school districts. No word was made as to how
long the school districts might have to wait for their money.
Although what appears to be a "helping schools" initiative, I
believe the legislation passed by the Senate last week creates an unfair playing field
between the large and small school districts in our state. Under Senate Bill 83 our school
districts would have more flexibility to use funds set aside for capital outlay
expenditures which would include the acquisition of computers or computer software, as
well as payment of other technology expenses, utility costs, and insurance premiums. The
bill also removes the five-year limit on the capital outlay mill levy. The wealthier
districts will now be able to transfer certain expenses out of their general fund budgets
and pay for these expenses out of the capital outlay accounts which are funded by taxes
levied on the local property owners. The poorer and smaller districts will not have the
same advantage without a greater impact on the local property owners. This is another case
that if the state would step up and adequately fund our schools, legislators would not
have to resort to these unfair measures.
PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE PRIMARY DATE CHANGED
After much debate, sometimes heated, the Senate passed SB 101 on the
second try which would change the date for the next Presidential Preference Primary from
2004 to 2008. There were many reasons for making this change but the primary reasons was
that the state does not have $l.75 million in general funds to reimburse county
governments for conducting this primary. Most of the costs of the primary are incurred by
the local governments. The Governor did not include the funding in her budget
recommendation for FY 2004. With the passage of this bill, the Senate chose not to add the
additional costs to our already fiscally strapped budget or push the costs on to the
counties who have already been cut from receiving anticipated revenue from the state.
Also amended into the bill was a provision to call for the Kansas
primary election to be held on the first Tuesday after the fourth Monday in August in
even-numbered years of all candidates to be voted for at the next following general
election. This issue has been brought up several times in past years with the feeling that
the primary election being held later in August would accommodate more voters who take
vacations in August prior to the start of a new school year.
The bill failed to receive majority support when voted on last Thursday
with an outcome of 20-20 vote. A reconsideration of vote was taken the following day which
allowed the legislation to move forward by a vote of 21-18.
FACING OUR DAUNTING TASK
We face an enormous and unprecedented job in the Kansas legislature during the remaining days of this session. Creative thinking will be in abundance. There will be no simple answers to our budget crisis. If ever legislators needed to hear from their constituents, I believe the time is now for you to express your strong feelings about what you want and for you to remind legislators what duties they assumed when they were elected to represent you. We need help as we struggle with solutions to this crisis.
IN CONCLUSION
I appreciate the many constituents who have contacted me by
telephone, e-mail, or written letters with suggestions and concerns on many issues before
us. Your input is very important to me. With my heavy committee work I am not always
available to take your calls but Betty Manning, my Office Administrator, will get your
messages to me.
You can reach me via e-mail at ggoodwin@ink.org
or Goodwin@senate.state.ks.us. My address
is State Capitol, Room 403-N, Topeka, KS 66612; telephone (785) 296-7381 or
1-800-432-3924.
Copyright © March, 2003 by Jamiebro Publications. All rights reserved.