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Government, Kansas

Sen. Hilderbrand’s Weekly Newsletter

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February 14, 2020 ∙ Week Five
HARD FACTS
KDOT’s FORWARD
KDOT estimates the following cost breakdown during the lifetime of the FORWARD plan from 2021 through 2030 fiscal years. Total cost: $9.9 billion
·      Preservation $5.0 billion
·      Preservation Plus $300.0 million
·      Modernization and Expansion $2.3 billion (not including delayed T-WORKS projects)
·      Economic Growth Projects $200.0 million
·      Modal Programs $200.0 million
·      Cost Share/Strategic Safety/Local Bridge Programs $300.0 million
·      Special City County and Highway Fund Distributions $1.6 billion
*KDOT’s estimates assume that the transfers to the State General Fund are phased out by FY 2023 and that the State Highway Fund issues approximately $1.2 billion in bonds.
I prefiled SCR 1601 prior to the 2019 Legislative Session. This is a Constitutional Amendment that would permanently close the “Bank of KDOT”. It was scheduled to have a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee earlier this year, but the chair of that committee cancelled that hearing. The bill was recently moved to the Senate Transportation Committee, the chair of that committee has said that he plans on having a hearing and working the bill.
Find reliable and age appropriate information online with Britannica – Public Library https://kslib.info/ebpublic from the State Library of Kansas. Three levels of learning (Children, Young Adult, and Reference Center) offer continually updated entries, multimedia, primary –source material, maps, and links to expert websites. Double–click any word in the article for the definition to pop up with audio pronunciation. Also available, Britannica – Academic https://kslib.info/ebacademic, includes content that is more scholarly. Another link https://kslib.info/kids takes you to Britannica – School, a PreK-12 resource with multi-media content for all grades and reading abilities.
Every school and home in Kansas has access to Britannica, but if the webpages above ask for a Kansas Library eCard number, you may get one at any library in Kansas. Questions: [email protected] or 785-296-3296.
FLOOR ACTION – February 12, 2020
February 17
The following bills all received unanimous support and were passed Yea: 38 Nay: 0
SB 277 Clarifying the authority of healing arts school clinics to provide healing arts services.
SB 302 Granting the secretary of revenue the authority to set letters and numerals for license plates and removing the requirement that plates be shipped to the county treasurer.
SB 304 Establishing a process by which a reciprocal may convert to into a mutual insurance company.
SB 326 Increasing the age for eligibility to renew drivers’ licenses online to 65.
SB 288 Designating a portion of United States highway 77 as the Cpl. Allen E. Oatney and SP4 Gene A. Myers memorial highway.
SB 315 Providing for the love, Chloe foundation license plate.
February 20
The following bills all received unanimous support and were passed Yea: 39 Nay: 0
SB 285 Extending the existence of the UST redevelopment fund and compensation advisory board to 2032.
SB 306 This bill would exempt motor vehicle odometer reading recording requirements when such recording requirements are exempted by federal law. This would replace an exemption from acknowledgement of mileage for vehicles ten model years and older and for trucks with a gross vehicle weight of more than 16,000 pounds. SB 306 was introduced by the Kansas Department of Revenue at the request of the Director of Vehicles.
SB 270 This bill would expand the opportunity for the establishment of multi-year flex accounts (MYFAs) for groundwater water right to water right users who do not have historical water use before 2009. The Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Chief Engineer testified as proponents of the bill in committee. There were no opponents.
SB 342 This bill would allow drivers’ license renewal notices to be sent electronically should the Department of Revenue get authorization from the license holder to do so. This bill was amended in committee to allow the license holder to opt-out at any time and have any subsequent notices sent by mail.
The following bill received unanimous support and was passed Yea: 37 Nay: 0
SB 305 This bill would increase the bond required for licensure as a dealer of used or new vehicles from $30,000 to $50,000. The bill would take effect January 1, 2021. Senate Bill 305 was introduced by the Kansas Department of Revenue at the request of the Director of Vehicles.
The following bills were passed Yea: 38 Nay: 1 ( I voted in favor of these bills)
SB 287 This bill would amend the Kansas Storage Tank Act by extending the time for certain petroleum storage tank owners and operators to apply for reimbursement for the replacement of single-wall underground storage tanks from June 1, 2020 to June 30, 2030. It would also extend from June 1, 2020 to June 30, 2030 the time for owners and operators to apply for reimbursement for the replacement of underground singe-wall storage tank systems with a secondary containment system. Finally, Senate Bill 287 would increase the reimbursement limit to an amount no more than $100,000 per facility per replacement work completed on and after July 1, 2020 and before July 1, 2030 and clarifies the $50,000 limit in current law would apply to replacement work completed on or after August 8, 2005 and before July 1, 2020.
SB 286 This bill would amend the Kansas Storage Tank Act by increasing limitations on the liability from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 for the Underground Petroleum Storage Tank Release Trust Fund and by the same amount for the Above ground Petroleum Storage Tank Release Trust Fund. Senate Bill 286 also extends the sunset on both funds from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2034.
The following bill was passed Yea: 28 Nay: 11(I voted in favor of this bill)
SB 58 This bill would amend law related to grand jury proceedings summoned by petition to refer to such proceedings as “citizen-initiated,” and would specify such petitions are citizen-initiated throughout the section. Senate Bill 58 would state the person who filed a citizen-initiated petition, and whose name, address, and phone number appear on the petition, is immune from civil liability for any good faith conduct under the section and would clarify that such person would be the first witness called to give testimony should a citizen-initiated grand jury be impaneled. Written-only opponent testimony was provided by the League of Kansas Municipalities, stating concerns over the potential increase of false or insufficient allegations in citizen-initiated petitions.
SPORTS WAGERING
The sports wagering bill, SB 283, left the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs with uncertain odds and a lot of interest still on the table. The bill essentially amends the Kansas Expanded Lottery Act to allow sports wagering to be conducted through existing gaming facilities. The bill does not extend to Kansas Lottery ticket merchants and other retailers and contains several amendments since its introduction.  It could be debated on the floor this coming week.
The state would apply a tax rate of 10% on revenue from online sports wagering and 7.5% on revenue made from each of the state’s four licensed casinos. Each casino will be allowed to contract with two betting platforms. The Kansas Lottery would continue to have oversight, which is consistent with current legislation. A bill in the House extends sports wagering far beyond the Senate bill by allowing as many as 1,200 licensed retailers to participate.
 FIREWORKS SALES YEAR-ROUND IN KANSAS
On Monday, SB 362, the bill to allow year-round sale of fireworks, was worked in the Committee on Federal and State Affairs. The bill only had two changes made before it passed through committee. The first change stripped out the language regarding bottle rockets, keeping them as an illegal firework. The second amendment aims to extend the selling period for seasonal retailers from June 15th to July 6th to be similar with Missouri statute. The original language had the selling period from June 20th to July 5th. The bill still leaves power to the counties and cities to regulate fireworks and firework sales as each municipality sees fit.
Monday, February 24
Ø Final action: SB 449 — Removing cannabis products that contain up to 0.3% THC from the list of controlled substances listed in schedule I of the uniform controlled substances act. (8:30, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 159-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 398 — Providing a refundable food sales tax credit and discontinuing the nonrefundable food sales tax credit. (9:30, Assessment and Taxation, 548-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 399 — Requiring marketplace facilitators to collect and remit sales and compensating use tax. (9:30, Assessment and Taxation, 548-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 364 — Expanding newborn screening services and increasing transfers from the medical assistance fee fund to the Kansas newborn screening fund. (9:30, Public Health and Welfare, 118-N)
Ø Hearing: SB 379 — Authorizing the secretary for children and families to request a waiver from certain limitations under the food assistance program. (9:30, Public Health and Welfare, 118-N)
Ø Hearing: SB 440 — Providing an additional option to fulfill work participation requirements under the cash assistance program. (9:30, Public Health and Welfare, 118-N)
Ø Hearing: SB 420 — Requiring registration as a sex offender for certain violations of the crime of breach of privacy. (10:30, Judiciary, 346-S)
Ø Hearing: SB 409 — Making permanent the quality care assessment imposed on skilled nursing care facilities. (10:30, Ways and Means, 548-S)
Ø Final action: SB 255 — Appropriations to the University of Kansas Medical Center; creating the Cancer Research and Public Information Trust Fund. (10:30, Ways and Means, 548-S)
Ø Discussion and action: SB 271 — Repealing the sunset provision for the high-density at-risk weighting. (1:30, Education, 144-S)
Ø Discussion and action: SB 353— Requiring the allocation of sufficient school district moneys to improve academic performance of underachieving students. (1:30, Education, 144-S)
Tuesday, February 25
Ø 10 a.m. session, on floor all day.
Wednesday, February 26
Ø 10 a.m. session, on floor all day.
Thursday, February 27
Ø Turnaround Day! All bills from non-exempt committees must be heard by their house of origin or are considered dead for the session.
Ø 10 a.m. session, on floor all day.
Friday, February 28
Ø No session! Enjoy the first break of the 2020 Legislative Session. We will see you on March 4!
Thank You for Engaging
Thank you for all your calls, emails, and letters regarding your thoughts and concerns about happenings in Kansas. Constituent correspondence helps inform my decision-making process and is taken into great consideration when I cast my vote in the Kansas Senate. I hope you’ll continue to engage with me on the issues that matter most to you, your family, and our community. If you are on Twitter or Facebook, I encourage you to follow along with the #ksleg hashtag for real-time updates on legislative happenings in Topeka.
Please know that I am fully committed to addressing the current issues in our state, and I am proud to be your voice in the Kansas Senate.
Richard Hilderbrand Kansas State Senator District 13

 

Government, Kansas

Legislative Update Coffee Feb. 29

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Community members are invited to a Legislative Update Coffee hosted by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce. The event will take place on Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the Empress Event Center in Downtown Fort Scott.

Kansas Sentators Caryn Tyson and Richard Hilderbrand and Representatives Trevor Jacobs and Ken Collins will give an update on the current session as well as address any issues or questions presented from the audience.

If you have a particular item you would like to have addressed and plan to attend, you may email the Chamber at [email protected] by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, February 27th.

The general public is invited and encouraged to attend this Legislative Update on Saturday, February 29th. Coffee, juice and light breakfast refreshments will be served.

The event is being sponsored by the Fort Scott Professional Building and Empress Event Center.

For more information please contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at (620) 223-3566 or visit fortscott.com.

Bourbon County, Jobs

2020 Spring Job Fair April 9

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The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce announces the…
2020 SPRING JOB FAIR
Thursday, April 9, 2020
3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Ellis Fine Arts Center
on the campus of
Fort Scott Community College,
2108 S. Horton Street.
Employers of any size seeking employees are encouraged to reserve a booth. The job fair will give business owners the opportunity to recruit both students and community members for seasonal, part-time and full-time positions. This event is also an opportunity for employers to network with each other and promote their company to the public.
The cost to reserve an employer booth is $50 for Chamber members or $90 for non-Chamber members.
To register or for more information, contact the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce at 620.223.3566 or visitfortscott.com
Employers ~
Click HERE for printable registration form.
Click HERE to register online.
Employers may register for a booth today!
Job seekers do not need to register,
just arrive that day with a resume
and presentably dressed!
Government, Kansas

Legislative Update By State Senator Caryn Tyson

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Caryn Tyson

 

February 21, 2020

You may have seen reports on the Gallup ‘Mood of the Nation’ poll conducted in January, stating that 86% of American’s are satisfied with their personal life and that confidence in the U.S. economy is at a 20 year high.  We are blessed to be in Kansas, the heartland of America.

 

Legislation 101  Senate Bill (SB) 294, the bill we are following in these updates, that brings transparency to your property tax increases, did not have any movement to date.  Hopefully, the majority leader will bring the bill above the line for a debate on the senate floor.  We are almost to the half-way point of session, known as turnaround.  Bills that have not been in an exempt committee or passed the originating chamber before turnaround will die.  SB 294 is an exempt bill because Tax is an exempt committee.  Therefore, it could be worked on the Senate floor after turnaround.  I’ll keep you posted.

 

Kansas law allows for online driver license renewal under certain conditions.  SB 326 would change the upper age limit for online renewals from 50 to 65 years of age.  The bill passed 39 Yes to 0 No.

 

SB 342 would provide Kansans an option to receive electronic notification for driver’s license renewal notices.  I offered an amendment to the bill in committee that would allow you to op-out of electronic notifications, so that future notices would be sent by mail.  The amendment passed without objection.  The bill passed the Senate 39 Yes to 0 No.

 

SB 58 would allow a citizen to file a petition requesting a district court grand jury.  A judge would review the petition.  If a judge finds the petition is in proper form a grand jury will be called within 60 days.  If the petition is denied, the person who filed it can appeal the judge’s decision not to summon a grand jury.  The bill passed the Senate on a vote of 28 Yes and 11 No.  I voted Yes.

 

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as your 12th District State Senator.

Caryn

Government, Kansas

Talk to Your Government Representatives Feb. 29 In Fort Scott

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Join us THIS SATURDAY, February 29th for a
Legislative Update Coffee
Empress Event Center
9-10:30am
with
Kansas Senators
and
Kansas Representatives
Click the links on the legislators’ names above to view the committees on which they serve and their voting records.
The Legislative Update Coffee will be held at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main St., Fort Scott, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m (parking & entrances in both front and back of building).
State legislators Senators Richard Hilderbrand and Caryn Tyson and Representatives Trevor Jacobs and Ken Collins will give an update on the current session as well as address any issues or questions presented from the audience.
If you have a particular item you would like to have addressed and plan to attend, you may email the Chamber at [email protected] by 5:00 p.m. Thursday, February 27th.
Coffee, juice & light refreshments will be served.
Tell your friends – all are welcome!
Thank you to our event sponsors :
Fort Scott Professional Building
Office space available for new
& existing businesses!
Click herefor info.
Empress Event Center
Click here for info.
Business, Fort Scott

Gordmans Celebrates Those Born on Feb. 29

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On Feb. 29, Gordmans is throwing a birthday party for anyone with a Leap Year birthday. The fun festivities will include birthday hats, streamers, balloons plus cupcakes and a special gift for the Leap Year birthday gal or guy.

Gordmans is putting the fun back into shopping by having special events like celebrating Leap Year birthdays. Special in-store activities for those celebrating their birthday on February 29 include:

Special Gift – Guests and their friends celebrating a Leap Year birthday will receive a special gift on Feb. 29. Remember to bring a valid ID to the store to receive your gift.

Cupcakes & More – No birthday is complete without treats, hats, streamers and balloons.

Birthday Shout Outs – Gordmans associates will acknowledge guests with Leap Year birthdays over the PA system, wishing them a special day and thanking them for shopping at Gordmans.

Style Circle Rewards – For guests not celebrating a Leap Year birthday, there’s still something for you: sign up for Gordmans’ Style Circle Rewards program so you will receive a special gift on your birthday, in addition to perks and payback rewards every time you shop at Gordmans.

Gordmans, part of the Stage community of stores, is delivering a whole new shopping experience. Gordmans is an off-price retailer, which means Gordmans offers popular name brand apparel, on-trend home décor and other merchandise for the entire family at prices that are lower than department stores.

Because consumers are responding positively to Gordmans’ off-price concept, Stage is converting its department stores to Gordmans off-price stores during 2020. In addition, for further convenience, customers can ship their Amazon orders to Gordmans’ in-store Amazon Counter for fast, flexible and secure package pick-up.

If you or someone you know is celebrating a Leap Year birthday, come on over to Gordmans on Feb. 29 and join the party!

Obituary

Obituary of Marilyn Bruner

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Marilyn Louise Bruner, age 76, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Monday, February 24, 2020, at her home. She was born November 5, 1943, in Mapleton, KS, the daughter of Walter Eberly and Agnes Mackie Bruner.

Marilyn loved spending time with her family, especially her nieces and nephews. She and her brother Joe always planted a large garden. She enjoyed baking, cooking, dancing, gardening, playing cards and board games. She also enjoyed attending church and dining out with friends. Her CB handle was “Dancing Queen”.

Survivors include a sister, Venita Miller, Kincaid, KS; two sisters in law, Darla Bruner, Ft. Scott, KS, and Freda Bruner, Mound City, KS; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by five sisters, Pauline Seitz, Lorraine Wilcox, Leora Ross, Shirley Ball, and an infant sister; three brothers, Virgil, Joseph, and Willard Bruner; and her parents.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, February 29th, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Burial will follow in the Sunny Slope Cemetery, Blue Mound, KS.

The family will receive friends from 9:30 AM until service time at the Cheney Witt Chapel.

Memorials are suggested to the Marilyn Bruner memorial fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.