Submitted by Krista Harding

The prolonged periods of rain and wet growing conditions is causing some issues in our area. The conditions we have had recently are ideal for many landscape fungi and diseases to appear.

One fungal disease happening to sycamore trees is anthracnose. Anthracnose is favored by cool, wet weather. The young leaves may wither and turn black. Older leaves will have a brown discoloration that follows the major veins of the leaves. In some cases, the petiole (leaf stem) is infected, which causes leaf drop. Although this is most common on sycamore trees, it can also affect birch, elm, walnut, oak and ash.

In severe anthracnose cases, the tree drops heavily infected leaves and may completely defoliate. However, healthy trees will leaf out again in just a few weeks. Anthracnose seldom causes significant damage to trees in Kansas, so chemical control is not necessary. Fungicides do not cure infected leaves, so applying fungicides now will not help.

Both my climbing and Knock Out roses look good this year and are blooming like crazy! But, I have my guard up and am on the lookout for rose slug infestations. Some people might think that the small green worm they find on roses is a caterpillar of some sort. However, it is not. It’s actually the larva of a sawfly. This insect skeletonizes rose leaves and young larvae will remove the green layer of leaf, leaving behind a clear material. As the larvae mature, they make holes in the leaf and eventually may consume all of the leaf but the major veins. Since these insects are not caterpillars, insecticides with BT will not be an effective treatment. Instead, try a strong jet of water to dislodge the slugs and make it more difficult for them to return to the plant. Other effective treatments include insecticidal soap, horticulture oils, spinosad and permethrin.

Another pesky landscape insect to be watching for is Euonymus scale. Euonymus scale looks like small, white cottony spots on affected foliage. The leaves will turn yellow and die as this insect continues to feed by sucking the plants juices. Heavy infestation happens on the undersides of leaves, twigs and stems. Labeled insecticides include malathion, permethrin and cyhalothrin. However, control is almost impossible for euonymus that has been heavily attacked and is in very poor health. In those instances, complete removal of those plants is recommended.

Finally, watch for rust on hollyhocks. This is the most common disease on hollyhock and can cause serious injury as leaves are progressively killed through the summer. Rust shows up as yellow spots on the surface of the leaves and orangish to brown pustules on the underside. The first line of defense in preventing rust is to remove all hollyhock stalks, leaves and other debris in the fall and destroy it. Remove any infected foliage you see now. A fungicide such as Immunox can be applied to protect healthy foliage. However, if you fight rust every year, I recommend a preventative fungicide application as the leaves emerge in the spring.

Should you have any horticulture questions this growing season, give me a call. As a reminder, I have office hours in each of the three locations within the Extension district. I am in the Erie office Monday, Wednesday and Friday; Iola on Tuesday and Fort Scott on Thursday.

Krista Harding is a K-State Research and Extension Agricultural agent assigned to Southwind District. She may be reached at 620-244- 3826 or [email protected].

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Kansas Senate Republican Caucus ∙ May 19, 2017 ∙ Week Fifteen

HARD FACTS:

• Preliminary estimates reported show the April, seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate was 3.7 percent. This was down from 3.8 percent in March and down from 4.1 percent in April 2016. (Kansas Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• This week, applications for weekly unemployment aid fell 4,000 to 232,000 – the lowest level in nearly three months. (U.S. Department of Labor)

WEEKLY OVERVIEW:

School Finance

Senate President Wagle appointed a Senate Select Committee on Education Finance early in this legislative session. The committee, chaired by Majority Leader Denning, has been working hand-in-hand with the House’s K-12 Education Budget Committee and the legislature’s outside legal counsel to produce a new school finance formula. The committees have made great strides forward this week, and we look forward to continuing that momentum into next week. The Senate Select Committee on Education Finance heard testimony from a variety of stakeholders this week and expects to pass a bill out of committee early next week, and we anticipate a vote on a school finance formula bill next week.

Debating firearms in state hospitals

Early this week, we began discussion on the Senate floor about whether guns should be allowed in state hospitals and mental hospitals. Kansans on both sides of this issue feel very passionately about this topic.

Senators engaged in a healthy conversation before ultimately voting to send the bill in question back to committee for further review. Kansans representing hospitals and the Second Amendment are actively communicating with the legislature and are working to strike a compromise to ensure Kansans feel safe and protected in hospitals and mental hospitals without infringing on your Second Amendment rights.

FLOOR ACTION:

PORT AUTHORITIES (Senate Substitute for House Bill 2132): Senate Sub. for HB 2132 allows port authorities to sell real or personal property in a negotiated sale at less than its appraised value. In order to make such a sale, the port authority would be required to declare the sale would be in the public interest due to the return of new jobs, capital investment, or increased tax revenue. Current law prohibits port authorities from selling property below its appraised value.

This bill passed the Senate Tuesday May 16, by a vote of 37-3

RULES AND REGULATIONS (House Bill 2280): HB 2280 requires that prior to July 1, 2018, each state agency review its rules and regulations to determine the impact those rules and regulations have on business and economic development, including those that negatively impact or create any barrier to success for business and economic development. Prior to October 1, 2018, after review and determination of rules and regulations, each state agency must prepare and submit a report to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and Regulations (JCARR) identifying those rules and regulations having a negative impact on businesses and economic development, whether the public purpose served outweighs any negative impact, and alternatives to the identified rules and regulations. The bill would require JCARR to submit a report to the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate summarizing the JCARR findings prior to January 14, 2019.

In addition, the bill alters the Rules and Regulations Filing Act by adding a new requirement to the continuing mandate that each state agency submit an economic impact statement when drafting a proposed rule and regulation or amending any rule and regulation. The bill would require the economic impact statement to include a description of businesses that would be directly affected by the proposed rules and regulations, the benefits of the proposed rules and regulations, and measures taken to minimize the impact of the proposed rules and regulations on businesses and economic development.

This bill passed the Senate Tuesday May 16, by a vote of 32-8

COMMON CONSUMPTION AREA (House Bill 2277): HB 2277 allows a city or county to establish one or more common consumption areas by ordinance or resolution, designate the boundaries of any common consumption area, and prescribe the times during which alcoholic liquor may be consumed.

This bill passed the Senate Tuesday May 16, by a vote of 35-5

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS:

KANSAS SEXUALLY VIOLENT PREDATOR ACT (HB 2128): HB 2128 revises law regarding procedures for annual review, transitional release, and conditional release for persons civilly committed under the Kansas Sexually Violent Predator Act.

The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Wednesday May 17, by a vote of 39-0

KANSAS CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE (House Substitute for SB 120): House Sub. for SB 120 adjusts the Kansas Code of Civil Procedure. The bill provides the code shall be employed by the court and the parties to secure the just, speedy and inexpensive determination of every action and proceeding. Current law requires the Code to be liberally construed and administered for the same purpose.

The bill also amends the law granting an additional three days for action after being served via certain kinds of service. The bill clarifies it applies to a party “after being served,” rather than simply “after service.” Additionally, the bill removes service by fax and electronic service from the list of kinds of service that allow additional time to act.

In the statute listing matters on which the court must take appropriate action at a case management conference, the bill adds issues related to preservation of electronically stored information. Additionally, in determining issues related to claims of privilege or protection as trial-preparation material, the bill requires consideration of agreements made under state law controlling the effect of disclosure of information covered by the attorney-client privilege or work-product protection.

The Senate Concurred with amendments in conference Wednesday May 17, 39-0

SECURITIES COMMISSIONER OF KANSAS (Senate Bill 23): SB 23 establishes the Office of the Securities Commissioner of Kansas as a division under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Insurance and amend law by consolidating certain prosecutorial functions of the Attorney General.

The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Thursday, May 18, by a vote of 30-8

LOTTERY TICKET VENDING MACHINES (House Bill 2313): HB 2313 would allow the Kansas Lottery to use vending machines to sell lottery tickets. Lottery ticket vending machines would dispense a printed physical ticket, such as a lottery ticket, a keno ticket, a pull tab ticket, an instant bingo ticket or a coupon. Machines will allow purchasers to manually check the winning status of a Kansas Lottery ticket and display advertising, promotions and other information pertaining to the Kansas Lottery.

Furthermore, the bill would authorize moneys in the Lottery Operating Fund be used for transfers to the Community Crisis Stabilization Centers Fund and Clubhouse Model Program Fund of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. The Community Crisis Stabilization Centers Fund would receive 75 percent of the money deposited into the Lottery Operating Fund, while 25 percent would go to the Clubhouse Model Program Fund. These transfers could not exceed $4 million aggregate for FY 2018 or $8 million in the aggregate for FY 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

The bill would also repeal the sunset provision for the Kansas Lottery. Under current law, the Kansas Lottery will be abolished on July 1, 2022.

The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Thursday May 18, by a vote of 21-16

BILL SIGNINGS:

SB 14 – Provides for limited line insurance coverage of self-storage units.

SB 16 – Enacts new insurance holding company regulatory law and corporate governance annual disclosure law.

HB 2085 – Amends the law regarding ignition interlock devices and expungements.

HB 2153 – Establishes law within the General Corporation Code related to public benefit corporations.

HB 2301 – Amends the law related to public records and public meetings.

The Governor has now signed 73 bills into law this session and vetoed two. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign the bill into law, veto the bill or allow the bill to become law without his or her signature.

NEXT WEEK:

Next week is the fourth week of Veto Session. We will continue working on our three big ticket items: taxes, budget and school finance. I hope you’ll reach out with any comments, questions, or concerns regarding these issues or others. 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 as we work to wrap this legislative session up.

The America’s Farmers Grow Communities program has been providing funding to organizations in rural communities for a number of years in honor of participating farmers from select counties around the United States.

This year, Bob and Jan Larkin of Bourbon County participated in the program and were announced winners, selecting Care to Share to be their non-profit organization of choice to receive the $2,500 donation.

The Larkins, leaders of the community, Care to Share representatives and cancer survivors were on hand Monday, May 8, to present the check.

Eligible counties for the program include those with at least 30,000 acres of specified crops, and awarded farmers had to be actively engaged in farming at least 250 acres of those crops. The selected charities had to be recognized as non-profit organizations.

Those interested in applying for the 2018 program can visit their website here.

Weekly Overview:

Senators spent a lot of time and energy this week on conference committees, wrapping up some final pieces of legislation to send to the Governor’s desk.

On Wednesday, the Senate voted on an income tax increase bill that ultimately failed to garner 21 votes for passage. I voted against this massive tax bill that would have taken over 1 billion dollars out of your incomes and out of our economy. The senate has now gone back to the drawing board and are looking for ways to craft a compromise tax bill that can pass both chambers to help balance the budget. I will keep you posted on the progress as this continues to move forward.

School Finance

As you know, President Wagle appointed a Senate Select Committee on Education Finance early in this legislative session. The committee, chaired by Majority Leader Denning, has been working hand-in-hand with the House’s K-12 Education Budget Committee and the legislature’s outside legal counsel to produce a new school finance formula. The committees have made great strides forward this week, and we look forward to continuing that momentum into next week.

Human Trafficking

On Thursday, both the House and the Senate unanimously passed House Substitute for Senate Bill 40, a bill strengthening anti-human-trafficking laws in Kansas. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s office teamed up with legislators to write this bill after identifying ways to best help combat human trafficking. This bill strengthens pre-existing laws and creates new laws, such as a mandatory human trafficking awareness course for truck drivers, so that they may easily identify and report signs of possible human trafficking. Further, this bill will “prohibit using communication devices to facilitate human trafficking or knowingly selling travel services connected with human trafficking. It would also create the crime of internet trading child pornography and increase penalties for sexual exploitation of a child,” as explained in a Topeka Capital-Journal news report. The bill is now waiting for Governor Brownback’s signature.

Thank you for all of 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 am proud to be your voice in the Kansas Senate. You can follow me on Facebook “Hilderbrand for Kansas” and on twitter #Hilderbrand4ks.

FLOOR ACTION:

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS:

JUDICIAL SURCHARGE; COLLECTION OF COURT DEBTS (HB 2041): HB 2041 extends the sunset provision for judicial surcharges on several docket fees until June 30, 2019. Current law allows the judicial branch to impose an additional charge per docket fee to fund the costs of non-judicial personnel until June 30, 2017. The bill also would require the cost of collection of debts owed to courts or restitution be paid by the responsible party as an additional court cost in all cases where the party fails to pay any debts owed to courts or restitution and the court contracts with an agent to collect the debt or restitution. Currently under law, the cost of collection is paid by the defendant as an additional court cost only in criminal, traffic and juvenile offender cases. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Tuesday May 9, by a vote of 23-15

EMPLOYMENT SECURITY LAW (HB 2054): HB 2054 modifies provisions in the Employment Security Law regarding access to information, law related to the Kansas Sentencing Commission, law related to law enforcement and law regarding fee funds. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Tuesday May 9, by a vote of 36-2

HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND NEW CRIMES (House Sub SB 40): H Sub SB 40 amends the law concerning human trafficking, including the creation of new crimes and amendments to existing crimes and other related provisions. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Thursday May 11, by a vote of 40-0

AG, SCRAP METAL, AND OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL (SB 149): SB 149 creates and alters law related to the Attorney General, the Scrap Metal Theft Reduction Act and the Office of the Inspector General within the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Thursday May 11, by a vote of 40-0

BILL SIGNINGS:

1. Sub. for SB 101 – Adds sexual assault to the list of crimes which allow the issuance of Protective Order, amends the notification of sexual assault examination law and allows for victims of crime to receive compensation for mental health counseling.

SB 205 – Establishes rules for calculating service credit for KPERS employees and provides an increase in death benefits to be paid to the surviving spouses of firefighters who die in the line of duty.

HB 2096 – Amends restrictions on operation of transit buses in Wyandotte County and designates a portion of US-75 as the Eldon K. Miller Memorial Highway.

HB 2098 – Names the Mined Land Wildlife Area bison herd the “Bob Grant Bison Herd.”

HB 2353 – Clarifies definitions related to the State Use Law program.

HB 2356 – Revises various definitions related to the state’s bidding process.

The Governor has now signed 68 bills into law this session and vetoed two. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign the bill into law, veto the bill or allow the bill to become law without his or her signature.

NEXT WEEK:

Next week is the third week of Veto Session. We will continue working on our three big-ticket items: taxes, budget and school finance. I hope you’ll reach out with any comments, questions or concerns regarding these issues or others. 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 as we work to wrap this legislative session up.

Submitted by Christopher Petty

Southeast Kansas is an area of abundant water. Springtime rains have area ponds full to the brim. Many area landowners have recreational or livestock watering ponds on their property. Over time, the buildup of sediment and nutrients can cause weed and algae issues. Pondweeds can become unsightly, clog pipes and deplete oxygen necessary for a healthy fish population.

If you have concerns about the health of your pond, join the Southwind Extension District of K-State Research and Extension on Thursday, June 8, at 6 p.m. in the 4-H Building of the Bourbon County Fairgrounds in Fort Scott, Kans.

This program, featuring K-State Research and Extension Wildlife Specialist Charlie Lee, will focus on pond weed identification and control measures. The program is sponsored by Miller Feed and Farm, and a meal will be served. To pre-register for a meal, or for more information, contact the Extension Office in Fort Scott, Kans., at 620-223-3720 or e-mail Christopher Petty, District Extension Agent for Livestock Production and Forage Management at [email protected]. A $10 fee, payable at the door, will help cover meals and materials.

2017 Session – Week Thirteen

Submitted by 12^th District State Senator Caryn Tyson

May tends to be a busy month with graduations, Mother’s Day, Memorial weekend and other events.  It is also a busy month for the legislature.  Veto session began May 1.  It used to be a time to consider legislation that had been vetoed by the Governor.  It should be more accurately re-named to “wrap-up session.”  The budget, tax and K-12 funding are items that still need to be completed.

The state has collected $4.8 billion in tax receipts for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, which ends June 30. This is a $53.5 million increase for the same time frame in fiscal year 2016. It’s difficult to say if this trend will continue because of the devastating losses in agriculture caused by the March wildfires and the late April freeze. However, there is optimism at the national level that could offset the losses. We don’t need to use the budget shortfall as an excuse to massively increase our State spending and to cover that with a huge tax increase.

Other legislation worked on included the Kansas Consumer Protection Act in Senate Bill (SB) 201.  It was amended by adding current members of the military to the definition of “protected consumer.”  The bill passed the Senate unanimously.

Conference committees are meeting and this is when a bunch of bills can be combined into one bill. A few years ago, the House amended the rules to limit the number of bills that could be combined in conference committee to four bills, with a few exceptions.  It is disappointing that a couple of House committees combine several bills into one before the bill leaves committee and before it gets to conference; undermining the intent of the rule and not letting bills stand on their own merit.  SB 112 was one such bill.  It has topics from drug paraphernalia to dog fighting. The bill decreases the penalty for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia from a class A to a class B nonperson misdemeanor.  It increases sentencing for a burglary with intent to commit a felony, theft or sex crime. SB 112 defines “Animal shelter” to be the same definition as in the Kansas Pet Animal Act. The bill had more items Senators wanted, than not.  It seems the increased sentences for persons convicted of a hate crime against law enforcement would be one of the main reasons to support the bill.  The bill passed the Senate 38 to 0.

May 8-12 is Teacher Appreciation week. “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”  – Albert Einstein.  Thank you to my friends, family and all who have chosen to teach.  Teachers can, and often do, influence a student’s future – the way they see themselves for the rest of their lives.  This is a powerful role and a privilege, not to be taken lightly.  I hope you take time this week to thank teachers who have influenced your life.

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

Caryn

Office Telephone: 785.296.6838

Telephone: 913.898.2366

Email: [email protected]

 

Submitted by 13^th District Senator Richard Hilderbrand

Weekly Review

This was the legislature’s first week back in session after First Adjournment. We voted on numerous Conference Committee Reports, wrapping up most of our non-tax, budget or education-related work.

National Day of Prayer

Thursday in the Capitol, we celebrated National Day of Prayer. Many of our Senators participated in a mid-day prayer service to extend prayers for our legislators, our staffs, our families, our servicemen and women, teachers, law enforcement, doctors and nurses, children and for the general well-being of our state.

National Police Week

This week, both the Senate and the House of Representatives passed SB 112, The Law Enforcement Protection Act, a bill strengthening protections for police officers and creating tougher sentences for individuals convicted of hate crimes toward police officers. This is a great piece of legislation that shows, concretely, our appreciation and respect for our law enforcement officials. This bill passed both chambers with large bipartisan support, and many of our Senators attended the bill’s signing ceremony in Governor Brownback’s office on Friday.

Thank You for Engaging

Thank you for all of 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 am proud to be your voice in the Kansas Senate.

FLOOR ACTION:

KANSAS CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT (SB 201): SB 201 amends the Kansas Consumer Protection Act adding members of the military to the definition of “protected consumer” found in the Act. Currently, law includes veterans, surviving spouses of veterans and immediate family members of members of the military, but does not specifically include current members of the military. This bill passed the Senate Tuesday May 2, by a vote of 39-0.

BOB GRANT BISON HERD (HB 2098): HB 2098 names the bison herd at the Mined Land Wildlife Area in Crawford Country the “Bob Grant Bison Herd.” This bill passed the Senate Tuesday May 2, by a vote of 39-0

QUALIFIED VENDOR REQUIREMENTS (HB 2353): HB 2353 revises the definition section of the State use Law by redefining the term “qualified vendor” and includes a new definition for persons who are disabled. Qualified vendor would mean a Kansas business that employs Kansas who are blind or disabled, excluding employees hired by third-party entities. Currently, the definition for qualified vendor is silent on the extent of employment and the location of operations. The bill would define “persons who are disabled” to mean any person of employable age whose physical or mental condition is a substantial barrier to employment. This bill passed the Senate Tuesday May 2, by a vote of 39-0

COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS FOR STATE CONTRACTS (HB 2356): HB 2356 revises provisions of the state’s bidding process as it relates to the definitions of “certified business” and “individual with a disability.” Under current law, most contracts are awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. However, a contract may be awarded to a certified business (or a disabled veteran business) whose bid is not more than 10 percent greater than the lowest competitive bid. The bills states that certified business must conduct most of its operations in Kansas, employing at least 10 percent of its workforce with individuals that have disabilities, contributing at least 75 percent of their health insurance premium costs, and not paying a subminimum wage, which is allowable under federal law. The Department of Administration (Department) would certify businesses every three years instead of annually. An individual could be certified as having a disability by either the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) or the Kansas Department for Children and Families (KDCF), using the disability standards established by the U.S. Social Security Administration as determined by the Kansas Disability Determination Services within KDCF. Under current law, disability certification is determined by KDADS using a clinical assessment. This bill passed the Senate Wednesday May 3, by a vote of 39-0

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORTS:

IGNITION INTERLOCK AND EXPUNGEMENTS (HB 2085): HB 2085 requires every person who has an ignition interlock device installed to complete the ignition interlock device program pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by the Secretary of Revenue. An approved service provider would have to provide proof of completion to the Division of Vehicles before the person’s driving privileges would be fully reinstated. The bill would also revise statutes governing expungements in municipal and district courts to state that provisions regarding expungement of violations of driving under the influence (DUI) or test refusal would apply to all violations committed on or after July 1, 2006, except that the district court expungement provision for a second or subsequent violation would not apply to violations committed on or after July 1, 2014, but prior to July 1, 2015. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Tuesday May 2 by a vote of 39-0

GENERAL CORPORATION CODE (HB 2153): HB 2153 would create and modify law within the Kansas General Corporation Code (GCC) and alter related statutes to create a type of business entity known as a “Public Benefit Corporation.” The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Tuesday May 2 by a vote of 37-2

PROTECTION FROM ABUSE ACT (H Sub for SB 101): House sub. for SB 101 would adjust law concerning protective orders, notification of a sexual assault examination of a minor child, infectious disease testing, and claims for compensation through the Crime Victims Compensation Board. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Tuesday May 2 by a vote of 39-0

KPERS AND KANSAS POLICE AND FIREMAN (SB 205): SB 205 makes numerous changes to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS or Retirement System) pertaining to participating service; Kansas Police and Firemen’s (KP&F) death benefits for certain surviving spouses; the Board of Regents Retirement Plan, as it relates to working after retirement; and the administration of KPERS. The Senate Concurred with amendments in conference Wednesday May 3, 39-0

CRIMES, CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, AND CUSTODIAL INTERROGATIONS (SB 112): SB 112 creates the crime of aggravated domestic battery and modifies the crimes of domestic battery, possession of drug paraphernalia, burglary, cruelty to animals and dog fighting. Further, it would amend provisions concerning illegal sentences, post-release supervision for persons convicted of sexually violent crimes, and expungement of arrest records. It also would enact the Law Enforcement Protection Act and provisions concerning the electronic recording of certain custodial interrogations. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Wednesday May 3, by a vote of 38-0

CRISIS INTERVENTION ACT (S Sub for HB 2053): Senate Substitute for HB 2053 creates the Crisis Intervention Act (Act) and amends law related to mental health to reflect the provisions of the Act. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Wednesday May 3, by a vote of 39-0

PUBLIC RECORDS AND MEETINGS (HB 2301): HB 2301 modifies law related to public records and public meetings. One of these modifications includes amending law within the Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure relating to trial jurors. The bill would remove addresses of prospective jurors from the information included in the list of prospective jurors filed as a public record with the clerk of the court. The bill would also alter the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) with respect to closed or executive meetings. The bill would require any motion to recess for a closed or executive session to include a statement describing the subjects to be discussed during the closed or executive session and the justification for closing the meeting. Current law requires a statement of the justification for closing the meeting and the subjects to be discussed during the closed meeting. Unchanged in the bill would be the requirement the motion contain the time and place at which the open meeting will resume. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Wednesday May 3, by a vote of 40-0

INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR SELF- STORAGE UNITS (SB 14): SB 14 creates a limited line of insurance for self-service storage unit insurance; enacts new law pertaining to this limited line; and amends a provision in the Uniform Insurance Agents Licensing Act concerning application requirements for resident agent licensure to authorize the fingerprinting of resident insurance agent applicants for the purposes of obtaining a state and national criminal history record check. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Thursday May 4, by a vote of 37-3

INTERNATIONALLY ACTIVE INSURANCE GROUPS (SB 16): SB 16 enact new law pertaining to internationally active insurance groups and the corporate governance practices of all domestic insurers. The bill would also amend a provision in the Insurance Code that exempts the marketing and sale of service contacts from regulation by the Kansas Insurance Department. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Thursday May 4, by a vote of 35-4

VEHICLE TITLE AND REGISTRATION FEES AND SEAT BELT SAFETY FUND (SB 89): SB 89 makes modifications to law relating to the collection of certain vehicle title and registration fees and the remittance of such fees. The bill also would increase fines for certain seat belt violations and direct related moneys to the Seat Belt Safety Fund created by the bill. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Friday May 5, by a vote of 32-7

BILL SIGNINGS

Governor Brownback signed the following bills into law during the adjournment period and the first week of Veto Session:

Senate Bill 112 – Creates tougher sentences for individuals convicted of committing hate crimes against law enforcement.

House Substitute for Senate Bill 51 – Updates the controlled substance schedule and allows the Board of Pharmacy to conduct emergency scheduling when required.

Senate Bill 124 – Specifies the factors considered in determinations of child custody and modifies the process for admitting court ordered drug and alcohol tests into evidence at Child in Need of Care hearings.

Senate Bill 202 – Approves the compact between the Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas and the State of Kansas and the compact between the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska and the State of Kansas, which relate to cigarette and tobacco sales, taxation and escrow collection.

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2026 – Makes changes to KanCare processes and contract requirements.

House Substitute for Senate Bill 70 – Amends the Kansas Amusement Ride Act and the Amusement Ride Insurance Act.

Sub for Sub for SB 95 – Authorizes the use of telephonic signatures for public assistance applications.

Senate Bill 184 – Enacts the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center Act.

House Bill 2006 – Addresses how vacancies on county commissions are filled.

House Bill 2025 – Amends regulations related to the Kansas Board of Nursing and laws related to Mental Health Technicians.

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2027 – Amends the Kansas Healing Arts Act.

House Bill 2030 – Changes the law related to vaccination and reporting requirements.

House Bill 2043 – Amends certain financial examination requirements by the Kansas Insurance Commissioner.

S Sub for HB 2055 – Amends the Kansas Pharmacy Act.

House Bill 2094 – Addresses interlocal cooperation among local government entities.

House Bill 2118 – Provides liability exceptions and inactive provider coverage limits under the health care provider insurance availability act.

House Bill 2137 – Allows county commissioners and members of city government to serve in various volunteer capacities.

House Bill 2140 – Adopts the Great Plains Interstate Fire Compact to promote prevention and control of wild fires in the Great Plains region.

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2174 – Authorizes various distinctive license plates and allows persons with distinctive plates to obtain a wheel chair emblem.

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2304 – Amends law regarding standards and regulations of maternity centers and child care facilities.

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2052 – Concerns Appropriations for Fiscal Years 2017 through 2021.

House Bill 2080 – Concerns reinstatement of forfeited benefit units and rural water district.

House Bill 2095 – Provides a special vehicle permit for certain vehicle combinations.

House Bill 2158 – Amends the law related to canvassing of advanced ballots.

House Bill 2170 – Amends the traffic safety laws related to bicycles.

House Bill 2213 – Reauthorizes the Kansas Board of Regents fee schedule in the Kansas private and out-of-state post-secondary educational institution act.

House Substitute for Senate Bill 13 – Amends the laws related to the sale of certain alcoholic beverages.

Senate Bill 20 – Amends the State Banking Code, Kansas Money Transmitter Act, Kansas Mortgage Business Act, and the Kansas Credit Services Organization Act.

Senate Bill 46 – Amends the law pertaining to rights and procedures related to water rights.

Senate Bill 50 – Changes membership of the advisory committee on uniform state laws and the joint committee on claims against the state, and adds the unauthorized practice of law to the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.

Senate Bill 65 – Allows for creditor sale of repossessed alcoholic liquors pledged as collateral.

The Governor has now signed 62 bills into law this session and vetoed two. By law, the Kansas governor has 10 calendar days to sign the bill into law, veto the bill or allow the bill to become law without his or her signature.

NEXT WEEK:

Next week is the second week of Veto Session. We will continue working on our three big ticket items: taxes, budget and school finance. I hope you’ll reach out with any comments, questions, or concerns regarding these issues or others. 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 as we work to wrap this legislative session up.

Barn Quilt Workshop hosted by Pawnee 4-H Club

Submitted by Joy Miller

Come create a barn quilt with the Pawnee 4-H Club. The proceeds from the workshop will be used to build cabinets to display 4-H’ers exhibits during the fair. The Workshop is Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13, at the 4-H Building located on the Bourbon County Fairgrounds. The cost is $20 per person and includes instructions, 14 quilt patterns to choose from, a 2’ x 2’ primed board, paint and brushes.

Call or Text 620-215- 6538 to RSVP.K-State to host Spring Crops Field Day in Parsons

Wheat variety plot tour plus corn and soybean disease updates

Submitted by Christopher Petty

Different soil types and climate considerations make growing wheat, corn and soybeans in Southeast Kansas somewhat different from growing crops in other parts of the state. Kansas State University’s Southeast Research and Extension Center will host a Spring Crops Field Day on May 23 to update producers in the region on the latest information on varieties, production methods and disease management.

The field day starts with registration and a complimentary breakfast from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the research center, 25092 Ness Road, (immediately south of U.S. Highway 400) in Parsons.

The program includes:

• Wheat Variety Plot Tour – Doug Shoup, K-State extension crops and soils specialist, Lonnie Mengarelli, K-State research assistant and seed company representatives;
• Effectiveness of Precision Planting Row Units – Ajay Sharda, K-State extension precision agriculture/machine systems engineer;
• Reducing the Impact of Fusarium Head Blight in Wheat – Gretchen Sassenrath, K-State extension crop production agronomist; and
• Corn and Soybean Disease Update – Doug Jardine, K-State extension plant pathologist.

There is no cost to attend. In case of rain, the program will be conducted indoors. More information is available by calling 620-421-4826.

Trends in Leadership

Submitted Carla Nemecek, Southwind Extension District, Director

Ask yourself, “What do I think about leadership and myself as a leader?” Each one of us has a wide range of skills, interests and abilities that we use in our daily lives – at home with our family, on the job and in our communities.  As the first in a series of articles focusing on leadership, I hope to motivate you to release the leader within and get yourself up and moving to contribute as a leader to your school, church, community or even among your friends.

As you consider your leadership philosophy and style, ask yourself what can I contribute to my organizations and community – either on or off the job? Understanding and supporting the motivation of the individual group member is vital. Your own enthusiasm and commitment are also crucial to success.  As someone who attends a great deal of meetings each month, I see a wide range of leadership and experience in serving on local boards. In my observations, the best leaders are not always the most outspoken or aggressive, but often the “thinkers” at the back of the room who wait until the perfect moment to speak their opinions. That is not to say those that speak up are wrong in their ideas, just that we should all be aware of possible leaders at our activities – and not determine leadership by where a person sits in the room.

Citizen leaders are people in the community who are concerned about the quality of life in their community. They assume responsibility for the public good and see a need to act together for the common good of the community. Citizen leaders take ownership of the problems and opportunities that exist in the community and hold themselves accountable for seeing that action is taken. In other words, they don’t want “experts” or politicians to solve the problems for them.

Citizen leaders work with others in the community to identify opportunities or problems. They help others articulate a common purpose and set goals and objectives. They also assume that there are differences in the way people regard the opportunity or problem – such as different values of the people, different experiences and different viewpoints. Citizen leaders help people connect their differences to the common purpose that brought them together. In other words, the citizen leader helps people see how their differences can be used to solve problems rather than be a point of conflict. In the Southwind District, these citizen leaders are often the most exciting group for us to work with. With a shared passion for the betterment of Allen, Bourbon and Neosho Counties, and resources from Kansas State University, the possibilities are truly endless.

When you are thinking about moving into a leadership position, or a more active role as a group member, think about these questions:

• What skills do I have to offer?
• What would I like to learn more about?
• What is it that I don’t like to do?
• What do I want to do, but am hesitant about?

Think about what motivates you, get excited about that motivation and consider the opportunity to step up and serve as a local leader in your own community.  I would be interested in your thoughts on leadership, so please email me at [email protected] if you are motivated to consider leadership as an activity and not just a position.

 

A large number of community members, from a variety of positions and denominations, participated in the 66^th annual National Day of Prayer Thursday morning at the Fort Scott Community College.

The Pioneer Kiwanis hosted the annual event while a number of churches and other organizations—including the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Scott Ministerial Alliance and Cheney Witt Chapel—were involved in the event, which this year had the theme of “For Your Great Name’s Sake: Hear us…Forgive us…Heal us.”

“We come together—many different people, many different backgrounds—and yet we have in common, prayer,” Reverend Steve Cole of First United Methodist Church prayed during the invocation.

Cole also specifically prayed for people of the community impacted by the recent flooding, members of the military and their families and for Fort Scott.

Dick Hedges was the featured speaker, and spoke of the need for hope.

“I think all of us need hope in our loves,” Hedges said, sharing examples of people in history who had to renew their hope in order to continue their tasks, which greatly impacted future generations.

Hedge said hope is in the promises of God for the future, but each person is only guaranteed the present day. Because of that, Hedges encouraged those in attendance to live each day in a way that blesses others.

Representatives of the Republican Parties of Senate District 13 elected Richard Hilderbrand of Galena in Cherokee County to replace former Senator Jake LaTurner, who was sworn in as the state treasurer April 26.

“I think it’s important for all of District 13 to have representation,” Hilderbrand said during a Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce event April 27. “I will work hard for you guys, too, to represent you guys and to represent your values.”

Hilderbrand garnered the needed majority of ballots on the very first vote Sunday afternoon, receiving 52 of the 92 ballots. Others considered for nomination included Terry Calloway, who received 24 votes, Dale Coomes with 11, and Todd Biggs with five votes.

All four district counties, including Cherokee, Crawford, Labette and Bourbon counties, were represented at the convention of delegates held in Pittsburg Sunday afternoon. Bourbon County Republican Party Chairperson Randall Readinger conducted the convention.

Hilderbrand reported to Topeka to be sworn in on Monday, immediately participating in the legislative session that began that same morning. That seat will be up for election again in a special election to be held in November of 2018, before joining the normal cycle with a general election in 2020.

While some residents experienced soggy yards and full ditches over the weekend, other areas of Bourbon County suffered from flooding as the Marmaton River and other bodies of water overflowed their banks.

Heavy rains continued consistently Friday evening into Sunday, leading to flash flood warnings and a number of road closures. Other public areas including Gunn Park, Second Street Park and the Riverfront Park were also closed as they were submerged.

Emergency Management Director William Wallis said the state contacted him a number of times over the weekend to make sure the county was not experiencing any major emergencies due to the rainfall. While the Marmaton River reached 43.2 feet Sunday afternoon, well above the 38 foot flood stage, Wallis said he did not personally hear of any emergencies or rescues in the county outside of normal dispatch calls.

“Just a lot of water in a lot of places,” Wallis said.

Wallis said the National Weather Service calculates the flood levels will still be at about 40.7 feet Monday, but then will drop drastically to approximately 26 feet by Tuesday.

To see other photos of flooded areas submitted by our readers, visit our Facebook page.

While East and Southeast Kansas received several inches of rain over the weekend, West Kansas received heavy snowfall.