Hutchinson Correctional Facility – Central Unit has been placed on lockdown with limited movement due to an inmate disturbance at the facility on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, which resulted in the battery of five correctional officers. The inmates identified in being involved in the disturbance have been placed in Restrictive Housing under investigation. The five officers that were battered, have been treated for their injuries.
Due to this, weekend visitation will be cancelled for the Central Unit only, beginning February 8, 2020.
The correctional facility is taking the proactive measure of suspending visitation privileges for the safety and security of staff and inmates. Warden Schnurr said the facility will reevaluate its ability to resume its normal visitation schedule early next week.
Visitation at Hutchinson Correctional Facility, East and South Unit will proceed as normal.
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KCC supports expansion of federal Truth-in-Billing rules to protect consumers

Topeka – The Kansas Corporation Commission has authorized its staff to file comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) supporting a proposal to expand Truth-in-Billing rules to internet phone providers. The rules, already apply to wireless and landline customers.

The Commission supports modernizing and strengthening the rules to ensure all consumers have the basic information to make informed choices regarding their communications services. A report released by the FCC last year showed increases in both residential and business use of Internet phone service, also known as interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP.

The KCC does not have regulatory authority over internet services, therefore expanding the current rules at the federal level is critical in order to provide VoIP customers important protections. The Truth-in-Billing rules require service providers to separate line item fees on consumer bills, clearly identifying government–mandated fees from fees a service provider uses to cover its own costs. This disclosure allows consumers to make an informed choice based on all charges and review anything beyond the price paid for service.

The FCC is taking public comments on the proposed rule change through February 12.

KDA to Host Regional Agribusiness Development Workshops in March

New screen for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) added

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) Kansas Newborn Screening Program (KS-NBS) began screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) on February 1. The Kansas Newborn Screening Program (KS-NBS) strives to protect and improve the health of all newborn Kansans. With one small blood sample, more than 30 life-altering and life-threatening disorders will be detected. These are completely undetectable at birth without this screening. Nearly 35,000 Kansas babies receive the newborn screen shortly after birth each year.

“We are very excited to be able to add SMA to our screening process and directly impact the health and future of our youngest Kansans,” said Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary.

SMA is a disease affecting the motor neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem. By limiting infant’s physical strength, SMA can take away the ability to walk, eat or breathe. Approximately 1 out of every 11,000 newborns is diagnosed with SMA. About 1 in every 50 Americans is a genetic carrier for SMA.   SMA was added to the federal Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) for newborn screening in 2018. Evidence shows that early diagnosis and treatment leads to better outcomes.

“Since 2016, we have safe, effective and FDA-approved treatments that are dramatically changing the natural history of this disease,” says Dr. Britton Zuccarelli, a pediatric neurologist in Salina and a member of the Advisory Council for Newborn Screening. “Affected children are achieving motor and other milestones we never would have anticipated based on the severity type and are living to ages without invasive respiratory support that are unprecedented in this condition.  With over a dozen other investigational drugs in the SMA pipeline, our options for treatment for this rare neurological condition are only going to continue to grow, and early recognition is paramount.  With 1/40 to 1/60 of us Kansans being carriers of this disease, newborn state screening is important and will change the lives of babies, children, adults and families across Kansas.”

For more information on Kansas’s Newborn Screening Program, visit: www.kdheks.gov/newborn_screening/index.html.

January’s compensating use tax collections come in 26.9% higher than January FY 2019

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Revenue begins the FY 2020 third quarter with total tax receipts above estimates and above the same month of last fiscal year. Total tax collections came in at $725.5 million, $59.7 million or 9.0% more than estimated. This is $79.3 million or 12.3% more than January of FY 2019.

Retail sales tax collections were $220.8 million; $8.8 million or 4.2% more than estimated. Compensating use tax collections saw a 26.9% increase compared to the same month last fiscal year with $52.6 million in collections. This is $7.6 million or 16.8% more than estimated.

This increase can be attributed to online shopping trends and the increase in the number of remote retailers registering to collect and remit the compensating use tax that is due and owed to the state.

Individual income tax collections were $408.7 million; $38.7 million or 10.5% more than estimated. Those collections are $56.9 million more than the same month last fiscal year. Corporate income tax collections were $21.3 million; $3.3 million or 18.6% more than estimated.