Governor Kelly Updates Declaration of Drought Emergency, Warnings, and Watches for Kansas Counties

TOPEKA — Governor Laura Kelly has approved updated drought declarations for Kansas counties with Executive Order #24-01.

“While drought conditions have improved greatly in recent months, many counties continue to be negatively impacted by the decline in water supply or strains on water resources,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “I strongly encourage all Kansans to continue to conserve water as we head into the summer months.”

The drought declaration removed all 55 counties previously in emergency status and placed 15 counties into warning status and 62 into watch status. This action was recommended by Connie Owen, Director of the Kansas Water Office and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team. While a majority of Kansas has seen significant relief from drought since August, central and southeast Kansas continue to be in Severe Drought.

“Counties in a watch status have conditions which indicate the probability of a water shortage is rising. It is important to monitor these conditions and be mindful of water usage in these counties,” said Owen. “The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to monitor the drought conditions across Kansas and make recommendations to Governor Kelly as conditions change.”

This Executive Order shall remain in effect for those counties identified until rescinded by an Executive Order ending the declaration or revising the drought stage status of the affected counties.

Effective immediately, Executive Order #24-01:

• Declares a Drought Emergency, Warning, or Watch for the counties as identified below;
• Authorizes and directs all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor to implement the appropriate watch, warning, or emergency-level drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.

The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the negative drought-induced effects on Kansans.

For more detailed information about current conditions, visit the Climate and Drought webpage on the Kansas Water Office website at kwo.ks.gov.

County Drought Stage Declarations:

Drought Emergency:

Drought Warning: Chautauqua, Clay, Dickinson, Elk, Graham, Harvey, Jewell, McPherson, Mitchell, Montgomery, Osborne, Ottawa, Reno, Rice, Rooks, Wilson.

Drought Watch: Allen, Anderson, Atchison, Barton, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Cheyenne, Cloud, Coffey, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Doniphan, Douglas, Ellis, Ellsworth, Franklin, Geary, Gove, Greenwood, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Kingman, Labette, Lane, Leavenworth, Lincoln, Linn, Lyon, Marion, Marshall, Miami, Morris, Nemaha, Neosho, Ness, Norton, Osage, Phillips, Pottawatomie, Pratt, Rawlins, Republic, Riley, Russell, Saline, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Thomas, Trego, Wabaunsee, Washington, Woodson, Wyandotte.

March 1, 2024

Halfway into session there has been debate on taxes, education, elections, health care, and other topics.  There is still much work to be completed and not much time left if the rumors are true that session will end the second week of April or before.

Where do we go from here?  Committees will continue to work on bills.  Most of the committees will be hearing bills that passed over from the other chamber.  However, there will be some hearings on bills that didn’t make it out of the originating chamber.

Legislative Post Audit reported on the Angel Investor Tax Credit program.  Investors who replied to survey questions had positive comments about the program.  Of course – they get a tax credit that they can use or sell.  A 2020 audit and the 2024 audit couldn’t determine if the businesses created jobs or stayed in business.  The audit recommends that the Department of Commerce develop processes to review the program and measurer outcomes.

Another Legislative Post Audit reviewed major economic development programs managed by the Department of Commerce.  The report stated that $436 million was awarded via several different programs, PEAK, JCF, KIT, and KIR from 2017 through 2021.  The staggering number was the HPIP program.  More than $3 billion was awarded in HPIP tax credits from 2017 to 2020.  Businesses can use those credits up to 16 years after they are awarded.  These and other programs giveaway billions of dollars that could be used to “buy down” taxes for all Kansans, instead of government picking winners and losers.  It would make more sense to provide tax relief for all.

All of the audits reported by Legislative Post Audit can be found online at https://www.kslpa.org/.

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

Caryn

February 23, 2024

Turnaround is the halfway point of session. The days before turnaround, leadership schedules bills to be debated and brought to a vote. Thankfully, this year Senate leadership didn’t bring an extreme amount of bills above the line for debate. There were still too many bills to report in this update so below are some highlights. All bills can be found at www.kslegislature.org.

Property Rights would be protected from unfounded forfeiture and seizure if SB 458 becomes law. It passed the Senate 36 to 2.  I voted Yes.

Eminent Domain allows government to take your property. A majority of senators, myself included, supported legislation that would remove the Secretary of Wildlife and Parks authority to use eminent domain to acquire land, water, or water rights. SB 417 passed 25 to 14.

Coal Fired Energy Plants in Kansas have announced closures, all except for one in western Kansas. Thankfully, none have closed.  SB 455 would make it more difficult to close these plants by forcing certain conditions, such as requiring that another energy generating plant be in place before the coal plant could shut-down. I supported the bill that passed 29 to 8.

Protecting Patients’ Rights by establishing the Right to Health Freedom Act in SB 391 would limit isolation and allow patients to see their loved ones. It would permit the Secretary of Health and Environment to maintain a list of infectious or contagious diseases. However, they would not have the authority to enact rules and regulations. Local health officers (LHO) could recommend quarantines during a highly contagious or deadly disease outbreak. I voted Yes. The bill passed 23 to 17.

Privacy Protection in current law makes it illegal to record or photograph a person who is nude or in a state of undress when the recording device is hidden. SB 420 would make it a crime no matter if the device is hidden or not. It passed unanimously.

Military Drivers who qualify under the Even Exchange Program would not have to take a knowledge or a skills test to get a commercial driver’s license (CDL) if SB 462 becomes law. It passed unanimously.

Senate Sub for HB 2247 had several provisions in the bill dealing with the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC) and the Kansas Mortgage Business Act (KMBA). The UCCC has only been adopted by 11 states since established in 1952.  Kansas is one of the eleven. By adopting updated UCCC, consumers will see a credit card surcharge on receipts. It has been against the law for businesses to charge this fee. Colorado’s version will limit the surcharge to 2%. Kansas will not have a limit. The bill would allow creditors after 10 days and written notice to collect a late payment and also charge reasonable cost of collection. If you don’t voluntarily pay, it appears a creditor can take possession. They cannot enter “a dwelling” or use “force”. Does that mean they can access your bank account? Another section of the bill would restrict financial examinations from “open records, subpoena and discovery or admissible in evidence in any private civil action” until July 1, 2030. Why?  There are more questions than answers with the bill so I voted No.  It passed 33 to 6.

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

Caryn

…

February 16, 2024

Debate on the Senate floor was intense on a few issues this week.  One of the most contentious was SCR 1737, supporting Texas efforts to stop illegals from entering the U.S.  The ranking Democrat tried to get the Kansas Senate to say they supported the U.S. Senate border bill in an amendment.  When asked what was in the U.S. Senate legislation she didn’t answer the question.  Reports say it was over $118 billion spending, giveaways to foreign countries, and requirements that wouldn’t stop the border crisis.  Thankfully, her amendment failed.  The original SCR passed, supporting legal immigration and making it clear we support Governor Abbott, Texas, and 25 other states working to protect our borders by blocking illegal immigration and illegal drugs from coming across.  It passed 26 to 12.  I voted Yes.  There will be other legislation to fund the Kansas National Guard in these efforts.

Kansas Public Employment Retirement System (KPERS) currently allows 15% of the funds to be invested in alternative investments.  SB 23 would have removed the 15% limit.  An amendment to increase the limit to 20% passed during debate.  All it did is make a bad bill a little more palatable to get 21 votes.  We stopped this legislation twice last year but could not stop it this year.  It passed 24 to 13.  One legislator that was a banker said his bank wouldn’t risk putting money in those types of investments, but then he voted for the bill.  Another Senator reminded the body that years ago risky investments cost taxpayers and almost broke KPERS.  Legislation was put in place to block alternative investments so it would not happen again.  In the ‘90s, legislation was passed allowing up to 5% of KPERS money to be in alternative investments.  In 2012 it went to a cap of 15% and now 20% is being considered.  The return on these risky investments has been high so some perceive the risk is low.  A gamble, I’m not willing to take with taxpayer money.

KPERS Death Benefits would increase to $6,000 from $4,000 if SB 172 becomes law.  It passed the Senate 25 to 14.  I voted Yes.

Tax deferred savings accounts, ABLE (529A for disabled), 529 (for education), and First-Time Home Buyers contributors would be allowed flexibility in taking subtraction modifications from income in the current or previous tax year when filing their state income taxes if SB 360 becomes law.  It passed the Senate unanimously.

Internet sites would be required to use age verification software if 25% or more of the content is pornographic.  We couldn’t get a solid answer why 25% was selected.  After a lengthy debate, SB 394 passed the Senate unanimously.

Tax Cuts are still a hot topic.  At a coffee, constituents from both parties asked that we support the veto override.  They understand that a political volley is taking place and taxpayers are the ones’ to loose if we cannot override the veto.  If CCR 2284 would become law, over 341,000 low income filers would pay $0 state income tax, and Social Security would be exempt from state income tax.  There are inflation busters on income taxes and homeowners’ property taxes.  Also, the state sales tax on groceries would go to $0 on April 1st.  It isn’t reckless or experimental with over $3 billion in the state coffers and many states have a single rate, including Democrat controlled states like Colorado.  Remember the words of Senator Bob Dole, “The purpose of a tax cut is to leave more money where it belongs: in the hands of the working men and working women who earned it in the first place.”

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

Caryn