Kansas Senator Caryn Tyson recently received Legislator of the Year Award.

Tyson received national recognition as legislator of the year for her leadership and work on Property Tax Transparency, Senate Bill (SB) 13.

Tyson researched and led an effort in Kansas to stop automatic tax increases solely due to property valuation increases.  SB 13 is being used as model legislation by other states.

Tyson said she was humbled and honored for the recognition.

She stated, “For years Kansans have been facing continued increases in their property taxes, being left with little to no say, resulting in some opting to leave Kansas rather than continue to pay high taxes.  With the passage of SB 13, the shell game of who raised your property taxes will end.  Local property taxing authorities will have to vote at a public meeting to raise property taxes in order to collect more money than the previous year.”  Tyson went on to thank others, “solutions of this magnitude do not occur in a vacuum.  It takes a team of people, many of us who spent time and effort.” Tyson drew upon her business experience to design and implement this system in Kansas.

In addition to Property Tax Transparency, SB 13 prohibits an increase in the appraised value of real property solely as a result of normal repair, replacement, or maintenance of existing structures, equipment, or other improvements on the property, allows County Treasurers to establish property tax payment plans, and removes the ineffective tax lid.

Tyson has math and computer science degrees from Kansas State and an engineering management degree from KU. After graduating K-State she began working in the Information Technology industry and continued working in this field for more than 30 years.

She is in the running for the Kansas State Treasurer position.

Governor Kelly Orders Flags Lowered Honoring Senator Bob Dole

TOPEKA – In accordance with Executive Order 20-30, and in coordination with the proclamation signed by President Joe Biden, Governor Laura Kelly has ordered flags throughout the State of Kansas to be flown at half-staff starting immediately until sunset on December 9, 2021 in honor of the passing of Senator Bob Dole.

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Dole this morning,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Senator Dole was many things  — a war hero, a father, a husband, a public servant; and to Kansans, a man who embodied everything good and decent about Kansas and about America.

“In public office, Senator Dole was always a voice for Kansas. However, his work in the Senate also had a profound impact on all Americans. Most notably, his efforts to protect Social Security in 1983 and to ensure passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, which transformed the lives of those living with a disability.

“Senator Dole’s legacy goes far beyond the walls of Congress. He was a larger-than-life presence in our nation’s politics and demonstrated a decency, a humility, and a civility that should serve as a model for those of us in public life.

“My thoughts are with his wife, Elizabeth, his family and all those who loved Bob Dole.”

To receive email alerts when the governor orders flags to half-staff, please visit https://governor.kansas.gov/newsroom/kansas-flag-honors.

2021 Special-Session

“Actions speak louder than words.”  It was never more obvious than on the Senate floor, when conservatives defended our freedom against federal overreach of mandating COVID-19 vaccines. The legislature passed a bill that strengthens Kansas law regarding COVID-vaccines including religious and medical exemptions and unemployment.  Employers are required to accept these religious exemptions to Kansans who seek them.  Also, employers are required to accept requests for medical exemptions that include a doctor’s signature.  Unemployment benefits were not available to employees who lost or will lose their job due to not receiving COVID-19 shots, but now they are.

The 25^th Special Session in Kansas began November 22, 2021 and ended the same day.  The day began with both the Senate and the House going directly to the floor to debate and work on legislation to block the federal vaccine mandates.  Both chambers passed legislation and a conference committee was called to work out differences.  The final legislation passed the Senate 24 to 11 and the House 77 to 34.  I voted Yes.  The Governor signed the bill into law.

It was the first time in Kansas history the Governor was forced to call a special session by a petition of 2/3 the legislators.  It was reported in an online newspaper that the Governor requested Democrats not sign the petition for a special session. Thankfully, Republicans heard the cry of Kansans and stood together signing the petition, 29 senators and 84 representatives and the Governor signed the legislation into law.

It is a victory for protecting Kansans liberties.

Contact Tracing

The Governor Kelly administration has been contact tracing, collecting data on a person who may have been in contact with an infected person.  Last year, they went as far as tracking Kansans movement of cellphones.  This is invasive and is another form of government overreach.

Because of the time constraints on special session, Contact Tracing and other topics were not discussed.  In fact, it was requested that we hold amendments to the COVID-19 mandates until regular session beginning January 10, 2022.  Myself and others respected the request and have legislation ready for next session.

There will be many important topics in the 2022 session.  Blocking overreaching government mandates, stopping Critical Race Theory (CRT) from being taught in our schools, government transparency, removing sales tax on food, elections,  and many other topics will be worked during next session.  You may follow the bills and watch meetings online at www.KSLegislature.org.

I hope that you are able to enjoy the holidays.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

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

Caryn

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is continuing to monitor the COVID-19 variant Omicron. No confirmed cases have been identified in Kansas or the United States to date. This variant is new, and it is still unknown how transmissible or contagious this variant is. It is unclear how quickly it will spread, but it has been found in 17 countries already and we should assume that it is only a matter of time before it will be found in the United States. KDHE will continue to sequence positive COVID-19 samples to look for the Omicron variant.

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Governor Laura Kelly Announces Janet Stanek as Secretary for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced Janet Stanek as the new Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE). Stanek will serve in an acting capacity until the Kansas Senate confirms her as the new head of the agency. She had previously served as the Director of the State Employee Health Benefits Program (SEHBP).

“As we move to this next phase of the pandemic, from emergency response to steady state, it was important that we find a Secretary to oversee both the state’s COVID response and the many other services performed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” Governor Kelly said. “With Janet’s decades of experience as well as the relationships she has built across the medical community in Kansas, I have no doubt that she will be able to step into this role immediately and continue the agency’s critical work.”

Prior to her role at SEHBP, Stanek spent more than 35 years in various healthcare leadership positions in Pennsylvania, western New York and Kansas, including 21 years of her career at Stormont Vail Health Topeka where she last served as chief operating officer and senior vice president. While with Stormont Vail, she oversaw a wide array of clinical and non-clinical functions and departments, as well as the strategic selection and rollout of a sophisticated electronic health record system across the region. Her most recent work involved focusing on population health, accountable care organization development and the transition to value-based care delivery.

“I’m honored to be selected by Governor Kelly to serve as the next Secretary for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” Stanek said. “Since the start of the pandemic, the agency has done a remarkable job helping lead the state’s response to this once-in-a-century crisis. I look forward to working with the entire KDHE team to build on their outstanding work.”

Stanek holds a graduate certificate in population health from Thomas Jefferson University, an MBA from Alfred University (NY) and a Bachelor of Science degree in health information management from the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute, Utica, New York. She is also a Fellow of  the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, and is a Registered Health Information Administrator. Additionally, Stanek currently serves as the Chair of the Kansas Health Institute Board of Directors.

Governor Laura Kelly Announces Pay Raise for State Employees in 24/7 Facilities to Address Staffing Shortages

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today announced a series of new pay initiatives designed to address critical staffing shortages at several 24/7 State facilities, including Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) facilities, Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) state hospitals and the Kansas Commission of Veterans Affairs Office (KCVAO) veterans’ homes.

“My administration and the Kansas Department of Corrections have worked over the past three years to address staffing shortages and overcrowding that have impacted corrections facilities for years,” Governor Kelly said. “But even after implementing a pay increase for corrections officers in 2019, Kansas, like the rest of the country, faced new challenges caused by COVID-19. This new pay plan is a necessary step to address the ongoing challenges brought on by the pandemic,  support our efforts to prioritize public health and safety, and care for our most vulnerable populations.”

Kansas is not alone in staffing shortages. States across the U.S. have experienced critically low staffing levels in 24/7 facilities, including Nebraska, Florida, and Arkansas to name a few. Each of these states have implemented various pay plans designed to address similar staff shortages.

The Kansas plan is comprehensive and will provide both long-term and temporary pay increases, including a permanent base pay increase and temporary pay differentials, with “differential pay” defined as extra compensation for employees during extraordinary times of staff shortages.

The pay plan includes the following for state employees:

• Permanent Base Pay Increases for all KDOC Job Classes & Nursing Job Classes
• Temporary Pay Differentials for Hourly Employees in the following areas:
  • Differential #1: All 24/7 Facility Staff
  • Differential #2: Uniformed KDOC Security Staff at 24/7 Facilities
  • Differential #3: Nursing Staff at 24/7 Facilities
  • Differential #4: All Staff Working at 24/7 Facilities that are designated at “critical staffing levels” with 25% (or higher) vacancy rates.
• One-Time, $3,500 Bonuses for Salaried Staff at KDOC, KDADS and KCVAO 24/7 facilities.

“The staff in our 24/7 facilities are the frontline workers for some of the most necessary and, frankly, thankless work that we do for Kansans,” Governor Kelly said. “These pay increases are well deserved – and my administration will continue working to support our state employees and their families.”

“Employees of the Kansas Department of Corrections are committed to their service to promote safer communities throughout the state. Never has that been more evident than over the past several months when staff vacancies have required our employees to take on more responsibilities and work longer hours to satisfy the agency’s mission,” KDOC Secretary Jeff Zmuda said. “The Governor’s pay plan recognizes the incredible contributions of our employees to public safety and provides a great incentive to retain their experience and commitment within the organization while providing an opportunity for relief as more job seekers join them in our workforce.”

“Governor Kelly’s plan is an excellent step towards making workers and the communities they serve safer,” KOSE President Sarah LaFrenz said. “These raises and pay differentials mean frontline workers like corrections officers and state hospital staff could finally get the safe staffing levels they need and proper pay for their unthinkable sacrifices on behalf of Kansans. As facilities around the nation face a staffing crisis that endangers the public, workers and their families – this plan shows real leadership by making this crisis and addressing it an actual priority. We will continue, as we always have, to advocate directly to the Governor, her administration, and the Kansas Legislature towards a final, long-term solution.”

Kansas law prohibits several employment-related bonus tools, like retention bonuses, for state employees that are available to other states. The law also limits the amount that can be paid to staff in a single Fiscal Year. Governor Kelly’s plan recommends the maximum bonus for salaried staff that is allowed under the current law.

The pay increases will be phased in with the base-pay increases taking effect during the next pay period, beginning November 28. Governor Kelly will issue an Executive Directive authorizing the initial pay increases and will pay for them with existing agency funds. She will work with Legislative leadership to fund the rest of the pay plan and get it fully implemented as soon as possible.

The incentive program focuses on, but is not limited to: juvenile corrections officers, corrections officers, nurses, and others who provide direct care. Additionally, Governor Kelly is also ordering KDOC to purchase and provide Multi-Threat Tactical Safety Vests to all Corrections Officers who work in 24/7 facilities.

Please find the Kansas plan here.