Greetings,

Legislative Update #15, May 8, 2009

Legislature Inches Toward Completing Their Work

The Kansas Legislature had a productive day handling some major issues that had thought to be at a stalemate.  The major issue settled today was the budget.  While the Senate had passed a budget that included a 2.75% cut, the sense was that the House's conservative leadership would do everything in it's power to make deeper cuts and a conference committee would need to settle the differences (somewhere in between) between their passed bills.  But, this year would be different.  Facing a $328 million shortfall the struggle to pass a budget remained difficult to solve because even the Senates budget was not balanced.  This means some means for some revenue mechanisms was necessary.  Again, a huge task for the House to get agreement there as well.

House got Gutsy on both sides - While the tax committee went to work on piecing together some revenue generating measures, the House conservative leadership took a big risk.  Probably confident they had the votes to kill a motion to concur with the Senate's budget bill, Republican Leadership allowed a motion to concur vote.  The key(and risk) is that if they could not thwart the motion to concur the Senate's bill would win out.  However, if the votes were short of 63, the Senate bill would be lost and could not be brought back up, probably exactly what House Conservative leadership wanted.  In some tense moments where the vote tally board first displayed a 60-62 vote, some vote swithching took place and a couple other legislators suddenly appeared to cast their vote - the vote was finalized with a 64-60 vote.  Only $70 million would be necessary to fix the budget, and $35 million could be handled by a Tax Amnesty program recomended by the State Secretary of Revenue.  It was a shocking defeat to say the least for the House Republican leadership and a huge victory for the coalition of Democrats and Moderate Republicans, Hooray!  We obviously have problems with irresponsible decisions to adequately fund state government and public education, also relieved at this outcome.  An outside possibility exists for someone voting on the prevailing side to make a motion to reconsider, but this is unlikely.  Most say it's done!

Energy took a step closer to being officially resolved.  A resounding 37-2 vote in the Senate is indicative that the settlement guided by new Governor Mark Parkinson passes muster.  Only 63 vote majority would send it to the Governor for signature.  Remember that the veto override needed 74 votes.  Looks good to go for Holcomb.

Unemployment legislation we've been reporting on (HB 2374) passed easily in the Senate 39-0.  This bill changes policy for determining unemployment benefits.  Change was necessary to draw from federal funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, about $69 million to the state.  We need this bill badly and it now goes to the House.  A simple concur has been suggested but a vote may be necessary.  Unsure if the House has the same empathy for people out of work that the Senate showed, we are asking that you call your House Rep and tell them how important this is to people out of work and hurting because of the economy.

The House will be very busy Friday as the ball is in their court on just about everything.  Taxes will also be a tough sell in what I like to call the Animal-House.  It's a bit more wild over in that chamber.  The session could go into a half-day Saturday before finishing.