Friends:

OK, so being in Manhattan for the President's speech was cool.  We knew the Marine One flight from Topeka to Manhattan had changed (due to fog) when the entire force of the KS Highway Patrol was headed toward Topeka with a bunch of eerie looking vans and armored Suburbans!  He should really spend more time in the Q & A format – he is so comfortable in it and does a great job.  The speech itself was OK, he just struggles with written speeches, but the HOUR of questions was a great way to top off the day.  All in all, the President spent nearly TWO HOURS at K-State speaking.  Congrats to Sen. Pat Roberts on getting him here, and to K-State for a memorable Landon Lecture!

Announcements
Last week I mentioned the bills I'm working on this year, and I appreciate your comments and questions, specifically about the DNA bill.  A little more about it…  Currently, if you are convicted of a crime, law enforcement collects DNA samples.  This bill would enable DNA collection at the time of arrest, just like a fingerprint (except this will be a saliva swab).  Just like fingerprints, that DNA will be cross-referenced with DNA databases all over the United States, to make sure you aren't a bad guy/girl in some other state.  If you are acquitted of the crime for which you were arrested, the DNA will be destroyed.  Personally, I like the idea of keeping it around for future reference, but all the lawyers tell me there are serious privacy questions around that one.  Here's the full text of the bill, and an explainer.  

Education and Personal Activities
I now have a bill number for my insurance bill - the one enabling the Department of Revenue to re-suspend your Driver's License if you decide to default on a payment agreement with an insurance company (because you crashed into someone and you didn't have insurance).  Look for HB 2690 for updates.

The only education talk right now is going on in the Select Committee on Education.  They're looking at the definition of "at-risk", bilingual weightings and low enrollment/correlation (large schools) weightings this week in committee...  I'll keep you posted!

Floor Activity
Remember the bill allowing Boards of Directors for Home Owners' Associations to remove racist and religious restrictions from covenants, without the 100% vote of their boards?  That bill passed on the floor with one minor amendment requiring HOAs to report their meetings and provide a budget to member households.

Not on the House floor yet, but many of you will be pleased to know the Senate passed SB 334, which requires life in prison for "aggravated habitual sex offenders," lifetime parole for other offenders, mandatory penalties for some, and GPS tracking.  Here's an explainer.

Commerce and Labor
Non-controversial bill hearings, so hum-drum that I don't even remember the topic - I do remember there were no opponents and two proponents of the bill, and I wondered why we didn't just boost it out of committee right then!

Higher Education
Passed HB 2575, allowing 9th & 10th graders, identified as gifted, to attend community college courses.  This is already happening in many places, but this bill just codifies it in statute.  Also, allows technical colleges to be included in the schools students can attend for concurrent enrollment.

Governmental Organizations and Elections

HB 2580 - Non-controversial – allowing Board of Directors for Improvement Districts to receive more than $5 per day reimbursement.  Local vote to decide what that level is.

A heads-up about this week - if you're interested in the "wood shingle" bill we had a couple of years ago, it has been revived.  This bill prohibits Home Owners' Associations from requiring homes to have wood shingles, which are almost impossible to insure if you're buying the house, and are a huge fire hazard.  Shawnee Fire Chief Jeff Hudson (also the President of the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs) will be testifying in support of the bill (HB 2676) tomorrow afternoon.

Where's Waldo?

(Besides session and committees 9 am - 5 pm)

§          LOTS o' pages this week!  Kevin Krumme and friends: Eric Haun, Joe Hund, and Max Mays (my neighbor!); then Dale Warman's granddaughter, Kelsey Smith and her friend Katie Stone

§          Overland Park Dinner for Johnson County Delegation

§          Met with constituent and physical therapist extraordinaire, Kim Galbreath

§          Met with the JCCC branch of the KS Small Business Development Centers – if you're looking to start or expand your small business, this is THE place to go!

§          American Cancer Society breakfast in the Capitol

§          Kansas Academy of Family Physicians reception

§          Dinner with the Governor at Cedar Crest.  No, I'm not special – she has the entire legislature out to the Governor's Mansion in large groups every year.

§          City Hall Day in Topeka – thanks to Carol Gonzales and Eric Wade, and the Shawnee and Lenexa City Councils for bringing your folks to Topeka

§          Visited the Federal and State Affairs committee to watch Rep. Ed O'Malley explain the Campaign Finance bill I mentioned in last week's Record.  Great job Ed!

§          Met with the inaugural class of the Eisenhower Excellence in Public Service Series – what a fabulous group of women!

§          Attended some receptions at Kansas Days, networked and caught up with Republican friends from across our state.

§          Shawnee Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner – congrats on another record-setting night!

Resources

Johnson County Statehouse Hotline - Call Topeka for free!  Dial 913.715.5000 and ask for your Representative or Senator.  If you don't know, simply give them your address and they'll head you in the right direction!

Next Week's hearings:  See any bills that interest you?
House
Senate

LIVE!!  House or Senate Chamber
LIVE!! Paperless House Health and Human Services Committee (1:30-3:30 pm MTWR)

Please do not hesitate to contact me about these or any other issues of interest to you.  I appreciate the opportunity to represent you in Topeka.

Rep. Stephanie Sharp
17th District, Kansas House
Serving Lenexa and Shawnee
www.stephaniesharp.com
Home:  913-894-1201
Topeka phone: 785-296-7654 (Note: this is a change from last year.)