Friends:
Welcome to Turnaround Week!  We churned bills out of committees and onto the floor by Wednesday afternoon.  The rest of today, Thursday and Friday will be spent entirely on the House floor considering dozens of bills.  Some have already passed the House this week that are probably of interest to you, so I decided to go ahead and send a newsletter.  We will have many more bills pass the House this week, but I don’t want the Record to get too long!  Thank you for indulging me.

Floor Activities
Education and Personal Activities
Commerce & Labor
Transportation
Government Efficiency & Technology
Where's Waldo
Kansas Quiz
Resources – YOU CAN VOTE NOW!!!

Floor Activities
Real Estate License Background Checks
HB 2295 allows the Real Estate Commission to fingerprint and background check applicants for real estate licenses in an effort to improve the safety of Kansans.  I talked about this bill previously in Commerce Committee.
Bill passed 120-0.
Brief: http://www.kslegislature.org/supplemental/2008/SN2295.pdf

English as the Official Language of Kansas
HB 2140 (http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2140.pdf) simply states that English is the official language, but still allows agencies to print and distribute information in languages they feel appropriate for the target demographic (in public health, for example).  A floor amendment added $500,000 for expanded language education.
Bill passed 114-7.  I voted YES.
Brief: http://www.kslegislature.org/supplemental/2008/SN2140.pdf

Alexa’s Law
This seems to be a controversial issue, although I don’t think it has to be…  This is better known as “Laci Peterson’s Law” which would double criminal penalties for women that are pregnant and killed or the baby injured/killed as a result of: 1st or 2nd degree murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, battery and aggravated battery, capital murder, or vehicular homicide.
•    Alexa was the unborn daughter of Chelsea Brooks.  Who got pregnant at 13.  She was killed while pregnant at 14.  Shouldn’t someone be asking about that?  No one wants to talk about that...
•    The bill applies to fetuses from conception to birth.  Yes, you’re reading that right.  So, for any of the above eight crimes, law enforcement would be required - for any woman that is killed of childbearing age (13-60?) - to perform an autopsy to determine if she is one day, one week, or three months pregnant!  In most cases, you can tell after a certain length of time.  If the woman was a victim of aggravated battery or battery and did not die, law enforcement would have to determine if she was at any stage of pregnancy.  As my new favorite Saturday Night Live skit goes, REALLY?
•    We attempted to amend the bill to make these penalties apply post-viability, which in statute, is defined as 22 weeks. 
Bill passed 94-28.  I voted NO.
Text: http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2006.pdf
Explanation of Vote: Mr. Chairman, there are hundreds of thousands of Kansas women between the ages of 13 and 60, and thousands every year injured by 1st or 2nd degree murder, voluntary or involuntary manslaughter, battery and aggravated battery, capital murder, and vehicular homicide. 
For every woman of childbearing age injured by any of these crimes, autopsies would be required to determine if the woman was one day, one week, or even three months pregnant.  Although I agree with the intent of the bill to provide appropriate justice for these heinous crimes, through a long list of unintended consequences, this bill will prove to have untold costs both financial and emotional for women and their families.
I vote NO on HB 2006.

Education and Personal Activities
Unfortunately, due to the breakneck schedule of the committee during the last week, my bill to prevent uninsured drivers from collecting property damages from an accident did not get “worked” in committee.  This means it is dead for this session, but can be resurrected next session.  Also, I could try to amend the bill on the floor since there was support for the bill but not the time to work it.
Text:  HB 2378 (http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2378.pdf)

Commerce & Labor
You might remember we heard a bill allowing for a 40% reduction in unemployment fund contributions.  The Senate had a similar bill, and we heard and passed the Senate Bill today.  Both the Department of Labor and the KS Chamber support the Senate legislation, which is a very rare feat. 
SB 83 (http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/83.pdf) allows for unemployment “contribution” cut for businesses.  Currently, there is $600 million sitting in this fund, just waiting for employees to collect unemployment benefits.  This bill would reduce employer contributions to the fund, while maintaining a floor to ensure there will always be funds to pay for unemployment benefits, in the event of an economic downturn.  This isn’t a tax cut because the money just sits there accruing interest.  We worked this bill quickly in an effort to have the legislation go into effect prior to the deadline for business contributions to the fund this year.
For the business owners out there, the following will make sense to you.  The rationale behind the rate group breakdown is to give equal dollar decreases to each bracket of rate groups.  Rate group changes:
1-6 = 100% decrease
7-28 = 50% decrease
29-51 = 40% decrease

Bills passed out of committee: 
We passed out another version of the “AP bill” that supposedly puts Kansas in step with interstate accounting agreements, which require 150 hours.  I found at a dozen+ states that require fewer hours.  While I think 150 hours is excessive, all I wanted to see out of this bill was that AP, CLEP, DANTES credits were accepted by the board, and this bill ensures that.
HB 2314 (http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2314.pdf)

Home Inspectors bill:  This bill would have required licensure and continuing education for home inspectors.  It was killed in committee Wednesday morning.

Transportation
Bills passed out of committee:
HB 2136 (http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2136.pdf) is the primary seatbelt bill.  We reached a compromise that applies only to 14-18 year olds.  Currently, children are required to be restrained until the age of 14, in the front or backseat.  This would require 14-18 year olds to be belted in the front seat at all times and increases fines to $60.  The bill also increases to $60 the fine for a secondary infraction, if you get pulled over for another transgression but aren’t belted.  I think this is a step in the right direction.

HB 2211 (http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/2211.pdf) establishes a “Support Our Troops” license plate with proceeds going to military families.

A Graduated Driver’s License bill passed the Senate recently and will be headed to this committee.  As a result, we did not spend time working the House bill.

Government Efficiency & Technology
Sub HB 2457 (no link available) is a bill rewritten by the committee.  This was the “Governmental Google” bill.  When there are extensive changes to a bill, sometimes it is easier to completely substitute the original language.  The bill is then called the “Substitute for House Bill XX”. 
The new bill combines the theories of government budget transparency in 2207 and 2457, includes sections regarding current abilities and future capabilities of the Department of Administration’s network that will be implemented.  The bill is the culmination of the committee’s work thus far this year.  We have received hours of testimony from the Department of Administration on the new system they are implementing, what it can do, and what the committee wants it to do in terms of transparency and searchability by the general public.

This has been a very unique process, different from any other committee structure and procedure.  The background information on technology in KS became critical during our discussions and in the crafting of this legislation. 

Where's Waldo?
•    Johnson County Public Policy Council Eggs & Issues breakfast
•    Pages Lisa Imgrund and Anna Kinkade
•    Motor Carriers dinner for the House and Senate Transportation Committees
•    Johnson County delegation luncheon sponsored by Kansas City Power & Light
 
Resources
Find your long lost CASH!!! http://www.kansascash.com/prodweb/up/disclaimer_page.php
Keep Kansas Sharp Blog:  www.keepkansassharp.blogspot.com
Kansas Legislature:  http://www.kslegislature.org
KS Ethics Commission:  http://www.kansas.gov/ethics/
KS Legislative Research:  http://skyways.lib.ks.us/ksleg/KLRD/klrd.html
Johnson County Election Office - www.jocoelection.org
Spring Primary Election information:
Voter Look-Up:  See your sample ballot!
Johnson County Election Office, 2101 E. Kansas City Road, Olathe
    * February 20 - February 23
          Tuesday - Friday     9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
    * February 24
          Saturday     9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
    * February 26
          Monday     9:00 a.m. to noon

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

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