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April 30, 2004

The Sharp Record
ssharp@ink.org

Friends:

 

I want to get this in your Inbox before 5:00 pm, but it may not be the last update of the day.  Rumor has it we will be here pretty late tonight and tomorrow.  This is the update as of right now, we are recessing for lunch and conference committees (see explanation below), and will come back at 3:00 pm.  Until then, here's your new Sharp Record!

 

Personal Activities

"Inside Kansas Politics" this week will focus on veto session activities - and, if we're still here, we may be doing it LIVE from the House floor!  Tune in at 10:00 am to 1510 AM for the inside scoop on the veto session.  Or, you can surf to www.1510.com and listen in LIVE.  We WANT your calls!  Call us at 913-491-8255 (TALK).  Speaker of the House Doug Mays is confirmed, and we're waiting on word from some of our colleagues across the Rotunda (the Senate...maybe they're scared!).

 

Education

If you haven't already, CALL YOUR SENATOR!!!  You can call for free by dialing 913-715-5000.  The Senate is acting like the House hasn't already passed a tax bill for education.  They are hearing a VERY different thing from what I'm hearing.  It seems the Senate is afraid to go back to their districts and run for re-election if they pass a tax increase.  From what you've told me, I'm afraid to go home without one!!!

 

Our stance:  There were 72 votes for the $155 million plan for schools (a bill needs 63 to pass).  At this point, we see no need to compromise on a much lesser number, when 1) it won't fix schools, and 2) we will just have to come back and do another tax bill next year, or schools will have to take major allotments (cuts).  My mom taught me a good lesson growing up - if you don't do it right the first time, you'll just have to do it again.  I have found that this applies pretty well whether I'm cleaning my room, doing the dishes, or voting for education.

 

Floor Activities

Thursday was Budget day at the Capitol.  There are a TON of provisions stuck into the House Budget that never passed a committee, and are just pet projects of certain legislators with an ear of someone on the Appropriations Committee.  It's pretty ridiculous!  Here are some of the amendments that were offered on the floor:

  • In-state tuition for immigrant students who have 1) attended a KS high school for 3+ years, 2) and received a diploma.  Passed 70-53, I voted YES.
  • Cutting government and base school budgets by certain percentages of a school funding increase.  No, this doesn't make sense.  In the formula proposed, if there was a $150 million increase for schools, there would be a 2.25% ($55 million) decrease in the basic school budgets, and a 3.5% ($99 million) decrease in the rest of the state budget.  Failed 36-82.  I voted NO.

Budget Final Action - Passed 70 something...  (I can't find the paper for the vote!).  I voted NO.  Why?  I do not feel it is appropriate to insert dozens of initiatives that never passed out of committees, or were never even heard before committees into a huge budget bill.  It is ironic when we go through these budget bills, what the appropriations team decides to address, and what line items they conveniently skip over.  There were many provisions in the bill that I did support, and they will go to conference committee, even without my vote.

Jargon Alert!  What is a conference committee?  If a bill passes the House, that is just the first step.  It must also pass the Senate.  Invariably, a bill will have amendments tacked onto it either in the Senate committee, or on the Senate floor.  So, the bill that passes the Senate usually "looks" different than it did when it passed the House.  In effect, you have two different bills.  When this happens, the House and Senate appoint three members of their respective chambers to represent their version of the bill in a "conference committee".

Let's say it's a health bill.  The chairman, vice-chairman, and ranking minority (Democrat) members of the Senate Public Health committee and House Health and Human Services committee meet to work out the differences between the two bills.  The Representatives will push for the version of the bill that passed the House, and the Senate vice-versa.  You end up with a compromise bill that all members think will pass their respective chambers.

I've heard about these conference committees, isn't that where people really like to cause trouble?  YES!  If a bill passes either chamber, it is considered "conferenceable", meaning it can be included in a conference committee bill, regardless of the fact that it may not have had a hearing, let alone have been considered by the other chamber.

 

Veto Override attempts:

Concealed Carry of Weapons:  To override a veto, the bill needs 84 votes.  When the bill originally passed the House, there were only 78 votes.  So, the supporters are fully aware there is little possibility the veto can be overridden.  But, it's an election year and they want to get us on record anyway.  Veto override failed 77-47.  I voted NO.

Where's Waldo (Rep. Sharp)?  April 16 - April 30, 2004

(Besides session and committee meetings 9am - 5 pm)

  • Can you believe it?  I actually took a VACATION!  Not a weekend jaunt somewhere, not a working trip, but a real, no-internet-no-cell-phone-no-meetings vacation!  Of course, I got sick toward the end of it - my system didn't know how to handle relaxation!
    • One funny side note...  I want to say hello to my new friends in the AR Senate.  Mom and I literally ran into a bunch of AR Senators at the botanical gardens in Hot Springs, AR!  Shameless plug - you should visit Hot Springs if you get a chance, it was gorgeous!!  The hiking trails, lakes, shopping, and of course, the thermal baths are not to be missed!
  • "Inside Kansas Politics" discussed Economic Development on April 17th and Veto issues/Lenexa City and Chamber issues on April 24th. 
    • Special guests on the 17th were:  Tracy Taylor (KS Technology Enterprise Corporation) and Senator Nick Jordan.
    • Guests on the 24th were:  Amy Slater, Lenexa City Councilwoman; Ashley Sherard, VP of the Lenexa Chamber of Commerce; and Rep. Ed O'Malley.
  • Women for Boyer reception
  • Lenexa Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee Meeting
  • Senate Bill 66 bill signing - the Realtors/Title Insurance bill
  • Senate Bill 166 bill signing - the Help America Vote Act
  • John Petterson's retirement reception - he's retiring from the KC Star Capitol team after FOUR decades!!!  Congratulations, John, and thank you for your service.

Resources

 

Johnson County Statehouse Hotline!  Call Topeka for free - 913-715-5000 and ask to speak with your Representative or Senator.

 

LIVE!  House or Senate Chamber:

http://www.kslegislature.org/currenthappenings/index.html

 

Question of the Week!

Last Week's Question:  I'm on a different computer and don't have last week's winner!!!!  Wait until next week - we'll have double winners!

 

NEW QUESTION:  In 1887, the Kansas House of Representatives appointed a new assistant doorkeeper, or Sergeant At Arms.  This person was rather infamous.  Who was it, and why was he infamous?

 

Stephanie Sharp

17th District, KS House

Serving Lenexa and Shawnee

www.stephaniesharp.com