The second half of the legislative session is well underway with debate this week revolving around some of the key issues in the 2009 legislative session. The first half of the session moved quickly, and with so many measures to be considered and so many of our key issues still unresolved it’s shaping up to be not only a hectic second half, but one that may end up stretching into the summer.
Last Saturday was “turn around day” which means we have received a number of proposals from the Senate addressing new issues in the coming weeks. Among those will be the smoking ban, minimum wage, our negotiations on the 2010 budget, and our comprehensive energy proposals.
As many of you will remember, our decision concerning energy is a critically important and highly controversial topic. On Thursday, we debated and overwhelmingly passed HB 2014, our comprehensive energy proposal for 2009. The bill represents months of work on behalf of our energy and utilities committee and is one of the more advanced policies in the nation. The bill encourages renewable energy technology, includes true “net metering” guidelines, and most importantly establishes clear, reasonable permitting guidelines which will encourage critical economic development throughout the state and keep utility rates reasonable for all Kansans.
Unfortunately, the Governor has already announced she will veto this measure. This was certainly disappointing news considering the Governor has clearly not yet read the bill, and means we’ll need 84 votes in the House to over-ride the veto. In doing so we will not only send a clear message to prospective employers that Kansas is open for business, but also start providing jobs for a hobbling Kansas economy while establishing some of the nation’s most progressive renewable energy standards.
Committees still meeting are covering a multitude of topics that will still have time to be considered in the ’09 session including Prop K, a somewhat controversial property tax bill that would automate the property-appraisal process and limit property valuation increases to two percent a year.
Continuing next week we’ll have a fresh batch of issues before us. As a result, I’m anticipating more feedback from constituents. As always, this is one of the most interesting aspects of my job here in Topeka. Many times it’s both refreshing and validating to hear your viewpoint on the topics we’re considering regardless of if we agree on the ultimate solution or not. In fact, sometimes I much prefer to explain these issues directly as the general opinion reported throughout the state is sometimes not consistent with the specific issues facing our district. I invite you to contact me if you have concerns with any of these topics and work diligently to get back with you as quickly as possible.
