Under the Dome
March 4, 2011
The Kansas Legislature recently completed the unofficial midway point of the 2011 session – known as “turnaround day.” Turnaround day is the deadline for most bills to be accepted or rejected by their body of origin (either the House or the Senate). In other words, if the bill does not involve taxes, the budget, or federal/state affairs, it is likely dead unless either the House or the Senate passed it by last Friday.
In this week’s column, I want to highlight a few of these bills recently passed by the Kansas Senate. Senate Bill 77 addresses underfunding of the Kansas unemployment trust fund. Based on the state’s near-historic unemployment levels, Kansas borrowed over $100 million from the federal government last year to stabilize its unemployment fund. SB77 would allow the state to repay this debt and protect the fund’s long-term viability in two ways. It would increase the wages by 10% for 3 years on which employers pay into the unemployment fund. SB77 would also double the surcharge rate for employers whose former employee’s unemployment benefits exceeded the employer’s unemployment contributions.
SB77 would also reinstate the one-week benefits waiting period (originally put into place in the 1930s). The waiting period insures that Kansans are not drawing unemployment benefits at the same time they are getting checks from their previous employer. These changes (in addition to discontinuing unemployment benefits for unemployed new Kansans who voluntarily left their jobs in other states) should secure the solvency of the Kansas fund for many years to come.
In an effort to modernize the state court system and reduce long-term costs, SB46 authorizes the Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court to begin the electronic filing and recording of court papers.
SB52 would make two important steps towards promoting grandparents’ rights in child-in-need-of-care (“CINC”) cases. First, it would require courts to consider grandparents as interested parties in CINC proceedings. Second, SB 52 would require that grandparents are fully notified of such court hearings.
During last year’s fall campaigns, I was troubled to see elected officials using state funds to appear in public service announcements. To ensure a level playing field and to prevent the political use of such public service ads, the Kansas Senate passed SB126. It would prohibit candidates from appearing in public service announcements or advertisements within 60 days of their election.
Finally, the Senate passed SB72, which would reduce landline phone regulations for certain qualifying carrier (currently only AT&T). While the purpose of the bill is to place AT&T under the same regulations as cable phone and other land-line providers, I fear that SB72 would have a negative impact on the cost, availability, and quality of some rural phone service. Thus, even though the bill passed by a 32-7 vote, I voted against SB72.
As we face the hardest challenges of the 2011 legislative session, I welcome your thoughts and input. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 785-296-7398 or by email at jeff.king@senate.ks.gov. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Kansas senator.
In this week’s column, I want to highlight a few of these bills recently passed by the Kansas Senate. Senate Bill 77 addresses underfunding of the Kansas unemployment trust fund. Based on the state’s near-historic unemployment levels, Kansas borrowed over $100 million from the federal government last year to stabilize its unemployment fund. SB77 would allow the state to repay this debt and protect the fund’s long-term viability in two ways. It would increase the wages by 10% for 3 years on which employers pay into the unemployment fund. SB77 would also double the surcharge rate for employers whose former employee’s unemployment benefits exceeded the employer’s unemployment contributions.
SB77 would also reinstate the one-week benefits waiting period (originally put into place in the 1930s). The waiting period insures that Kansans are not drawing unemployment benefits at the same time they are getting checks from their previous employer. These changes (in addition to discontinuing unemployment benefits for unemployed new Kansans who voluntarily left their jobs in other states) should secure the solvency of the Kansas fund for many years to come.
In an effort to modernize the state court system and reduce long-term costs, SB46 authorizes the Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court to begin the electronic filing and recording of court papers.
SB52 would make two important steps towards promoting grandparents’ rights in child-in-need-of-care (“CINC”) cases. First, it would require courts to consider grandparents as interested parties in CINC proceedings. Second, SB 52 would require that grandparents are fully notified of such court hearings.
During last year’s fall campaigns, I was troubled to see elected officials using state funds to appear in public service announcements. To ensure a level playing field and to prevent the political use of such public service ads, the Kansas Senate passed SB126. It would prohibit candidates from appearing in public service announcements or advertisements within 60 days of their election.
Finally, the Senate passed SB72, which would reduce landline phone regulations for certain qualifying carrier (currently only AT&T). While the purpose of the bill is to place AT&T under the same regulations as cable phone and other land-line providers, I fear that SB72 would have a negative impact on the cost, availability, and quality of some rural phone service. Thus, even though the bill passed by a 32-7 vote, I voted against SB72.
As we face the hardest challenges of the 2011 legislative session, I welcome your thoughts and input. Please do not hesitate to contact me at 785-296-7398 or by email at jeff.king@senate.ks.gov. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your Kansas senator.
