Floor and Committee Updates

FLOOR UPDATES
Final Action. The Senate approved confirmation of the following individuals:

Appointed by Governor Brownback:
To the Agricultural Remediation Board (karb.org)
· Gary Starr

To the Kansas Human Rights Commission (www.khrc.net)
· Terry Crowder
· Patricia Hill

To the State Banking Board (www.osbckansas.org)
· Neal Bernauer

Resolutions. The Senate passed Senate Resolution 1805 this week, which expressed the Senate’s support for creating roads, streets, and communities where all users can feel safe, secure, and welcome. It recognized that users of our state’s transportation were people of all ages and abilities, bicyclists, disabled persons, drivers and commercial drivers and that our transportation network must continue to meet the needs of all users.

COMMITTEE UPDATES
Agriculture
This week the committee heard a presentation by Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman (www.ksda.gov). The committee continued hearings on Senate Bill 272, which would establish a five year multi-year flex plan for water allocation. They also had a hearing on Senate Bill 289. The bill clarifies that the Board of Veterinary Examiners has the authority to inspect and audit licensee compliance with current existing minimum standards of veterinary practice. It also establishes a new fee for the inspection and audit. The fee is at least $50 and no more than $150 per licensee. The bill also allows the board to assess the qualifications of veterinarian technician applicants, gives the board the ability to seek a sanction against a licensed veterinarian entering into a diversion agreement in lieu of a conviction of a felony, and clarifies the Board’s authority to assess a fine.

Commerce
The committee heard a presentation by Deputy Secretary Kathie Sparks of the Department of Labor (www.dol.ks.gov) on unemployment Insurance. They also met with the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee for a review of the Kansas Bioscience Authority Audits. The audits may be found online at www.kansasbioauthority.org/about_the_kba/KBA_Audit....aspx. During the hearing, the committees heard from James Snyder of BKD, one of the auditing companies, and Secretary of Agriculture Dale Rodman.

Education
This week the committee heard from various school superintendents on the innovative programs they are offering their students and heard an update by Landon Fulmer, Governor Brownback’s Policy Director, on the Governor’s education formula and Career & Technical Education Plan. The committee was presented with the plan in bill form. The committee also held hearings on Senate Bill 261. This bill would eliminate the expiration date on the Board of Regents fees schedule established for Kansas private and out-of-state postsecondary educational institutions operating in Kansas. SB 261 passed out of committee.

Ethics and Elections
This week the committee heard an overview of the new Voter ID law and its implementation by Secretary of State Kris Kobach (www.kssos.org). To learn more about the new Voter ID law and how it affects you, visit www.gotvoterid.com. The committee also heard an update by Donna Shelite, the Director of the Division of Vehicles (www.ksrevenue.org/vehicle.html) on the state’s new driver’s licensing system. Finally this week, they had a hearing on Senate Bill 102, which would increase registration fees for lobbyists.

Federal and State Affairs
This week the committee heard updates by the office of the Kansas Adjutant General (www.kansastag.gov) on the Kansas National Guard, and by the Division of Vehicles on drivers’ licenses (www.ksrevenue.org/vehicle.html). They also held hearings on the following bills:
· Senate Bill 275. This bill removes the requirement for a salesperson permit, repealing all related statutes.
· Senate Bill 276. This bill amends current law governing licensure of clubs and drinking establishments. The bill removes the requirement for prosecution that a licensee"knowingly” hired a disqualified employee. SB 276 requires licensees to conduct background investigations on prospective employees prior to hiring based on rules and regulations established by the Secretary of Revenue.
· Senate Bill 288. SB 288 replaces the language"drink” with"individual drink” in statutes, related to the sale of liquor by the drink. The term would be defined as,"an individual serving of a beverage containing alcohol or cereal malt beverage.” An"individual serving” is defined as,"a beverage containing alcoholic liquor or cereal malt beverage served to an individual for consumption by such individual or another individual, but which is not intended to be consumed by two or more individuals.” The bill provides that an"individual serving” contain no more than: (1) eight ounces of wine; (2) 32 ounces of beer or cereal malt beverage; or (3) four ounces of a single spirit or a combination of spirits.
· Senate Bill 299. Amends the Liquor Control Act and the Club and Drinking Establishment Act by adding a"public venue license.” This is defined as"an arena, stadium, hall, or theater, used primarily for athletic or sporting events, live concerts, live theatrical productions, or similar seasonal entertainment events, not operated on a daily basis, and containing: (1) not less than 4,000 permanent seats; and (2) not less than two private suites.” This would allow the city or county where the public venue is located to levy a biennial occupation or license tax in an amount not less than $200.
· House Concurrent Resolution 5016. This resolution asks to extend equal benefits for the treatment of Agent Orange exposure to Vietnam veterans who served outside of Vietnam.
· Senate Bill 269. This bill will allow any person or entity who is licensed to sell alcoholic liquor at retail to conduct wine, malt beverage, or distilled spirit tastings on the licensed premises. The portions for tasting will be limited to one-half ounce for distilled spirits, one ounce for win, and two ounces for beer and malt beverages. This bill also prohibits any charge for the samples, allows more than one sample to be served to one person, and prohibits any samples from being removed from the licensed premises.

The committee passed the following out of committee:
· House Concurrent Resolution 5016. This resolution urges the United States Congress to extend equal benefits and compensation for the treatment of Agent Orange exposure to Vietnam era veterans who served outside of Vietnam.
· Senate Bill 270. This bill allows the Department of Revenue to release or publish gaming information obtained from bingo licensee applications and renewals.
· Senate Bill 274. This bill authorizes the Department of Revenue to issue one temporary permit for a special event for no longer than thirty consecutive days. It also allows the vendor to sell back to the supplier unopened alcoholic liquor, with the written permission from the director of ABC, within three days of the end of the event. The temporary permit allows the consumption of alcoholic liquor on any roadway that has been closed to motor vehicle traffic. The bill passed out of committee.
· Senate Bill 275. This bill removes the requirement for a salesperson permit, repealing all related statutes.

Utilities
The committee heard an update on 911 by Walter Way from the Johnson County Government. The committee also heard presentations and testimony regarding the new FCC Order, which is the most substantial telecom change since the 1996 telephone act. It significantly changes the way telecommunications companies are funded by moving resources from the Federal universal service fund to broadband deployment.

Ways and Means
On Monday, the Committee heard Senate Bill 258, a bill concerning contract negotiations and university employees. The Committee also heard Senate Bill 259, which concerns employment after retirement for certain school employees. Both bills were introduced by the Legislative Educational Planning Committee. On Tuesday, the Committee received an update on the Kansas Engineering Initiative Act from Dr. Zulma Toro-Ramos, Wichita State University. The Committee also heard from the auditors who performed the audits on the Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA). Auditor Jim Snyder indicated there was nothing in the audit suggesting the need for legislation to reform the KBA. The Committee learned that the KBA has yet to receive any of the $35 million appropriated by the state for FY 2012. On Wednesday, Dr. Roy Jensen updated the Committee on the effort to obtain National Cancer Institute designation for the University of Kansas Cancer Center. The effort has involved the state, Johnson County, Kansas Bioscience Authority, the University of Kansas Endowment, and the Kansas Hospital Authority. A decision should be made in May or June. A briefing on 2011 Senate Bill 229, which deals with fee fund transfers, was given. The Committee completed work on SB 259 and passed it out favorably. On Thursday, Landon Fulmer, the Governor's Policy Director, presented the Governor's Excellence in Education Plan (school finance). Fulmer also gave an update on technical education. The Committee amended SB 258 and passed it out favorably.

There were five bills introduced in Committee this week: Senate Bills 336 and 337 regarding the Adjutant General's Office. Senate Bill 350 concerns Base State Aid Per Pupil and Senate Bill 351 concerns property tax and the ad valorem tax reduction fund. Senate Bill 353 concerns Barbering.

Tax Study Group
The study group will continue hearing presentations on various tax proposals this week and discuss recommendations for consideration by the Senate Assessment & Taxation committee.
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