LEGISLATIVE UPDATE #40, Nov. 14^th, 2007

I hope you had a chance to participate in some of the Veterans Day activities around the area this past week. You certainly had many opportunities to see parades, hear great speeches, participate in discussion groups, eat meals and visit with many veterans from many different conflicts. Blue Eastham an 89-year-old WW 2 veteran marched with and carried a flag during the Celebration of Freedom parade. Veterans representing every branch of service that served in the many conflicts since Korea rode with the Patriot Guard. We had soldiers who had just returned from Iraq that were in the parade. The Patriot Guard in force is quite a sight!

During Saturday, on the courthouse lawn at the Veterans Memorial following a concert by the 1^st Infantry Division Band and Keynote address by Brigadier General Ed Flora, the Commander of the Kansas Air National Guard, we officially dedicated US Highway 54 as Veterans Memorial Highway. The 211 miles of highway from the Missouri border to Kingman will forever be a symbol to honor the service of all our men and women who have defended our country and served in the military.

The interim committees of the legislature remain very active with a wide variety of topics and committees meeting each week. These interim committees are holding public hearings to determine if some new or passed over legislation should be discussed during the regular session that begins January 14^th. Some of the committees meeting are “Disaster Relief and Recovery Special Committee, Kansas Autism Task Force, Special Committee on Assessment and Taxation, Joint Committee on State Building Construction, Joint Committee on Arts and Cultural Resources, Math and Science Education Advisory Commission, and Kansas Criminal Code Recodification Commission. To see specific agendas go to, http://kslegislature.org/klrd.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I hope you all have an opportunity to be with those that you care about the most, if separated by distance take time for a phone call or drop a line to let them know you are thinking of them. If given the opportunity to share your blessings with someone less fortunate do not hesitate, you both will feel good at the gesture.

Whoa, did you see what Newton did? This past week the city commission voted unanimously to prohibit smoking within the city limits in any public building, restaurant, fraternal organization, and motel and with 100 feet of the entry to such establishment. This was a gutsy move but one that should be supported by those that favor local control. The health department sees it as a great step to improving public health and the VFW commander sees it as an infringement on his civil liberties. What do you think? If the State of Kansas should become involved it could help make the laws consistent statewide.

Lisa Benlon, Kansas advocacy director with the American Cancer Society and president of the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, noted: “Every year tobacco use kills almost 4,000 Kansans, sickens tens of thousands more, and costs the state more than $900 million in direct health costs”. Contact Lisa, 913-515-3331 or Lisa.benlon@cancer.org.

In a press release dated November 5, 2007 Lisa says,  “ the Kansas Health Policy Coalition (KHPA), recommended proposals for a cigarette price increase and smoke free laws, will improve health in Kansas by helping smokers quit smoking and by preventing young people from ever staring”. She also noted that a significant state excise tax increase on cigarettes will provide some of the funding needed for other important health reform recommended by KHPA.

Tobacco use still remains the single most preventable cause of death in the state. Now, however, other states are providing the statistical evidence proving that smoke free state laws and cigarette tax increases reduce smoking prevalence and health costs related to tobacco use. Such health measures will work in Kansas also. See www.tobaccofreekansas.org.

I have been asked to show some of the state budget commitments for FY 09, so here goes;

$122.9 million-Third year of School Finance Plan

$ 42.0 million-Increase for employer contribution for state & schools KPERS employees

$ 10.0 million-KPERS pension bond obligation increase

$ $60 million SRS/Health Policy/Aging caseloads

$31.6 million-Increase in the statewide Local Option budget usage by school districts

$  7.8 million-Regents Deferred Maintenance.

These FY 2009 commitments (minus the FY 2008 one-time $19.6 million state employee bonus) total $254.7 million. That already puts FY 2009 spending at a 4.2 percent increase above FY 2008. It does not include the expected state agency requests for increased spending, some projected to be up 15% in increased spending. This should be a very interesting year to find the money for the increases within the existing budgets or find some new dollars lying around

I am spending a lot of time visiting with various groups and individuals as I prepare to leave January 14^th for the 2008 session of the Kansas Legislature. If you wish to have me attend one of your meetings give me a call. I am working on scheduling a visit to some of the Butler County schools as well and I have some teachers and others wanting to come see us in action in Topeka.

This is the last call for a Legislative Intern for next year. I would really like to have a college student from Butler County to help with constituent communications, research, and just to come and learn about the process. I can offer you a very interesting time and a rare opportunity to see the inner workings of the state legislature and government. I only need 1-2 days a week for about 4 hours a day. Two years ago Jessie Connell drove from K-State and helped me twice a week. She now has graduated, worked for a year and is applying to various law schools.

I consider it an honor and privilege to be your State Representative in Topeka and I want to know what you think. Contact me at home, 1115 Rim Rock Road, El Dorado 67042, 316-321-2087, work 321-6230, johng@carlisleinc.net, www.johngrange.net.