This is my final legislative report of the 2007 Legislative Session. The Legislature reached adjournment last Wednesday afternoon after a 6 ½ day wrap-up session. Notably, it was the first time in recent memory we adjourned while the sun was still high overhead. Equally noteworthy was the fact we adjourned on time and did not exceed 90 days. Few states in the country can boast sessions as short as ours.
After working hard all session on hundreds of issues important to a broad range of people and interests, I was disappointed to read the editorial published recently in the Hutchinson News criticizing the work of this year’s legislature. The author of the editorial obviously had not spent even one day at the Capital this year. Also, I’ve found over the years that what is important to Kansans and what is important to the print media is vastly different.
I do find myself agreeing with the Hutchinson News, however, with it characterization of the gambling bill as being bad for Kansas. The appropriate way of handling the gambling issue would have been to submit the question to the voters as a proposed constitutional amendment, rather than trying to pound a square peg into a round hole by passing legislation that hadn’t even had a hearing and would make Kansas the first and only state in the country with state-owned and operated casinos. In fact, it is that feature that makes the law passed this session at the Governor’s urging unconstitutional, in my opinion. There really wasn’t much of an effort to make the actual legislation comply with the state’s constitutional requirement that any expanded gambling be state owned and state operated. Under the gambling bill, the state is not even entitled to the net profits of a gambling enterprise, as a true owner would be. Instead, the state’s take is a mere 24% with an additional 3% going to local units. The state is hardly an owner, as required by the constitution, and under the legislation the casinos would be managed and operated by private gambling interests with the state maintaining only regulatory oversight, again, in violation of the constitutional required of state operation, in my opinion. The battle will be fought in the courts and we’ll see if by this time next year Kansas is any closer to having casinos and slots at the tracks.
Significant tax relief was approved this session, including over $56.9 M over the next five years for those on Social Security. Homestead property tax relief refunds and earned income tax refunds were increased as well. For Kansas businesses, the unpopular franchise tax was cut and is then completely phased out over the next few years and huge cuts were approved in unemployment taxes.
A big step toward health care reform was passed as well with overwhelming bi-partisan support. While some had advocated for Hillary health care in the form of socialized medicine, Kansas plans to involve the private sector in the solution by incenting health coverage at reduced rates through private insurance and moving more families off the government roles.
We were finally able, in the closing days of the session, to address deferred maintenance needs at our regents institutions and community colleges. While not as much financial support as the universities had asked for, the $210M plan is a huge first step toward addressing their needs. Significant tax credit availability will incent the private sector to support the effort as well so the state doesn’t have to shoulder the entire burden.
Other significant legislation this year included passage of a primary seat belt law for drivers 14 to 17 years of age, a move aimed at saving lives in the age group most responsible for accident injury and fatality statistics. We also passed stricter laws dealing with drunk drivers, got tougher on burglars and sex and drug offenders, took action to shut down drug paraphernalia vendors and moved to close a gaping loophole in abortion reporting.
A huge bi-partisan majority of lawmakers overturned the Governor’s veto on concealed carry legislation, secured the funding for the 3rd year of the school finance plan and made English the official language. The final budget provided for the needs of Kansans with developmental disabilities and those on Medicaid. Overall, the Legislature worked efficiently to address the requests of constituents from all across the state and from all walks of life. There were successes and disappointments, as there are every year, but I give the session high marks for providing for the needs of the state while protecting taxpayer dollars.
Sine die adjournment is May 22 at 10:00 a.m. Aside from various interim legislative committees meeting to study proposals for next year, the legislature’s work is complete until the 2008 Legislature convenes the second Monday in January, 2008.