Melanie Meier's Adventures in the Statehouse
Kansas House of Representatives
40th District
Volume 2010, Issue 4: Clean Air and Jobs
This week show cased two highly debated Bills. On Thursday, February 25th, 2010, after more than five years of debate in both the House and Senate, the House concurred with the Senate version of HB 2221, which will create the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act. The bill makes the act of smoking unlawful in virtually all public places. The debate raged most the day and I quit counting the number of Representatives that spoke after 19. Proponents cited scientific data on the hazards of second hand smoke and its effects on heart disease as well as the costs that would be saved in health care. Opponents stated that the Bill was hypocritical because it exempts the gambling floors in Casinos. The Bill passed 68 to 54 and is now with the Governor for signature. Thirty-six cities and three counties in Kansas already have clean air ordnances and this Bill sets a statewide floor that municipalities can make stricter.
On Friday the House debated HB 2538 most of the day. This Bill proposes expanding the Promoting Employment Across Kansas (PEAK) program enacted in 2009 (Senate Bill 97). From what I have been told by fellow legislators, the PEAK act was a popular bipartisan program put into law last year to create new jobs in Kansas. This year's Bill would expand the number of companies eligible to participate in PEAK, from new companies relocating to Kansas to adding existing Kansas companies that maintain employees for at least two years after entering into an agreement with the Department of Commerce. The Bill also changes the current requirement that employees must be paid at least 100% of the county average wage to 100% of the county "median" wage.
Companies qualifying for PEAK under the 2009 law were prohibited from also participating in a separate withholding tax diversion program, the Kansas Investments in Major Projects and Comprehensive Training (IMPACT) Act. HB 2538 would relax that restriction and companies could qualify for both programs but not relative to the same employees.
Proponents generally argued that additional sales tax and other tax receipts attributable to the expenditures of new or maintained employees would offset the diversion of withholding taxes from the State General Fund (SGF) back to the companies, and that the fiscal note by the Department of Revenue indicating that SGF receipts will be reduced by $95 million over the next 5 years is flawed because the State cannot lose what it never had.
Opponents argued that the PEAK program is not even a year old yet, and that the legislature should not be "fixing" a program that appears to be working as designed. Many companies were identified that have come into the state since its inception. They also argued that changing the requirement that the newly created jobs be at the "median" wage instead of the "average" wage is encouraging the creation of lower paying jobs that would not allow employees to afford health care and so an extra burden would be placed on State services with no State income taxes being collected to offset it.
Programs Available to Lower Your Energy Bills
This time of year finds many of us thinking about ways to save on energy costs. If you're considering improvements at your home or workplace, you should know that the State offers several programs to assist residents in improving the energy efficiency of homes, small businesses, and public buildings.
Efficiency Kansas: This new $34 million loan program helps Kansans identify and implement cost-effective energy-efficiency improvements in existing homes and small business. Operated by the State Energy Office (785-271-3170), Efficiency Kansas is a public-private partnership, with financing accessed through partner lenders and utilities. Currently, 18 banks and credit unions (with 105 branches statewide) and one utility (Midwest Energy) offer the program. Additional partner lenders and utilities are expected to offer the program later this year.
Kansans can borrow up to $20,000 for approved projects in homes and up to $30,000 for approved projects in small commercial or industrial structures (those that use residential-sized equipment). Most projects are expected to average around $5,000.
To ensure that Kansans get the greatest energy savings for each dollar spent, all Efficiency Kansas projects require an energy audit, performed by one of the private-sector energy auditors who have been qualified to work with the program. At this time, there are 45 auditors listed on the Efficiency Kansas web site www.efficiencykansas.com/auditors_list.php and the list is expected to grow, as more Kansans receive the training. For more information about Efficiency Kansas, check out the web site (www.efficiencykansas.com) or call the State Energy Office (1-877-448-3185).
Weatherization Assistance Program: This long-standing grant program, operated by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, targets Kansas households with incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty level or 75% of the state median income, whichever is higher. Eligible Kansans can receive weatherization assistance for improvements in single- or multi-family residences, including manufactured homes. The program is open to renters. For more information, contact Kansas Housing Resources Corporation (785-296-4990).
Facility Conservation Improvement Program (FCIP): The FCIP is designed to help public entities—state, cities, counties, and schools—use energy savings performance contracting to access financing for energy-efficiency projects. It is operated by the State Energy Office. For more information, call the State Energy Office (785-271-3170).
Energy Manager Grant Program: This new grant program, operated by the State Energy Office, provides coalitions of local governments (cities, counties, school districts) with a $50,000 annual stipend for up to two years to enable them to hire an energy manager. Energy managers will develop both short- and long-term plans for each of the coalition members, with the goal of reducing energy usage in both the public and private section. The application deadline for this grant is April 15, 2010. For more information, download the program description and application (www.kcc.ks.gov/energy/arra/energymgr.htm), or call the State Energy office (785-271-3170).
In addition to the programs listed above, USDA Rural Development offers the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants and loans, targeting agricultural producers and small rural businesses. For more information about REAP, contact David Kramer at david.kramer@ks.usda.gov or 785-271-2736.
Out and About this Week
On Tuesday, the Kansas Air National Guard invited the Veterans, Military & Homeland Security Committee to ride along on a KC-135 air refueling mission. The Committee met at Forbes Field and while airborne, witnessed how the two planes can fly together in order to pass fuel from the tanker to the AWACS from Texas, which was on a check ride to qualify a new pilot. It was a chilly but thrilling experience to see the great work our Kansas National Guard does every day.
I was in Leavenworth several evenings this week. I attended the Leavenworth County Humane Society's Board Meeting at Saint Mary University and the Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber of Commerce Military Advisory Council at the Carnegie Arts Center. On Saturday I enjoyed the "A Taste of Leavenworth" by visiting with neighbors and friends, sampling the fine specialties of Leavenworth's eateries, listening to the band and bidding in the auctions. All proceeds support the Leavenworth Historical Museum Association's three museums and Trolley Club. Congratulations to the Pullman Place restaurant for their receipt of the "People's Choice" award for best caterer.
Keep in Touch
It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 722, Docking State Office Building, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at (785) 296-7668 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. Additionally, you can e-mail me at Melanie.meier@house.ks.gov. You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.
As always, if you no longer desire to receive updates and information from me, just let me know and I will take you off the mailing list.
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