Representative Melanie Meier’s
Adventures in the Statehouse
Volume 2014, Issue 7 (February 24-28, 2014)
- Turn Around Week in the Capitol
- Two of Leavenworth County Attorney’s Bills head to the Senate
- Insurance Commissioner discusses HB2553
- Interesting Hearings Scheduled this Week
- Keep in Touch
Turn Around Week in the Capitol
This was turn around week – when both houses finish working on bills and send completed ones over to the other chamber for consideration. The House finished up any remaining committee work by Wednesday and then spent the days debating and voting on a long list of bills. Bills that did not make it through the process have either been stricken from the calendar or have been “blessed.” The Speaker of the House blesses bills by transferring them to a committee that is exempt from all the deadlines. So if a bill has been sent to Taxation, Federal & State Affairs, or Appropriations Committee, it will stay alive for continued consideration.
Two of Leavenworth County Attorney’s Bills Head to the Senate
The House has debated and voted on two bills that were introduced by our own Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office this session. HB2442 was the last bill we passed this week with a vote of 111 to 12. We worked this bill in Corrections & Juvenile Justice Committee where we heard testimony about repeat offenders who purposely make an overt attempt to flee and elude police. Conferees testified that the bill was designed to equalize the level of the danger of this crime to the level of punishment. Currently, the penalty is the same no matter how many times a person flees and they cited cases where the offenders did not care if they lost their drivers licenses or had to pay a fee because these offenders were fleeing because of other crimes and know running would not add any time to their sentences.
HB 2442 would establish a special sentencing rule for a third or subsequent violation of fleeing or eluding police. The sentence for such violation would be presumptive imprisonment and would be served consecutively to any prison sentence. The sentence would not be considered a departure and would not be subject to appeal. This bill’s relevance was re-illustrated last week with the case in Kansas City where a woman was struck and killed during a 3 block police chase through a city neighborhood.
HB2490 made it to the Senate Judiciary Committee this week. It was also introduced by the Leavenworth County Attorney’s Office, worked through the House Judiciary Committee and passed with a 121 to 0 vote. This bill would update jury procedures concerning the review of evidence. Conferees testified that under current Kansas law, if a jury wishes to look at evidence once they have begun to deliberate that they can only review the evidence by being escorted back to the court room in the presence of the defendant. This is a cumbersome and time consuming process to bring the defendant and the jury back to the courtroom. HB2490 would allow the jury to take evidence to the courtroom at the judge’s discretion. The bill also makes amendments to the process of the jury submitting questions about their instructions and evidence.
Insurance Commissioner discusses HB2553
This week the Kansas Insurance Commissioner issued a press release about HB2553, which was worked on in the House Federal & State Affairs Committee and is on the House Calendar for possible debate and a vote. HB2553 is titled “The Health Care Compact” and would place federal funding for all health care services and health plans under the control of the state legislature and governor. The Insurance Commissioner stated, “This legislation would include but is not limited to Medicare, Medicaid, the children’s health insurance program (HealthWave), rural hospitals, Hospice and federally qualified health centers (FQHC). The funding would be received in a block grant to the state, and the state legislature would decide how to spend those health care dollars.” She went on to say that, under the legislation, if the state budget is under-funded in the future, money that should be used to support the Medicare program for seniors in Kansas could be swept from that program to support other state responsibilities. The Commissioner said that AARP has also voiced opposition to the compact legislation and Governors in Arizona, New Mexico and Montana have already vetoed similar compact legislation in their states, stating among other concerns the fact that Medicare programs in their respective states could be in jeopardy.
Interesting Hearings Scheduled this Week
You can check the upcoming hearing schedule in the House Calendar on kslegislature.com. If you would like a Committee to hear your opinion and any facts you may have that are relevant a bill it is hearing, you can testify in person or in writing. I can help you submit your testimony – just let me know! Note that with turn around, the House committees are reviewing Senate Bills (abbreviated SB in front of the number). Several interesting bills in the coming week caught my eye:
Wednesday, March 5 in Federal & State Affairs: SB2598 — Alcoholic beverages; microbreweries limit on production removed.
Wednesday, March 5 in Corrections & Juvenile Justice: Informational hearing on the Death Penalty, including time limitations in death penalty appeals and collateral motions appealing a prisoner's sentence motions.
Thursday, March 6 in Veterans, Military & Homeland Security: SB263 — Establishing the military funeral honors fund under the adjutant general's office.
Thursday, March 6 in Judiciary: SB255 — Special sentencing rule for attempt to commit capital murder.
Thursday, March 6 in Taxation: HB2608 — County special road and bridge fund mill levy; rate increase; protect
petition.
Keep in Touch
It is a special honor to serve as your representative. I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government in order to better serve my district and this state. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 541-S, 300 SW 10th St Topeka KS, 66612. You can reach me at (785)-296-7650 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. Be sure to follow the legislative session online and find many useful resources at www.kslegisture.org.
Also, please let me know if you would like to be removed from my email list.
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