Monday Legislative Update

Greetings! Another week…another update!

1- The House Tax committee debated the Governor’s sales tax bill last week. Many legislators have taken a pledge not to raise taxes and stood by their vow. The bill failed in committee but rather than being termed “dead”, has been put in the bottom drawer to be pulled out again later in the session if needed.

2- The Senate debated their rescission bill last week. A rescission bill cancels previously approved but unspent funds and allows a new bill to identify future spending. Since there is less money coming into Kansas than what was anticipated, the State has to amend their budget by submitting a rescission bill. Both Senate and House have their own versions of this bill. Once passed in each respective chamber, legislators must work together to agree on one final bill.

3- Our own JoCo Senator, Jeff Colyer offered an amendment to the Senate’s rescission bill which would have restored the 10% cut to Medicaid. This would have been done by borrowing money from the 2011 budget. Many legislators felt it was not a good idea to “rob Peter to pay Paul”. The amendment failed but the Senate’s rescission bill did pass 36 – 4. The 10% cut to Medicaid was not restored.

4- Friday, the State received their latest tax revenue figures. Bad news prevailed as revenues were almost $34 million below where they were projected to be. The House Appropriation committee will be working on their rescission bill in the next week. They will have to take into account this additional shortfall.

5- A committee had the charge to look at the potential closure of one or both of the State’s two DD hospitals. The committee’s final report recommended closure of KNI in Topeka with claims that this would save the State money by serving folks in a less costly community setting. In addition, the committee recommended that money saved by closure should be used to take folks off the DD waiting list. After thoughtful deliberation, Governor Parkinson decided that the State should work towards “downsizing” our two DD hospitals and “work towards” closure. So much for a new funding source to eliminate the waiting list.

6- Many of you have forwarded me your legislators responses to your very personal emails. It gives me hope that legislators are hearing you, tells me which legislators need a little more work, and gives me an idea as to what legislators are thinking. Keep those valuable relationships growing. Thank you so much for sharing, but more importantly, thank you for taking action!

Your TO DO list for next week:

1- Send an email to your Representative and ask them to restore the 10% cut to Medicaid by adopting the State General Fund swap for DD. As I said earlier, Legislators will be working and voting on this within the next week or two. Time is of the essence.

2- Visit www.invisiblekansans.org and send your weekly email.

3- Share the above site with two new people.

4- If you would be willing to tell your story and be video-taped, please let me know. We are trying to strengthen the Invisible Kansans website and no one tells your story better than you!

Remember…be the flea!

Warm Regards,
Lurena Mead