THE TRUTH REPORT
A Weekly Rundown of Important Activity in Topeka, from a Principled Perspective
Week Eleven -- April 1, 2019
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
I favor the policy of economy, not because I wish to save money, but because I wish to save people. The men and women of this country who toil are the ones who bear the cost of the Government. Every dollar that we carelessly waste means that their life will be so much the more meager. Every dollar that we save means that their life will be so much the more abundant. Economy is idealism in its most practical form.
- Calvin Coolidge
FACTS OF THE MATTER
The Facts of the Matter is a feature in The Truth Report each week, highlighting important information, some of which is not always reported or emphasized in the mainstream press:
  • Abortion Pill Reversal Has High Success Rate. The study examined 261 successful mifepristone reversals and showed the success rates were 68% with the high-dose oral progesterone protocol and 64% with the injected progesterone protocol; both were significantly better rates than the 25% survival rate if no treatment is offered. There was no increased risk of birth defects or preterm births. (Source)

  • Efforts to Repeal Conceal Carry Frustrate Gun Rights Supporters. College campuses are an environment considered to be a soft target, which is why many Kansans oppose the repeal of campus carry -- including Garrett Miller, chairman of KU's College Republicans. He cited the latest statistics from the University of Kansas Public Safety department, which show crime rates at the Lawrence campus are down. "It's constitutionally protected. The Second Amendment is pretty clear. Citizens have the right to bear arms," Miller said. "I don't want KU to be a soft target. I want this to be a very hard target." (Source)

  • Stores across Kansas prep for liquor law change starting April 1. Full-strength beer will be available at grocery and convenience stores starting April 1. However, there's still a cap with those stores only able to sell beer up to six percent, which doesn't include a lot of the craft beers. (Source).
NEWS & VIEWS
News & Views is a weekly collection of relevant news items and editorials regarding what's going on in Topeka and around the State of Kansas.
After Judge Jack fiasco, legislators call for more oversight of court nominations
( Source )

Excerpt:

 Masterson said without Senate oversight, the governor never would have noticed Jack’s string of profane and partisan tweets that led to his withdrawal.
“The Jeffry Jack nomination debacle demonstrates both why the so-called ‘merit system’ is flawed and why the federal model works,” Masterson said in a release from the Kansas Truth Caucus, which he chairs.

After Judge Patrick McAnany announced his retirement in early January, Kelly took the optional step of selecting finalists through a committee of 17 people, making the process “as open and transparent as possible,” she said.
But after Jack’s removal, lawmakers are doubtful about a gubernatorial committee’s ability to choose qualified candidates.

Read the rest of the article by clicking here .
Truth Report Archive
Check out past Truth Reports in the Truth Report Archive by clicking here.
Transparency Center: Follow the Kansas Legislature
You can view video streaming of both chambers via the Kansas Legislature YouTube page. In addition, many committees are now audio streamed. Finally, the Kansas Legislature website remains a great resource. Here are the relevant links:


YouTube Streaming: http://bit.ly/2CZj9O0


Spending: Ever curious about how your tax dollars are spent, particularly on items like government salaries? Then look no further than KS OpenGov, a large database of hundreds of reports at the state, city, and school district level. 

Get there by clicking here:  http://www.kansasopengov.org/kog/databank
Accountability for Education Dollars: Kansas House Approves H. Sub. SB 16
On a narrow vote of 63-61, the Kansas House adopted H. Sub. SB 16, a critical education policy bill which will provide much-needed accountability for the billions of dollars taxpayers spend annually on K-12 education.

No matter what amount of funding is eventually approved this year, it is critical that it include accountability measures and other important policy goals – rather than just throwing more money at the “base state aid per pupil,” as has happened too often in the past.

Included among the provisions of H. Sub. SB 16 are:

  • Required accountability reports for how the dollars are being spent.
  • Substantial policy improvements regarding bullying.
  • Annual audits examining various aspects of school finance.
  • A requirement that superintendents certify that school district budget reasonably calculates and allocates a sufficient amount of moneys for instructional costs and that the school district has sufficient qualified personnel adequately trained to provide the curriculum established by the board of education and the school district's at-risk programs.
  • The continuation of the Low-Income Student Tax Credit Scholarship Program with a slight adjustment of the definition of “public school” to the 100 lowest performing elementary schools, while grandfathering in students already receiving the scholarship so no student will become ineligible because of the change.

Those interested in the entire package of H. Sub. SB 16 should look at the comprehensive supplemental note which you can view by clicking here .
Choosing Life: Abortion Pill Reversal Bill Approved
In a second major pro-life vote this session, the Kansas House overwhelmingly approved HB 2274,  a bill concerning abortion pill reversals,  on a vote of 85-39 . Abortion by pill is a multi-step process requiring pills to be taken over the period of a few days. After the first pill is taken, there is still a possibility of preventing the abortion by taking a different medication to reverse the effects of the first abortion pill. This is a medically-proven technique that has been successfully used for many years. HB 2274 simply requires notification of the possibility of reversal to anyone having an abortion by pill.

Much like they did during the debate over SCR 1606, the resolution regarding the State of New York’s Reproductive Health Act, Democrats offered a series of amendments aimed at derailing the legislation. They all failed by wide margins.
Upholding 2nd Amendment Rights
The Kansas Truth Caucus strongly believes in the importance of 2 nd Amendment rights. This week, those rights were further enhanced in the Kansas House when it adopted HB 2326, the reciprocity bill, which would provide that a valid license or permit to carry a concealed firearm issued by another jurisdiction would be recognized in Kansas, but only while the holder is not a resident of Kansas.

During the debate, Rep. Steve Owens offered an amendment that would allow concealed carry permits to be issued to persons age 18 or older, as opposed to the former requirement that the individuals be 21 or older. This provides a critical 2 nd Amendment right to all adults, establishing consistency in our laws. This amendment passed on a vote of 74-45.
Democrats offered a slew of amendments to undermine 2 nd Amendment rights, including attempts to repeal the right to defend oneself on a college campus. These amendments all failed by wide margins.

The bill ultimately passed 83-41 and is now in the Senate.
Principled Focus: Insisting on a Quality Education for All Kansas Children
Each week, the Truth Report will highlight one of our Principled Priorities, which were recently adopted by our membership.

The Kansas Truth Caucus Principled Priorities state:

Insisting on a Quality Education for All Kansas Children
We strongly support a child-focused approach to education policy, rather than a system-based approach. In doing so, we support a quality education for each child that offers families the opportunity to give their children a strong moral foundation, intellectual development, and skill sets that prepare their child for the future. We oppose excessive governmental control over teachers, curriculum, and policy. We support school-based budgeting and accountability measures to ensure oversight and so that underperforming students receive the support they deserve. We support expanding educational freedom and school choice, so families have the first voice in their child’s education that best fit their child’s needs.

We highlighted this principle in a previous Truth Report, and it’s worth highlighting again. This week’s vote on H. Sub. SB 16, which almost the entire Truth Caucus supported, emphasized the importance of “school-based budgeting and accountability measures to ensure oversight and so that underperforming students receive the support they deserve.”