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Tax Relief Bill - HB 2284
Despite the ceremonial signing of Tax Relief Bill HB 2284 on Tuesday, Governor Kelly vetoed the bill on Friday. In an attempt to ease the financial burden placed on Kansans by inflation, HB 2284 would have made changes to income tax, lowered property taxes, eliminated food sales tax, and given personal exemption increases, among other things. Since its veto, HB 2284 has been returned to the House, where Republicans are determined to pass the bill. In his response to the governor's veto, House Speaker Dan Hawkins promised that "House Republicans will remain focused on delivering tax relief to the people of Kansas by overriding the Governor's veto."
Restrictions on Advance Voting Ballots - SB 343
SB 343 had its hearing in the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on Wednesday. The bill protects against election fraud by restricting advance voting ballots to persons who have been approved by a county official. Those who wish to vote in advance may request an application for an advance voting ballet through the local election official. In the application, they will be required to provide certain identification information. Should information be lacking, the voter may still vote a provisional ballot which will be reviewed by the county's board of canvassers before being counted. In this way, SB 343 balances the right to vote with the need for fair and accurate elections.
Other regulations ensure that advance voting applications are filed within an appropriate time frame. Unless the county decides otherwise, applications for advance ballots sent to the voter by mail must be filed by the Tuesday before the election, and applications given to the voter in person must be filed by noon the day before the election. However, these regulations do not apply to those who are sick, disabled, or not proficient in English, and those helping them. Additionally, voters who are chronically ill or disabled may apply for permanent advance voting status.
Voter Affiliation Change on Election Day - SB 374
Like SB 343, SB 374 also discusses voting regulations—removing the candidate filing deadline and allowing voters to change their party affiliation the day of the election. Voters who wish to change their party affiliation may fill out a form detailing the change. They will then be given a primary ballot that accords with their updated affiliation, after which they may proceed to vote. The bill was introduced on Monday and referred to the Committee of Federal and State Affairs the day after.
Legal Tender Act - SB 303
SB 303, or the Kansas Legal Tender Act, rules that government-issued or court-ordered gold and silver coins should be considered forms of legal tender in the State of Kansas. However, under the Kansas Legal Tender Act, no person can be forced to accept coins as legal tender unless they are bound by law or contract to do so. It is important to note that, save in retirement accounts, no forms of legal tender may be considered taxable property, including when exchanged or transferred. The bill was recommended to be passed by the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on Monday.
The EMERGE Program - HB 2567
HB 2567 introduces the EMERGE program, or the Kansas national guard educational master's for enhanced readiness and global excellence. Through this program, the state of Kansas will pay tuition and fees for members of the national guard as they pursue master's degrees, provided that recipients complete at least 72 months (three years) of service upon graduation. Participants in the EMERGE program must abide by several stipulations:
- They must fill out a FAFSA form each year (any federal student aid they may receive will be absorbed into their aid from the EMERGE program).
- They must maintain at least a 2.75 GPA.
- They must maintain satisfactory participation in the national guard.
The EMERGE program will not cover more than 15 credit hours per semester, nor will it pay for extra courses or the repetition of previous courses. No more than 200 members of the national guard may participate in the program per year. HB 2567 was referred to the Committee on Education on Tuesday and will be heard on Tuesday of next week.
Postretirement Benefit for State Workers - HB 2563
HB 2563 benefits retirees of Kansas by providing a post-retirement of 500 dollars to eligible retirees who retired before July 1, 2014, thus offsetting the effects of inflation on Kansas retirees. The bill was introduced and referred to the committee on Financial Institutions and Pensions on Monday.
Prosecuting Child Sexual Abusers - SB 364
SB 364 changes current legislation to allow for the prosecution of child molestees at any time. According to the bill, the victim may sue for injuries or damages resulting from childhood sexual abuse at any point, and claims against abuses that took place on or after July 1, 1984, may now be brought forward. SB 364 was introduced on January 18th and forwarded to the Committee on Judiciary on Monday. We look forward to hearing more about this bill in upcoming weeks.
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