January 12, 2006
Back to Legislative Updates
SESSION 2006
As we start another session, I am reminded that the actions that we
take in Topeka can have unintended consequences. For instance, there
has yet to be a conclusive study that shows when you give more funding
toward education, you improve students academic success. High tax rates
often produce less revenue than lower rates. Higher spending on health
care can sometimes result in poorer health. The ban on DDT led to
catastrophic increases in malaria mortality rates and the Endangered
Species Act has endangered species they were intended to preserve. A
final example is the birth of the Post-It note which was the result of
3M trying to find new glue that would harden and not be sticky. As we
approach the challenges of dealing with such things as school finance,
health issues, crime issues, and constitutional amendments, I must admit
to some concerns that the resulting consequences to our actions may have
adverse rather than beneficial effects.
SCHOOL FINANCE STUDY
With that stated, I will try to explain briefly the very recent study
from Legislative Post Audit on school finance. As you may remember, the
last lawsuit that resulted in a decision by the courts to take over the
legislative purse put the state in an economic vice that we struggled
through with a special session. The coming years look rather bleak for
us as we look not only at funding a huge demand for education, but to
the health and safety services as well.
The original lawsuit was filed by the middle sized schools who felt
that the current formula was unfair to them. The latest study shows
that it is the metro areas that are being neglected and they alone, with
the exception of a few small schools that are heavily weighted with at
risk students, should have considerable more funding. The schools that
would suffer from this latest decision the most are those that are rural
and have few minorities or at risk. In the 76th district, only Emporia
would see an increase in the current study plan on inputs.
THE GOVERNOR SPEAKS
Our Governor gave her annual state of the State on the first night of
opening session. She said very little about education, but focused
instead on health issues, veterans, and various other topics. She had
little to address regarding a direction for the legislature except a
strong demand to address sexual predators (which the Attorney General
and many in law enforcement have been working very hard on), and a
program to insure every child up to the age of five in the state. Here
comes one of those "unintended consequences". That program was
recently introduced in Illinois and there is grave concern how it will
affect the growing needs of the Medicaid program. I share those
concerns as well. We are all concerned about meeting the growing cost
of those who need health care the most.
BILLS 2006
As the session begins, I am busy trying to finalize some bills that
came up from my constituents' concerns. I have strong hopes of
completing the Baby Doe bill that was started a few years ago. This has
been a tough one to get through the process, but with the support of the
KBI and Sheriff Eichorn, is still alive and over half way through. A
young constituent brought to my attention that his dad who has returned
from Iraq could not celebrate Veteran's Day this year because he had
to work. As a response to that, there is a bill that will give Veterans
a paid Holiday on Veteran's Day. Finally, as a response to not having
the flag lowered to half-mast for the funeral of Sheriff Matt Samuels, I
have a bill drafted that would make that necessary. If legislators have
the flag lowered, then law enforcement certainly should!
"Currently 30% total head count in Kansas schools is enrolled in the
free lunch program" Barb Hinton Legislative Post Audit.
