OPENING SESSION 2008

The 2008 session has officially begun. So far the meetings have consisted of education and updates on ongoing programs and policies. Last year a group of Legislators decided to set the pace and challenge others to practice healthy lifestyles. I participated then and will be actively competing again this year. The challenge is 8,000 steps a day, weight reduction, and eating 1 piece of fruit each day. We will be using a pedometer to keep track of our progress. I extend this challenge to each of you. Join me in living healthy in 2008.

Before session began, I joined the Kansas Family Partnership as a board member to help promote healthy decisions for our youth as well. I will be working to help organizations like SADD and Emporians for Drug Awareness to deter underage drinking and unhealthy decisions.

I also attended a press conference with several other members of the Kansas House of Representatives outlining our goals for the session. Some of the items that we hope to address this session are:

1. Setting a spending limitation of 5% increase or $70 million additional dollars that have not already been promised

2. Expand state budget transparency

3. Establish a "Back to School" tax holiday

4. Impose civil and criminal penalties on illegal aliens that register to vote

5. Enhance penalties of dealing in fake ID’s

6. Withhold state dollars from organizations which knowingly violate Kansas immigration laws

7. Establish penalties for businesses who knowingly employ illegals

8. Focus more on workforce development

9. Require voter photo ID

10. Reform Judicial selection process for appellate court and possibly Supreme Court judges

STATE OF THE STATE 2008

The governor started the 2008 session with a State of the State Address. The governor’s speech set the stage for her priorities for this session. There was a great deal of talk concerning more funding programs and the start of new working groups. A few topics she touched on were: education, early childhood development, and carbon dioxide emissions. The speech focused much on GLOBAL perspectives including concerns with global climate change. The governor also mentioned health care. She stressed making health care more affordable, but did not address how she would do it. She also stressed the adoption of the Kansas Health Policy Authority agenda in it’s entirety. This bill alone carries a cost of $200,000,000.

BILLS FOR 2008

I have requested and will be working on a Model Street Rod Custom Vehicle Bill, pertaining to specialty cars. This bill was requested by Greg Giger from Emporia.

I am also working on a health parity bill which will help a certain population who are uninsured. There are two drugs I will be working to see outlawed in the state of Kansas. These two drugs are named Salvia and Khat and are already illegal in a number of countries as well as other states.

As always, it is a pleasure to serve you. Please don’t hesitate to call my office if I can be helpful in any way.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Above all, we must realize that no arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women."

Ronald Reagan 1981