ALEXA’S LAW
This week the House debated and tentatively passed HB 2006. This bill would establish the intentional murder of an unborn child as a separate crime from the murder of the mother. The bill is named in memory of Alexa Lynn Brooks, the unborn child of Chelsea Brooks who was murdered last summer in Wichita. Right now under Kansas law, prosecutors can only file charges against the murderer for the death of the mother. Section 2 of Alexa’s law changes the Kansas Criminal code definition of "person" and "human being" also to mean an unborn child and would allow the accused to face two murder charges. The federal government and 34 states have a similar law already in place. Final action on this bill is scheduled for Monday, February 19, 2007 and is expected to pass.

FRANCHISE TAX
Monday saw final action vote on HB 2031, the Franchise Tax three-year repeal. The measure passed 91/30 changing the rate at which affected businesses are taxed as franchisees and repeals the tax completely in three years time. Repealing the tax was a top priority outlined in the 2007 House Republican Caucus Agenda.

Other tax relief being sought by the 2007 House Republican Legislative Agenda includes restructuring the state’s corporate income tax rates, permanently reducing the state’s Unemployment Insurance rate, exempting Social Security income for state income tax, and supporting a constitutional amendment to ease the property tax burden on Kansas citizens, especially those reaching the maximum Social Security retirement age.

ZERO TOLERANCE
One bill I am carrying this session is HB 2412. This bill would increase the punishment for adults caught providing minors with alcohol. Underage drinking remains a serious problem in the United States. More than 17% of 12 to 17-year-olds report drinking in the past month, and more than 10% of the same age group report consuming 5 or more drinks on one occasion in the past month. Studies also indicate that minors remain over represented in alcohol-related fatalities. Mounting evidence shows that steps to address underage access to alcohol are effective in reducing underage drinking. This bill is aimed at non-commercial adult providers. Research studies consistently tell us they are by far the biggest source of alcohol for underage drinkers. One study performed by Century Council shows 65% of underage drinkers get their alcohol from family and friends, while only 7% obtain it from a store or bar that does not check ID.

In addition to the penalties already provided for by law for adults who furnish minors with alcohol, this bill would also require the provider to lose his or her driver’s license for 180 days on the first offense and 1 year on the second offense. The bill is set for a hearing on Monday, February 19, 2007 at 1:30 P.M. by the Federal and State Affairs Committee in Room 313-S. Among the proponents of this bill are groups such as SADD, MADD, Emporians for Drug Awareness, the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas, Inc., and a couple of brewing and alcohol distributing organizations.

HUMAN CLONING
A bill to define human cloning has been passed out of Health and Human Services and I will be carrying it to the floor for debate sometime next week. Prior to the potential for human cloning, the definition of an embryo was very non controversial. Embryo has been clearly defined by scientists for decades as a single egg that has been fertilized and multiplies in humans up to the point of 8 weeks and then it is called a fetus. The proponents of human cloning want to define an embryo as only a fertilized egg that is implanted inside the human uterus. This will allow for experiments that have the potential to be horrific in nature.