House committee set to act this week on comprehensive energy package that would strip KDHE of authority over air quality permits

New guideline on CO2 emissions is 'political gamesmanship,' critics say

A new interim state policy on carbon dioxide emissions issued by Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Rod Bremby Monday is simply “political gamesmanship,” according to Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, whose plans to expand a coal plant in Holcomb have been snarled by the Sebelius administration.

“The KDHE press release has not fooled anyone,” said Mark Calcara, vice president, general counsel and secretary of Sunflower Electric, in a statement distributed to Kansas Liberty Tuesday.

Calcara said the interim guideline announced by Bremby, who has no medical or scientific credentials, “makes it more evident than ever that a legislative fix is necessary to restore public confidence in the regulatory process. [ Read more...]

House and Senate to consider comprehensive energy bills that could pave the way for Holcomb plant expansion, despite objections of Sebelius administration

Stage is set for renewed battle over coal-fired power plant

Committees in both chambers of the Kansas Legislature have developed energy policies that would make expansion of a coal-fired power plant complex in Holcomb more likely, despite the continuing objections of the Sebelius administration.

The House Energy and Utilities Committee voted 11-9 Thursday to advance a comprehensive energy bill to the full House for consideration.

That bill, partly summarized in a Kansas Liberty story Monday, would allow construction of the Holcomb project, as well as calling for increased energy conservation and use of renewable energy. [ Read more...]

ABORTION: If Judge gives go-ahead, trial could begin in mid-March

No ruling expected this week on criminal case against Tiller

No ruling is expected this week on whether a criminal proceeding against Wichita late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller can proceed, Kansas Liberty has learned.

Several media outlets and the Associated Press reported earlier this week that a ruling might be forthcoming this week, but a courthouse source told Kansas Liberty today that Sedgwick County District Court Judge Clark V. Owens wasn’t scheduled to be in the office tomorrow or Monday (President’s Day), so no ruling should be expected.

Tiller faces 19 misdemeanor counts of failing to obtain a second opinion from an unaffiliated physician before performing late-term abortions, as required by Kansas law. [ Read more...]

'The law is being ignored.' Witness claims her child was aborted after she had been given false information.

Committee looks at tightening late-term abortion laws in Kansas

The House Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony today on a bill that would improve enforcement of Kansas' late-term and partial-birth-abortion laws.

The legislation, sponsored by more than 20 representatives, would change the definition of what a viable fetus is, create certain anonymous reporting regulations and strengthen Kansas’ partial-birth-abortion law so that its wording reflected language that has already been declared constitutional by the Supreme Court. [ Read more...]

Kinzer: 'No abortion should be performed without the voluntary consent of the woman'

'Woman's Right to Know' bill stirs second day of abortion debates

Pro-life and pro-choice advocates butted heads for the second day in a row in the Kansas House Federal and State Affairs Committee over abortion-related legislation.

In yesterday’s committee, legislators heard testimony on a bill that would alter late-term and partial-birth-abortion laws.

Today, the committee heard testimony on a bill that would give women the ability to view a sonogram of her unborn child and hear the heartbeat of the child prior to receiving an abortion at no added expense. [ Read more...]

EDUCATION: No two districts affected the same way by cuts. Wichita's district hopes the governor just vetoes the budget.

Cuts in education cause districts to scramble for dollars

Both the Kansas Senate and House passed legislation yesterday that would make $325 million in budget adjustments, including cutting more than $32 million from the K-12 education budget.

The $32 million is a combination of special education funding cuts and a base-state-aid-per-pupil reduction of $27.8 million, which results in a $66 base aid per-pupil decrease.

The education budget has seen massive funding increases over the last few years since the state Supreme Court mandated increases of hundreds of millions of dollars in 2005. [ Read more...]

BACK SCRATCHING: The trouble is, Rangel's accused of being a tax cheat. Republican official ties Moore's support to campaign contributions he received from Rangel

Moore supports Charlie Rangel as chair of the House tax-writing committee

U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore was the lone member of the Kansas congressional delegation to vote in favor of a House resolution Tuesday that allows Congressman Charlie Rangel, a suspected tax cheat, to retain his post as chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the nation’s top tax-writing committee.

The House voted 242 to 157 on the resolution. Not a single Democrat supported Rangel’s ouster.

The state GOP, in an article on the party's website, attempted to tie Moore’s vote in favor of the embattled Rangel to $10,000 in campaign contributions Moore received from Rangel during his campaign against Republican challenger Nick Jordan. [ Read more...]

THE WEEK IN THE LEGISLATURE: Republicans ponder public safety, Democrats concerned about cost of additional bed space

Senate passes increased firearm penalties for drug offenders

A measure that would create enhancement penalties for drug offenders passed the Kansas Senate today 33-6. Senate Bill 26 would increase penalties for offenders who had a firearm in their possession at an illegal drug exchange by 12 months, 15 months if the offender brandished the firearm while committing the crime and 24 additional months if the firearm were discharged. [ Read more...]

Backer says 'adult' businesses have 'toxic effects' on communities across the state. End-of-life bill seeks to end ambiguities.

House Judiciary considers restrictions on porn and guidelines on end-of-life

The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony Monday on the Community Defense Act and on the Uniform Health Care Decisions Act.

The first would regulate the location and operation of adult-themed businesses on a state-wide basis. The second would seek to clarify the wishes of persons in the final stages of life.

Proponents of the Community Defense Act argued the regulations would help alleviate some of the secondary negative impacts of these businesses. [ Read more...]

One requires cell phone companies to help police locate suspects in emergencies. The other broadens the power to summon a grand jury.

Kelsey Smith's parents urge lawmakers to pass crime-fighting bills

The parents of Kelsey Smith, the Johnson County teen who was kidnapped, raped and murdered in 2007, spoke in Topeka today about legislation intended to give parents and police additional tools to fight and investigate the kinds of crimes that have traumatized their family.

One bill, sponsored by Rep. Rob Olson, an Olathe Republican, would require cell phone companies to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in emergency situations.

The other bill, sponsored by another Olathe Republican, Rep. Lance Kinzer, would allow the state attorney general as well district and county attorneys to summon a grand jury. [ Read more...]

Committee examines a pair of bills that would change age restrictions.

Lawmakers debate care for older teens in SRS

The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony today on two bills that would alter Kansas' child services by tightening age limits on children in the state's care, and a third bill that would mandate that the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services provide local authorities with information on children in need of care.

House Bill 2210 would mandate that children in SRS custody be released when they turn 18, and House Bill 2211 would eliminate the option of placing a child who is 16 or 17 years old in SRS custody unless they have been abused or neglected. [ Read more...]

Teachers union opposed. The plan gives one Democrat 'a tremendous amount of heartburn.' Education committee also gets 'Abstinence-Plus' bill. Planned Parenthood likes it. So does NOW.

Kiegerl, Kinzer urge autism scholarships, school choice

The House Education Committee heard testimony on two bills today, one that could affect the lives of autistic students in Kansas, and another that would broaden the state's abstinence-only approach to sex ed to include information on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases and other information related to sexual activity.

House Bill 2227, sponsored by Reps. Lance Kinzer and Mike Kiegerl, both Republicans from Olathe, would establish an autism scholarship program for Kansas students.

The legislation would allow students with autism whose individual education plan costs more than $25,000 to receive a state scholarship so they can attend a school of their choice. [ Read more...]

Giving cover to lousy judges? Last year, the commission endorsed every single judge it reviewed.

House extends Commission on Judicial Performance

The Kansas House passed legislation today that would extend the sunset provision on the Kansas Commission on Judicial Performance until June 2013.

The commission has never criticized any of the judges it has evaluated.[ Read more...]

Burgess: Similar laws haven't dampened voter turnout in other states

House committee vote on voter ID bill expected Monday

Rep. Mike Burgess, a Topeka Republican, said he’s optimistic that the House Elections Committee will forward a voter ID bill to the full House for consideration.

He'll soon find out if he's right. A committee vote is expected Monday on House Bill 2077.

Burgess’ bill is similar to one that both chambers passed last year but was then vetoed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. It would require first-time voters and voters who have dropped off voter registration rolls to show a photo ID before voting in advance or in person. [ Read more...]

Irigonegaray: 'step by step, we are evolving.' Concerned Women spokesperson: 'activists...are hardly politically powerless.'

Gay activists testify in favor of protection under state law

The state Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee heard testimony today on a bill which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Kansas Act Against Discrimination.

Currently the act protects Kansas residents from being discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin, or ancestry.

Although Kansas has a large older population, discrimination on the basis of age is not mentioned in either the existing law or the proposed bill.[ Read more...]

Regents chair: 'This would inject politics.' Student leader says passage would cause the Regents to 'focus more on the real issues' of students, teachers and others.

Senate Education Committee hears call for electing Regents

The Senate Education Committee heard testimony today on a bill which would change the Kansas Board of Regents selection process into a direct election.

Currently the Kansas Board of Regents members are appointed by the Governor and then subject to confirmation by the Senate.

According to the legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, a Shawnee Republican, the measure will increase accountability and place an emphasis on affordability. [ Read more...]

Passage is all but assured. K-12 education takes a 1-percent hit.

House passes rescission bill, Senate's turn next

The Kansas House of Representatives passed legislation Thursday 70-51 that would make $325.6 million in budget adjustments for fiscal year 2009.

House and Senate leaders had announced a surprise agreement on the bill Wednesday evening.

The legislation has $125.2 million in adjustments different from those recommended by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. [ Read more...]

Hensley: Forty-eight school districts will go 'bankrupt.' Two Republicans also balk.

Senate passes budget bill, 27-11

The Kansas Senate approved a budget-cutting bill Thursday night, falling in line behind the House - but possibly into conflict with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

The Senate vote was 27-11. The House passed the legislation earlier in the day, but it is still unclear whether Sebelius will endorse the measure.

All except two Senate Republicans voted for the measure. All nine Senate Democrats voted against it, complaining it cut school funding too steeply. [ Read more...]

Democrat complains that bill is unfair to those who want to file reports in longhand

Senate passes bill requiring electronic campaign finance filings

A bill that would require candidates to file all campaign finance reports electronically passed the Senate Thursday with a 34-4 vote.

According to a supplemental note on Senate Bill 118, the legislation was promoted by the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission and would apply to candidates seeking statewide offices.

Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat, voted against the measure, saying it could pose as a barrier for some candidates who prefer to handwrite their reports, or for those who may not have access to the technology necessary to complete these reports online [ Read more...]

COMMENT: The governor should know that there are no simple sound-bite solutions for a problem as complex as energy. One power company exec suspects she just doesn't understand what she's talking about. Sunflower Electric's Kyle Nelson tries to help.

Yes, Kathleen, there is an energy problem.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius continues to say that Kansas has adequate resources to meet growing energy demand. Her statement is based on data from the Kansas Energy Council.

This assertion is erroneous and incredibly simplistic. Sebelius is totaling the capacity of all Kansas generation and comparing it to projected growth. But that's not the way energy planning works.

She is not taking into consideration the type of generation, age and location of the generation fleet, location of growing loads and, most importantly, the ownership of the generating resources. [ Read more...]

There's a big difference between playing chicken with the law and playing with chickens outside the law. Or is there? Bill Sutton looks at the way Paul Morrison dealt with one of his greatest cases.

Gut feelings

The art of haruspicy is still relatively common for practitioners of voodoo. It’s the art of divining the future by analyzing the entrails of sacrificed chickens, the practice of which can be traced all the way back to the Bronze Age Mesopotamian cultures, who used a wide variety of animals for this purpose.

Until very recently, I would have simply dismissed such a notion as pagan poppycock. Now I’m not so sure.

I believe I’ve seen the future in chicken guts. [ Read more...]

You can't borrow yourself out of debt - unless you're borrowing thoughts from a smart man. Main Street Money's Bill Wyckoff looks at Will Rogers and runs up a tab.

Will Power

A trillion-dollar pork package is going to become law and our people in Washington want us to believe this is going to help.

Gee, last time I checked, it was a given fact that you cannot borrow yourself out of debt. It is not possible.

Yet we have our elected representatives searching for any and all pork projects to put into this package just because they can. Somehow, I don’t think the American public was planning on this kind of "change" at election time. Pity your children and grandchildren, for they will be left holding this bag, with the only possible way of paying for it being massive inflation. [ Read more...]

SNIDE COMMENTS: Creeping Brembyisms | Choosing Kansas Supreme Court justices by the numbers to the left of the decimal point | Tom Burroughs, man without a county

The Week on the Web

 Geoffrey Stanford, a junior at East High School in Wichita, has received lots of publicity since he caught an error in the state's writing assessment test a week ago. Reports KSN:

"One of the phrases was 'reduce the omission of greenhouse gasses,'" said Stanford.  "I looked at it and said 'that can't be right.'"

You don't think so, Geoffrey? [Read more...]

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