2022 Legislative Update 1

On Monday, January 10, legislators returned to Topeka for the 2022 Legislative Session. Members reported to their first rounds of committee meetings, attended Governor Laura Kelly’s State of the State address, attended Chief Justice Marla Luckert’s State of the Judiciary address and introduced the #AxeTheFoodTax bill.

In the 2022 Legislative Session, my committee assignments are:

• House Local Government Committee (Ranking Democrat);
• Joint Committee on Information Technology (Ranking Democrat);
• House Judiciary Committee; and
• House Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee.
  
  

In the House Judiciary Committee, we both heard and worked the bill to temporarily put in law the two executive orders issued by the Governor to provide flexibility to health care providers due to COVID-19. The testimony provided was very compelling and concerning. Our health care providers are tired, stressed and at a breaking point. We all must do what we can to ease the stress to keep our health care systems functioning.

It was an honor to participate in the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr March at the Statehouse. The event, organized and hosted by the Kansas African American Affairs Commission, included a program in the rotunda with Governor Kelly reading and signing a proclamation in honor of MLK day. 

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative. I value and appreciate your input on issues facing state government. Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions. My office address is Room 452-S, 300 SW 10th, Topeka, KS 66612. You can reach me at (785) 296-7430 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me. You can also e-mail me at   pam.curtis@house.ks.gov.

If you are a constituent or live in KCK, please be sure to answer my 2022 Legislative Survey so that I know what is important to you this session.

#AxeTheFoodTax Introduced

Ending the week on a strong note, House Democrats introduced the #AxeTheFoodTax bill,   HB 2487, that would cut the state sales tax on food from 6.5% to 0%. A coalition of House Democrats and Republicans cosponsored the bill. HB 2487 will save Kansas families an average of $500 per year. 

The sales tax on food has been in place since the 1930s and raised 10 times. Removing the tax will provide families some relief. No longer will Kansas have the second-highest state tax on food in the nation.

Governor Kelly’s State of the State Address and Emergency Declaration

On Tuesday, January 11,   Governor Kelly gave her fourth State of the State address. The Governor discussed her vision for Kansas and put forward her budget, making good use of the nearly $3 billion in excess revenue. The state recorded the strongest surplus in four decades. 

Highlights from the Governor’s budget include:

1. Cutting the state food sales tax to 0% and issuing one-time tax rebates to give single tax filers $250 and joint filers $500;

2. A 5% pay increase for all state employees;

3. Maintaining full funding of public education; 

4. Restoring funding to higher education, expanding scholarships and freezing tuition at four-year universities; 

5. Paying down state debts; 

6. Strengthening access to mental health care, including for regional crisis services, hospital beds, and suicide prevention; 

7. Expanding Medicaid; 

8. Equipping the National Guard with the tools and resources needed to combat events like the recent natural disasters; and

9. Fully funding the state water plan, providing irrigation technology and other resources to support rural communities and the agricultural industry.

The Governor urged lawmakers to expand and extend a recent 15-day disaster declaration meant to address the surge in COVID-19 infections from the Omicron variant. Hospitals and health care workers, including care providers in nursing homes, are overwhelmed. She issued two executive orders: No. 22-01 provides temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of medical services, and No. 22-02 seeks to alleviate staffing stresses faced by nursing homes. 

This Week

Redistricting is top-of-mind for many legislators. We expect to see the first maps on Tuesday, It is so important to continue to call for fair maps and no and gerrymandering 

Additionally, lawmakers may seek to extend Governor Kelly’s disaster declaration. 

Kansas State Library

If learning a new language is one of your New Year’s Resolutions, Mango Languages is for you!

With Mango, you can learn from your own computer or smartphone. This online service   https://kslib.info/Mango  provided by the State Library of Kansas is easy to use. Choose from more than 70 languages such as Spanish, French, Korean- even Swahili. Mango uses real life situations and conversations. Mango also includes over 20 English as a second language courses. Use as a Guest or register to hold your place (and for smartphone use).

Resources

My Legislative Facebook Page
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Kansas Legislature Website