2022 Legislative Update 4

Be sure to answer my 2022 Legislative Survey. We will soon be voting on many of these questions, and I want to know your feelings on the most important legislation before I cast my vote. Your opinion matters to me. The Survey only takes a few moments to answer.

“For those reasons, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 355.”

Governor Laura Kelly announced early Friday evening she vetoed the deeply controversial “Ad Astra 2” map. Governor Kelly pointed to the blatant racial gerrymandering in the third congressional district and the placement of Lawrence in the largely rural Big First. Read the full press release here.

Frankenstein Education Bill 2.0

Last year, a coalition of House Democrats and Republicans successfully defeated the so-called Frankenstein Education Bill, a conglomeration of mismatched policies damaging to public education.

This week in the House K-12 Education Budget committee, hearings were held on bills to expand school choice and introduce vouchers. Opponents to the bills included State Treasurer Lynn Rogers, various public education stakeholders and superintendents, nonpartisan groups and parents. Testimony from the meeting can be found here. Aaron Rife, Wichita State Professor of Education, wrote of the school choice myth in the Wichita Eagle.

School Choice?

“School Choice” appears simple but the consequences are complex. First of all, the name itself is misleading; “school choice” suggests parental empowerment but in reality, turns public investment of education into private consumption of public resources. Families can “shop” for schools, ultimately pitting more privileged districts and schools against systems in impoverished or rural areas. Opponents highlight problems in the policy:

●     Some schools will be overwhelmed by the growth in student population and unable to manage the influx while maintaining high standards.

●     In the current version of the bill, no transportation options are provided to low-income students. If a parent sends their child to an out-of-district school, they must also provide transportation. This is not feasible for many of the families that school choice advocates claim will benefit most -- low-income families working multiple jobs, who may only have one car.

●     Exacerbated racial segregation is reflected in school choice programs in Arizona, Florida, and Indiana.

Vouchers: Coupons for Schools?

“Vouchers” is a deceptive label for a policy framed by Republicans as uniquely beneficial to low-income, underrepresented, or disabled students. They claim vouchers provide access to a parochial school or other private educational institution via public subsidies, serving to supplement the educational opportunities of lesser-resourced communities. This is misleading as redirecting tax dollars to private schools depletes resources from the public system to the detriment of teachers, students, and communities.

APEX: Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion

The building was abuzz with talk of “Attracting Powerful Economic Expansion,” colloquially known as APEX. The Senate passed SB 347 last week. It was heard in the House Commerce Labor and Economic Development Committee this week. Numerous amendments were introduced. The House Committee will likely work SB 347 early next week which would provide the needed tool to attract megaprojects to Kansas. The business has not yet been publicly announced.

Key points to know:

●     An economic development project worth $4 billion could bring 4,000 jobs to Kansas.

●     The effort is led by Governor Laura Kelly and Lt. Governor David Toland.

●     This one “megaproject” will bring five new suppliers to Kansas.

Resources

Did you know? All committee hearings can be found on the Kansas Legislature’s YouTube page.

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.

Resources

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Kansas Legislature Website