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March 7, 2003

Quiet week starts off second half of legislative session

The second half of the session is off to a very slow start. Neither chamber met on Monday, March 3. We hope that most legislators were back home helping in Read Across America celebrations.

The Tuesday ice storm kept some legislators out but there were very few committee meetings and only pro forma floor sessions.

A subcommittee of House Education met to consider the issue of out-of-state students attending Kansas schools. There has been no resolution of this issue yet.

Senate Ed begins hearing house bills; continues discussing technical college governance

The Senate Education Committee started the second half by hearing HB 2004, reconciling statutes that have been amended more than once in the past, HB 2008, changing certification and registration fees for proprietary schools, and HB 2009, raising GED credential fees. All three bills have passed the House.

Senate Bill 7 continues to draw debate. The committee met once again this past week to try to work this bill which requires that degree-granting technical colleges have their own governing board separate from a K-12 district. Two technical colleges are arguing that the issue needs more study, one is ready to move ahead, and one has not yet weighed in on the issue. Once again, a decision on this bill has been put on hold. Discussions should continue some time next week.

Of particular concern for KNEA is the impact of this governance change on the earned rights and benefits of technical college employees.

Senate Ways and Means adopts education budget report

The Senate Ways and Means Subcommittee on the Department of Education prepared its report for the whole Ways and Means Committee. It has no significant differences from the House Appropriations report. Both follow the Governor’s budget closely. They both preserve the current method of funding special education. There is a small difference in some discretionary funds – a difference that makes the issue one that will demand a conference committee.

The whole Ways and Means Committee adopted the subcommittee report with no changes. There was some discussion in the committee about how to legitimize the Johnson County school sales tax or prevent lawsuits by one school district against another.

Some of this discussion was likely prompted by the filing of a lawsuit challenging the Johnson County sales tax initiative. In another twist, on Friday a bill was introduced in the House, HB 2427 that would prohibit using local sales taxes to fund schools.

House Ed Budget hears, works bills on capital outlay state aid limits

The House Education Budget Committee held a hearing on HB 2345 which would eliminate state support of capital projects for athletics facilities. KNEA opposed this bill because it simply removes state aid without consideration to the necessity of individual projects, particularly where the safety of students is concerned. The committee took no action. But in the same meeting, HB 2058, a bill which eliminates all support for capital improvement projects, was amended to sunset in 2006 and sent to the full Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendation. KNEA opposed the bill. This disequalizing legislation will allow school districts that are wealthy enough not to be eligible for state support to continue to maintain excellent facilities while poorer school districts will have to face huge local tax increases to access the same quality facilities.

Also getting a hearing was HB 2333 which would require the legislature to do two-year school budgeting. KNEA expressed concern that the legislature often passes well-intentioned legislation but fails to appropriate money for that legislation later (mentor teacher program, national board certification program, professional development, etc.).

KNEA Legislative Contacts

Blake West, President
Mark Desetti, Director, Legislative and Political Advocacy
Terry Forsyth, Director, Political Action

The KNEA Lobby Team consists of elected leaders and staff. The Lobby Team welcomes member feedback on issues before the Legislature and on this site.