Dear Friends and Neighbors,
 
The 2010 Legislative Session officially ended on May 28th. It was a difficult year filled with complicated and controversial issues. We worked many long hours, sometimes into the early morning hours, to meet those challenges.
    
As you know, the state budget crisis dominated most of the session. There were simply no easy answers as we tried to maintain funding for education, services for vulnerable citizens, and create jobs…all with $500 million less than we had last year. Ultimately, from unpopular options, we had to pick the least harmful. Still, despite budget challenges, we were able to pass legislation that moves Kansas forward in terms of health care, transportation, safety, and business.
 
In recent months, I have heard from many of you and have used that input to guide my votes. I have worked to ensure that the interests of our district were addressed in Topeka. If I can be of assistance to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact me at home 913-541-9645 or e-mail me at jill@jillquigley.com. I encourage you to visit my website, www.jillquigley.com often and, if you haven’t already, to sign up for my regular e-newsletter.
 
I sincerely thank you again for your feedback and support. I am humbled by the task of representing you and I look forward to continuing to work with you to improve our state and the 17th District.
 
Representative Jill Quigley
Kansas House of Representatives
District 17
Lenexa & Shawnee
 
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The Budget Debate

The national economic recession continues to impact our state revenues. Kansas has experienced an unprecedented two years of declining revenue and faces a projection of two more years of decline. Since 2008, the state budget has faced six rounds of cuts. Despite reducing spending by over $1 billion in just 18 months, the state budget was still over $500 million in the red.
 
Programs require regular review and trimming to keep government efficient. Yet, after six rounds of cuts that trimmed over $1 billion, further cuts to programs threatened long-term damage to our citizens.
 
The House leadership through the House Appropriations Committee proposed an “all cuts” budget solution which would have harmed Johnson County Schools and which did not include a new transportation plan so badly needed in Johnson County. Unable to find areas where solid cuts could be made, this budget balanced by counting on soft money…soft money which if it did not materialize would force the Governor to make the cuts too unpalatable for the legislature to make. I simply could not support this solution. The “all cuts” budget was soundly rejected by the House, 45-74.
 
In the final days of the session, a coalition of Representatives and Senators, of Republicans and Democrats worked across the aisle to develop and pass a long-term budget alternative. Overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 71-48, the coalition budget still cut over $200 million beyond the already reduced $1 billion but added revenue from a one cent sales tax to solidly support education at the 2010 level, add money to support the physically disabled and developmentally disabled, maintain funding for children’s programs, and create jobs by ensuring a new transportation plan. This was not perfect legislation but was the more fiscally responsible alternative.
 
 

HEALTH

Statewide Clean Indoor Air Act Protects Kansans

Effective July 1st, the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act will protect Kansans from harmful secondhand smoke by banning smoking in public places, any place of employment, including restaurants and bars, and access points of all buildings not exempted by the bill. Those buildings exempted include: private homes, outdoor areas with ventilation, gaming floors of lottery gaming facilities or racetrack gaming facilities, designated smoking rooms in hotels, and tobacco shops.  
 
Studies consistently show that there is no risk-free exposure to cigarette smoke.  Tobacco-related diseases cost Kansas nearly $200 million annually in Medicaid costs and are the number one cause of preventable death.  Not only will a smoking ban protect innocent Kansans from harmful secondhand smoke, it will save our state millions of dollars at a time when we have no dollars to spare.  Health benefits aside, this is simply good public policy.
 
I was part of the bi-partisan group that worked for the passage of this bill for nearly two years.
 

Pilot Insurance Project Offers Coverage for Autism Treatment

Known as Kate’s Law, this new law requires that the state health insurance plan cover services for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for any covered patients under the age of 19. This pilot will cover up to $36,000 for those 7 and younger and $26,000 for those 7-19. Results of the pilot will provide data on cost before expanding the coverage to more insurance plans.
 
According to the Kansas Center for Autism Research and Training, the number of children diagnosed with autism disorders has increased to as many as 1 in 150 children. This makes autism more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. New treatments make it possible for almost half the children who are diagnosed and treated early to avoid special education. States with health insurance mandates covering these disorders save as much as $20,000 per year per child in special education costs, which adds up to more than $200,000 over a student's career. If children receive treatment before the age of 4, many of them go on to live productive lives comparable to those without a disability. It is projected that nearly $3.2 million in social service costs per person can be saved over their lifetimes with effective early treatment.
 
Kansas is the 18th state to enact insurance reform for autism coverage.
 
I carried this bill in the House.
 

Cost of Oral Chemotherapy Drugs Covered by Insurance

Oral chemotherapy drugs, those taken by mouth, are more convenient for the patient, are often less costly, and are sometimes the only treatment available. Yet, these oral chemotherapy drugs are frequently not covered as a medical benefit. This law requires an insurance company that covers IV chemotherapy drugs to also cover oral chemotherapy drugs “no less favorably.” A pilot program will first be implemented within the State Employee Health Plan as a limited trial so that cost and coverage details can be evaluated before being expanded to the greater public.
 
I carried this bill in the House.
 
 

TRANSPORTATION

T-WORKS, New Transportation Plan Creates Jobs

T-WORKS is the third long-term transportation program in Kansas history. Both the CTP (comprehensive transportation plan 1999-2009) and the CHP (comprehensive highway plan 1979-1989) were passed during economic downturns and spurred over 100,000 jobs. It is estimated that T-WORKS will create or sustain 60,000 construction jobs and, when you include local suppliers and ancillary workers, will create or sustain 175,000 total jobs.
 
More than 1,000 Kansans participated in the development of T-WORKS. Priorities, established by those participants, were that preservation should be a top priority and that investments should be linked to economic development. These priorities are reflected in this new law.
 
Kansas maintains more than 130,000 miles of local roads, 10,000 miles of highways, and 20,500 bridges. T-WORKS preserves this network by providing for 100% of the state’s maintenance needs.   It also funds 36% of the expansion and modernization projects planned by KDOT. Each county will receive $8 million dollars to be used for highway, rail, or air projects.
 
In total, T-WORKS provides $8.2 billion in construction spending. In comparison dollars, T-WORKS is smaller than the previous long-term plan but it uses funds more strategically for safety needs and economic benefit. Investing in infrastructure now will help Kansas emerge from the economic recession more quickly.
 

New Legislation will lay Groundwork for Rail Service in Kansas

The Passenger Rail Service Program Act will allow the Secretary of Transportation to initiate plans with Amtrak, local counties, other states involved with the line, and rail operators to connect Amtrak service from Kansas City, to Lawrence, Topeka, Oklahoma City and then finally Fort Worth, Texas
 
Not expected to require any immediate money from the state general fund, the plan will make Kansas eligible for federal funding and is expected to generate revenue, new jobs, tourism, and economic development projects.
 
More efficient than airlines by 18% and driving by 24%, inner city passenger service has the support of fifty-five communities and their city councils. The Kansas Department of Transportation is already working on a feasibility study of a rail program.
 

Seatbelt Required in Front Seat or if Younger than 18

A law enforcement officer can now stop a passenger car for a safety belt violation by anyone in the front seat or by anyone under 18. Adults in the back seat would not be required to wear a seatbelt. Starting on June 30, 2010, the fine will be $5 and will increase to $10 on July 1, 2011. With the passage of this bill, the state will receive $11 million in federal transportation funds, $1M of which must be used for safety programs.
 
It is estimated that this law will save 25 lives and prevent 262 serious injuries in Kansas each year.
 

Texting While Driving Unlawful

Beginning on July 1, 2010, it will be illegal to “text” while driving.. Texting would include writing, sending, or reading a written communication. Warnings only will be issued until January 1, 2011 then a $60 fine can be given.
 

Stricter Drunk Driving Law

Believing that Kansas’ laws involving drunk driving are in need of reform, the legislature established the Kansas DUI Commission in 2009 and required a report recommending improvements in 2011. This law offers a temporary fix in advance of those recommendations.
 
Although the House pushed for use of interlock devices with first time DUI offenses, only the penalties for third, fourth, and subsequent offenses were stiffened. Under this legislation, third-time DUI offenders must serve 72 consecutive hours in jail, instead of 48, before being eligible for a work release program. For a fourth or subsequent DUI conviction, jail time would increase from 90 days/180 days to one year and would double the jail time that must be served prior to work release.
 
 

SAFETY

Yearly Licensure and Inspection for ALL Day Care Homes (Lexie’s Law)

With passage of Lexie’s Law, the 2,600 registered Kansas day care homes must become licensed and will be inspected yearly. These additional inspections will be funded by an increase in licensure fees paid into a separate childcare fund. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will formulate rules for continuing education and supervision guidelines for providers. An online database for parents will provide information on day care homes and their inspection status.
 
Spurred by the activism of several parents whose child died while in day care, their efforts will protect generations of Kansas families who want quality day care for their children.
 
I worked on this bill as part of the Health and Human Services Committee.
 

Improved Tracking of Domestic Violence Offenders

Introduced in response to the 2008 murder of Lawrence resident Jana Mackey, this law gives the judiciary tools to better track domestic violence cases. This law will allow judges to determine whether crimes involving harassment, property damage or disorderly conduct are linked to domestic violence and then tag them accordingly on legal documents. It will enable better tracking of repeat offenders and allow judges to require treatment for the offender.
 
Ultimately, this legislation will help stop domestic violence before it escalates.
 

New Safety Training Protects Social Workers

Applicants for first-time social worker licensure renewal must now complete, as part of their continuing education requirements, at least six hours of social worker safety awareness training.
 
Social workers are sometimes put in extremely dangerous situations. You may remember the 2004 murder of a Johnson County mental health worker, Terri Zenner, when she stopped at the home of a student she was counseling. Investigators felt that Teri may have avoided the life-threatening situation if she had received some type of safety training.
 
There are over 6,000 social workers licensed in Kansas.  Every year, between 500 and 600 social work students graduate and enter the field.  This law will help arm these workers with skills they need to ensure their safety.
 
As a member of the Health and Human Services Committee, I helped refine this bill.
 
 
 

BUSINESS

Promoting Employment Across Kansas (PEAK) Program Expanded

This law expands the PEAK program, which was created last year. The original PEAK program allowed a new business to keep Kansas income tax withholdings if they created a certain number of jobs at a certain salary with specific benefits. This law expands that program by:

• Offering the withholding incentive to businesses that retain threatened jobs,

• Allowing businesses to use both PEAK and IMPACT programs just not simultaneously, 

• Changing the required wage from average to median for the county, and 

• Delineating in-state beneficiaries whose aggregate benefits are capped at $4.8 million annually from out-of-state companies that would not have a cap on benefits.

Unemployment Tax Payments Adjusted to Help Employers

The state’s Unemployment Program is facing the greatest demand in the history of the program.   The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund (UITF) is funded by employers’ contributions and interest.  For the past three years because of a surplus in the UITF, employers were granted a reduction in employers contributions, saving employers $286M.  However, in January, the recession forced a return to standard rates and many employers saw a substantial increase in their unemployment tax.
 
In an effort to lessen the impact of increased employer unemployment taxes on already struggling businesses, this law extends the deadline for payment of the tax by 90 days. It also changes the maximum allowed tax level (5.4%) to apply only to negative balance employers.
 
This change will result in a decrease of $100M in tax collection over two years, an amount which will have to be borrowed from the federal government.
 
I worked on this bill in the Commerce and Labor Committee and advocated for its passage.
 

 

 

 

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