Quilt Show at Lenexa City Hall during March

Check out the 54 quilts at this month’s gallery show at Lenexa City Hall. One of the largest undertaken by The Lenexa Arts Council, the show is an exhibition of fabric art from The Fractured Fabric Society, a metropolitan area art-quilting guild. Presented in honor of Women’s History Month, the exhibit is on display throughout March. Select pieces are available for purchase from the artists.
 
You can see the show at Lenexa City Hall, 12350 West 87th Street Parkway, Lenexa, KS 66215 (Monrovia & 87th) from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and on evenings when the building is open for City council meetings.
 

March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

Colon cancer is highly treatable if found in its early stages. The most important thing you can do to prevent colon cancer is to get tested. If you are 50 or older, talk to your doctor about getting tested, even if you have no symptoms…it can save your life. If you have a family history of colon cancer or polyps, you may need to get tested earlier than age 50. Talk to your doctor about when to start testing and which test is right for you.
 
To stay well and prevent colon cancer.
·   Do not smoke.
·   Maintain a healthy weight by being physically active and eating a well-balanced diet.
·   Limit the amount of red and processed meat you eat, including pork and lunch meats.
·   Limit alcohol intake to no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.
 

Clean Indoor Air Act Signed: March 12, 2010

In a crowded second floor hall outside the Governor’s office, HB 2221, the Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act was signed into law by Governor Mark Parkinson. Representing years of grassroots effort by advocacy groups, health care providers, and individuals, this bill is evidence that the legislative process can work, that the will of more than 70% of the people can overcome the resistance of legislative leaders, that bipartisan efforts are effective, that evidence-based health concerns can win over ideology. In the House, 45 Democrats and 23 Republicans (24 if you count Rep. Dan Johnson, a proponent who, because of illness, was unable to be present) supported the bill. I worked for the bill’s passage and celebrate this public health victory. You can read my remarks made during the debate on the bill on my website at www.jillquigley.com, click on newsletter then 2010 then “Clean Indoor Air Comments.”
 
A ceremonial signing of the bill will be held on Monday, March 15 at 1:30 p.m. in the School of Nursing Atrium at 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus.
 

Committee Work

Health and Human Services Committee

Cost Transparency for Health Care
The committee heard testimony on HB 2288, a health care cost transparency bill.   Determining the cost of health care in advance is often difficult for the consumer. Because federal regulations require each provider to bill separately for their own services and forbid one provider from asking another to reveal their charges, it is impossible for a physician to quote total charges. Ultimately, the health care plan is the only provider who can tell the consumer what his/her actual costs will be. Much helpful information was provided to the committee and useful amendments were suggested. The bill will be worked in the committee on the 16th.
 

Commerce and Labor Committee

Employment First for Disabled Workers
The committee heard testimony on HB 2669, a bill calling for state services to make competitive, integrated employment the first option for Kansans with disabilities. The value of work to the physical and mental health as well as the economic status of the disabled worker was demonstrated repeatedly in testimony. This bill may be worked in committee on the 15th.
 
Sale of Alcoholic Beverages in Grocery Stores
The committee will hear testimony on HB 2697 on Tuesday and Wednesday (16th and 17th). This bill would allow the sale of strong beer, wine, and liquor in grocery stores. Liquor stores would be allowed to sell non-alcoholic items and to own more than one store.
 

Aging & Long-term Care Committee

Provider tax on Nursing Homes
The 10% cut in Medicaid funding, instituted by the Governor to balance this year’s budget, has hit the state’s nursing homes hard. HB 2673 proposes a $3+ bed tax that would be levied on all nursing home beds. This tax would be matched by federal Medicaid dollars (30-70 state-fed split) and returned to the institution, greatly benefiting those nursing homes with a significant Medicaid population. However, not all nursing homes would benefit. Three in Johnson County, including Lenexa’s Lakeview Village where most residents are private pay under a long-term care contract, would not benefit. Assisted living beds are not included in the tax. A similar tax has been levied on hospital beds for several years. This is a very controversial issue and residents of homes are actively involved in lobbying their legislators. Without increased Medicaid funding, it is estimated that 30-50 nursing homes will close next year.
 

Progress on Balancing the Budget

Governor Adjusts 2010 budget
With revenue down in February, the Governor took action to bring this year’s budget closer to balance. Believing that March and April revenues may rebound and supply the remaining $20M, the Governor made adjustments of $85M to the current year’s budget. He proposes taking maintenance funds from KDOT, assuming $11M in federal funds from passage of the primary seatbelt law, delaying death and disability payments into KPERS for one quarter, activating a 1% privilege fee for managed care organizations, taking saved dollars from TANF, and keeping additional federal dollars for Medicaid.
 

Legislative Action

Tax exemption bill awaiting action by the House
Many constituents have contacted me with concerns about losing their tax exemption for utilities, their church, or their favorite charity. All named exemptions (those for specific charities like Goodwill, Girl Scouts, etc.) have been removed from the bill. The exemption for utilities and churches, while still in the bill, will probably be removed. Including utilities in the sales tax would raise over $140M for the state general fund but taxing essential services like electricity, gas, and water during a recession would further challenge those who are struggling. I would support a moratorium on new exemptions, the development of guidelines for issuing exemptions, and a sunset of existing exemptions to be reconsidered under the new guidelines.
 

As budget committees wrap up hearings on agency requests for next year’s budget, the effect of further cuts is sobering. The belief that cuts alone can be used to balance the $400-$500M budget deficit is fading; the likelihood that new revenue will be needed is getting more serious consideration. Rather than calling for no taxes, I urge you to begin considering which type of tax would be less onerous for you and let me know. If you haven’t yet taken my online survey, I encourage you to do so at www.jillquigley.com, click on LEGISLATIVE SURVEY.

Jill’s Recent Activities

• Attended the Kansas Optometric Association luncheon to speak with Drs. Jason Rogers and Gregory Besler about contact lens legislation
• Attended the Higher Education Caucus Breakfast for a update on the University of Kansas Cancer Center designation, the Kansas Bioscience Authority, and the NBAF project on the K State campus
• Visited with Dr. Stephen Miller, Dr. Sharon Lynch and Deanna Markley in Topeka for MS Action Day about funding for Home and Community Based Services.
• Visited with Amy Campbell, Ks Association of Beverage Retailers about HB 2697 that would allow the selling of strong beer, wine, and liquor in grocery stores.
• Attended the Johnson County Delegation Luncheon to hear presentations by the City of Olathe, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce, and Olathe schools.
• Lunch with Jennifer Wampler, who was in Topeka for Kansas Arts Day.
• Attended the Governor’s Arts Awards where Lenexa resident and Shawnee Mission teacher, Doug Talley, received the Arts in Education Award. His acceptance speech included a wonderful rendition of a Duke Ellington piece played on his tenor saxophone. Congratulations Doug!
• Lunch with Joyce Morrison of Clean Air Kansas and other clean air advocates, in celebration of the signing of HB 2221, the Kansas Clean Indoor Air Act.
• Attended ITC Great Plains Reception
• Spoke with a University of St. Mary’s education class about the state budget, school funding formula, the school consolidation and other education issues. Thanks to Patti Ingrahm, a St. Mary’s student and constituent, for arranging it!
• Spoke with Jane Rhys about HB 2669 and the need for competitive, integrated employment for the disabled.

Kansas needs a law that…

I invite you to complete this phrase, “Kansas needs a law that….” I’m looking for problems in need of action. Share the specifics of your concern and what you think should be done to fix it.
 
Let me clarify, the suggestions listed in this section of my newsletter come from readers. I publish them to give you a sense of the variety of suggestions I get and to get responses from you…do you share the concern or disagree, is this an issue in need of legislation?
 

“Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress”  …Mahatma Gandhi

Contacting me…

Please notice that my Topeka contact information has changed.
·        My office is 174A in the Capitol on the West wing of the first floor.
·        My administrative assistant is Cheryl Coffman.
·        My phone is 785-296-7689.

Representing you,
Jill Quigley

Representative, 17th District

Lenexa & Shawnee
H: 913-541-9645                             P.O. Box 14823
C: 785-296-7689                             Lenexa, KS 66285
jill@jillquigley.com
 
Committee Assignments:  
9:00am           Mon-Fri           Commerce & Labor                            Rm 784 Docking
1:30pm           Mon-Fri           Health & Human Services                   Rm 784 Docking
3:30pm           Mon-Fri           Trans & Public Safety Budget              Rm 142S Capitol
 
 
 
 

 

 

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