The Net #10
Kansas Legislative Network News
March 21, 2009
Tom Thompson
Legislative Coordinator
Sierra Club Kansas Chapter
5001 Rock Creek Lane, Mission, KS 66205
Phone: 913-236-9161; cell: 913-687-2405;
email: tomnthompson@sbcglobal.net

UNBELIEVABLE!

This past week has been unbelievable. Of course this word has a dichotomous meaning to it. Since I would prefer to think positively, let’s start there.

Clean Energy Day

Clean Energy Day (CED) was a smashing success. It was a celebration of the soul and spirit and of renewable energy. The coalition of people who came together to voice their opinions about clean energy was heard throughout the capital and the state of Kansas. Those who came together created a synergistic force that will push Kansas toward a leadership position in a clean energy economy.

The Kansas Legislature needed to hear, with a clear voice, that building sources of energy that emit carbon dioxide and add to global warming is unacceptable. The way to a better economy and more jobs is through clean renewable energy. Those who organized this event and participated in it should all be congratulated and thanked. Our own Sierra Club staff-person Stephanie Cole played an integral role planning and organizing CED. Let us hope that the leadership of the Kansas Legislature was listening.

As a lobbyist, I needed a day like CED to rejuvenate my spirit. Some days it seems an excessive amount of energy is expended putting out fires instead of making good things happen. CED made it feel like we the Sierra Club, along with many others, were fanning the flames of hope and a clean energy future. The impact of my lobbying is proportional to your efforts.

Unbelievably

Senate Substitute for Substitute for HB 2014 is still in Conference Committee. Haggling over wording continued as the House and Senate members negotiated. A final version has been agreed upon and is expected to be signed by members on Monday at an impromptu meeting at the rail (the rail around the rotunda on the 3rd floor between House and Senate Chambers).

At that time, Rep. Annie Kuether is expected to refuse to sign the agreement. This will hold up proceedings on the bill for a short time. Next the House and Senate will vote in Final Action to concur sometime next week. 2014 will then be sent to the Governor. This vote and the eventual vote to override will be the measure of how well legislators listened to your efforts.

Unbelievably

The rGBH bill, HB 2295, also marched through the House on Friday. This is the bill prohibiting such terms as “rGBH free” to be used on dairy products. This bill, opposed by the Sierra Club and a number of other organic and small farm organizations including the Farmers Union, passed the House on a 75-44 vote. The Senate is not expected to move on this bill this year.

Unbelievably

SB 284 that would create a 3rd Party Entity (see KLN #9) to promote and implement energy efficiency and conservation, had its hearing end last Monday. It is not expected that it will progress further this year. There have been rumors that there might be an interim committee that will study this proposal between now and next years session.

Predictably

The legislative session is coming to a close soon. April 4 is called “Drop Dead Day” and is the last day that a bill can be considered by the legislature till the Veto Session.

This coming week the legislature is meeting on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. The legislature will meet and conference committees will be held throughout each day.  Committees can meet on blessed bills but the Senate and House Calendars show little scheduled committee activity. Thursday and Friday are scheduled for having conference committee meetings only.

Your vigilance will be needed till the end of the Veto session in early May. The veto override attempt will probably be at that time. CED was great but a final effort on the Holcomb bill will be needed until then.

Believably

I have a Christmas shirt that has a picture of Santa and says, "I believe.” One needs to be optimistic and know that the cause of renewable energy and creating a clean and healthy place to live is the right cause. One needs to keep believing. I would hate to think what Kansas and the world would be like if …I would just hate to think about it.

Tom

Tom Thompson
Legislative Chair
Sierra Club Kansas Chapter