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The Net #12
Kansas Legislative Network News
April 5, 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
Perseverance Needed!
The regular session of the Kansas Legislature is now over. Legislators have gone back to their districts to listen to their constituents before going back for the veto session, which is scheduled to begin on Wednesday April 29th. It is scheduled to last until Saturday May 2nd but many legislators have said they will pack clothes for 2 weeks. An even more dismal outlook on the state budget is expected by then.
The Veto Session, obviously designed as a period when the legislators can overturn gubernatorial vetoes, is also for considering the final appropriations bill called the Omnibus Bill. Other exempt bills that were not voted on or worked during the regular session are often also considered. However, except for conference committees, legislators spend a lot of time waiting for bills in conference committees to come to the full House or Senate for votes.
In the past week, the there were primarily 2 bills of concern to the Sierra Club, HB 2121 and Senate Substitute for Substitute for HB 2014 which have been discussed in previous KLNs. Both of these were in conference committee but only one needed additional work.
HB 2121 was a bill from the Senate and House Agricultural Committees. The bill of concern to the Sierra Club was a bill previously discussed in KLN’s # 7 and 77, HB 2295. 2295 limited the ability of dairies to indicate they did not use hormones on cows that made them produce more milk. It also required that there be a disclaimer specifically placed in similar font. This bill had passed in the House but did not even have a hearing in the Senate.
None-the-less, 2295 was amended into 2121 in conference committee. The conference committee report was then passed in the Senate 22-15 then the House 82-42 and will now go to the Governor. Those opposing 2121 will be requesting the Governor to veto it. Sierra Club members are encouraged to contact the Governor asking her to veto 2121 because of the rGBH labeling requirements in the bill. The votes are adequate for sustaining a veto.
The big news this week was that 2014 was finally voted on setting the stage for an expected veto. As expected both conference committee reports passed. First the Senate voted 31-7 then the House 74-48.
Senate vote:
Yeas: Abrams, Apple, Barnett, Brownlee, Bruce, Brungardt, Colyer, Donovan, Emler, Haley, Huelskamp, Kelsey, Lee, Lynn, Marshall, Masterson, McGinn, Morris, Ostmeyer, Owens, Petersen, Pilcher-Cook, Pyle, Reitz, Schmidt D, Schmidt V, Taddiken, Teichman, Umbarger, Vratil, Wagle.
Nays: Faust-Goudeau, Francisco, Hensley, Holland, Kelly, Kultala, Schodorf. Absent or Not Voting: Steineger, Wysong.
House vote:
Yeas: Aurand, Bethell, Bowers, Brookens, A. Brown, Brunk, Burgess, Carlson, Colloton, Craft, Crum, DeGraaf, Donohoe, Faber, Feuerborn, Fund, George, Goico, Gordon, Grange, Hayzlett, Hermanson, Hineman, C. Holmes, M. Holmes, Horst, Huebert, Jack, Johnson, Kelley, Kerschen, King, Kinzer, Kleeb, Knox, Landwehr, Light, Lukert, Maloney, Mast, McLeland, Morrison, Moxley, Myers, Navinsky, Neufeld, O’Brien, O’Neal, Olson, Otto, Palmer, Patton, Pauls, Peck, Phelps, Powell, Prescott, Proehl, Rhoades, Roth, Schroe- der, Schwab, Schwartz, Seiwert, Shultz, Siegfreid, Swanson, Tafanelli, Vickrey, Wetta, Whi- tham, Williams, B. Wolf, Yoder.
Nays: Ballard, Benlon, T. Brown, Burroughs, Carlin, Crow, Davis, Dillmore, Finney, Flaharty, Frownfelter, Furtado, Garcia, D. Gatewood, S. Gatewood, Goyle, Hawk, Hen- derson, Henry, Huntington, Kuether, Lane, Loganbill, Long, Mah, McCray-Miller, Mengh- ini, Merrick, Neighbor, Peterson, Pottorff, Quigley, Rardin, Ruiz, Sawyer, Slattery, Sloan, Spalding, Svaty, Swenson, Talia, Tietze, Trimmer, Ward, Watkins, Winn, K. Wolf, Worley. Present but not voting: None. Absent or not voting: Grant, Hill, Kiegerl.
Our hope is that the veto will be sustained in the house where 84 votes are needed for a veto override. The vote looks very optimistic but 3 legislators did not vote who have voted yes in the past and several others voted no in order to leverage to get support for other bills. Between now and the Veto Session, efforts will be essential to sustain a veto.
What You Can Do!
1. Because this is a new vote, all those voting NO can and should be thanked again especially by their constituents. Even though some are not necessarily sincere, they should all be thanked so they know they have constituents who appreciate their vote. Others should be encouraged to sustain the Governor’s veto but our target is to maintain the no votes in the House.
Write your State Representative first, then your Senator. There is time to hand write them and mail to their homes. This should be done no later than April 23rd so they get if before they leave for the veto session, which starts April 29th. Emails and phone calls are also good but not as good as written letters.
2. Write letters to the editor of local newspapers thanking legislators who voted against Holcomb, supporting renewable energy and the jobs it could bring.
3. Call in to radio talk shows especially if they have legislators on them. Ask about Holcomb and once again thank legislators voting no on 2014. Be encouraging.
4. Go to legislative forums or presentations doing the same as 1-3.
5. Donate to the Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club to help them with their campaign against coal fired power plants and global warming. Non-deductible 501c.4 funds are needed to further our efforts. Donations can be sent to:
Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club,
c/o Scott Smith
2111 Snowbird Dr.
Manhattan, KS 66502-1960
Checks made out to: Kansas Chapter of the Sierra Club.
Contributions and gifts to the Sierra Club for the support of citizen based advocacy and lobbying are not tax-deductible.
These types of funds are getting scarce and are the only type of funds that can be used to specifically advocate for or against legislation. Your help is needed to continue the fight. Those wanting to build coal plants have been spending money for lobbying, phone banks and mailings. They hope we won’t keep up!
Your help is needed now!
We have almost reached our goal of stopping this legislation. We must persevere. Do what you can NOW.
Tom
Tom Thompson
Legislative Coordinator
Sierra Club Kansas Chapter
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