Legislative Update June 39th, 2009

STATEMENT BY AFL-CIO PRESIDENT JOHN SWEENEY ON THE MINNESOTA SUPREME COURT RULING
June 30, 2009
America’s workers congratulate Al Franken – and the people of Minnesota who have gone 226 days without a second Senator – for their unanimous victory today in the Minnesota Supreme Court.  
Working families are facing many challenges including a tough economy, lack of health care coverage and an out of balance economic system where workers do not have a voice at their job.  With these colossal issues at stake it is essential that Minnesotans have both their Senators to represent them and we urge Governor Pawlenty to immediately sign the election certificate so Franken can get to work.
The seating of Senator Franken is also a crucial step towards passing the Employee Free Choice Act that will allow workers to have a voice at work, lift their standard of living and build stronger communities as well as stronger families.  We urge the Senate to move forward swiftly on this crucial piece of legislation as well as health care reform, financial re-regulation and all the crucial issues facing working families.

Legislative Update #16, May 8, 2009

Legislature Closes Out Session

The Kansas State Legislature closed down the 2009 Session and finished their work late Friday night, Saturday morning technically.  The revenue generating bill that came out of the tax committee to close the budget hole passed reluctantly in the House 65-56-4.  You'll remember, the Budget was already passed and this brings them to a zero balanced budget.

In addition, the Unemployment bill (HB 2374) was brought to the House and after members were educated on the Senate changes to the bill, a motion was made to concur.  No conference committee was necessary and that was a good thing.  The vote was 111-8.  It is a sure sign of how bad things are right now because some major business groups backed off of this and took a neutral stance.  It codifies benefits for Part-Time workers, expands the benefits for those unemployed - but in training, and looks an alternative base-period (most recent quarter) when the unemployed person does not qualify for benefits.  This is a good bill and was recommended by the Employment Security Advisory Council.  You may have heard of these funds as both federal stimulus dollars and funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Both are correct and this means federal dollars will flow to our Employment Security Trust Fund to help those out of work for years to come. 

No fire lit under this bunch, but they did complete their work in 90 days.  A false fire alarm earlier in the day did delay things briefly.  Adjournment!

Legislative Update #16 (Quicky), May 8, 2009

The Holcomb energy bill just passed moments ago with a vote of 103-18.  The bill now goes to the Governor.

The tax bill to fill the hole and help get us to zero or balanced on the budget has just been sent to Conference Committee by the House.  This may slow things so that we may be here on Saturday.  But, most are saying they will be finished today.


Legislative Update #15, May 8, 2009

Legislature Inches Toward Completing Their Work. The Kansas Legislature had a productive day handling some major issues that had thought to be at a stalemate.  The major issue settled today was the budget.  While the Senate had passed a budget that included a 2.75% cut, the sense was that the House's conservative leadership would do everything in it's power to make deeper cuts and a conference committee would need to settle the differences (somewhere in between) between their passed bills.  But, this year would be different.  Facing a $328 million shortfall the struggle to pass a budget remained difficult to solve because even the Senates budget was not balanced.  This means some means for some revenue mechanisms was necessary.  Again, a huge task for the House to get agreement there as well.

House got Gutsy on both sides – While the tax committee went to work on piecing together some revenue generating measures, the House conservative leadership took a big risk.  Probably confident they had the votes to kill a motion to concur with the Senate's budget bill, Republican Leadership allowed a motion to concur vote.  The key(and risk) is that if they could not thwart the motion to concur the Senate's bill would win out.  However, if the votes were short of 63, the Senate bill would be lost and could not be brought back up, probably exactly what House Conservative leadership wanted.  In some tense moments where the vote tally board first displayed a 60-62 vote, some vote swithching took place and a couple other legislators suddenly appeared to cast their vote - the vote was finalized with a 64-60 vote.  Only $70 million would be necessary to fix the budget, and $35 million could be handled by a Tax Amnesty program recomended by the State Secretary of Revenue.  It was a shocking defeat to say the least for the House Republican leadership and a huge victory for the coalition of Democrats and Moderate Republicans, Hooray!  We obviously have problems with irresponsible decisions to adequately fund state government and public education, also relieved at this outcome.  An outside possibility exists for someone voting on the prevailing side to make a motion to reconsider, but this is unlikely.  Most say it's done!

Energy took a step closer to being officially resolved.  A resounding 37-2 vote in the Senate is indicative that the settlement guided by new Governor Mark Parkinson passes muster.  Only 63 vote majority would send it to the Governor for signature.  Remember that the veto override needed 74 votes.  Looks good to go for Holcomb.

Unemployment legislation - We've been reporting on (HB 2374) passed easily in the Senate 39-0.  This bill changes policy for determining unemployment benefits.  Change was necessary to draw from federal funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, about $69 million to the state.  We need this bill badly and it now goes to the House.  A simple concur has been suggested but a vote may be necessary.  Unsure if the House has the same empathy for people out of work that the Senate showed, we are asking that you call your House Rep and tell them how important this is to people out of work and hurting because of the economy. 

The House will be very busy Friday as the ball is in their court on just about everything.  Taxes will also be a tough sell in what I like to call the Animal-House.  It's a bit more wild over in that chamber.  The session could go into a half-day Saturday before finishing. 

Legislative Update May 5th, 2009

Holcomb Expansion Compromise Reached
After at least 18 months of delay, a compromise has finally been reached to allow the construction of a Coal fired power plant in Holcomb.  The agreement includes (1) large unit of 895-Megawatts.  As you might remember a smaller single unit was previously offered up as a compromise.  A deal seemed to elude decision makers for many reasons including the economic feasibility of a single unit.  But, those key elements were worked out to make the project greener with more wind now and into the future.  Further, net-metering was strengthened and transmission line construction concerns was firmed up to ease concerns about costs and rates. 
The project will employ more than 1,500 construction workers at it's peak over the course of the 46-month project.   Legislation still needs to be voted on, but the settlement between the State, including new Governor Mark Parkinson and Sunflower Electric was hammered out along with legislative leadership.

Budget Still Problematic
With the failure of the House to pass a budget last week, it was the Senate's turn to test the waters.  Not unlike the House, not much got accomplished.  In fact nothing got accomplished on the budget.  Perhaps the log-jam caused by the controversial energy debate, now loose, will loosen other things up.  The Senate stood at ease and recessed most of this Monday instead of engaging in a much anticipated budget debate.  Both Public Education and our State Employees are watching intensely with much to lose.  Their roller-coaster ride has in the past included across the board cuts to agencies, pay cuts, furloughs and there is still talk of lay-offs.  Our Brothers and Sisters who are public employees need our help.  There remains no apparent compromise at this time on the budget with very real differences in whether or not to withdraw tax breaks to businesses and to generate some revenues, or a combination thereof.  We urge you to call your legislators and let them know State Employees have done their share of "sharing the pain".  Let's not cut them anymore.  Ask these Senators to please reject proposals to cut state pay.

Derek Schmidt-296-2497 Derek.Schmidt@senate.ks.gov
Ty Masterson-296-7388 Ty.Masterson@senate.ks.gov
Jean Schodorf-296-7391 Jean.Schodorf@senate.ks.gov
Ruth Teichman -296-7394 Ruth.Teichman@senate.ks.gov
Dwayne Umbarger-296-7389 Dwayne.Umbarger@senate.ks.gov
Roger Reitz-296-7360 roger.reitz@senate.ks.gov
Pat Apple-296-7368 Pat.Apple@senate.ks.gov
Terry Bruce-296-7300 terry.bruce@senate.ks.gov
Pete Brungardt-296-7390 Pete.Brungardt@senate.ks.gov
Les Donovan-296-7385 Les.Donovan@senate.ks.gov
Jay Emler-296-7354 Jay.Emler@senate.ks.gov
Steve Morris-296-2419 steve.morris@senate.ks.gov
Ralph Ostmeyer-296-7399 Ralph.Ostmeyer@senate.ks.gov
Tom Owens-296-7353 tom.owens@senate.ks.gov
Mark Taddiken-296-7371 Mark.Taddiken@senate.ks.gov
Chris Steineger-296-7375 Chris.Steineger@senate.ks.gov

Unemployment Benefits
HB 2374 will allow our state to take advantage of $69 million to help with the economic downturn.  Through the use of these federal dollars known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Kansas can help some people in real need of help.  A Senate Committee has passed the bill and a debate of the full Senate is expected any day now.  Call your Senator ASAP and ask them to support this bill.  The Kansas Department of Labor has reported that calls to the call-center have doubled recently to 11,000 to 12,000 calls from the little over 5,000 a week, just a short time ago.  Unemployment is at it's highest level in 26 years for Kansas.

Tax Committee Working
A Senate Tax Committee has passed a measure that will allow for debate on the revenue side of the budget predicament we find ourselves in.  This will open things up for debate, we're just not sure where it will take us since there has not been much appetite for taxes.

Plan Could Mean Job Loss
Transportation funding sometimes is just too good for the getting.  Plans for sweeping money and saving here or there abound.  Hey, putting off highway projects appears like a way to save money, especially if an intent is there to still eventually do the projects.  But this is a terrible time to cut back on jobs and this illustrates the implications of worsening the State's economy and reducing revenues in the long run such as income tax. This is the vicious cycle so often referred to.