[Home-on-the-Range] Kansas legislative update

[Rob Tabor]

Good afternoon fellow advocates for the blind,

First, I am not happy to have to report that we are still un holding pattern on Senate bill 284, our Newsline sponsorship bill. This bill has been temporarily referred to the Senate ways and means committee. In order to protect it from the turnaround deadline of February 23. This is the magic date by which bills assigned to non-exempt committees, must turn around from the house of origin to the next body to consider it. In other words, if SB 284 had not been Assigned to an exempt committee, Tuitt, Waze, and means, Our bill would have died then and there.


As to where we go from here, Senator Mary Ware of Wichita, informs us, that we should be having a hearing very soon before the Senate utilities committee, to which the bill was a first assigned, and will probably be returned. With this in mind, I would again remind you to begin working on writing your testimonies, so so they can be ready to send when the time comes. As a convenient reminder, here are the guidelines for preparing a good testimony.• remember to mention Senate bill to 84 (SB284) as the bill you are referencing in your testimony.• specify that you are a proponent of the bill.
• if you do not plan to attend the hearing in person, remember to specify” written testimony, only“.
• mention that you are a resident of Kansas. You may list your full mailing address if you wish, but we commend at the very least that you mention your county of residence.
• tell the committee how you use Newsline and why it is important to you. Remember, fax tell but stories sell.

• last not least, remember to thank the committee for the opportunity to testify and for considering your testimony.

Be sure to check this listserv at least once daily for an action alert as to when to submit your testimonies.

another legislative item we are tracking is Senate bill 333 pertaining to the Sunset clause that would end the existence of the state use law committee on July 1 of this year. SB 333 in its original form would eliminate the sunset clause altogether in accordance with the resolution past in our 2023 state convention in Wichita. But when the bill was considered by the Senate commerce committee, the five-year sunset clause was reinstated. And the amended bill was passed by an overwhelming margin in the full Senate. SB 333 is now pending for hearing before they house committee on commerce , labor, and economic development. I have advanced prepared a letter supporting the bill. With a request that the house returned the bill to its original form, which would totally eliminate the sunset clause. In either case, the state use law committee will continue to meet and to do its work for at least the next five years, which fulfills the essence of our resolution.

As always, I will continue to bring you up-to-date as further developments warrant.

Best regards,
Rob Tabor, | first vice president/legislative Director national Federation of the line of Kansas
(785) 865-9959
Rob.tabor at sbcglobal.net.