[Jayhawk-Chapter] Thanks for your dilligent advocacy

[Rob Tabor]

Good morning, Kansas federation colleagues,

I must be the bearer of bad news by informing you that House Bill 2180 stalled out in the Kansas House chamber despite being reported favorably for passage by the House Committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications in a report adopted in the House chamber. The bill was stricken from the general orders calendar under Joint Rule 1507 for failure to be disposed of by close of business on February 19, the turnaround deadline. But this failure could easily have been avoided by House Speaker Dan Hawkins who could have referred the bill to an exempt committee, e.g., federal and state affairs or appropriations. In that case, the bill could have been brought back to the general orders calendar for action.

All of this happened despite there being two considerations in our favor. First, the bill was not controvertial, as evidenced by the unanimous passage in committee. Secondly, we were not asking for any any additional funding beyond that which is already being collected. it would have simply redirected a transfer of funds from one coffer to another.

As a result of this unnecessary procrastination, we will have to start from scratch next year. The National Federation of the Blind is known for many things, but accepting no for an answer is definitely not one  them. Remember the four P's of system change advocacy? Persistence is one of them.

Despite my obvious disappointment with how we were dealt with by the Kansas House, I am truly thankful for all of you for everthing you did in the effort to get the Kansas subscription to NFB Newsline® fully and permanently funded.

Best regards,
Rob Tabor | first vice president / legislative director National Federation of the Blind of Kansas
Ph: (785) 865-9959
rob.tabor at sbcglobal.net