1) Sign Up Now for City Hall Day!

Register today for City Hall Day in Topeka. This annual event will be held on Wednesday, February 1st and is a key opportunity to meet with legislators about issues important to your city and other municipalities. New this year, the LKM policy committees will be meeting to review and discuss pending legislation.

Following the legislative presentations in the afternoon, city officials are invited to join us for a reception from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. All legislators will be invited to this event, but it is recommended that local city officials contact their legislators and offer a personal invite.

Click here to register online.

Click here for the schedule for the day.

Click here for the registration brochure.

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2) Budget Timing Bill

Next Thursday, January 26th, the House Tax Committee will take up the issue of when budgets have to be certified. Pursuant to current law, budgets have to be certified to the county by August 25th. Under the proposed HB 2176, that deadline would move to September 25th. LKM will be testifying in support of HB 2176 and encourages any city that supports this legislation to offer testimony either in person or in writing.

To testify in person, contact the Committee Secretary, Phyllis Fast, (785) 296-4830. To provide written testimony, email it to Phyllis at Phyllis.Fast@house.ks.gov

House Taxation Committee Contacts:
Chair
Richard Carlson, richard.carlson@house.ks.gov, 296-7660

Vice Chair
Rep. Marvin Kleeb, marvin.kleeb@house.ks.gov, 296-7680

Ranking Minority Member
Rep. Nile Dillmore, nile.dillmore@house.ks.gov, 296-7698

Members
Rep. Steve Brunk, steve.brunk@house.ks.gov, 296-7645
Rep. Terry Calloway, terry.calloway@house.ks.gov, 296-7677
Rep. Jim Denning, jim.denning@house.ks.gov, 296-7665
Rep. Owen Donohoe, owen.donohoe@house.ks.gov, 296-7695
Rep. Stan Frownfelter, stan.frownfelter@house.ks.gov, 296-7648
Rep. Sean Gatewood, sean.gatewood@house.ks.gov, 296-7648
Rep. Mario Goico, mario.goico@house.ks.gov, 296-7663
Rep. Gary Hayzlett, gary.hayzlett@house.ks.gov, 296-7640
Rep. Dennis Hedke, dennis.hedke@house.ks.gov, 296-7699
Rep. Kasha Kelley, kasha.kelley@house.ks.gov, 296-7671
Rep. Melody McCray-Miller, melody.mccray-miller@house.ks.gov, 296-7687
Rep. Eber Phelps, eber.phelps@house.ks.gov, 296-7691
Rep. Larry Powell, larry.powell@house.ks.gov, 296-7694
Rep. Willie Prescott, willie.prescott@house.ks.gov, 296-7686
Rep. Don Schroeder, don.schroeder@house.ks.gov, 296-7500
Rep. Scott Schwab, scott.schwab@house.ks.gov, 296-7632
Rep. Sharon Schwartz, sharon.schwartz@house.ks.gov, 296-7637
Rep. Caryn Tyson, caryn.tyson@house.ks.gov, 296-6838
Rep. Brian Weber, brian.weber@house.ks.gov, 296-7644
Rep. Kathy Wolfe Moore, steve.brunk@house.ks.gov, 296-7687

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3) Tax Lid Bill

HB 2212 which purports to require that mill levies be constant from one year to the next is scheduled for hearing by the House Tax Committee on Tuesday, January 24, 2012. This bill has tax lid like implications to cities in that it would seek to keep levies at the same level from one year to the next. LKM staff believes that the bill may not be workable as presently worded, but the committee can make corrections. LKM will be appearing at the hearing in opposition of the bill.

LKM will be following this bill closely and will continue to advise as to any changes or actions taken. Please contact your legislators about this bill and the impact it can have upon your city.

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4) Concealed Carry

HB 2353, a concealed carry bill, has been scheduled for hearing next Wednesday, January 25, and Thursday, January 26, in the House Federal and State Affairs Committee. This bill was last heard during the 2010 Legislative Session. What the bill does in New Section 1 is to state that carrying a concealed weapon cannot be prohibited in state or municipal facilities or premises unless they have in place "adequate security measures," defined as the use of electronic screening equipment at every public entrance, to ensure no one has a weapon. It also prohibits municipalities and the state from prohibiting employees from carrying a weapon in the workplace, unless the workplace is likewise screened. All of the exceptions to being able to carry concealed in K.S.A. 75-7c10 are only excepted if the facility is adequately screened. In addition, that requirement is added to state buildings, including the State Capitol building.

Any city concerned about the ability to prohibit concealed weapons in its buildings should plan to testify, submit written testimony, or contact legislators on the House Federal and State Affairs committee. LKM will appear in opposition to the bill on the basis of maintaining local control.

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5) Sales Tax Holiday Bill

The House Tax Committee will be holding a hearing on Wednesday, January 25th, on a reprise of a sales tax holiday bill from a couple of years ago. HB 2287 would amend current sales tax exemption law to exempt certain purchases of school supplies, computers and clothing, as defined within the bill. When this type of bill was last heard in 2009, the Kansas Department of Review estimated that there would be a loss of general fund revenue to the State of approximately $6 million per year and $1.4 to $1.6 million per year to local governments. Of course, since 2009 the State has added an additional 1¢ sales tax and many cities and counties have increase tax rates so the estimated reduction in revenue would be greater for 2012 and years beyond.

LKM opposed a similar bill in 2009 and will be opposing HB 2287. Studies have shown that sales tax holidays, while on the surface appearing to be a good idea, are not really sound tax policy. The benefits do not necessarily extend to those intended, are costly to both state and local governments because of lost revenues—which must be made up some other way, and are subject to abuse by both the consumer and retailer.

LKM will be following this bill closely and will continue to advise as to any changes or actions taken. Please contact your legislators about this bill and the impact it can have upon your city.

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6) KPERS Update

Both the House and the Senate continue to gather information on KPERS, including actuarial reports and the interim study commission reports. The KPERS study final report may be accessed by clicking here. Some bills have been introduced and a few dealing with specific issues like working after retirement for school employees have been scheduled for hearing. This issue will likely be active for the entire 2012 Legislative Session, so it is too soon to get bogged down in details, but LKM will continue to monitor all of the KPERS meetings and keep cities updated as necessary.

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7) Upcoming Hearings

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8) Notice from the Secretary of State

The Secure and Fair Elections (SAFE) Act was passed by the Kansas Legislature in 2011. Among other things, the Act requires voters to provide photographic identification each time they vote. For those who wish to vote advance ballots by mail, the Act authorizes them to obtain a free copy of their ID document to submit to the county election office along with their ballot applications.

All Kansas state offices and offices of any subdivision of the state are required to allow any person seeking to vote an advance ballot the use of a photocopying device to make one photocopy of an identification document at no cost. See K.S.A. 25-1122(e)(2)

It is the voter's responsibility to transmit the photocopy and ballot application to the election office.

The following documents may be used as photographic identification for purposes of voting in Kansas:

• Driver's license issued by Kansas or another state;
• Nondriver's ID card issued by Kansas or another state;
• U.S. Passport;
• Concealed carry handgun license issued by Kansas or another state;
• Employee badge or ID document issued by a government office;
• U.S. Military ID;
• Student ID card issued by an accredited Kansas postsecondary educational institution;
• Public assistance ID card issued by a government office.

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For a PDF Version of the League News, Click Here