Monday marked the close of the 2022 legislative session and, all matters regarded as, it was a fitting end.
Just after two decades where Gov. Laura Kelly rejected far more bills than any governor in recent memory, Republicans once all over again overrode her veto and enact two parts of laws into law.
In the meantime, lawmakers also handed many remaining pieces of legislation, like a framework for the state’s new 988 suicide avoidance hotline and a residence tax break for little organizations afflicted by COVID-19 orders.
What was possibly most notable, on the other hand, was the operate remaining undone.
Lawmakers did not need to pass a new set of congressional district maps, as several feared, right after the Kansas Supreme Courtroom upheld past 7 days the primary lines enacted previously this calendar year.
Meanwhile, endeavours to legalize professional medical marijuana and enact a main overhaul of the state’s election regulations will be still left to 2023, following users elected not to take them up.
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Republicans override vetoes on Medicaid, election legislation modify
Legislators voted to overturn Kelly’s veto on a invoice to delay the re-negotiation of $4 billion value of contracts with personal firms that provide as managed care corporations for the state’s Medicaid application. It also contained a provision barring the governor from shutting down church buildings throughout an emergency.
They also enacted yet another invoice that would prevent the governor from moving into into lawful agreements that change point out election law devoid of legislative acceptance.
Both steps would tie the hands of Kelly’s administration in methods the governor sharply criticized.
She labeled the MCO invoice as “corruption” and a product of “shut-door” dealings in her veto concept, echoing her earlier criticism of the laws. Democrats slammed the monthly bill at the time once again as tantamount to featuring a no-bid contract and said it could jeopardize the KanCare application.
“In the potential, if we move this, persons will die for the reason that of it,” Rep. Boog Highberger, D-Lawrence, mentioned on the Home floor.
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The evaluate would postpone the contracts’ renegotiation until following the 2022 election, when Kelly is set to stand for a next time period, probably towards GOP Lawyer Typical Derek Schmidt.
Republicans have argued the bill is a needed way of guaranteeing procurement is managed adequately, pointing to what they view as past mishandling of point out contracts by Kelly’s administration.
They also have mentioned it is needed to make certain the future governor has comprehensive command over the lucrative contracts and pushed again on accusations of untoward behavior.
“If you’re heading to make accusations, you superior have your details straight,” said Dwelling Majority Chief Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita.
The second invoice, prohibiting so-identified as consent decrees on election provisions, will come just after the Kelly administration struck a offer very last fall with civil legal rights groups, averting a lawsuit alleging the condition was not in compliance with the Countrywide Voter Registration Act.
It drew criticism from Democrats, with Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka, arguing the device can be handy in averting high priced litigation.
“I post that this monthly bill is entirely unneeded,” Miller reported. “I check with you to sustain the governor’s veto so we can function in the condition of Kansas as we often have without having an problem arising.”
Lawmakers created no try to override the governor’s veto of a general public well being bill that would have banned mask mandates and a finances line-item veto blocking condition universities from raising tuition.
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Suicide avoidance hotline invoice passes
Meanwhile, the Kansas Senate despatched Kelly a invoice implementing the 988 suicide avoidance hotline.
Underneath the laws, the Kansas Office of Ageing and Disabilities Products and services would start off specified psychological wellness providers, build an advisory council and employ the service of personnel to support the hotline. Call centers would also have statutory duties.
“When this provider is necessary, it will assistance persons get it,” stated Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence.
A team of Republicans opposed the bill or voted pass, arguing they ended up in favor of suicide prevention but assumed the laws would have benefited from nearer collaboration with 911 connect with facilities and was extremely prescriptive.
“I do want to do one thing about this but I feel this bill results in a layer of forms that is unwanted,” claimed Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee.
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Lawmakers move tax cuts in reaction to COVID pandemic
Right after a drive by Democrats and some Republicans for additional tax cuts this session, lawmakers handed a lesser offer than numerous had hoped for.
The legislation in HB 2136 is headlined by house tax relief for modest retail compa
nies shuttered by COVID-19 orders. The software is funded with $50 million in federal revenue.
“The COVID aid part, this is so essential,” mentioned Sen. Caryn Tyson, R-Parker, the tax committee chair. “We experienced corporations that were being shut down by our governor. She’s heading to acquire credit score for offering them home tax relief below. You guys, don’t invest in into that narrative. It is a untrue narrative. She is the cause that we have to pass this laws.”
Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin Town, the top Democrat on the tax committee, had pushed for the COVID aid. He termed it “a correct present of bipartisan spirit.”
Fellow Democrats were being additional tepid and defended Kelly.
Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas Metropolis, referred to as the monthly bill an “satisfactory response” for impacted businesses while keeping that “responsible” govt community wellbeing orders have been “needed to quell a raging pandemic.”
The monthly bill passed the Senate 35-. It later 120-1 in the Residence soon after a failed procedural go by Democrats to try to sweeten the pot with an before foods product sales tax slice. Lawmakers also left other tax cuts on the desk in various proposals that under no circumstances saw a vote in the Household.
“I’m totally disappointed for the reason that we could have gotten a lot more laws this year we should really have gotten much more legislation this calendar year,” Tyson claimed.
Tyson bought the Senate to unanimously move much more tax cuts with HB 2597, but the House experienced currently adjourned for the calendar year, so the vote was mainly symbolic.
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Lawmakers depart Topeka devoid of ending operate
Kansas legislative periods can final up to 90 times, but lawmakers still left following 57. Still left undone are a variety of objects, like a big election legislation overhaul that would add major limits on the use of ballot fall packing containers in the point out.
Other products, championed by Democrats, ended up also not touched, including a lot more funding for specific education.
“Even with significantly function still left to be concluded, Republicans are eager to adjourn so they can hit the fundraising path and focus on re-elections,” Home Minority Chief Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, claimed. “Their initially priority wants to be completing the function left on the desk.”
But the best profile bit of unfinished organization was a invoice to legalize health care hashish in Kansas.
The laws sat largely untouched over the study course of the session in the Senate, irrespective of fledgling negotiations taking spot past month to occur up with a final solution.
The House did move a invoice allowing for inhabitants to choose Food items and Drug Administration-accredited drugs made up of THC.
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Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson, unsuccessfully attempted to send out the bill back to negotiations concerning to Home and the Senate to insert in a provision decriminalizing fentanyl test strips.
That plan has been championed by a bipartisan team of legislators but was a non-starter for Senate Republicans.
He also criticized the upper chamber for not using up healthcare cannabis.
“If the Senate did not sit on its hands, we would not be in these kinds of an urgent scenario with this monthly bill,” stated Rep. Jason Probst, D-Hutchinson.
Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said internal disagreements between the health care marijuana’s monthly bill proponents in the long run threw up a barrier to get it across the line. He acknowledged, even so, that it was uncertain any of the proposals to date would have been ready to get a majority of votes needed for passage in his chamber.
“I assume the matter matter is experienced and you will see it subsequent calendar year,” Masterson claimed.
Andrew Bahl is a senior statehouse reporter for the Topeka Money-Journal. He can be arrived at at [email protected] or by phone at 443-979-6100.
Jason Tidd is a statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by e mail at [email protected]. Stick to him on Twitter @Jason_Tidd.