Kansas Legislature has much work yet to do

Kansas legislators adjourned the regular session March 30 without passing a 2013 state budget or reaching agreement on redistricting maps for the Senate, House and congressional delegation. Lawmakers also have yet to craft a compromise state income tax reform proposal. These issues all will be revisited during the veto session, which convenes April 25.

Other legislation, supported by KLA, that did not advance for final action prior to adjournment included HB 2502, a bill amending the corporate swine law and HB 2596, a measure that includes clarification that animal activists concealing their identity or lying on a job application cannot avail themselves to the defense that they were given permission to work on or enter the facility. In addition, bills continuing the water rights purchase program (HB 2517) and authorizing the use of water banks (HB 2516) have not yet received final action.

The first immigration bill to advance from a committee this session passed the House Federal and State Affairs Committee March 29. HB 2575 would require the state to use the federal E-verify system to check the legal status of new employees beginning January 1, 2013. On the last day of the regular session, the House considered a maneuver to force debate and votes on a separate immigration bill, HB 2577, which would require businesses that contract with the state to use E-verify. A motion to pull the legislation out of committee and force debate and votes on immigration amendments failed on a 91 to 31 vote. KLA and the immigration business coalition lobbied against the motion.

For more information visit www.kla.org.

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