RYCKMAN RECAP, Ron Ryckman, 38th District Senator
I don’t remember too many times in the Legislature when we have had more than 100 votes in a four-day period, but Week 10 reached and exceeded that pinnacle with a total of 115. Now, you’re probably wondering, “How is it possible to make informed judgments on that many bills, amendments, resolutions, and confirmations in such a short time?” The answer being, “It is definitely a challenge, but thanks to the hearing process, staff briefings, a lot of reading, caucuses, and actual debate, we somehow make it happen.”
Even more impressive, perhaps, was our working through 38 pieces of legislation on one particular day alone in a mere three-hour period. Just the budget itself had taken that much time the day before, so as the saying goes, “Anything is possible if you put your minds to it.”
That was sort of the message at the Kansas Chamber dinner Wednesday night from conservative commentator Scott Jennings, who is not in a lot of common company at CNN.
Admittedly, the necessary focus is sometimes difficult, but when there are 40 senators listening to a Floor presentation not much gets overlooked. That is especially true on something like S Sub Sub HB 2007 (Senate Substitute for the Substitute to HB 2007) making appropriations for the fiscal years ending in June 2025, 2026, and 2027. A total of 15 amendments were formally offered, eight of them approved and the remaining seven rejected, not a surprising number when we’re talking about money and state spending in excess of $25 billion. The Conference committee has its hands full trying to reconcile the differences in a 376-page bill — mostly filled with numbers, but hopefully that can happen by early next week. Since nobody likes to vote for more spending, it is rather remarkable that the Senate approved the measure with seven more than needed, 28-12.
More-than-needed was the case as well with Senate passage 30-10 of the House-adopted tax reduction resolution, HCR 5011. This was only, though, after substitution of the contents of our own proposed constitutional amendment (from six weeks ago) placing a 3 percent cap on annual property valuations. Since SCR 1603 had gone nowhere on the other side, I’m not sure about the rationale for sending it back to them again under a different number, but it is at least procedurally available for joint negotiation. If they continue to insist on their Fair Market Value limitation approach, and the Senate does the same with its, we can’t be very optimistic about an agreement going forward. Sad to say that about something our constituents are counting on, but that’s what happens when positions get locked in and nobody wants to “blink.” Yes, it happens in the real world, too.
That “real world” mentality was definitely at play with consideration of the bill, SB 284, dealing with limitations on the provision of so-called 340B pharmaceuticals. Since many of you had written in about the impact of manufacturer interference on the distribution of those federal pricing program items — particularly in our more rural areas, it was refreshing that even urban senators from the eastern part of the state came together to support the measure, 34-6. The same could be said about SB 1, passed 33-7, exempting Kansas from Daylight Saving Time unless a federal law is passed making it applicable year-round. Most folks from the southwestern part of the state — myself included — seem to prefer what places like Arizona now have with no “springing forward or falling back,” so it will be interesting to see what happens with this measure “going forward.”
I never thought I’d be commenting on something as macabre as a “Black Satanic Mass,” but since I’ve heard so many expressions of alarm about the one being planned at The Capitol for Friday, March 28, I thought it might be well to provide the reassurance that it is no longer scheduled to occur. That is because, following the issuance of a permit by the Governor based on “free speech,” the Attorney General opined — and the Legislative Coordinating Council ruled — that it could be banned as threatened criminal conduct. Something may still happen, but hopefully we’ll be adjourned and back home by then, ready to attend a KDOT Highway 54 expansion meeting in Liberal from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, at the County Commission Chambers — no fooling! As always, I thank you for the privilege of being your “voice” in Topeka; one week to go.
