RYCKMAN RECAP, Ron Ryckman, 38th District Senator
It took until Week 10 of the Legislature to do it, but if we ever had a session goal of taking more than 100 votes in a 4-day period, that has been met and exceeded. Actually, our 107 doesn’t quite match the 115 we had a year ago this time, but the 88 in a single day may have set some sort of record.
Only one was particularly controversial, which certainly helps in the decision-making, but still, that’s a LOT to discuss and ponder in a short period of time. Now, if you’re wondering, “How is it possible to make informed judgments on that many bills, amendments, resolutions, confirmations, and reports so quickly?” the answer is, “It is definitely a challenge, but thanks to the hearing process, advance notice, staff summaries and briefings, a lot of reading, caucuses, constituent and interest group input, good leadership, and actual debate, we somehow make it happen.” Then, too, as we used to tell our kids, “Anything is possible if you put your minds to it.”
At some point, understandably, exhaustion finally sets in and we either have to declare that our concentration and focus have met their limits or find some diversion to relieve the tension. That latter “relief” in the form of humor occurred almost spontaneously in connection with a bill I was floor-managing or “carrying” on Wednesday offering protection from liability for anyone providing aid to feral cats. After I had jokingly told my Senate colleagues the only explanation I could come up with for 18 House members having voted against HB 2535 is that they were all KU fans who didn’t want to do anything to help “Wild”cats, the chairman of the Committee of the whole, Senator Steve Owens (Hesston), quipped “All those in favor say ‘Meow’” — and darned if the entire body didn’t respond accordingly — seriously. You won’t find that printed in the Journal, of course, but those who were there to hear it are still smiling.
That one bill I mentioned as being very divided was SB 393, which barely squeaked by 21-19. Some of you may have heard about the effort to temporarily expand the hours for alcohol sales during the World Cup, so that was the issue that drew a lot of pushback. Amendments had been offered in committee to limit the 23 hours-per-day to certain counties or to make it an “opt-in” thing, but the measure as approved would be statewide. I didn’t think it was a good idea — international event or not, so aligned my “no” vote with the explanation given by Sen. Doug Shane (Louisburg), who reminded everyone that 1,100 Kansans were injured and 83 killed in DUI crashes last year, most between midnight and 3 a.m. when driving home from party or social events. Sometimes I have to shake my head in bewilderment as to why — as an esteemed lawmaking institution — we’re even dealing with such things, but I’m sure there are others who wonder the same about matters I think are important.
I often say to folks “That’s why we have a House of Representatives to now weigh in on the proposal (and vice versa).” We saw that happen in reverse this week on another very heated issue having to do with pesticide labeling, HB 2476, familiar to at least the several hundred of you who have emailed or called in to express opinions both pro and con. After failing to make it out of my Ag Committee following a successful tabling motion, House Agriculture proceeded to add it to the contents of an already Senate-passed bill dealing with food additives in school lunch items. Not so fast, however, as House Substitute for SB 390 then got passed over while retaining a place on the calendar, only to just yesterday be stricken altogether under Rule 1507 for having exceeded the deadline for consideration without being referred by the Speaker. One of my favorite sayings is “There are more ways to kill a bill and more ways of bringing it back to life,” but hey, can you please stay awake while reading this?
“Staying awake” may very well be a challenge next week as the Senate is going on a 10-2-4 “Dr. Pepper” schedule to basically just consider Conference Committee Reports (CCRs) as they arrive. In between, it will be (in the words of our Majority Leader) a “hurry up and wait” scenario, since CCRs can come in at any time for a motion to approve or non-concur and even in some cases appoint a new panel to “go back to the drawing boards.” If you’re thinking the last week of a regular session before First Adjournment can be crazy, you’re right, but maybe that’s good job security for me, as you’re likely also saying to yourself “I’m glad it’s Senator Ryckman there and not me.” Ultimately, it’s all “part of the job,” as they say, something for which I “signed on” when running to be your elected “voice” in Topeka. Even in my most weary moments, I am grateful for the honor and privilege of that entrustment. Welcome to Spring.
