Good morning:
Today is the day that some lawmakers would have done away with: Moving your clock forward an hour. But the bill didn’t go anywhere, and we all lost an hour of sleep anyway.
Lots of busy work last week at the Capitol, but basically one major debate over taxes. The Kansas House passed a $500 million tax bill that focuses mostly on returning revenue gains stemming from changes in the federal tax code.
In other news you might have missed but need to know, lawmakers started work on a bill that could expand toll roads beyond the Kansas Turnpike and another bill that will help domestic violence victims get out of costly leases that keep them from finding a safe haven.
Gov. Laura Kelly’s plan for financing public education to comply with a state Supreme Court order got out of committee and is headed to the Senate floor for debate.
Now onto this week’s roundup of state political news:
Emily’s List targets Kansas 2nd District
Emily’s List, which played such a pivotal role in Sharice Davids’ election to Congress last year, is now turning its sights to the Kansas 2nd Congressional District and Republican incumbent Steve Watkins.
The group, which backs Democratic female candidates who support abortion rights, recently announced that Watkins was among 43 Republican incumbents it was targeting in 2020.
“After flipping the House with Democratic women in 2018, we’re ready to send more Republicans packing in 2020,” Emily’s President Stephanie Schriock said in a statement.
The group is actively recruiting and working with potential candidates in the district it thinks can win.
“We look forward to sending even more pro-choice Democratic women to Congress next year to fight for health care, economic justice, and to end corruption,” she said.
Watkins defeated by Democrat Paul Davis last year by less than a single percentage point despite being dogged by questions about whether he was truthful about his resume and whether he was even committed Republican.
A GOP operative described Watkins to the Kansas City Star as a “loaner” who would be in Congress for one term and then out in 2020.
Vicki Hiatt, chair of the Kansas Democratic Party, said there are female candidates who might be interested in running for the 2nd District seat but declined to name names.
“We have some very talented women in the 2nd District,” Hiatt said.
Hiatt acknowledges that parts of the congressional district are tough for Democrats. The party lost a special state Senate election and a House race in southeast Kanas last year. Democratic state Rep. Monica Murnan of Pittsburg won re-election, however.
Nevertheless, Hiatt thinks Watkins is a ripe target.
“I don’t think he’s a strong candidate,” Hiatt said.
A spokesman for Watkins did not respond to two emails last week seeking comment on the Emily’s List announcement.
Emily’s List brings a wealth of resources to any candidate it might endorse in the race.
Last year, its super political action committee spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf Davids, helping her rise out of relative political obscurity to win a hotly contested Democratic primary and defeat Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder.
Medicaid expansion news
Lots of action (or at least talk) about Medicaid expansion last week, but no visible movement. The House health committee held a three-day roundtable discussion on the issue, and the Kansas Heath Institute released a study detailing the costs of expanding Medicaid. Here’s coverage you might have missed:
- The AP’s John Hanna looks at how the governor has stepped up her campaign for expanding Medicaid in the face of a wall of opposition from the Republican-controlled Legislature.
- Former Senate President Dave Kerr joined with leaders of chambers of commerce from across the state last week to call for expanding Medicaid. Kerr appeared at a news conference with Gov. Laura Kelly, who’s made expanding Medicaid a top priority.
- Republican state Rep. Jim Kelly mixed it up with an official from the Cato Institute on the first of three days of a Medicaid expansion roundtable discussion. Kelly took exception to comments from Cato’s Michael Cannon, who suggested there are better ways to fuel the economy than spending on health care for the less affluent.
- A new study by the Kansas Health Institute was released last week showing that 130,000 Kansans — 90,000 adults and 40,000 children —are projected to enroll in KanCare if Medicaid is expanded. The gross cost to the state is estimated at $1.2 billion over 10 years, according to KHI. But the net cost is expected to be $520 million over 10 years once new revenues, offsetting program savings and additional administrative costs are considered.
Former Pizza Hut franchisee wins $48 million judgement
A former Pizza Hut franchisee won a $48 million judgment against the state last week when a judge found that he was a Florida resident when the state billed him for income taxes stemming from the sale of his business.
Gene Bicknell, a former Pittsburg resident who once owned the most Pizza Hut franchises in the nation, sued the state over a tax he bill received for the sale of his company, NPC International, in 2006.
Bicknell contended that he lived in Florida — not Kansas — when the state tried to collect income taxes on the sale of the business.
The court sided with Bicknell, saying he had established residence in Florida well before the tax years in question.
Here’s the court order as well as coverage from the Joplin Globe, the Pittsburg Morning Sun and The Associated Press.
State fire marshal reveals uninvestigated deaths
One of the more intriguing stories to emerge last week came during a hearing over a bill requiring the state fire marshal to investigate any fire deaths or cases when a body was found at a fire scene.
Fire Marshal Doug Jorgensen told the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee that he had identified six deaths resulting from fires or explosions that hadn’t been thoroughly examined, the Topeka Capital-Journal reported last week.
The fire marshal’s office subsequently denied a request from the newspaper asking for records showing which cities and towns weren’t undertaking thorough investigations.
Here’s the AP’s account of last week’s hearing.
Kobach grand jury ends
Anyone familiar with citizen grand juries in Kansas knows they don’t end up going anywhere. Over the years, residents have used the 1887 law to petition grand juries to investigate a park sculpture, pornography and abortion clinics. No indictments were returned.
So it should be no surprise that another grand jury called by a citizens petition in Lawrence ended without returning an indictment last week against former Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
While the idea of a grand jury investigating Kobach grabbed national headlines, the case ended pretty quietly last week without much attention and no charges.
Here’s some coverage from The Associated Press and the Lawrence Journal-World.
Restaurant troubles
In case you were completely out of the loop last week, here are the news reports about the controversy at The White Linen restaurant and the group of lawmakers and lobbyists who were asked to leave the establishment. Here’s the Capital-Journal story followed up on by the Kansas City Star, which relied heavily on the Topeka newspaper for its reporting. Here other stories from KSNT and WIBW in Topeka.
Congressman working to reunify children with father
U.S. Rep. Ron Estes is working to help a father get back his children who were kidnapped by their mom and taken to Russia five years ago. The mother has already been convicted of kidnapping amid the efforts to bring the two children back to the United States.
Here are stories about the case out of Wichita from KSNT, KWCH and the Wichita Eagle. Here’s the news release from the U.S. attorney announcing the mother’s conviction on charges of international parental kidnapping and two counts of attempting to extort money from the father.
In memoriam: Stephanie Mott
Equality Kansas has scheduled a rally and march to mark the life of LGBTQ activist Stephanie Mott, who passed away last week after a heart attack.
The event is scheduled for 11 a.m. March 20 at the Capitol. Equality Kansas plans a Day of Action and Remembrance to celebrate Mott’s life.
Mott’s passing was widely mourned last week, notably by Gov. Laura Kelly, Lt. Gov. Lynn Rogers and Congresswoman Sharice Davids, the first LGBTQ Kansan elected to Congress.
“Stephanie Mott was a champion for equality and a role model for the LGBTQ+ community. She will be missed, but her advocacy to improve Kansas will be remembered,” the governor tweeted.
Davids tweeted this message: “We have lost a fierce advocate, but we will ensure that Stephanie’s legacy and light live on by continuing the work she was so passionate about.”
Mott helped start the Kansas Statewide Transgender Education Project. She led the organization as executive director and president. Several years ago, she unsuccessfully ran for the Kansas House in which she would have become the first transgender member of the Kansas Legislature.
Lots of coverage from last week about Mott’s life and her role in advocating for the LGBTQ community with stories from the Capital-Journal, KCUR and The Associated Press.
More coverage from WIBW and the Capital-Journal about the Capital City Equality Center in Topeka being named in Mott’s honor.
In memoriam: Dick Nichols
Former Congressman Dick Nichols of McPherson passed away last Thursday night surrounded by his friends and family. He was 92.
U.S. Sen Jerry Moran and U.S. Rep. Ron Estes remarked on the life of Nichols, who was elected to Congress in 1990 but lost his seat when the state went from five to four congressional districts.
“In every role he took on — son, husband, father, grandfather, soldier, businessman, Congressman, community leader and friend — Dick put service to others above self,” Moran posted on Facebook.
“It’s been a privilege to call him a friend and mentor throughout his amazing life. Dick has always been a mentor to me and I will miss his steady counsel,” Moran wrote.
Added Estes, “From his time in the U.S. Navy to representing the 5th District of Kansas, Congressman Nichols served our state and country proudly.
“Susan and I are thankful for his public service and join Kansans from across the state in mourning his passing and praying for his family.”
A graduate of Kansas State, Nichols started working in 1951 for the Kansas State Board of Agriculture and WIBW Radio Station in Topeka.
He started in the banking business in 1957 at Hutchinson National Bank. He later moved to McPherson, where he served as president of Home State Bank & Trust Co. until winning a seat in Congress. After leaving Capitol Hill, Nichols returned to the bank as chairman.
Here’s a tribute that Moran gave to Nichols on the Senate floor in 2013.
Davids event sold out (sort of)
Congresswoman Sharice Davids wasn’t joking a week ago when she told state Democrats at Washington Days that voter energy is still riding high after last fall’s election.
Last Wednesday morning (at 10:03 a.m., to be precise) Davids announced her first town hall meeting. It is set for 3 p.m. March 24 at St. Andrew Christian Church in Olathe, Kan.
The announcement made it clear that seating was limited and would be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
A little more than 24 hours later, it was already booked to capacity. At about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Davids’ office tweeted out that the event was full. It will be available on Facebook and Twitter, however.
Not sure if this had anything to do with it, but Johnson County Republicans sent out an email Wednesday afternoon urging party loyalists to attend the Davids event.
“We need to hold Representative Davids accountable for her statements and votes and we need her to answer the tough questions,” the GOP email said.
“Defeating her in 2020 starts now and we need to work together with the same energy the left put on display over the last two years.”
And so the 2020 race gets underway.
