Senator Brenda Dietrich's Legislative Update

Legislative Update from Brenda Dietrich

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January 16, 2021

Swearing-In

Welcome to my first newsletter as your State Senator! On Monday, January 11, 2021, I was sworn-in as Senator for the 20^th Kansas Senate District by Justice Eric Rosen. The 20^th Senate District includes a portion of Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties. It is an honor to represent you and your families and I look forward to serving you. I received a signed copy of my Oath of Office in the mail and I take this duty very seriously.

Much work lies ahead to help our state recover from the pandemic. To get Kansas back on track we must first address the needed updates and changes to the Kansas Emergency Management Act. These should help our state operations as the pandemic unfolds. A key priority for me will be the state’s economic recovery. It is critical we get our economy moving, businesses open and people back to work. An important piece of that economic recovery will be how the Legislature chooses to utilize state tax revenue to provide services to the people of Kansas. I look forward to helping set our budget priorities and getting Kansas on the right path to move past this pandemic.

New Office: On the 2^nd floor near the Cage Elevator.
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New Office Assistant, Linda Woodworth!

Committee Assignments

During the 2021 Legislative Session, I will have a full load of Committee Assignments. I appreciate Senate President Masterson recognizing my desire to stay busy, continue learning and better serve the people of this district through committee participation. I look forward to helping shape the policy coming out of these committees:

I have also been selected as the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Special Claims against the State. It is a joint committee and the chair will alternate between the House and Senate for the next four years. The committee will hold hearings on claims filed against the state and make recommendations to the Legislature, which will ultimately decide whether or not payment for those should be included in the state budget.

Technology is key this Session

Not only will serving in the Senate vs. the House be a difference this session, but the day-to-day operations of the Legislature will look different due to COVID-19 protocols. There will be limited opportunities to engage with the public at the Capitol and we will not be able to invite students to be Pages. Legislative leadership has taken some important steps to ensure the process is transparent and the public can keep up-to-date with what is happening at the State Capitol.

Phase 2 COVID Vaccination Information
for Shawnee County

The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) continues to follow the guidance provided by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as it relates to administering COVID-19 vaccine in our community. In an effort to proactively identify individuals that are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine the SCHD has launched an online survey for those who have been identified as part of the Kansas Vaccination Plan - Phase 2. More information about who is eligible for vaccine in specific phases can be found at www.kansasvaccine.gov. Individuals or organizations that fit the criteria listed, and are interested in receiving a COVID-19 vaccine as part of Phase 2 are encouraged to complete the following survey:

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6149227/Shawnee-County-Health-Department-COVID-19-Vaccine-Interest-Form.
Additional details for vaccination timeframes and scheduling will be communicated as more details regarding Phase 2 vaccine administration are released and additional vaccine doses become available.

Questions about COVID-19 vaccine can be directed to HAAdmin@snco.us

Phase 2 COVID Vaccination Information for Wabaunsee County

(the following is copied from the Wabaunsee website)

The website www.wbcounty.org contains useful information from the Health Department.

Phase 1 includes: healthcare workers, long term care facilities, and emergency medical services.

Phase 2 includes: adults 65 and older, first responders, K-12 teachers and staff, licensed child care, Preschools, afterschool care and child-care licensing staff, emergency shelter and domestic violence homes, adult group homes, residential treatment centers, adult and child protective services, and public transportation, food processing plant workers and postal workers.

As we get closer to Phase 3, we will list the corresponding guidelines. If you would like more vaccination information you can go to https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/

We have started a Vaccination Call List. Please go to www.wbcounty.org , push the COVID-19 button and find this link on the left-hand side of the page....

There is a form for you to complete COVID-19 Vaccination Request for Wabaunsee County Residents. Fill out the form, and hit submit. It’s that simple! You will be on the list for Phase 2 when the vaccine becomes available!

Virtual State of the State Address

Tuesday evening, the Governor gave her 3^rd annual State of the State address virtually. She provided a much needed update on the state's COVID-19 vaccination efforts and outlined her legislative agenda for 2021. She again called for the expansion of Medicaid, unveiled the Framework for Growth, which is her plan to spur economic growth in Kansas through focusing on five key areas: small businesses, infrastructure, new job creation, agriculture and broadband. She also renewed her call to constitutionally fund education and made the case for budget stability and fiscal responsibility during these unprecedented times.

Senate President Ty Masterson provided the GOP response to the Governor's address. He outlined the core principles by which Republicans would follow this session including: protecting liberties, personal responsibility, promoting a business climate, local control of schools, lower taxes and protecting life.

What struck me after listening to both is that we have many shared goals including bipartisanship. The true debate will come in how to reach those goals and I am committed to working with anybody under the Dome to help get Kansas back on track.

State Budget

Wednesday, the Governor unveiled her budget, which will now go to the House Appropriations and Senate Ways and Means Committee for review. It is not that different from the budgets she has proposed in the past. While it includes many things I support such as constitutional funding for education, restoring cuts to higher education, and a 2.5 percent pay increase for state employees, I have some concerns about the "pay fors" included in the bill. The Governor proposes re-amortization of KPERS, which the Legislature has already voted down multiple times. In addition, the Governor proposes establishing a sales tax on digital sales and establishing a marketplace facilitator to collect sales tax. Again, I don't expect that to be a popular idea with this legislature.

One thing is clear. We must set some key priorities for our budget which I believe should include pandemic relief, economic recovery, funding our schools and infrastructure. Now more than ever, we need to be responsible with tax dollars and ensure they are being used to fund core services.

Senate Debate

Things got off to a quick start in the Senate! We debated and voted on two pieces of legislation already in the first week.

SB 14 is the state’s response to the COVID -19 pandemic. Last year, during the Special Session the Legislature approved HB 2016 to help address the pandemic. That bill is set to expire January 26, 2021. This bill simply extends everything to March 31, 2021 to allow the legislature more time to more carefully review the state's response to the pandemic. It passed 34-1. I voted YES.

SB 13 is a long overdue bill regarding property taxes. It repeals the current property tax lid, which actually raised taxes by allowing for an automatic increase in the CPI index. This new billt creates public hearing requirements for taxing subdivisions that collect property tax to help provide transparency to the property tax process. It also prohibits valuation increases solely from normal maintenance on your home and allows County Treasurers to establish payment plans for property taxes. The bill passed 34-1. I voted YES.

Martin Luther King Day – Jan. 18th

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a federal holiday held on the 3^rd Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr, an inspirational and influential American civil rights leader. He was an advocate of non-violent protest and became the youngest man to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Martin Luther King Day celebrates the life and legacy of a man who brought hope and healing to America. We could use a little bit of that right now.