TOPEKA — Kansas legislators tackled issued that included abortion and preventing cities and counties from regulating artery-clogging restaurant meals or sugary snacks as the worked on balancing the state’s next budget.
Legislators passed and sent Gov. Sam Brownback multiple other measures Sunday before adjourning early Monday morning.
ANTI-ABORTION MEASURES
Two anti-abortion proposals won approval from legislators. They’re likely to become law: Brownback is a strong abortion opponent who has signed every piece of anti-abortion legislation sent to him since he took office in January 2011.
One measure approved Sunday night explicitly prohibits midwives from performing abortions or administering abortion-inducing drugs. The proposal was part of a comprehensive health care regulation bill that included new rules for acupuncture.
The Senate’s vote was 40-0, and the House passed it, 115-7.
The other measure makes permanent an annual budget policy in place since 2011 that prevents the state from providing federal family planning dollars to Planned Parenthood. The funds are used to cover the costs of non-abortion services for poor patients.
The votes on the bill were 87-34 in the House and 32-8 in the House.
LOCAL CONTROL?
Kansas legislators are trying to prevent cities in counties from regulating work schedules at private businesses and popular but unhealthy foods.
The votes on a bill limiting local officials’ power were 32-6 in the Senate and 76-45 in the House.
The bill also would block cities and counties from imposing food labeling requirements or limiting the sale of food products.
The measure would prohibit cities and counties from setting regulations that affect the schedules of workers for private employers unless the restrictions are required by federal law. The measure would void existing local rules.
Business groups argued that such policies should be consistent statewide. Critics said lawmakers shouldn’t attack cites’ and counties’ control over local affairs.
BIOSCIENCE AUTHORITY
Kansas legislators authorized selling off the assets of the Kansas Bioscience Authority a dozen years after creating it to nurture emerging biotechnology companies.
A bill allowing the sale passed the Senate unanimously and the House, 89-32. Brownback pushed for the sale.
The bill was a key companion to the budget-balancing plan because Brownback believes the sale will raise $25 million.
When lawmakers established the authority in 2004, they viewed its creation as a major economic development initiative.
But Brownback and some lawmakers thought it ultimately had only a mixed record. They also argued its activities could be better handled by private companies.
HIGHWAY PATROL HELPED
Kansas legislators approved an increase in vehicle registration fees to provide extra funds for the state Highway Patrol to hire additional troopers.
The votes on the bills were 92-27 in the House and 36-4 in the Senate.
The bill also includes another fee increase to provide additional funds for a center in Hutchinson that trains law enforcement officers.
Vehicle registration fees would increase a total of $3.25. Most vehicle owners now pay $35.
A $2 increase would raise $5.4 million a year for the patrol so it could hire an additional 75 troopers. Thirty-five of the state’s 105 counties have no assigned trooper.
An additional $1.25 fee increase would raise $3.4 million annually for the training center.
