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Dick Kelsey has provided important legislative leadership and will continue to do so as State Senator.
Following are some of the issues that Rep. Kelsey worked on in the past two years and will continue to pursue in the State Senate:
Budget: It is my goal to provide Kansas with a balanced budget that slows government growth and spending.
Expand state budget transparency. Passed Sub for Sub of SB 316 Establishes the Kansas Taxpayer Transparency Act; expands the Kansas Governmental Operations Accountability Law and creates the Kansas Performance Measurement Commission. This bill will help Kansas know more precisely where and how state funds are being spent.
Tax Relief: It is my goal to provide sound tax policy for Kansas businesses, families and property owners that makes Kansas more competitive with surrounding states.
Families and Property owners:
Passed HB 2031 that exempts social security benefits from state income tax.
Increased the homestead property tax refund with HB2476
Selective Assistance for effective Senior Relief Act (SAFE Senior) HB2434 gives those age 65 and older property tax credit if they make less that 16,800 per year.
Businesses:
Repealed State Franchise Tax by passing HB 2264
Reduced Unemployment Insurance Rate by passing SB 83
Restructured the state’s Corporate Income Tax Rates by passing HB2434
Education: It is my goal to maintain and improve our public schools, vocational schools, community colleges and universities.
Pre-fund the school finance plan without a tax increase through 2020. Pasted HB 2368 and SB 531.
Tuition equality for regent schools. Passed HB 2185, HB 2425 and SB 355
Infrastructure and building repairs for Kansas universities and colleges. Passed HB2237
Restructure education programs at vocational schools, community colleges and universities focused on meeting the needs of Kansas business community. Passed SB288 HB2556
Still to do:
Establish a uniform budgeting and reporting system for Kansas School districts with emphasis on budget transparency. HB 2175 died in committee.
Stabilize in state tuition to encourage attendance at Kansas universities, colleges and vocational schools. HB 2533 died in committee.
Crime and public safety: It is my goal to equip law enforcement agencies and prosecutors with funding and tougher penalties to better protect citizens and to ensure the Kansas Judicial System serves all Kansans.
Passed Alexa’s Law HB2062 which makes the killing of an unborn child a crime.
Established Controlled Substances Monitoring Task Force. Passed HB 2062
Established Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act. Passed SB 18
Established Community Parole and Probation Program. Passed SB 14
Kansas Funeral Privacy Act. Passed SB244 and SB 226
Expanded state’s stalking laws. Passed SB 414
Established anti bullying and cyberbullying school programs Passed HB 2758
Tougher DUI penalties Passed SB 35
Health Care: It is my goal to improve affordable access and services to all Kansans; to relieve the burden of increasing premiums for individuals and small businesses and to put Kansans in charge of their health care dollars.
Passed Healthy Kids Initiative:
Increase Newborn Screening Test passed SB 11
Early Intervention Program Passed SB 138
Improve delivery of mental health, alcohol and drug prevention treatment programs. Passed SB 354.
Continue health care reform including various KHPA recommendations. Passed House Sub for SB 81
Support Tax incentives for small businesses that provide or expand 125 plans to their employees. SB 81
Improve portability of health insurance coverage by extending state COBRA policy from six to 18 months of optional coverage. Passed SB 81
Expanded Medicaid eligibility and provide dental services for pregnant women.
Increased funding for Safety New Clinics which provides medical care for the poor and uninsured.
Immigration: It is my goal to relieve the burden of the cost of state services for illegal aliens on the Kansas Taxpayers; ensure state and federal immigration laws are enforced and assist legal immigrants to assimilate into the Kansas culture and economy.
Established English as the official state language. Passed HB 2140
Enhance worker ID enforcement. Passed SB 9
Imposed civil and criminal penalties on any illegal alien who registers to vote or votes in an election and on those who knowingly register an illegal alien to vote. SB 329
Enhanced penalties for dealing in false ID documentation
Economic development: It is my goal to encourage our state’s entrepreneurial spirit by uti9lizing our natural resources, history and people and to encourage private sector job growth.
Established qualified industrial manufacturer act. SB 164
Established enterprise facilitation fund. HB 2004
Extended rural business development tax credit. HB 2004
Impact of rules and regulations on small businesses SB 579
Workforce development passed SB 288
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