Editor’s note: Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence, was appointed to fill out the remaining two years of the term of former Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence. Buhler’s journal-style column will be published online throughout the 2003 session of the Legislature.

Monday, March 3, 2003

No session today. The “turnaround” is here. Some say the session is half over, but we haven’t even started. I keep wanting government to make decisions in a global manner. In fact, we govern one bill at a time! It’s hard to see the forest for the trees. I’ll keep looking …

Tuesday, March 4, 2003

Short day with bad weather. For some reason it’s colder in Topeka than it is in Lawrence. Some legislators couldn’t get in due to the ice.

I hope this week brings some vision of how we’ll deal with the budget. For some reason, I don’t think that’s going to happen this week.

Wednesday, March 5, 2003

Are we fiddling while Rome burns or am I just impatient?

House Bill 2288 implements the Help American Vote Act, affectionately referred to as HAVA. This legislation is the outgrowth of the fiasco in Florida in the 2002 presidential election. You remember hanging chads, and polls staying open past closing time due to the machine malfunctions. St. Louis had restraining orders to keep polls open past closing time. Well, here it comes, the states will receive some money to implement. ($5,000,000 plus $7.5 million if we match 5 percent or $375,000)

This is what we now get to do:

¢ Probably require everybody to produce identification prior to voting.

¢ Increase the laundry list of situations that will require a provisional ballot.

Here come voting machines of some kind.

Thursday, March 6, 2003

Pages from Southwest Jr High School were in today. Blake Thames, Brian Hatesohl, Spencer Lott and Jason McCandess had a full day beginning with pictures of the governor at 9:30, followed by a tour of the Capitol and running errands throughout the day.

Committee hearings are continuing on the House bills that passed the House last week.

The Blue Cross Blue Shield issue is back in the minds of legislators. The Supreme Court heard the appeal of Judge Terry Bullock’s rejection of then-Insurance Commissioner Sebelius’ denial of the purchase by Anthem of Indiana. The High Court will probably rule April 18, 2003. All eyes are on the Supreme Court.

We attended a caucus for the general discussion on the health insurance crisis. As if you didn’t know, premiums are increasing at double digit rates and there is no end in sight. Kansas follows the national trend in this. It may be the greatest issue in the near future that we all need to address.

Still no meaningful talks on our budget situation from anybody.

Friday, March 7, 2003

A short session today. Bills are still being assigned to committees, which will meet in earnest next week. E-mails and phone calls are picking up on House bills that now move to the Senate. The lobbyists are quiet, which means their bills haven’t hit committees yet. The calm before the next storm!
Capitol Connections is tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. at Herford House. I can’t wait to see Lawrence people again. It reminds me why this is worth the struggle!