Legislative deadline

The Legislature will be working overtime this week to push through bills and beat Friday’s “turnaround” deadline. That is the day when most bills must be approved in their house of origin to receive further consideration this year.

Death penalty

The Senate today will debate two death penalty bills in response to a Kansas Supreme Court ruling that overturned the state’s death penalty.

One bill would abolish the death penalty, while another attempts to fix the flaw found by the court.

But it’s probable neither bill will pass because the Legislature has been advised by Atty. Gen. Phill Kline and prosecutors that doing nothing is the best strategy to get the U.S. Supreme Court to accept an appeal of the Kansas Supreme Court’s decision. The Senate will also consider a resolution asking the U.S. Supreme Court to accept its appeal.

Regents endorse military ‘Bill of Rights’

Last week, the Kansas Board of Regents put its support behind proposals by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius aimed at helping Kansans in the military and their families.

The measures include providing a full tuition refund when a member of the military who is a student is called to active duty and must leave school, and providing tuition waivers for the dependents of Kansans who are killed in the line of duty.

Comp romp?

Was House passage last week of the first substantial business-backed workers’ compensation bill in years a sign of more to come? The House Commerce and Labor Committee on Tuesday will have a hearing on another business-backed workers’ comp bill. This one would cap attorney fees in workers’ comp cases, not to exceed 25 percent.