School finance countdown

23 days: The state Supreme Court has given lawmakers until April 12 to produce a constitutional school finance plan.

Last week’s highlights

Medicaid to cover breast surgery

The state’s Medicaid plan now covers breast reconstructive surgery for women who have had a mastectomy, according to the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.

Approximately 30 women annually will benefit from this policy change, officials said, which takes effect retroactively March 1. “We feel strongly that all Kansas women should have access to proper health care,” SRS Secretary Gary Daniels said.

Sloan appointed as task force chairman

State Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, has been appointed co-chairman of the Environmental and Renewable Energy Task Force of the Council of State Governments.

Sloan has served in several capacities on national groups working on energy issues.

The task force will focus this year on water quality and management issues, air pollution, climate change and waste management.

Cesar Chavez holiday

A resolution asking Congress to designate a national holiday in honor of Cesar Chavez, the former leader of the United Farm Workers Union who fought for farmworkers’ rights, is causing a lot of behind-the-scenes grumbling. Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley of Topeka said he supported the resolution. “I think he was one of the greatest people of the 20th century,” Hensley said.

Town hall forums planned on health care

A new group has been formed to advocate on behalf of consumers on health care issues. The Kansas Health Consumer Coalition will have two town hall forums on Tuesday and Saturday in Topeka. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius will speak at the first one, and state Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, at the second one.

Park land acquisition

The Kansas Wildlife Federation is calling for state park advocates to contact their legislators to oppose House Bill 2226, which is before the full House. The bill would require that acquisitions of 480 acres or more must be approved by the Legislature, including the act of accepting the land itself. Dan Ward, executive director of the Wildlife Federation, said the measure “is designed to keep the state of Kansas from buying any land for wildlife areas or state parks.”

Meningitis vaccination

Public university presidents say they will probably follow Kansas University’s lead in requiring that students living in on-campus housing must be vaccinated for meningitis. Fort Hays State University president Ed Hammond told the Kansas Board of Regents that schools are trying to determine how they would enact the policy with the varying levels of health care facilities at the schools. Starting this fall, KU students living in residence halls, scholarship halls and Jayhawker Towers must be vaccinated.

Today’s schedule

1:30 p.m. House Corrections and Juvenile Justice, hearing on Senate Bill 77, prohibiting racial profiling

Quote of the week

“I’m not going to speak to them all weekend.”

— House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, when asked whether several of his appointed committee chairmen were in trouble for voting against the leadership’s state budget recommendation.