Phantom amendments

Rep. Ann Mah, D-Topeka, spoke against legislation last week that would prohibit domestic partnership registries, saying she thought about trying to amend the bill to give it the title of “Kansas As Bigoted as You Think Act.” But she didn’t.

The legislation banning domestic partnership registries was approved by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee and sent to the full House for consideration.

Earlier, Sen. Chris Steineger, D-Kansas City, tried to get lawmakers to amend the “Official English” bill with “Official American.” But he later pulled the amendment.

Sloan named to group

Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence, has been named to the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, which is a nonpartisan organization formed by lawmakers who support progressive environmental legislation.

“I am very pleased that my efforts on behalf of renewable energy and water protection policies in Douglas County and Kansas have earned the invitation to join NCEL,” Sloan said.

Sloan also serves on a National Conference of State Legislatures committee dealing with making high-speed Internet services available nationwide.

Thimerosal bill killed

The first bill filed in the 2007 legislative session – Senate Bill 1 – finally got a public hearing last week before the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.

The measure would phase out the use of mercury-based thimerosal as a preservative in vaccines. Several Lawrence parents have been involved in calling for a ban of thimerosal because they say it is linked to increased rates of autism in children.

But state and federal health officials contend there is no link between thimerosal and autism.

Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, chairman of the committee, said the committee would not vote on the issue this year because more study was needed.

Medicaid on horizon

President Bush’s plan to cut $5 billion in Medicaid funding has states and public hospitals urging Congress to block the proposal.

Andy Allison, acting Medicaid director, said Kansas was closely watching the proposal.

“The rule would impose a radically new set of restrictions on a state’s prerogative to compensate public safety net providers, restrictions that could put providers and beneficiaries at risk and will result in a shift of health care costs from the federal government to states,” Allison said.

Sebelius chides pace

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius continues to criticize legislators for failing to approve any health care reforms this year, noting that an estimated 300,000 Kansans don’t have health insurance.

“We have first-class hospitals and health providers all over the state, but it’s hard to take advantage of those providers if you don’t have health insurance,” Sebelius said.

At the start of the legislative session in January, Sebelius had asked lawmakers and policymakers to come up with a plan to provide coverage for all Kansans.

A bipartisan group has endorsed “short-term goals” to increase newborn screening tests and provide assistance to low-income families to purchase health insurance.

Sebelius backed those proposals. “We have a health care crisis. We have expert guidance on how to address that crisis. The time for inaction is over,” Sebelius said.

Quote of the week

This is not a marriage, but we are trying to go steady.”

– Mary Birch, referring to the relationship between Kansas University and Kansas State University as part of a plan to raise taxes in Johnson County to help fund new facilities there for the two schools.

What’s next

For all practical purposes, all legislative action has moved to the floors of the House and Senate and House-Senate conference committees working on differences in bills passed by either chamber. First adjournment of the session is April 3 with the wrap-up session scheduled to start April 25.