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Feel-good legislation

The Kansas House approved House Bill 2071, which would rename portions of several highways as veteran memorial highways.

In the House Republican bill brief, the "political reality/implications" of the bill were stated as: "Makes you feel good."

Included in the name changes was a portion of Kansas Highway 156, which would be renamed "War on Terrorism Veterans" highway.

State Rep. Doug Gatewood, D-Columbus, said that didn't make sense, and he would rather name the highway after a specific conflict, such as Operation Enduring Freedom Veterans.

But the House overwhelmingly went with the name change.

Desecration measure

State Rep. Lee Tafanelli, R-Ozawkie, has filed legislation to increase penalties for desecration of human remains.

Tafanelli said House Bill 2684 was prompted by an incident in 2006 when an urn containing the cremated remains of Justin Manning, 17, who had died in a traffic accident, was stolen from the Bonner Springs cemetery. Manning's mother, Angela Bickham, said she believed her son's ashes were stolen because she had denied requests of his friends to bury various items, such as a hat and CDs, with him.

A hearing on the bill is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday before the House Judiciary Committee.

Six on Six

Former Kansas Supreme Court Justice Fred Six searched for words to describe his son, Stephen Six, shortly after he swore the younger Six in as Kansas' new attorney general last week.

He turned to tennis. "If your opponent is a line caller, Steve's the kind that if there is any doubt, the ball is good," Fred Six said.

Facts needed

State Rep. Nile Dilmore, D-Wichita, has requested that the Legislative Division of Post Audit conduct an analysis of the economic impact of illegal immigration in Kansas.

"If the Legislature is going to make a serious effort at immigration reform in 2008, then it is time to separate facts from partisan rhetoric," Dilmore said. The committee overseeing the audit division has taken no action yet on the request.

Several bills have been filed that supporters say are needed to reduce illegal immigration. Opponents say the issue needs to be addressed at the federal level.

Sebelius and 'The Daily Show'

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius was blistered in a piece by Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" after she gave the Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union address.

Asked about it later, Sebelius laughed and kind of shrugged her shoulders saying that being called boring "was not so bad."

Stewart went further than that. Here's the link: www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=149037&title=democratic-response

Quote of the week

I cannot think of two proposals that are more critical to reducing the death and terrible affliction of tobacco-induced cancer in this state."

- Dr. Roy Jensen, director of the Kansas University Cancer Center, talking about increasing the cigarette tax and banning smoking in restaurants, bars and other public places.

What's next:

9 a.m. Monday through Thursday: House Energy and Utilities Committee, hearings on bill allowing construction of coal-burning plants. Capitol, Room 313-South.

9:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday: Senate Utilities Committee, hearings on bill allowing construction of coal-burning plants. Capitol, Room 526-South

9 a.m. Wednesday: House Tax Committee, hearing on "university tax bill," which is a property tax exemption for state educational institutions or the Kansas Board of Regents that lease property to for-profit companies to be used for research and development. Capitol, Room 519-South.

9 a.m. Thursday: House Tax Committee, hearing on proposed 50-cent per pack increase in the state cigarette tax. Capitol, Room 519-South.