Topeka ? Children would be required to attend kindergarten under a Senate-passed bill that also lowers the age for starting school from 7 to 6.

The bill was approved on a 36-3 vote Thursday, sending it to the House.

“It’s important we do this. We invest a lot of money in early childhood education programs for ages 3 to 5 and then have a loophole where they can take a sabbatical,” said Sen. Laura Kelly, a Topeka Democrat.

Kelly said the bill exempts children from attending kindergarten on religious grounds or if the parents sign a written objection. She said the mandate doesn’t apply to private schools or parents who home school their children.

Kelly said some parents will enroll their children in kindergarten and stop taking them, but by then the state has sent the school district funding for that child.

Kindergarten is required in all 296 school districts that receive $2,187 in base state aid for kindergarten students.

State education officials say there were 34,584 kindergarten students in the 2006-07 school year, the latest numbers available. Of that, 21,745 were in all-day programs five days a week, which operate in about two-thirds of the districts.

Uninsured drivers

The Senate passed a bill targeting uninsured motorists involved in accidents by denying them benefits.

The bill, approved 31-8, prevents the owner of an uninsured vehicle from recovering the first $5,000 of property damage to the vehicle from the other driver’s insurance.

Sen. Dwayne Umbarger said the problem is that many motorists buy insurance just long enough to meet the mandate to have proof of insurance when they register their vehicles.

“The incentive is to get these people to be responsible and have insurance,” said the Thayer Republican.

The Senate added an amendment to have the $5,000 that would have gone to the motorist be earmarked for the state crime victims compensation fund.

Nuclear power

A bill encouraging development of more nuclear power in Kansas passed the Senate.

The 32-8 vote sent the bill to the House.

It allows utilities to recover their costs through electric rates if they study the feasibility of building a nuclear power plant. It also sets favorable depreciation rules.

Sen. Roger Reitz, who is pushing the measure, said the state needs more nuclear power to meet future energy needs. The state has only one nuclear plant, Wolf Creek, outside Burlington.

But others felt the measure diluted the authority of the Kansas Corporation Commission to regulate utilities.

“This is a Christmas wish list for Westar. We took all discretion away from the KCC,” said Sen. Janis Lee, a Kensington Democrat.

Tourism

The Division of Travel and Tourism would move from the Department of Commerce to an independent agency under a bill passed 33-7 by the Senate.

The bill, which moves to the House, creates the Kansas Tourism Corporation which would absorb the division and its employees.

The corporation would have a 13-member board, with nine members named by the governor and legislative leaders. The Travel Industry Association of Kansas would appoint the other four.

Supporters said the corporation could do a better job of promoting the state.

Rural development

Legislation to create the Kansas Commission on Rural Policy and a state division of rural development was approved by the Senate.

The 40-0 vote sends the measure to the House, where it has the backing of Speaker Melvin Neufeld.

Senate President Steve Morris said the legislation helps promote rural economic growth in Kansas. The commission, with a nine-member board of directors, would develop recommendations for helping rural areas. The division would be in the Department of Commerce.

“This is a major step forward in rural policy in the state,” said Morris, a Hugoton Republican.

Sen. Chris Steineger, a Kansas City Democrat, said the proposal was another move to expand government by duplicating services.

Military recognized

Dozens of men and women from all branches of the military were honored as part of the Legislature’s annual appreciation day. Events included a breakfast for Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, her military affairs council and commanders of the state’s military installations. The council is scheduled to meet with commanders and local elected officials.

Sebelius also signed proclamations honoring members of the famed World War II Tuskegee Airmen.