Kansas Week 11: anti-abortion bills (again), flat tax dies (again), anti-DEI bills, and more 🚨
Video Script
Intro
Hey I’m Davis Hammet with Loud Light! Here’s what happened the 11th week inside the Kansas Statehouse.
Abortion Coercion (HB2813 & SB527)
There are several bills moving through the legislature related to abortion ranging from a total ban on abortion to more indirect efforts like funneling more tax dollars to anti-abortion pregnancy centers. House and Senate committees both heard proposals to make a new felony crime of abortion coercion. The House committee amended the bill to more broadly apply the new felony crime to reproductive coercion including the intentional destruction of birth control; however, a Senate committee rejected a similar amendment with Chairman Thompson saying that preventing pregnancy coercion “would broaden the scope into marital relationships.”
Medical Marijuana Bill (SB555)
A bill introduced this week in a Senate Committee would create a highly restrictive medical marijuana pilot program. The proposal’s restrictions range from only allowing a limited number of medical conditions to be eligible for treatment to only allowing the medicine to come in ointment and pill form. Further, specific restrictions on who can produce and distribute the medicine are raising questions as the bill was introduced by and appears to be designed to benefit specific Wichita business owners by shutting out any competition. Senate President Masterson will ultimately decide if the Senate is allowed to debate the bill, but if a bill does advance this year it is unlikely the public will have a chance to testify and provide input.
Medicaid Expansion
For the first time in four years the Legislature heard bills to expand Medicaid in both the House and Senate Wednesday. There were over 900 pieces of proponent testimony, polls showing overwhelming public support for the policy, and the rooms were packed with Medicaid expansion supporters, yet the next day all Republicans on the House Committee voted to stop the bill from advancing which blocks the House from being allowed to debate the bill. Prospects for the bill are also challenging in the Senate where the Public Health Chair Sen. Gossage,a private insurance salesperson who stands to lose business if low-income Kansans qualify for medicaid, is an avid opponent. Kansas remains one of the few states in the nation that refuses billions of dollars in aid aimed at helping poor Americans to access care and keeping rural hospitals open.
DEI (HB2460)
This week the House passed a bill that seeks to shut down efforts at colleges to make campus more welcoming for historically marginalized Kansans. The bill would prohibit and create penalties for public, technical, and community colleges that ask questions about diversity, equity, and inclusion and “related topics” during the hiring and student admission process. The bill would give Attorney General Kris Kobach the power to investigate colleges that are accused of violating the law. The bill raises free speech concerns and the Attorney General’s office has stated the state would likely face free speech legal challenges if passed.
House Tax Cuts (HB2844)
Last week the Senate passed another bill trying to establish a flat income tax, but instead of the House taking the flat tax up again House Republicans abandoned the single rate proposal and introduced a dual rate proposal. Kansas has attempted a two rate income tax a couple times, but has always abandoned the policy after ensuing budget shortfalls. The House Republican proposal includes other provisions similar to the Governor’s tax cut proposal, but it remains unclear how much traction the bill has.
Coming Up
Committee meetings are mostly over now. Next week legislators will be on the floor every day trying to push bills through as we are getting close to the end of the 2024 legislative session. If you appreciate these videos please become a monthly donor at loudlight.org/donate. Stay tuned, stay engaged, and until next time, thank you so much Kansas!