Update from Topeka with Rep. Francis

The Liberal Area Chamber of Commerce was in Topeka this week selling our community to the rest of the state. I can’t thank these community leaders enough for the time they spend telling our story to others across the State. It really makes a difference when legislators talk to you. We all connect with others in different ways. Sometimes you can make that connection in a way others can’t. I encourage all of you to take the time to reach out to your elected officials whenever you have the chance.

This week Big First Congressional Representative Tracey Mann’s committee appointments were announced:

House Agriculture Committee
Chairman of Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, Subcommittee on Aviation
Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
House Small Business Committee

I want to congratulate Congressman Mann on his appointments. We all know how important highways, railroads, agriculture, and small business are to our community.

House Bills Passed This Week

HB 2015 – Authorizing the designee of an employing agency or entity to petition the court for an order requiring infectious disease testing.
The bill streamlines the process for corrections officers, emergency services staff, juvenile prison staff, and law enforcement” that are exposed to bodily fluids during the course of their work. With the addition of a designee of the agency or organization who can now petition the court to have a person tested for disease, law enforcement is better protected. 

HB 2016 – Clarifying how property held under a transfer-on-death deed is distributed when one beneficiary predeceases the grantor.
Expands a tool already in place for the transfer of property and allows individuals to leave that property to their children or grandchildren without the costly probate process.

HB 2017 – Enacting the uniform family law arbitration act.
Due to the increase and use of arbitration in family law matters, The Kansas House felt HB 2017 to be necessary to make sure that the family law arbitration process kept up with the increasing use of arbitration as a technique to resolve complex family law issues. Provisions within UFLAA provide efficiency for the parties as well as protections for children and victims of domestic violence. 

HB 2018 – Permitting a will or a copy of a will filed within six months after the death of the testator to be admitted to probate at any time.
The bill allows a copy of a decedent’s will to be filed and admitted to probate and allows a will or a copy of a will filed within six months of the testator’s death to be probated at any time. 
Transportation Committee Action This Week Presentation on:

Road Usage Charges – Ben Kessler, Public Policy Manager, ChargePoint
Hearings on:

HB2004 — Establishing the EV energy equity road repair tax act and providing for a road
repair tax on electricity distributed from a public charging station for electric vehicles.

HB2146 — Increasing penalties for operating a vehicle at a speed in excess of 30 miles per
hour over the speed limit.

The Highway Patrol testified they have seen a significant increase in the number of citations issued to drivers who are traveling 100 or more miles per hour since 2019. That year, 1,758 citations were issued for triple-digit speeds. In 2022 the total number of citations issued for drivers traveling 100 or more miles per hour exceeded 3,250. This is an 86% increase in the last three years (from 2019) and a 213% increase from a decade ago (in 2013). Over 300 citations issued in the last three years were for speeds of 120 miles per hour or more. In July of 2021, an Audi A7 was checked at 202 miles per hour in a 65 miles per hour construction zone on the Turnpike. The driver was stopped, found to be under the influence of alcohol, and arrested on multiple charges. This excessive speeding is a serious danger to all of us.

HB2014 — Designating a portion of United States highway 69 in Crawford county as the
Robert Lessen memorial highway.

HB2149 — Allowing distinctive license plates to be personalized license plates.

Jennifer Forrester This year my committee and office assistant is Jennifer Forrester. Jennifer has a great background as a Senate committee assistant, corrections officer and with the National Guard. She will be the friendly voice on the other end of the phone when you call my office. You can reach her at [email protected] or (785) 296-7466.

Pages The Page program is designed for students in middle school, junior high or the first years of high school. Working as a page in the Kansas Legislature is an excellent way to learn more about the legislative process. If you or someone you know is interested in serving as a page, please contact me or Jennifer for more information.

Constituent Services
Thank you for the opportunity to continue serving working families in Seward and Meade County. Please reach out to me any time I can assist you with a state agency concern. I do ask that you send the request to me by email. This ensures that I get the information correctly to the agency we are working with. You can reach me when I’m in Topeka by email at [email protected], by phone (785) 296-7466, or by mail at 300 SW 10th Avenue, 274-W, Topeka, KS 66612