House Trying to Solve Things; Senate Kills a Tax Plan; IMPORTANT ACTION NEEDED TOMORROW

House in a Mood to Fix Things

The House today voted 76-48 on final action to pass Sub for HB 2178, the tax bill that adds a third income tax bracket, adjusts rates, repeals the LLC loophole, and ends the glide path to zero. KNEA supports this bill. It represents the first vote of the full chamber to dismantle the reckless and irresponsible Brownback tax policies adopted in 2012-13.

Six legislators who voted YES yesterday switched to NO today. They are Alcala, Clark, Dove, Good, Mason, and Rahjes. Mastroni and DeGraaf, who were absent yesterday, voted NO. And Resman who replaced Kiegerl on his retirement yesterday also voted NO.

The bill now goes to the full Senate.

After finishing with Sub for HB 2178, the House went on general orders to debate new bills. First up was HB 2161 which would liquidate the pooled money investment portfolio. This is a way to get Kansas out of the 2017 budget hole without cutting state services including education. If adopted it would generate over $300 million but would require a $45 million per year expenditure to pay it back.

If coupled with a serious tax reform bill, it is a solution to the crisis we face at the moment. Kansas gets the money it needs to fill the hole in FY 2017 by passing HB 2161 but must also pass a tax bill that generates enough revenue to fill the holes in FY 2018 and 2019 and include funds to repay this money.

This is the path that the House is on now with the passage of the tax bill and possible passage of HB 2161. The bill was advanced to final action on a voice vote today; the final action vote will take place tomorrow.

Senate Debates a New Tax Bill

The Senate, having earlier this session abandoned a scheduled debate on a tax plan forwarded to the full body by the Assessment and Taxation Committee, today took up SB 188, an alternative tax plan put forth by the Senate Democrats.

This bill would have ended the glide path to zero income taxes, added a third income tax bracket and adjusted rates, repealed the LLC loophole, and reinstated previously repealed or reduced income tax deductions.

Like Sub for HB 2178, this was a good step toward getting Kansas back on the road to prosperity and KNEA supported the bill.

On a roll call vote to advance the bill to final action, the bill failed 10-38.

This likely tees up a floor debate on Sub for HB 2178. It is expected that this bill will be referred directly to the committee of the whole (sent to the floor) for debate.

IMPORTANT ACTION NEEDED TOMORROW:

On Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, House Education Committee Chairman Clay Aurand will have an opportunity to honor the legislative process and allow his committee to vote on HB 2179 reinstating due process rights for K-12 teachers.  Tomorrow’s Under the Dome will include several ways for you to express your commitment to Kansas students while encouraging Chairman Aurand to permit his committee to vote on this bill.

Legislators elected to serve the citizens of Kansas deserve the opportunity to do so and should not be disallowed from participating in a fair democratic process at the will and whim of the Chairman (see “Sham Hearing on Due Process”).  We need you and those in your community to watch for tomorrow’s edition of Under the Dome and be prepared to share the information and to TAKE ACTION.