Senate works education bills

We are sending out a "Briefing of Legislative News" for the week of Feb. 23 due to a shortened work week. We will not be in session Monday and Tuesday of next week, but will be back in session on Wednesday, Feb. 29.

The Senate has approved the following bills that may be of interest to you on education issues.

* Senate Bill 69 concerning bullying and dating abuse passed in the Senate, Thursday, Feb. 23.

* SB 393 concerning career technical education passed as well, with the omission of teacher evaluations.

The issue of career technical education was taken out of SB 361, the governor's kindergarten through 12th grade funding formula, and inserted into SB 393 prior to the passage.

Education is continuing work on the K-12 formula funding. This will probably go to an interim committee at a later date. This is a hot-button issue and subject to a lot of scrutiny and changes.

Assessment and Taxation.

This week the committee held hearings on the following bills:

* Senate Bill 371. This bill would expand the definition of a retailer doing business in this state for purposes of sales and use tax collection to include those retailers who enter into certain agreements with Kansas residents. This bill passed out of committee. Think Internet sales.

* Senate Bill 421. This bill would make a number of changes in the motor vehicle tax, the in-lieu-of property tax imposed on most passenger vehicles. This bill passed out of committee.

* The KPERS committee met this week and worked on newly crafted Senate Bill 429. This bill would enact the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS) Act of 2014. The bill would be applicable to anyone who is first hired on and after Jan. 1, 2014, by a participating KPERS employer. In addition, the bill would be applicable to anyone who was a KPERS member prior to Jan. 1, 2014, but was not an active or inactive member of KPERS on Jan. 1, 2014. There is still a long road ahead to a new KPERS plan.

Editor's Note: Sen. Bob Marshall, R-Fort Scott, 13th District, can be reached at Room 135 E State Capitol, Topeka, Kan. Phone: (785) 296-7370, or email Bob.Marshall@Senate.ks.gov.