2/28/10 Rep. Wetta Legislative Report

  FROM THE STATEHOUSE  - Vince Wetta Report 

Vince Wetta, Representative, 80th District * 1204 N. Poplar * Wellington, KS 67152 * 620-326-5205 (home)

Sumner & Harper Counties

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Due to the cost of sending newsletters by mail, this e-mail will continue to be used to communicate with constituents.  Please share this with friends and we will send this to anyone interested.  My address and phone numbers may change.   The e-mail address in Topeka is the same, vince.wetta@house.ks.gov. 

From The Statehouse: Week 7

We started the week on Wednesday after the turnaround and ended Friday afternoon.  The biggest thing we did was pass the Smoking Ban Bill.  This was a tough vote because I hate taking any rights from anyone.  However, with the overwhelming statistics concerning diseases caused by smoking and overwhelming support from my constituents for it, I had to vote for the bill.  The vote was 68 – Yes and 54 – No.  Some of the statistics are that KDHE estimates that a statewide smoking ban could result in 2160 fewer heart attacks and $21 million less in hospital charges.  Annual health care cost in Kansas directly caused by smoking is $927 million.  Smoke free workplace laws in other states immediately and notably improved heart health, especially in nonsmokers.  I worried that bars would be negatively affected but studies have shown that there was no negative affect and employment actually increased in Florida bars.  Some legislators called it a “Legacy Vote” and maybe it was.  I know that my phone calls and e-mails were over 75% in favor of the ban.  There have been several calls and inquiries as to what we really did.  I will try to summarize the bill here.

The bill would ban smoking and make the act of smoking in the following places an infraction:

• Public Places

• Taxicabs and Limousines

• Restrooms, lobbies, hallways, and other common areas in public and private buildings, condominiums, and other multi-residential facilities.

• In at least 80% of the guest sleeping quarters within a hotel or motel.

• Access points of all buildings and facilities unless the building or facility is exempted in the bill.

• Any place of employment.

Exemptions include:

• Buildings not defined as enclosed areas such as rooms or areas without a ceiling or roof and completely open to the elements at all times.  Also, rooms or areas with a roof or ceiling enclosed by walls, fences, windows, or doorways but have a permanent opening  to the elements which comprises at least 30% of the total perimeter wall.

• Outdoor areas of any building beyond the access points of the building.

• Private homes or residences, except when used as a day care home.

• 20% of hotel or motel rooms

• The gaming floor of a lottery gaming facility or racetrack gaming facility.

• The portion of an adult care home that is designated as a smoking area and is fully enclosed and ventilated.

• Tobacco Shops

• Class A and Class B clubs holding a license as of January 1, 2009.

• Private Clubs such as hunting, fishing, shooting, golf clubs which are not open to the public and only in designated areas where minors are not allowed.

• The bill would require each employer having an enclosed area to provide a smoke-free workplace. 

These are most of the nuts and bolts of the bill that people are asking about.

Promoting Employment Across Kansas

We debated a bill for about 3 hours Friday which would expand the PEAK program to bring jobs to Kansas and try to keep other states from taking the jobs we have.  This bill would allow businesses, which are in danger of moving or to entice businesses to come to Kansas, to keep 95% of the employee withholding taxes for a period of 5-10 years depending on where the jobs are located.  The Secretary of Commerce would have the final say concerning eligibility.  There are several concerns about this bill but I will vote for it on Monday because we need to keep all the jobs we can.  If people are working, they are helping the economy.  You have probably read that the latest estimates are that we were $71 million below expectations for February.  We were $39 million below expectations in January.  This not getting better and we have some really tough decisions coming up concerning the Budget.  There is a bill working its way through the House Education Committee which will devastate the schools in my district.  I am getting plenty of correspondence concerning this issue.  When it hits the House floor, I will keep you informed.   

Keep in Touch

It is a special honor to serve as your state representative.  I value and need your input on the various issues facing state government.  Please feel free to contact me with your comments and questions.  My office address is Room L 8, Docking State Office Building, Topeka, KS 66612.  You can reach me at (785) 296-7665 or call the legislative hotline at 1-800-432-3924 to leave a message for me.  Additionally, you can e-mail me at vince.wetta@house.ks.gov.  You can also follow the legislative session online at www.kslegislature.org.