FROM THE GALLERY
State Legislation


Alexa’s Law (Unborn Victims of Violence Act), HB 2006:
This bill appears to be stuck in the House Judiciary Committee. The same bill was introduced by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee in an attempt to move the bill forward.

There is still time to let your legislators know how you feel, so give them a call or send them an e-mail. Ask them to pass a clean bill as written without amendments. Remind them this bill is about justice, not abortion.

HB 2098:
This bill codifies the definitions of terms related to cloning and stem cell research. The definitions used are consistent with the definitions on the National Institutes of Health Web site and the President’s Council on Bioethics. As the debate continues on whether to allow embryonic stem cell research and human cloning, and whether taxpayer dollars should be used to fund the research if allowed, it is important that everyone understands the terms to mean the same thing. Many of us have seen examples of words being used in different ways – sometimes specifically to confuse the issue. A hearing is being held Monday, Feb. 5, in the House Health and Human Services Committee, 1:30 p.m., Room 526-S. CWA supports this legislation. We will be contacting members of the committee urging them to vote for this bill.

HB 2200:
Current law exempts public schools from all obscenity crimes and punishments. This bill removes that exemption for public schools K-12. The parents that have been researching the “bad books” in the Blue Valley School District in Johnson County have repeatedly asked the School Board to remove those books that have graphic sex scenes and vulgar language from the reading lists with no success. This legislation should help make it possible to keep obscene materials out of the classroom. A hearing will be held Thursday, Feb. 8, in the House Federal and State Affairs Committee, 1:30 p.m., Room 313-S. CWA supports this legislation, and will be submitting testimony to the committee.

HB 2292:
This bill was passed by the House last year, but the Senate did not have time to work on it, so it has been introduced again this session. It is called “The Teen Protection Act,” and it addresses minors having an abortion without parental consent. Parents would have the right to pursue legal remedies against abortion providers for intentional attempts to undermine the parents’ rights. It also adds requirements in the reporting of abortions performed on minors without parental consent.

HB 2299:
This bill bans local city or county governments from establishing a registry for domestic partnerships.

Other bills that we are watching:

HB 2227:
This bill requires mandatory vaccination for HPV for every girl entering the sixth grade of public school. A hearing is scheduled on Wednesday, Feb. 7, House Health and Human Services Committee, 1:30 p.m., Room 526-S. CWA is planning to submit testimony in opposition to making the vaccine mandatory.

HB 2252:
This bill makes it unlawful to conduct human cloning, applying civil and criminal penalties to the act of human cloning. This bill doesn’t apply to other areas of scientific research not specifically prohibited, including research in the use of nuclear transfer or other cloning techniques to produce molecules, DNA, cells other than human embryos, tissues, organs, plants or animals other than humans.

HB 2254:
This bill makes it unlawful to conduct destructive research on a human embryo.

HB 2255:
This bill prevents state agencies from using monies to subsidize human cloning.

Hearings are scheduled for these three bills on Monday, Feb. 12, in the House Health and Human Services Committee, 1:30 p.m., Room 526-S. CWA supports these bills.

HB 2253:
This bill creates scholarships for special needs students, giving parents some leeway in providing their children with a school that best fits their child’s IEP (Individual Education Program). This bill was assigned to the House Education Committee.

HCR 5008:
This bill was introduced last year and provides that the justices of the Kansas Supreme Court be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Kansas Senate. The explanatory statement (in part) to be placed on the ballot, should this resolution be approved, says, “The purpose of this amendment is to do away with the nonpartisan Supreme Court Nominating Commission. The governor will appoint a qualified person, or if the governor fails to act, the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court would appoint a qualified person, and such person’s appointment would be required to be consented to by the Senate.”

Contact Information:
To find contact information for your Representative or Senator, go to the Kansas Legislature Web site. Under “Hot Items,” click on “House Roster” or “Senate Roster,” and it will list all of the legislators with the district represented and the e-mail address. When you click on the name, it displays the Topeka office room number and phone number, as well as home information. It also lists committee assignments.

Concerned Women for America of Kansas
P. O. Box 11233
Shawnee Mission, KS 66207
Phone/Fax: 913-491-1380
Email: director@kansas.cwfa.org
Web site: kansas.cwfa.org