School Finance in Kansas
There is a great deal of confusion regarding the basic facts of funding for K-12 Education in Kansas. Despite claims to the contrary, total dollars (local, state and federal) to be spent on K-12 education in the 2011-2012 school year are on track to be the highest in Kansas history. To see the historical brekdown of K-12 spending in Kansas as compiled by the Kansas Department of Education click here.

Lance Addresses Legislative Forum
Recently, Lance participated in a legislative forum in Olathe. Check out the highlights here:

Kinzer Participates in Legislative Forum
On Saturday, March 3, Lance Kinzer participated in a legislative forum with Senators Julia Lynn and Ray Merrick as well as Representatives Bob Montgomery, Arlen Siegfreid, and Mike Kiegerl.

It took place in the Olathe City Hall Councl Chamber and was sponsored by AT&T and KCP&L.

Kinzer Carries Two Important Criminal Law Bills
This week Rep. Kinzer carried two important criminal law bills on the House floor. HB 2465 addresses a recent Kansas Supreme Court Opinion (State v. Jolly) in which the Court set aside the sentence of a man who had pled guilty to raping a 12 year old girl. In particular HB 2485 would reestablish the ability of the Trial Court to sentence such offenders to lifetime electronic monitoring after completion of their prison sentence. For more information with respect to this bill vist this link.

Rep. Kinzer also carried HB 2613 which extends the period for which victims of stalking or domestic violence can receive protective orders for more information on this legislation look here.

Kinzer Comments on Personhood Amendment
In this link, please find my thoughts regarding HCR 5029 as expressed in a letter I recently wrote to some supporters of this proposal. Read more...

Kinzer Discusses Legislative Session
In a recent interview with reporter Jim Sullinger, Lance discussed the progress thus far in the 2012 legislative session:

Take Lance Kinzer's 2012 Legislative Session Survey
The 2012 Legislative Session is now well under way and Lance wants to know your thoughts. Please use the link below to take the survey:

Click here to take survey

Rep. Kinzer Comments on Report Federal Abortion Clinic Lawsuit Will Be Dropped
On Friday, it was reported by the Associated Press that the two Kansas doctors who filed suit in state and federal courts challenging new state rules for abortion clinics are preparing to drop one of the lawsuits.

Rep. Kinzer offered the following thoughts in response to this report:

"The report suggests the abortion clinics in Kansas have now in fact dismissed the federal lawsuit against the clinic licensure bill I drafted along with Senator Mary Pilcher-Cook last year. This dismissal is a clear admission of what we have said all along; our new law is clearly consistent with the U.S. Constitution. The clinics will now shift their effort to state court in an attempt to argue that the framers of the Kansas Constitution in the 1860’s intended to enshrine an unfettered right to perform abortions without the ‘burden” of basic health and welfare standards. The fact that they appear to think the Kansas State Supreme Court might buy this argument is itself instructive."

Watch Lance Discuss 2011 Legislative Session
Lance Kinzer was recently interviewed by Jim Sullinger regarding the 2011 Legislative Session. You can watch the video below:

REMARKS EXPLAINING NO VOTE ON PROPOSED FY 2012 BUDGET
Lance Kinzer offered remarks on the House Floor regarding his vote against the proposed FY 2012 Budget. To read his full set of remarks, click here.

View the Pro-Life Legislation Bill Signing Ceremony
State Representative Lance Kinzer recently participated in Governor Brownback's signing ceremony for two critical pro-life pieces of legislation. You can view the ceremony here:

April 12: A Day to Celebrate!
For All Pro-Life Kansans Tuesday, April 12th Will Be A Day To Celebrate. Governor Brownback Will Sign Two Pro-Life Bills (HB 2035 and HB 2218) at 2:30 p.m. at the Statehouse. Please Consider Attending This Wonderful Culmination of Years of Hard Work by The Pro-Life Movement in Kansas!!

Kinzer: Senate Judiciary Moves on Life Bills
Thanks to pressure from a variety of sources the Sen. Judiciary Committee came back in this evening with enough members to take action. Two (late-term/parental consent & fetal pain) of the three life related bills have passed, though with some amendment issues that will need to be cleared up. The Committee did not take up the clinic licensure bill. Much work remains to be done, but we have lived to fight another day.

Lance Kinzer 2011 Session Survey Results
Lance Kinzer recently conducted an online survey regarding several issues before the 2011 legislative session. Click here for the results. Thank you to all you participated -- Lance very much appreciates the individual comments left by those who took the survey.

Kinzer Highlights School Funding Picture
When considering the issue of school funding it is important to recall that our current finance structure divides education dollars into a large number of separate funds, not just general state aid. You can click here to see K-12 spending by fund on a state wide basis from 2005 through 2010. Over that period total K-12 education funding increased by $1,301,309,753.

House Passes Freeze Bill
Topeka – After almost four hours of debate, the Kansas House passed Governor Brownback’s freeze bill which transforms a projected $50 million deficit for the current fiscal year into a $37.5 million positive ending balance. Because the budget for the current fiscal year serves as the base for the next year’s budget, every dollar saved in this year’s rescission bill is worth two dollars in the 2012 budget.

For the full release, click here.

Kansas House Overwhelmingly Adopts Structural Budget Reform
Topeka – This morning an overwhelming majority in the Kansas House voted to adopt structural reform of the budgeting processes through a “pay-go” provision in the House Rules. The measure specifies that on appropriation bills, amendments to increase spending will not be in order unless they reduce spending by a like or greater amount.

For the full release, click here.

Kinzer Addresses School Funding
As is the case every year, school finance will be one of the most important issues the legislature considers this session. Given that more than half of State General Fund dollars go to K-12 education any discussion of fiscal responsibility must include a close consideration of this important budget item. To help frame this conversation it is important to consider where we have been. Attached is historical data from the Kansas Department of Education showing fiscal information for the Olathe School District dating back to the 2001-2002 school year. In the five year period between the 2005-2006 school year and the 2009-2010 school year the following occurred:

1) The student population grew from 23,345 to 25,478.
2) Total expenditures grew from $257,017,122 to $311,138,943.
3) Per pupil spending increased from $11,009 to $12,212.

Of course, meeting our obligations to ensure a high quality education for Kansas children is about much more that just money. It is about creating an educational ethos in Kansas that focuses on what is best for children and not on protecting a particular system. I look forward to working diligently to accomplish this goal.

Kinzer Introduces Bill Clarifying Appropriation Power
I recently introduced HCR 5006, a constitutional amendment clarifying that the power to appropriate vests in the legislative branch, not the judicial branch. I offered a similar proposal during the 2005 Special Session. It received the necessary 2/3 vote in the Senate but fell short in the House. I strongly believe that passage of this amendment is crucial in order to preserve the seperation of powers so vital to our system of government.

Link to Amendment

Testimony regarding 2005 version of the amendment

HB 2035: Abortion Reporting Accuracy and Parental Rights Act
Topeka – Today, House Judiciary Committee Chair Lance Kinzer (R-Olathe) and a group of sixty-three bipartisan co-sponsors, comprising a majority of the Kansas House, introduced HB 2035. Over the last five legislative sessions, a clear consensus has developed in both the House and Senate regarding the need to reform Kansas abortion laws to ensure the protection of women and their unborn children. HB 2035 addresses issues of late-term and partial-birth abortion reporting and enforcement that have passed the legislature multiples times only to be vetoed by radically pro-abortion governors.

Click here for the full release.

Stronger Penalties for Identity Fraud and Home Improvement Crimes
Topeka –House Judiciary Committee Chair Lance Kinzer (R-Olathe) today introduced three bills which were drafted in conjunction with Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe to combat identity theft, home-improvement fraud and several other white-collar crimes.

Click here for the full release.

Lance Kinzer Appointed to Brownback Transition Team
Topeka, Kan -- State Rep. Lance Kinzer, Republican of Olathe, was appointed this week to Governor-Elect Sam Brownback's Transition Team. Kinzer, who servers as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and was recently re-elected with 68% of the vote, said he was honored to be part of this historic transition:

"I am honored that Governor-elect Brownback has asked me to serve on his transition team. The process before us is an important one, and I look forward to working with other members of the team as we lead up to the inauguration in January. It is a privilege to be a part of this historic moment for Kansas."

For a Topeka Capital Journal article regarding the transition team, click here.

Thank You
A note from State Rep. Lance Kinzer regarding the election results from Tuesday night:

Dear Friends,

Tuesday night brought historic victories for Republicans both nationally and here in Kansas. In District 14, I was honored to receive the votes of 68% of Olatheans who came out to the polls. I want to thank all those who supported my candidacy and the many who volunteered on behalf of my campaign. Michelle and I are grateful for your support and and I look forward to serving you in Topeka the next two years. While the election results were gratifying now we must begin the real work of restoring Kansas values to Kansas government.

I am truly excited about the opportunity to work with Governor Brownback and my legislative colleagues as we seek to address the serious challenges that face Kansas. As we do so I promise to stand for policies that promote individual liberty always remembering that in a genuine community the decisions most directly affecting the lives of citizens should be made locally and voluntarily. And, that where the functions of community are transferred to distant political bodies, government by the consent of the governed gives way to a standardizing process hostile to freedom and human dignity. Kansas is truly a great place with a great history, I look forward to doing my level best to make sure we honor that history in the actions we take in the present.

Lance Kinzer

Lance Kinzer Participates in JCCC Candidate Forum
State Rep. Lance Kinzer recently participated in a JCCC Candidate Forum. He was the only candidate from District 14 to participate. To view the clip, use the link below -- Lance is the first on the page:

Click here for the League of Women voters Candidate Forums

About this website...
The goal of my website is to be an online resource for you--to learn more about what is going on in the Kansas Legislature on the very important issues we deal with. Please feel free to pass this site along to friends and neighbors. If you would like to subscribe to my newsletter, send an e-mail to: newsletters@lancekinzer.com.

For questions or comments, please contact me in Topeka at (785) 296-7663, in Olathe at 913-782-5885, or e-mail me at lance@lancekinzer.com. You may also visit my office at the Capitol, Room 531N, when the Legislature is in session. I would love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Lance Kinzer