With the end of the 2023 regular legislative session approaching, local lawmakers were able to offer updates on a variety of topics during the latest legislative dialogue at the Flint Hills Technical College main campus Saturday morning.
17th District Senator Jeff Longbine of Emporia says it has been a “strange session” thus far adding he has voted no more times this year than ever before in his career. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the state’s budget Monday and Longbine says he expects his streak of no-votes will continue.
Longbine was joined Saturday by 60th District Representative Mark Schreiber of Emporia, 76th District Representative Eric Smith and 13th District Representative Duane Droge. All of these legislators agree that tax and budget items will likely be the major focus moving forward in the coming days, although each has individual focuses as well.
For Schreiber, this includes a bill to establish a new commission focused on reviewing current legislative compensation.
For Smith, education funding has been a major focus as he recently voted in favor of the Sunflower Education Equity act. The act includes a “school-choice” option that would create education savings accounts that families could utilize for home or private schooling.
Some have called the bill “controversial,” but Smith believes it provides parents with options that school districts do not.
For Droge, the past few months have been spent familiarizing himself with the procedures of the legislature saying he is the “new kid on the block.” He tells KVOE News there doesn’t appear to be enough time to go through every item that is necessary to effectively operate a state.
The regular session will conclude on Apr. 6 followed by the traditional veto session. The local legislative dialogues are organized by the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Committee and the League of Women Voters.
The next dialogue will take place on Apr. 8.
