I have to agree that Siegfreid is one of the worst legislators in Topeka. He is typical GOP toady of Speaker Neufeld who cynically only care about poltical advancement so that they may one day become speaker and then a lobbyist. Whether you love or hate his conservative poltical positions on immigraton, abortion and gay rights, at least Kinzer is a reformer who has courage has courage to take on the cynical do-nothing GOP establishment (Speaker Neufeld, Senate President Morris, Judiciary Chairmen Vrtil & O’Neal).

Bill McKean
kiakahahaha@yahoo.com
293-6079

Having been physically present in the House gallery on each of the days those two bills were debated, I can assure you it’s not bu11$hit. But thanks for playing anyway!

LANCE KINZER LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

1) House Passes Weak and Ineffective Immigration Reform Bill.

On Friday, March 28 the Kansas House passed House Substitute for SB 329. As the author of the original version of this bill I was gravely disappointed by House action to strip this bill of its most meaningful provisions. In voting no I offered the following explanation:

“Mr. Speaker I vote No on House Substitute for SB 329: As amended this
bill fails to provide meaningful immigration reform, indeed it is likely to make the situation worse. This bill is drafted in a fashion that ensures its employer sanction provisions, already weak on their face, will never be enforced; they are both practically unworkable and almost certainly preempted by federal law. Furthermore the public benefits restrictions in the amended bill are actually weaker than existing law. For the first time Kansas will be creating a statutory right for unauthorized aliens to receive any and all state financed medical care, no questions asked. This bill is a façade.”

Adding insult to injury the House again voted against an amendment that would have reversed the current policy of granting in-state tuition to unauthorized aliens. As I noted on the floor this policy violates federal law (8 USC 1623), and creates an incoherent policy where students who obey the law and get a valid student visa pay a higher rate of tuition that those who lack lawful status.

As a practical matter the chance for meaningful immigration reform in the 2008 session has been lost. That having been said I am committed to continuing the fight for real reform.