Climate and energy

Location: Kansas Capitol, Topeka KS, House Chambers
Time: House and Senate convene at 10:00 a.m.
Issue: Sunflower Electric’s proposed 1400 MW of coal-fired generation, and the role of the KDHE Secretary in protecting Kansans’ health and environment

Bills/ Legislative Action:

- Yesterday the Senate passed the third coal bill (for a summary and how they voted, click here.) The vote was 24-10. Three senators changed their votes on the plants due to what they felt was the unconstitutionality of how the provision is currently packaged.

- The House needs to vote on the budget and the third coal bill. The Senate is pretty much waiting on the House.

- If you have only recently come to this policy debate, check out CEP’s FAQ’s on the Kansas Coal Controversy.

- Please hit your refresh button during the day to check for updates. – 99.9% of this entry is hidden below the surface – be sure to hit the “read the rest of this entry” link (when it appears) to see the full, er, glory

Summary/ Action: 1:06 – the House has approved the third coal bill 76-48, not a veto-proof margin. A veto override in the House takes 84 votes. Opposition to the coal plants picked up at least two votes, but votes shuffled on both sides of the issue.

2:33 – House and Senate have both overwhelmingly passed SB 586, which would primarily allow utilities to recover costs of developing nuclear power.

**********************************

I was brushing my teeth this morning when it hit me – despite the fact that I’ve been covering this for days, this piece of information only then really sunk in -

We have a third coal bill.

See you at 10:00!

***********************************

One of the little joys of my day is the House chaplain’s prayer. Here was yesterday’s:

Dear Lord
We need your help!
Time is dragging, thoughts are lagging
People are nagging and attitudes are sagging
It really is time to wrap everything up
But issues remain that we cannot duck
Give us wisdom, give us strength
before our patience goes on the brink
Keep us kind, courteous, and polite
And please help us “GIT-R DONE” by tonight!
In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

I don’t think Chaplain Brubaker can top herself with that today – but maybe!

******************************

10:03 Prayed, pledged, gaveled in, not necessarily in that order. Taking attendance. Messages from Senate – they just added Senator Francisco to any conference committee on SB 586. Sounds like the Senate has recessed until 2:00.

10:05 Now the House is doing announcements, oh dear. (Usually a prequel to a recess.) Ah, they are all going into caucus to discuss/ choreograph their responses to the budget. The House is recessed until 11:00.

That was quick.

****************************

Have I ever mentioned that they do not allow coffee (or any drinks at all) into the House Gallery?

********************************

11:16 still waiting.

11:26 Gaveled in 2412 the third coal bill is up. woo hoo.

Rep. Wilk of taxation committee is introducing the report on the bill, the economic stimulus bill of 2008. Original 2412 held the IMPACT bill (job development), now also holds SB 693 the Gardner intermodal hub, the apportionment provision of income taxes (Hills, possibly other companies), the telecom sales tax rebate, and the vetoed 148 plus the trailer, 2802.

Remember on the vote – the third coal plant bill is expected to pass. The question is whether it will pass by a veto-proof margin (as the Governor is expected to veto it for the third time).

It did pass by a veto-proof margin in the Senate, but a much slimmer one than previously. The three senators who changed did so because they thought the bundling was unconstitutional.

Comments on the bill.

Rep. Otto – talking about the per meter fee. It’s not big, and he thinks the bill is perfectly constitutional, the judiciary committee thinks so he does believe it. Nothing is wrong with the Holcomb plant, the bills shouldbe on their merits. This bill is about job. We should think about exporting. We export our talent out of state with out universities – I am concerned about keeping our kids in KS and having good paying jobs and this is about good paying jobs. I am being facetious, but it’s about jobs and survival of this state. I don’t want to export our children. And SUnflower is not a big corporation, it is a co-op. It is owned by people. People need jobs. When gas is 3.50 per gallon and rising what is this body doing about it? if you vote this down you are doing nothing. If you dont liek coal. We need the energy. We are exporting jobs to China. They burn coal. I am tired of losing our jobs. Go back and tell voters you are for jobs, and we need energy to build. I also know that there have been accusations in the papers – I did have an all expense paid trip to San Antonio. I went with my school (he’s a teacher). Our carbon footprint was smaller than a small jet. (he gets tangled) Let’s treat government like we treat businesses. We shouldn’t allow government to fly on jets. We don’t allow lobbyists on the floor of the House. Let the people of KS be equal to the government when they petition. I want to talk about KDHE regulation – a secretary – I have fought day care issues with the KDHE for a long time. we have some of the most difficult regulations in the nation. My disrict has lost three daycares, they have closed. You talk about economic development – I asked the secretary last year we had an angry meeting many people there – the secretary said is job was to make regulations and enforce them. I disagree. He can’t make regulations unless they are directed by us, the elected people. And we need better affordable day care in Kansas. We have a government that is not of the people it is of the agencies. the rule of law tha co2 is so bad is because co2 is an imminent danger. If it is, then why did the secretary not ban carbonated soft drinks. If co2 is an imminent danger why are we still allowing all coal lants in ks to still operate – better shut them down. I’d hate to take that to the judge, the kdhe kawyer who will have to defend that. I hope you get away from all the emotion – I am as green as anyone in here, and this is ourt last chance to get some green things passed. Holcomb will be built, it will be coal, and when the court case is done, it will be winner take all, and there won’t be green. I don’t like the bundling, but open your hearts to the people of ks, the truth, think about poor people payign 3.50 for gas, we need energy we can;t have electric cars without electric energy, if you want green come back next year let’s talk about transportation programs. if you’re seriously green let’s get busy as a legislature. but i care about kids and schools and income state needs to keep fnctioning I ask for a supermajority to say this legisalture is for eocnomic development.

Rep. Crum – we need more jobs in KS, and energy is crucial to those jobs. We need to provide more opportunities in workplace. We have talked a lot about health care, we need to provide better jobs that have health care. this bill provides jobs. I watched Obama the other night, he said we hav coal reserves that are equal to Saudi Arabia’s oil reserves. Sunflower will do this at Holcomb, it will sequester carbon. Russia will soon have a new president. Power in 21st century is access to energy. I f KS and nation want to compete we must have enenrgy. We can’t import it. We are importing too much oil. we must explore our own natural resources to remain comeptitive. In KS we can construct this plant in a way that will significantly reduce co2 emissions. let’s advance our state and our nation.

rRep. HOlland -during the break i got a call from a banker in my area He asked what would happen to the intermodal hub? I’m concerned they will jeopardize our project in Jhnson COunty. Unfortunately that’s what’s its cme down to. We are losing good opporunities by rehashing old issues. We do our constituents a disservice. I support the IPACT program. I like the intermodal hub. I like things about the apportionment proision. There are some great investments here for telecom. But this type of legislation is not the way to do it. the problem we have with this bill is that we have taken subjct matter from four or five committees and out it into one bill. Under article 2 subsection 16, it says no bills should contain more than one subject. The bill is titlted economic development. what does that mean? Pretty much everything we do here, except criminal code, is ED. We are taking gfood bills and risking them by putting Holcomb in the middle. I ask you to reject this.

Rep. Kiegerl - 2412 is the result of a bad habit of legislature. We do this whenwe get to the end of session – we bundle bills. Creates a problem if we like one, not others, have to make choice. On the intermodal hub – from my city, Gardner – compare it to Holcomb. We have debated Holcomb ad nauseum. We know the arguments. We know about the jobs, the emissions, the polkutants. But to talk to my Johnson COunty colleeagues who have voted against the coal bill consistently – look at this map. there are coal plants all over NE KS. Your energy comes from coal. The plants in KS and WyCo pollute a lot. The Holcomb plant is 300 miles west, an d it wll use latest technology, the cleanest of the dirty coal production. JoCo energy is dirty, and we will deny them. Is that fair? Is that right? Once we no longer look at KS as our home, and only our own district, we are not working for common good. I support the plant and I urge JoCo colleagues to rethink their votes and support this bill as well. Intermodal hub – Gardner is center of my district. This bill gives me heartburn. I cannot vote for this bill, and I can’t vote against. These bonds – we;re stuck with this, We didn’t volunteer. I also dislike how the bill was bundled. It was a lsast minute affair, rushed thru, no way to do business. I will still support the bill. The Gardner park longterm will be a boon. 15,000 jobs by the time its done, world’s largest logistics park, benefit to community, But it will change gardner. gardner will never be the same agaiun, has created lots of tension and anger and reasonable people can;t sit down and talk it out. The park will be built, the railroad will be built anyway, the bond we are talking about is for the warehouses. What should happen is that warehouses are built on RR land. containers unloaded, driven somewhere else – garnder will not get the tax revenue from the warehouses, but it will get all the problems of traffic, pollution… other issues, the city council of Gardner had given the warehouses 85% tax abatement, this seems like a lot, thats a municipal decision – I have to support my city. This is like what happened in Lenexa. Some of you weren’t even born then. Lenexa attracted businesses that overland park didn’t want. They floated lots of bonds. forty years lter lenexa has broad tax base. This will happen to Gardener. I hope my support of this bill is right for the long term.

Rep. Carlson - It is a privilege and honot for me to be born and live in greatest system of govenrment world has ever produced. We the people. We put rights of people and businesses into Bill of Rights. Property rights important. Thru property rights we put together system of free entirprise businesses get to be low cost producers. They can take risk and fail – and have ability to make a profit. Out low profit prodicers in KS have given us highest stadnard of living world has ever known. Two of the main reasons are low cost utilities and low cost operations of core cost of business. OIl and gas. Core costs, Electrictiy, core costs, wehave seen oil and gas prices skyricket, that threatens our middle class. If we raise those costs on electricity, we threaten middle class of america. It permeates free enterprise – farming, diesel oil. Manufacturing, electricity Businesses will absorb costs for first few years, but then they will pass them on thru our system to retail users of products. the consumers of KS. That inflationary factor is starting to hit now. thru free neterprise we have risk capital. If yu have extra cash you can invest it safe, or you can go for a bigger return. Capital is now at risk in KS, for oil refineries, etc. That risk capita will go to where it is wanted. Businesses need return on investment. We have regualted utilities to protect consumers – but we want toprotect them wihout killing them. We need regulatory certainty. A few weeks ago Jim Slattery testidied before congress about unregulated costs. This matters to oil refineries. They need to know the costs before they dig. Regulatory uncertatiny means you don’ tknow costs, and it scares risk capital. Jobs created by industries – and look at property taxes – Jeffries energy center in Pottawatomi county has gnerated lots. Same for Holcomb. Infrastructure and growth will prosper. for ur counry to be successful in yerars to come, we have to recognize costs of businesses to get growth we need. For first time in 15 years, average wage of Kansas now exceed national average. I support this bill.

Rep. Davis – this issue has received more debate and discussion than anyone imagined. I have not been supportive of this legislation, but I am supportive of the other measures. I don’t want to address their merits though, due to my concerns. When this nation was on the brink of civil war, a bunch of pioneers st out to write a constitution. they established procedures that we govern ourselves by in KS. Article 2 section 16 is an original provision. I hear people say – we do that all the time. But it doesn’t make it right. Stakes are high in this case, litigation already going on in this case. When we have passed bundled bills, they ususaly don;t matter as much, This one will go to court. Our courts have cited a case – 1980, when this legislature in 1978 combined a bill dealing with release programs (crime), and the law enforcement training academy. You can make an argument that the subjects are related. But when the bill came to Gov Bennett he refused to sign it. It went to court. Words of Gov Bennett: the procedure is less than desirable and it subverts the process, and limits voting options of legislature and the powers granted to the governor. The interests of the people are better served when they can make choices. KS supreme court found the bill invalid. Even if this bill today received votes to override veto, it court still be invalidated afterwards. This bill deals with the KCC, with KDOT, more with the KCC, sales tax provison, corporate tax provisions, electric cooperatives, public utilities, KDHE, KS administrative rules and regs, energy efficiency – in addition to all of new language. You can out up a ttitile of ED and make an argument. That may fly in this building, but it won;t fly across the street. We think building prisons, social programs, judges per county – someone always says its related to ED. I don;t think the ends justify the means here. Yesterday Sen Vratil said – i cannot support this measure becuase it violates article two section 16 of kansas constitution.I am sworn to uphold the KS constitution and must vote no. and vratil is a supporter of the coal plants. I don;t think any legislation is more impritatn than upholdig our constitutional obligations.

Rep. Kuether - we’ve heard a lot. And we all know why we’re here, and how we’re going to vote. But I want to point out ironies – the energy bill of the 2008 legislature, and now we have ED bill of 2008. But its; not brought to us by the Chair of ED, it;s brought to us by taxation. We all have something we like in this package, but i’ll tell you what – the public knows what this is all about. I have received over 100 emails from people who see this for what it is. This is just vote trading for coal plant bill. We have something Shawnee and Johnson counties want. these privisions can stand alone, and I think they should. They should not be bundled with coal, because that is the only way to get coal these days. The lipstick was on the pig – now the tiara, the crown, is on the pig. This is what people hate most about governmnet. They want transparency, they have been hammering at us, asking for education, for information so here’s the deal – this is a vote for coal. I ask for your no vote.

Rep. O’Neal - I support tis measure but I had not intended to talk about it – but I must address the concerns that this is constitutionally defective. If you don;t ike the bill,vote against it – but not on the grounds of constitutionality Our staff says it is cnstitutional and i must defend them. Our legislation has not been successfully challenged in over 20 years thanks to our staff. Our staff is well-trained. They will at times caution us about the rule. They didnt caution us about this legislation. Whne I first heard about this legislation (MH misses it) this provision is often misunderstood. The entire rule in article 2 section 16 (he reads it) we are supposedly to liberally interpret it. There are 308 times the act has been interpreted, only a handful where they were found unconstitutional. Once when the title was not broad enough to cover the subject. This act is broadly titled. (He gets very lawyerly. I am covering the gist. He is also reading big sections to prove his point) Teh reviser’s office has done what they need to do to make this constitutional. Sometimes we have flirted with the rule – rarely, I think – and everytime the reviser makes a suggestion we follow it. They’re apolitical. we shoudl vote in favor.

Rep. Mitch Holmes (not Carl H, head of energy committee) – I hadn’t planned to speak to this bill either but I’ve done a lot of soul-searching through this session. More than a month ago I was at dinner with a colleague form urban area, talking about this – comment came up, this issue doesn’t help my district at all, why do I care? Well – I am aksed to support issues all over the state that don’t affect my district. I am here to be a team player and to look out for the whole state, not just my district. This really does affect everyone – holcomb and the secretary;s decision. we need to remember that we have 16 or 19 coal plants on east side of state, many wll be coming up for renewal in next five years, and we don’t know what secretary will do, there are no regulations to follow. Secretary’s decision was a surprise – he said it was an exception, not the rule – then he approved an ethanol plant. They also produce Co2. then he said he would use first decision as a precedent. This will affect all of our your districts. Aircraft plants emit co2, so do ethanol – regulations have to be uniform. They’re not right now. What will happen will the coal plant in your disrict wants a permit renewal? don’t you ant relgulatory certainty? We need your help. You;re not just helping western KS, you’re helping entire state.

Rep. Flora - energy efficiency measures can help reduce baseload needs. this trailer bill does address that to some extent. this is laudable. but 40% of rental property is ignored. homeowners also ignored. energy efficiency is easy to do, but people need an impetus to get started. this bill could provide it, but doesn;t it. it ignores low hanging fruit. this trailer is pale green at best.

Rep. Wilk closes on the bill - I feel a great deal of pressure. I thought this would be a fast debate and didn’t hit the restrooms first. KBA just offered me a note – there is a CLE coming up on constitutionality. Rep Kuether – I was hurt when you talked aobut me carrying an ED bill. I have always marveled at tenacity and passion of legislature – nothing ever dies. People never quit until the gavel drops. It will always be that way. It;s a great example. Never give up. That;s how the legislature is. I want to echo that this bill is constitutional, we do have great legal counsel, I want to thank them. We take their advice. We don’t force it. constitutuonal concerns not a problem. I do want tomake brief comment – (MH: he;s taking a while for a guy who has to go) – econmic growth and stimulus, no one formula – but I can tell you is that it is a global competitoon, and we must act, we owe it to KS. ED is infrastructure and incentive. We don’t give handouts. We can’t offer biggest packages – we just try to ensure that KS workers can compete. That’s what this act is all about. We have to be vigilant. China India are all trying to catch up. this package wll help KS worker better compete in global marketplace.

Final action on 2412 – 76 for the third coal bill, 48 against, not a veto-proof margin – and wow! they blanked the vote board almost instantly! didn’t get down who was who, sorry. A veto override in the House requires 84 votes.

Opposition to the coal plants has gained at least two votes. It seems likely that votes shuffled on both sides of the issue, we are trying to get a vote count to see.

Governor Sebelius is expected to veto the measure. She has ten days to do so, and that ten days begins from when the paperwork hits her desk (sometimes that takes a few days. But I bet it can be speeded up).

Then the chamber of origin – wow, which one is that? I think I’m lost, but the House, maybe – has thirty days to attempt an override.

If they adjourn today, though (as is the plan) then their only override attempt can occur at sine die, the ceremonial end of the session scheduled for May 29. Traditionally, this ceremony only takes two people – the leaders of each chambers, to bring down the final gavel.

To have an override occur at sine die, the House would have to get 84 representatives back. The Senate would have to get… 27? 28? sorry. I have stupidhead after staying up too late last night.

Split the difference. 27.5 senators.

(Any bets on a fourth coal bill?)

Eek. Email just went nuts.

And we have a vote count.

NO VOTES on 2412 (the third coal bill): Ballard, Burroughs, Carlin, Colloton, Crow, Davis, Dillmoe, Faust-Goudeau, Flaharty, Flora, Frownfelter, Garcia, Goyle, Hawk, Henderson, Henry, Holland, Horst, Huntingdon, Kuether, Lane, Loganbill, Long, Mah, McCray-Millr, McLchalan, Menghinit, Metsker, Morrison J, Neighbor, Owens, Pottorff, Quigley Rardin, Roth, Ruiz, Sawyer, Spalding, Storm, Svaty, Swencson, Tetze, Treaster, Trimmer, Ward, Winn, Wolf K, Worley

YES VOTES on 2412: Aurand, Beamer, Bethell, Bowers, Brown, Brunk,Burgess, Carlson, Colyer, Craft, Crum, Dahl, Donohoe, Faber, Feuerborn, Fund, Gatewood, George, Goico, Gordon, Grange, Grant Hayzlett, Hill, Hodge, Holmes C, Holmes M, Huebert, Humerickhouse, JOhnson, Kelsey Kiegerl, King, Kinzer, Knox, Landwehr, Light, Lukert, Mast, masterson, McKInney, McLeland, Merrick, Morrison Jim, Moxley, Neuefld, O’Neal, Olson, Otto, Palmer, Patton, Pauls, Peck, Peterson, Phelps, Powell, Powers, Proehl, Rhoades, Ruff, Schroeder, Schwartz, Shutlz, Siegfried, Sloan, Swanson, Tafanelli, Vickrey, Watkins, Wetta, Whitham, Wilk, Williams, Wolf B, Yoder

1:13 there is now a tax fight going on on the floor. I missed how it started, I was trying to track down vote counts, but the most even-tempered rep I know just came extremely close to raising his voice. Big deal for him. There is some squirrelly stuff going on, in his opinion.

1:20 SB 586, the nuclear bill, is now up. Chairman Holmes is explaining it. It recovers development costs of nuclear power for utlities, subject to KCC approval. It would take about 12 years to build new plant, only one place that makes the reactor vessels, there was originally energy efficiency provisions (a start towad decoupling), those were removed, they also added Joint Committee on Energy and Environmental Policy. If 2412 becomes law the Joint Committee would not become law.

Rep. Kuether - an energy bill. wow. senate did agreed to house positions. removing the energy efficiency provisions – it is on the KCC docket. The KCC will look at it. We encourage you to approve the report.

Min. Leader McKinney for Holmes – what undr current law prevents them from getting cost recovery now? Holmes – current law prohibits CWIP for nuclear. McKinney = why? Holmes – it’s the law. McKinney – okay – can you explain? Holmes… McKinney – this is for construction. It also mandates the recovery if they can prove prudence – KCC doesn’t have a choice. KCC is mandated here – “shall allow.” (McKInney is working from old copy of bill) McKInney – nuclear has promise for our state, but we need to let the technology get better, wait till its not such a high level of waste. We store too many spent fuel rods in KS, The main peices of this legislation – the investors aren’t taking the risk. We are trasnferring risk from investors to ratepayers I don;t think that is prudent. A CWIP I would support but this goes past that. If there is a good rate of return then investors should be able to recover.

Flora – for Holmes – is there a cap on how much money that can be used for utility in this process? Holmes – they spend it first, then the KCC reviews the expenses. Flora – so, no cap. What disturbs me is that we allow the ratepayers to become the risk takers, and guarentee the generators millions of dollars. We can’t afford to give energy effiiency incentives to normal people – but we can afford to give them to the utilities for nuclear? Make the ratepayers pay ahead of time? I was disturbed to hear a Westar rep during hearings say he had no idea what the cost of a niclear plant was. I think our money is better spent on energy efficiency.

Myers – we have been hearing conversation about need for comprehensive energy plan. Your utilities committee has been creating this plan for years. This is part of that plan. The world is moving toward nuclear power. SLowly. This legislation provides the necessary planning and encouragement for moving to a clean energy source for our energy. SUpport this legislation.

Hodge – I generally don’t like business handouts. I like an even playing field, and letting them play in economic environment. We have that in Johnson County, ten thousand people move there per year. But much more so than – this issue is national security issue, not environmental issue. We face threats from nations who are being bred to hate the west and our freedom and I am tired of giving them my energy dollar. france gets 75% power from nuclear, we get less than 20%. This is prrogressive – we can’t say no to coal and yes to nothing, we need something, nuclear is good public policy.

Trimmer – I agree with Hodge on longterm energy strategy, but we disagree on what that stratgey is. We do have coal, in the ground, but it is not all low sulfru. Nuclear – 85% of our uranium is imported from other countries. We don’t even come close to prpviding the uranium we need. We do have uranium 238, that’s not what’s used in pwoer plants. We will always import uranium. We will be locking ourselves into a source of energy that will have to import. Long-term we need solar and energy to help with transportation and electricity. Tjis commisson/ oversight group is good, but the rest of the bill heads down the wrong road, wrong types of energy – and it doesn’t say the KCC may grant these increase – it says shall. It shifts burden to cnsumer for a source that is not longterm and will cause import issues and it will run out. It;s not even a medium range source.

Olson – this bill is supposed to help companies get their footwork done, get in line on the reactors – only a few countries make them. in this state we only have two options for baseload – coal or nuclear. We have to make our mind up. If you want to build wind its great but peak loads, wind won;t meet needs, gas powered generators will be needed for back up. that is bad for consumers. SOlar – wouldn’t that be great today (it’s cloudy) Our state and our consumers need reasnable low cost energy – it will be coal or nuclear.

Neighbor – questions for HOlmes – when we heard this in committee we received history abut wolf creek – it was a huge hit to ratepayers, so the rationale was to spread those costs out. Could you clarify this for me? Holmes – WC had delayed construction, eight years of construction and interest rates were high because they couldn’t recover costs as facilities were built. That could have been saved if this were in place. NEighbor – capital costs? Holmes – capital costs on nuclear very expensive. Cost of fuel is very low. WC runs at maximum capacity. Wind not available as often. Neighbor – so nuclear is cheaper than wind and coal? Holmes – yes.

Holmes closes on motion – I want to talk about WIPP in SE new mexico. It’s beeing used for storage for low and medium sources. I have become well acquainted with people there but they are constructing an enrichment plant so more of our nuclear fuel processing is in this country. They also want an MRS site to recover fuel from spent rods. Recycling. 95% of fuel is left after fuel rods are spent. We can reprocess. canada supplies lots of uranium. I’d rather get my energy from there than other parts of the world. Support tisbill.

Final action on SB 586 – 101 voted for, 22 voted against, 2 absent/ not voting.

2:20 Senate now, House is recessed. Senate is going to consider nuclear bill, SB 586.

Reitz explains the bill. It enables for us to consider nuclear as an option in KS. That’s all it does. Let’s interested groups perform planning and feasiblity studies. Hopefully at Wolf Creek. costs could be scrutinized by KCC, then recovered by utlities. Paid by ratepayers. Please pass this bill. Important to say we are ready to consider nuclear, right now it is negative on the books.

Francisco – I was on conference committee on this bill. I signed the report, but I have voted against the bill and I remain cncerned. It does allow utilities to look at feasibility, but it also requires that KCC allow the costructon costs to go immediately to rates. they don’t review CWIP, they review those costs relate to construction of plant. Conference committee did remove the energy efficiency, capitalization for costs, I was pleased. I am planning to vote against the bill.

Reitz – I was so pleased Sen Francisco could be part of the group and her comments were instrumental and I want to announce that she helped a lot.

No othr questions on bill. Final action on SB 586 – (several senators absent) 29 favor, 3 against, bill is passed.

*******************************

I may be really wrong about this… but is anyone following this blog to learn about the Kansas budget…? (If you are interested in the budget, check out David Klepper’s Primebuzz entry.) From emails etc I had not received the impression that this was so. I think that’s all the legislature is going to do the rest of the day.

So -

I might go home and listen from there. In case an energy issue pops up. (Like a fourth coal bill. Or something.)

Hopefully that’s okay!

************************

Let’s wind this up, shall we, with my favorite news headline of the day so far – from KC Primebuzz (KCStar) “Kansas House passes coal, er, economic stimulus bill”

5:00 The House and Senate are still in caucus, evidently – they were supposed to return at 3:30, then 4:30, then who knows. I’ll listen in but I think that we’re slowly ending with a whimper not a bang.

If more happens today I will post it later. We will also be back for sine die, the official end of the session on May 29.

Live blogging will continue after the session ends, but it will probably move to new scenes - the Kansas Corporation Commission (big energy efficiency docket coming up – how exciting!), the Kansas Energy Council, the Governor’s energy group, and whichever of the legislative energy policy groups that survives to begin during the interim session.

Kansas energy policy is at the beginning of a major transition. Please stay tuned to the CEP blog to learn more about the issues – and how you can play a part in this shift.

I’ve been saving the photo below for exactly this moment - thank you to all the readers who hung in on the live blogging of the coal bill(s)! When this all started back in February, I must say that I never expected to see three of them pop up.

Think of the following as CEP leaving the statehouse (for the next three weeks, anyway):

(It’s photoshopped! of course everyone of all ages should always ride with a helmet – )

— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org