Legislation Passed

Human Rights

During the 2005 legislative session, I introduced legislation to combat human trafficking and slavery in Kansas.  Unintentional loopholes in the law were enabling predators to take advantage of vulnerable foreign women and men who were simply looking for opportunities to improve their lives by coming to the United States.  As a result of my work, Kansas has established a hotline for human trafficking, and there have been public service announcements on radio and TV calling attention to this critical human rights issue.  I worked with members of the House and Senate to craft language that unanimously passed both chambers.  The language in House Bill 2004 was signed into law in 2005.

Victims Rights

Along the same lines as human rights and trafficking, I introduced House Bill 2626.  It was signed into law during the 2006 legisition session. HB 2626 is derived from President Bush's DNA initiative and is linked to the national database.

HB 2626 would amend the law regarding missing persons by expanding the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) database on missing persons to include an unidentified person database. The information would be maintained in order to improve the ability to locate and return missing persons, identify persons or human remains, and inform family members. Information in the database would be available to law enforcement officers, state coroners, and state agencies with the need to know. The bill would outline procedural guidelines and time frames related to reporting.

The bill also would provide that the law enforcement agency investigating the report shall not give information to the reporting party if the law enforcement agency has reason to believe the missing person is an adult or an emancipated minor and is staying at or has made contact with a domestic violence or sexual assault program or the missing person does not expressly consent to the release of this information.

When it comes to victims, I have made it a priority to protect the youngest victims in our society.  In 2005, I supported HB 2126, which would allow a State Representative to participate in a child in need of care (CINC) hearing as observers, if their presence is requested by the parents or guardians of the child.

TAXES

During the 2007 legislative session, I introduced House Bill 2031.   This legislaton allowed any household with income of $75,000 or less to be exempt from paying Kansas State taxes on Social Security. It was signed into law by the Govenor on April 19, 2007.

KANSAS WORLD WAR II VETERANS

As our World War Vetrans grow older and wiser, we are losing the lessons learned and experiences gained by these mainstays of American culture.  In 2005 Rep. Judy Morrison cosponsored HB 2338 which gives the Kansas Historical Society the task of gathering the stories of Kansas World War II veterans.  It was signed into law on May 9, 2005.