Committee Reports - February 4, 2005

              Most committees are still in the process of hearing testimony, but several interesting bills are slated to be worked and possibly moved out this week.

              Rep. Ward Loyd (R-Garden City), chairman of the Corrections & Juvenile Justice Committee, has indicated that the committee will begin discussions regarding the death penalty next week. The Kansas Supreme Court recently ruled that the current death penalty statute is unconstitutional. This is a complex issue, and a more thorough discussion will be included in the next caucus newsletter.

              The Financial Institutions Committee, chaired by Rep. Ray Cox (R-Bonner Springs), will hear testimony on a bill that will cap interest rates for lenders. The impetus behind this bill is to disallow “payday loan” stores from charging exorbitant rates to consumers.

              The Wildlife, Tourism & Parks Committee, chaired by Rep. Don Myers (R-Derby), will work HB 2115 on February 7. The bill will repeal legislation passed late last session that severely limited the areas in which bow hunters could hunt. Passage of this bill will once again allow bow hunters to hunt statewide.