NOlathe's Blog

During the last several months, I can not think of one day when I turned on the news that the Arizona Immigration Law SB-1070 requiring enforcement of Federal Immigration Laws wasn’t in play somewhere.  A Time Capsule might look like this:

• Localized demonstrations of illegals demanding the same rights as “other citizens”
• Demonstrators denigrating the U.S. Flag and raising the Mexican National Flag
• Boycotts of Arizona business and activities (even by schools)
• Support for SB-1070 from other States (except Kansas)
• President of Mexico files protest of discrimination
• U.S. Attorney General files suit against Arizona (SB-1070)
• U.S. Secretary of State complains to United Nations on SB-1070

Even here in Kansas we watched as Co-Author of SB-1070 and candidate for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach invited America’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio to Olathe.  Following threats of protests the event was moved to a more secure facility in Overland Park and even there experienced protests and a bomb threat.

A ‘State summation’ of the bill reads “The bill would require all state officials, agencies, and personnel to fully comply with and support the enforcement of federal immigration laws. The bill would also require all law enforcement officers to inquire into the citizenship and immigration status of any person arrested for a violation of state law or municipal ordinance, regardless of the person’s national origin, ethnicity, or race. If an arrestee is determined to be an alien, the bill would require the officer to verify if the alien is lawfully present in the U.S. with the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and cooperate with any request made by ICE to detain or transfer the alien to the custody of the federal government. The bill would also prohibit any official or agent of a state, county, or city law enforcement agency from being restricted from information regarding any individual or exchanging the information with any other federal, state, or local government agency. Also, the bill would prohibit state, county, or city law enforcement agencies from discouraging officers to ask individuals their citizenship or immigration status.”

So what does all this have to do with Kansas and why would I chose to write about it again as I have clearly shown in previous postings that our Kansas elected government is very pro-illegal immigration?  Well, once again a reader of NOlathe has supplied some great material to pursue but please first read these two posts as preparation:

1. http://nolathe.net/2010/02/17/kansas-senate-funds-illegal-immigration/
2. http://nolathe.net/2010/02/18/topeka-the-ultimate-one-party-town/ 

Let’s start with the ‘State summation’ above, it was written by Duane A. Goossen, Kansas Director of the Budget on February 27, 2008 regarding Kansas SB-458.  http://www.kslegislature.org/fiscalnotes/2008/458.pdf  Huh?  I thought we were talking about illegal immigration enforcement in Arizona?  How did we end up here?  Well, two years before Kris Kobach co-authored Arizona SB-1070 he co-authored Kansas SB-458.  Wait until you see who testified in opposition of Kansas SB-458 http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/458.pdf  I think one could easily predict “lawn care”, “construction”, “law firm” companies and any organization with Hispanic in the title to be listed in opposition. (NOTE: January 2011 Kansas implemented new digital system making all “links” to previous documents non-operatable.  Try this http://reformkansaslaws.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/sb-458-the-illegal-immigration-relief-act/ )

 Take a look-

Verbal Testimony- Opposing SB458

1. Wichita Independent Business Association, President and Kansas Independent Business Coalition President, Tim Witsman.  445 N. Waco Street, Wichita, KS 67202
2. Artistic Designs Lawn and Landscape Inc. HR Manager, Nestor Leon.  PO Box 860576, Shawnee, Kansas, 66286. 913-888-7320
3. Catholic Diocese of Dodge City, Sister Gemma Doll
4. Hermes Company, Inc. Dalton Hermes, owner
5. Julie Frady
6. Kansas Board of Regents, Reginald L. Robinson, President, and CEO. 1000 SW Jackson, Suite 520, Topeka, KS  66612.  785-296-3421
7. Kansas Catholic Conference, Arch Bishop Joseph F. Naumann, D.D, 6301 Antioch, Merriam, KS 66202. 913-722-6633
8. Kansas Chamber of Commerce, President and CEO, Amy Blankenbiller.  835 SW Topeka, Blvd, Topeka, KS, 66612. 785-357-6321
9. Kansas Farm Bureau, Terry D. Holdren, National Director
10. Kansas Grain and Feed Assoc. Duane Simpson, CEO/Vice President.  816 SW Tyler, Suite 100, Topeka, KS, 66612. 785-234-0461
11. Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Assoc. David M. Dayvault, President,   Abercrombie Energy, LLC. CFO, 800 SW. Jackson St. Suite 1400, Topeka KS,  66612   
12. League of Kansas Municipalities, Sandy Jacquot, General Council. 300 SW 8^th Ave. Topeka, KS, 66603.  785-354-9565.
13. Johnson County Government, The Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, Steward J. Little, PhD, Little Government Relations. 800 SW Jackson, Suite 914. Topeka, KS 66612.  885-235-8187.
14. MO/KS American Immigration Lawyers Association, Angela J. Furguson, Chairman. 
15. Public Health Dept. Director, Joseph M. Connor.  619 Ann Ave. Kansas City, KS, 66101.  913-321-4803.
16. Central Plains Development, Owner, Robert A. Snyder.  3620 Sunnybrook, Wichita, KS. 67210.  316-312-3583.
17. Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church of Topeka, Sister Maria Luz Hernandez
18. Society for Human Resource Management, Director of Governmental Affairs, Michael P. Aitken
19. The Mdivani Law Firm LLC, Emily Haverkamp, Immigration Attorney.    7007 College Blvd. Suite 460, Overland Park, KS. 66212 913-317-6200  ehaverkamp@uslegalimmigration.com
20. The Mdivani Law Firm LLC, Mira Mdivani, Immigration Attorney, 7007 College Blvd.  Suite 460, Overland Park, KS. 66212. 913-317-6200.
21. Kansas Business Coalition, Ally Devine

Written Testimony- Opposing SB458

1. United Methodist Women of the Kansas East Conference, President Sue Littrell, and Social Action, Susan G. Fowler.
2. Heritage Lawns LTD,  Wes Ory, President
3. Wichita Area Builders Association, President/CEO Wess Galyon
4. Artistic designs lawn and landscape, Inc. Duane Lukowsky, PO Box 860576, Shawnee Kansas, 66286, 913-888-7320
5. Associated General Contractors of Kansas, Associate Government Affairs Director, Eric Stafford, 200 SW 33^rd Street, Topeka, KS 66611,            785-266-4015
6. Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. HOA Chapter, Jim Kistler, President and CEO, 6950 Squibb Road, Suite 418, Mission, KS, 66202 913-831-2221
7. Dominican Sisters of Great Bend Kansas, Sister Rene Weeks, OP President
8. Grass Roots Inc. President, Lance Shelhammer, II.  Olathe KS.
9. Topeka Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Christy Caldwell, Vice President Government Relations.  topekainfo@topekachamber.org
10. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, President and CEO, Carlos Gomez.
11. Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City, MO. 600 E. 103^rd St. Kansas City, MO 64131. 816-942-8800
12. Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma, Paul Kane
13. Social Security Administration, Assistant Inspector General for the Office of Audit, Steve Schaeffer
14. Justice and Peace Center, Sisters of St. Joseph, Sister Esther Pineda, CSJ.  Concordia, KS, 
15. Kansas Building Industry Assoc, Inc, Executive Director, Chris Wilson
16. Kansas Business Coalition, Amy Blankenbiller
17. Kansas Cooperative Council, Executive Director, Leslie Kaufman, PO Box 1747 Hutchison, KS, 67504.  785-233-4085.  council@kansasco-op.coop
18. Kansas Corporation Commission, Mathew A. Spurgin, Litigation Council. 1500 SW Arrowhead Rd, Topeka, KS 66604,  785-271-3100
19. Kansas Families for Education, Executive Director, Kathy Cook.  15941 W. 65^th Street, #104 Shawnee KS, 66217.  913-825-0099
20. Kansas Manufactured Housing Assoc. Executive Director, Martha Smith.        3521 SW 5^th Street, Topeka, KS 66606, 785-357-5256.  kmha1@sbcglobal.net
21. Kansas Pork Association President/CEO, Tim Stoda.  2601 Farm Bureau Rd. Manhattan, KS, 66502.  785-776-0442.  kpa@kspork.org
22. Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association, Don Sayler, President/CEO,  3500 N. Rock Road, Building 1300, Wichita, KS, 67226.  800-369-6787. KSREST@KRHA.ORG
23. Kansas Society of Human Resource Management - State Council Wichita Society of Human Resource Management, Trinidad Galdean, 8301 E. 21^st Street North, Suite 370, Wichita, KS, 67206.  316-609-7900 
24. Kansas National Education Association, Mark Desetti.  715 SW 10^th Ave. Topeka, KS 66612. 785-232-8271.
25. Kansas League of United Latin American Citizens, Policy and Advocacy Director, Elias L.Garcia.
26. Community Activist, Topeka, Nancy Ochoa.
27. Overland Park Chamber of Commerce, Vice President of Government Relations, J. Kent Eckles.  9001 W. 110^th Street, Suite 150, Overland Park, KS, 66210.   913-491-3600.
28. Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Member of Leadership Team, Sister Linda Roth
29. The Builders Association and Kansas City Chapter, AGC, Director of Governmental Affairs, Dan Morgan.  632 W. 39^th Street, Kansas City, MO. 64111.  816-531-4741.
30. The Kansas Contractors Association, 316 SW 33^rd Street, Topeka, KS.  66605.  785-266-4152  kca@ink.org   (written)

NEUTRAL/INFORMATIONAL TESTIMONY

1. Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment, Division of Health Cindi Treaster, Director Farm worker, Refugee and Immigrant Health
2. Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, Ed Klumpp (written)

We find that Kansas cities (League of Kansas Municipalities), Johnson County Board of Commissioners, Overland Park Chamber of Commerce and the Social Security Administration are PRO-ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION?  Okey, it’s still up to a vote, so how did our Kansas Senators vote on SB-458?  The Kansas Senate with a Republican Majority must surely respect the Kansas Republican Party Platform and vote in support of SB-458 right?

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES  [2011 Update] 
Jim Barnett, Emporia.
Les Donovan, Wichita.
Tim Huelskamp, Fowler.  [U.S. Congress]
Nick Jordan, Shawnee.
Phil Journey, Haysville.
Ralph Ostmeyer, Grinnell.
Peggy Palmer, Augusta.
Mike Petersen, Wichita.
Dennis Pyle, Hiawatha.
Mark Taddiken, Clifton.
   
REPUBLICANS VOTING NO  [2011 Update]
Barbara Allen, Overland Park.
Pat Apple, Louisburg.
Karin Brownlee, Olathe.  [Kansas Secretary of Labor]
Terry Bruce, Hutchinson.
Pete Brungardt, Salina.
Jay Scott Emler, Lindsborg.  [Majority Leader]
Carolyn McGinn, Sedgwick.
Steve Morris, Hugoton. (President)
Roger Pine, Lawrence.
Roger Reitz, Manhattan.
Derek Schmidt, Independence.  (Majority Leader) [Kansas Attorney General]
Vicki Schmidt, Topeka.  (Assistant Majority Leader)
Jean Schodorf, Wichita. (Assistant Majority Whip)
Ruth Teichman, Stafford.
Dwayne Umbarger, Thayer.
John Vratil, Leawood.  (Vice President)
Susan Wagle, Wichita.
Dennis Wilson, Overland Park.
David Wysong, Mission Hills. 
  
REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING 
Julia Lynn, Olathe. 
  
DEMOCRATS VOTING YES 
Jim Barone, Frontenac.
Mark Gilstrap, Kansas City. 
 
DEMOCRATS VOTING NO 
Donald Betts, Wichita.
Marci Francisco, Lawrence.
Greta Goodwin, Winfield.
David Haley, Kansas City.
Anthony Hensley, Topeka.
Laura Kelly, Topeka.
Janis Lee, Kensington.
Chris Steineger, Kansas City.

So to all you Kansans that firmly support Arizona SB-1070 and want to vote those bums out that oppose it, how about we start with Kansas SB-458 and vote our own bums out first!  Real Change has to start in our own backyards.  Until then, Cry Me a River Kansas!  I’ll start with bum-ett Karin Brownlee who’s only contribution on illegal immigration was to make it illegal for illegal aliens to be forced to pay union dues.  You think I’m kidding?