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2024 Election Report The 2024 election was full of surprises. Below is an initial overview. Mail in ballots will continue to be counted until Friday, meaning a couple of close races may still change. The final votes will be certified sometime next week. All unofficial election results can be found on the Kansas Secretary of State’s website. President of the United States Former president Donald Trump won 57 percent of the vote in Kansas, roughly the same as in 2016 and 2020. United States Congress District 1: Incumbent Republican Tracey Mann won reelection in the...

Members of the United States House of Representatives, including the entirety of the Kansas congressional delegation, worked to introduce the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which is a bipartisan effort to allow for the year-round availability of E15 fuel nationwide. Renew Kansas Biofuels Association has been in frequent contact with the Kansas congressional delegation on the issue of year-round E15 and has frequently encouraged their support of the effort. The association applauds representatives Sharice Davids, Ron Estes, Jake LaTurner and Tracey Mann for their support of the legislation. "We thank...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the final guidance and a test method to evaluate efficacy claims for antimicrobial products against Legionella pneumophila (L. pneumophila) in cooling tower water. Legionnaires’ disease (LD) is a serious type of pneumonia (lung infection) acquired by breathing in water droplets contaminated with L. pneumophila bacteria. Cooling towers are a potential breeding ground for this bacterium. L. pneumophila can disperse through the air in water droplets if cooling towers are not properly maintained. The incidence of LD in the United States has been increasing since...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced the publication of a heat standard proposal that would require employers to develop an injury and illness prevention plan to control heat hazards in workplaces affected by excessive heat. “The nation’s first-ever federal safety standard addressing excessive heat in the workplace,” would apply to all employers conducting outdoor and indoor work in all general industry, construction, maritime, and agriculture sectors where OSHA has jurisdiction. Excluded from the rule would be short-duration employee exposures to heat, emergency response activities, work at indoor sites kept below 80°F,...

On June 18, in response to an action by Governor Laura Kelly, the Kansas legislature convened a one-day Special Session where two matters were debated. The first was a comprehensive tax relief bill. The second item was approval of a Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonding package intended to incentivize the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals sports franchises to come to Kansas City, Kan. Both bills were passed, and the governor has indicated she will sign the bills into law. COMPREHENSIVE TAX RELIEF – Senate Bill 1: The House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to pass...

The Kansas Water Office (KWO) plans to hold meetings aimed at generating broad, and continued, legislative interest in fully funding the state water plan. Similar to the regional planning sessions Kansas Dept. of Transportation held when putting together the Kansas Highway Plan, the state’s vision is to put conduct similar regional/consult listening meetings across the state to receive feedback on funding priorities for the new state water plan funds. June 17 | 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. | Colby June 18 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Dodge City June 20 | 2:00...

Before adjourning the 2024 Kansas legislative session earlier this month, the legislature sent Governor Laura Kelly a comprehensive tax relief bill and an omnibus budget bill. Yesterday, as was predicted, Governor Kelly announced her veto of the tax bill and multiple line-item vetoes in the budget bill. The Governor also announced she intends to call the legislature back in for a, “Special Session,” - likely following the Memorial Day weekend – to seek passage of a new tax package. Because the 2024 legislative session has adjourned, no bills would carry over from...

Renew Kansas Biofuels Association submitted a comment to the California Air Resources Board regarding proposed Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) amendments. The association’s comment acknowledged low carbon biofuels have been among the largest contributors to the success of the LCFS program and pointed to the vital role approval of higher blend biofuels such as E15 and E85 could play in assisting California meet its ambitious climate goals. Renew Kansas did, however, have concerns regarding the proposed sustainability certification, pointing out costly requirements on biofuels producers and farmers if enacted. In closing its comments,...

On Friday, April 26, 2024, the Kansas legislature gaveled back in to begin its brief, “Veto Session,” where the legislature can attempt to override vetoes by the governor. Lawmakers worked Monday and Tuesday of this week before adjourning sine die around 12:30 a.m., on Wednesday morning, officially concluding the regular 2024 legislative session. As this is the second year of the legislative biennium, any bill that was not passed is no longer a live bill. Throughout the interim at the beginning of the month, Governor Laura Kelly vetoed at least 15...

The legislature worked late into the night on Friday, April 5, adjourning around 3:15 a.m., on Saturday morning to wrap up the regular legislative session for 2024. A few items, however, were referred to conference committee where additional action may be taken when legislators return on April 29 for a brief, “Veto Session,” – a time when legislators generally consider taking action to override bills vetoed by the governor. There was much activity this week, with the legislature taking final action on dozens of bills. Of note, the legislature passed a...

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