Les Donovan, (R-Wichita) has had a rough session. At age 79, the Wichita based car dealer has been a key component of the Kansas Republican majority in the Senate for some time. Sen. Donovan has been a fixture of stability in the tax committee.
This session in Topeka has tested that, as Sen. Donovan has found himself ambushed repeatedly by members of his own party who have worked to alter - sometimes significantly - proposals he has worked on with others.
Tonight, that frustration came to a boil.
After Senate Leader Bruce read in the notes and schedule for the senate as well as a plan of action, there was a call for anyone with commentary from the body. Senator Donovan stood, "Maybe I have something to say.. I do have something to say."
Before the senate gaveled in, they had stood ready for roughly an hour and thirty minutes, a delay that caused those present to wonder what was happening.
Donovan had just finished a tax conference a few hours before and came to the senate prepared to present the new conference agreement. The new strategy by the tax committee was simple: if the body was unprepared to bite on all $400M worth of taxes, pass a bill that gets them half way, or $220M. By passing half of the needed elements, all of which they had agreed on, the negotiating staff of the Senate and House felt as though they could then build together the reset piece by piece. His Republican senate compatriots, however, didn't agree. For an hour and a half, rumors floated through the hallway that the senate wanted changes in the conference committee report restored to prior bills. These demanded changes that included the LaTurner amendment (a lid on property tax), or Abrams amendments (a removal of sales tax exemptions for non-for profits).
Donovan, frankly, had finally had enough.
Donovan made his case clear: Numerous senate members were working to subvert him and make it impossible for him to negotiate with any strength. "You should be ashamed, you should all be ashamed. There are at least seven people here who think they are the tax chair.."
Noting that the body was "ridiculous" and "behaving like children", Sen. Donovan brought back his earlier frustration with the senate where he had given a similar tongue lashing to the body. "I've brought you a perfectly good bill and you dance around.."
Noting that the senate had refused to consider legislation and instead looked to poison it, he referenced ongoing changes; which seemed to confirm outside opinion that conservative members of the senate were forcing change.
"I am ashamed of how you are behaving. I've been used as a pawn and I'm sick of it. Find another tax chair. Tonight."
The Kansas House, a body that has struggled to keep members on board adjourned tonight to return on Monday. The senate met briefly in after hours at 11:45 in a conference committee, attended by Sen. Donovan who noted "I'll see this through", where they decided to reconvene tomorrow.
The Kansas legislature is now guaranteed to reach Day 109 (Monday). Pressure for an immediate conclusion has been removed now that furloughs have been delayed at least a few weeks. Sen. Jeff Melcher noted from the senate floor upon voting for SB-11 "We now have a couple of weeks to get this right."