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January 24, 2013 - DeGraaf Makes First Amendment of the 2013 Legislative Session |
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"How long can Kansas lawmakers go without sleep before they start making bad decisions?
That question was at the heart of an amendment to the esoteric rules of order for the Kansas House of Representatives on Thursday.
Mulvane Republican Rep. Pete DeGraaf proposed a new rule that would cut off debate in the House after 11 p.m. unless a majority of House members agreed to continue..."
>>Read the rest of the article at the Wichita Eagle>> |
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December 12, 2012 - School board discourages area legislators from trimming state’s education budget |
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Rep. Pete DeGraaf (R-District 82), who is starting his third term in office, said Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback does not want to make cuts to education, but that may not be possible with the shortfall the state is facing.
He said he would have a better understanding of what might happen over the next 18 months when Brownback gives his State of the State address before legislators go into session next month.
“We are also concerned. I’m a product of public education,” DeGraaf said. “We want to see strong public education, but the reality is, just like anyone else, we can’t spend more than we have, unless you go into debt. In the past year, the state has accumulated debt. We have more debt per capita than any other state in a seven-state region.”
“We’ve faced worse. This is not the first time in the last five years we’ve had to deal with this,” DeGraaf added. “We’ll get through it.”
>>Read the rest of the story at the Derby Informer>> |
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October 24, 2012 - DeGraaf Has a Lot of New Hands to Shake |
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Although Rep. Pete DeGraaf (R-Mulvane) has run completely unopposed in this election, that doesn’t mean he is sitting still.
Due to changes in his district boundaries, the former Air Force pilot running for his 3rd term in the Kansas House of Representatives faces a constituency that, by his own estimate, is 65 percent new. That means a lot of new hands to shake...
“I believe we each have a duty to serve one another and that I have and will continue to make a difference. I will continue to push for a smaller, more efficient and effective government that produces better results with less waste, greater transparency and more accountability,” said DeGraaf.
>>Read more at the Derby Informer>> |
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October 21, 2012 - Area Officials Urge Rail Action at Meeting |
State Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, said he accompanied the Wichita mayor and several city officials on the trip.
"We spent the day with the Oklahoma City mayor and as a result they asked us to get with the ACOG — Associated Central Oklahoma Governments, covering the northern Oklahoma and southern Kansas region," he said.
"We're trying to approach this from a commerce standpoint, not just ‘taking the train,'" he said.
DeGraaf also urged KDOT to keep passenger rail on the radar.
"Let's make sure we don't lose the next step," he said. DeGraaf said after the meeting that he supported extending the Heartland Flyer, as well as the potential reroute of the Southwest Chief.
"Anything we can do to connect Chicago and Kansas City to Oklahoma City would be to our advantage," he said.
"In any cost analysis (of adding Amtrak service) there's more to the picture than just passenger miles," DeGraaf said.
"We have to take a look at the whole economic picture — the activity spurred in communities along the train route."
>>Read more from the Arkansas City Traveler>>
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October 10, 2012 - Mulvane Could Be a Train Stop |
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An old depot in downtown Mulvane stands as a quiet sentinel to the city’s long history with the railroad, now housing the community’s local museum.
Supporters of passenger rail service, with a stop in Mulvane, met in the community Friday afternoon to discuss what needs to be done to kick start the process. The meeting was fueled by a legislative rail caucus meeting later this month in Topeka and speculation that Amtrak’s Southwest Chief will be eliminated or rerouted to share lines with the freight trains which pay for the upkeep of those lines.
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Both Wetta and Rep. Pete DeGraaf (R-Mulvane) said they support the idea.
“I think we have a vested interest in seeing them come through,” DeGraaf said.
>>Read the rest of the story at the Derby Informer>> |
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September, 2012 - Candidates in 5 Races Introduced |
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Candidates for five races in south central Kansas worked this week to make themselves stand out among the crowd. All had the opportunity to introduce themselves and make a short statement at the September meeting of the Derby Chamber of Commerce.
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State Representative District 82
Pete DeGraaf, who virtually switched districts with Howell in redistricting changes, is unopposed in the coming election. He said in his time in office, reductions have been made in staffing and overhead in some state agencies while efficiencies were created. For example, the Department of Labor previously was dropping thousands of calls a day, but now does not drop any, even though cuts were made.
>>Read the rest of the story at the Derby Informer>> |
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Kansas House of Representatives 2012 Interactive Map |
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Use this Kansas House of Representatives Interactive Map to locate your district based on the newly redrawn district lines:
View Larger Map |
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June 15, 2012 - Advocates Plead for Judge Riddel Boys Ranch to Stay Open |
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A parade of advocates – including some former juvenile offenders who say they have turned their lives around – pleaded with state legislators and some Sedgwick County commissioners on Friday to keep the Judge James Riddel Boys Ranch open...Sam Lamping, 18, said he learned patience and the value of work at the ranch, and he’s scheduled to enter Wichita State University in the fall.
“A couple years earlier, I would have never even thought about it,” Lamping said.
“Awesome,” replied Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, who led the hearing in his role as chairman of the South Central Kansas Legislative Delegation.
>>Read more from the Wichita Eagle>>
Read more here: http://www.kansas.com/2012/06/15/2375267/advocates-plead-for-judge-riddel.html#storylink=cpy
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May 4, 2012 - DeGraaf Files for Re-election |
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"State Rep. Pete DeGraaf (R-Mulvane) has filed for re-election to the 81st District.
If House reapportionment proposals are approved, the 81st District would still include McConnell Air Force Base, Mulvane and Clearwater, but would lose Belle Plaine and gain portions of Haysville.
Even without absolute clarity on boundary lines, DeGraaf said he felt this was the time to declare his intention to run."
>>read more from the Derby Informer>> |
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April 21, 2012 - Kansas Legislators Have Unfinished Business In Topeka |
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"Kansas lawmakers' three-week recess is almost over. They will head back to the capitol in just few days for what is normally a wrap-up session, but at a public forum held at Wichita State University Saturday morning, representatives said there is still a lot of work to be done back in Topeka...'Normally, this is veto session where we come back, we wrap up the budget and then we'll make some minor modifications to a budget that's already been approved. But we don't have an agreed budget yet that both houses have agreed to,' Representative Pete Degraaf said."
>>read more and watch the video at Kake News>>
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Spring, 2012 - Casino, budget concerns alarm DeGraaf |
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The glitz and glamour that accompanied the opening of the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane have masked multiple community issues that must be addressed in the immediate future, according to State Rep. Pete DeGraaf (R-Mulvane, District 81).
Since the opening, DeGraaf said he has fielded several complaints regarding signage and traffic concerns, as well as proposals for businesses such as strip clubs and bars.
“Voters in the 81st District were overwhelmingly against it coming into our backyard, and I think are still resentful,” he said. “Clearly, we need to do a better job using the 2 percent money for people who are going to be struggling. We need to be proactive as a community to talk about the negatives.
>>Read the rest of the story at the Derby Informer>> |
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May 17, 2011 - Abortion Insurance Reform Passes Kansas Legislature |
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"A Kansas insurance bill, HB 2075, composed of four different measures, was passed in the waning hours of the 2011 session. It included a pro-life bill introduced last year by Rep. Pete DeGraaf (R) that removes abortion from automatic coverage under standard private health plans."
>>read more from National Right to Life>> |
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May 16, 2011 - Pete DeGraaf Honored as Kansas Hero |
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"Representative Peter DeGraaf is another champion. He initiated this bill to remove abortion from insurance in Kansas and has stood for the babies for decades. Rep. DeGraaf also fought valiantly for the rule of law in regard to his hometown of Mulvane and the casino at Exit 33. These men and their families are making huge sacrifices for us and for the Kingdom They deserve our honor."
>>Read more from the Kansas Family Policy Council>> |
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May 11, 2011 - DeGraaf Works to Remove Abortion from Automatic State Health Insurance Coverage |
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"Before going home this week, the Senate and House will yet get to vote on a “clean-up” insurance bill that will include the contents of HB 2292, introduced last year by Rep. Pete DeGraaf (R-Mulvane).
HB 2292 requires health insurance policies to remove abortion from automatic coverage, relegating it to individually-purchased riders. This only makes sense; pregnancy is not a disease and abortion is not true healthcare."
>>read more on the Kansans for Life Blog>> |
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February 17, 2011 - Abortion Opponents Testify in Bills' Favor |
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Passing out blue and pink binders filled with testimony, abortion opponents pushed Wednesday for a state law that would ban abortions after 22 weeks, saying that fetuses can feel pain at that stage of development. The bill is a new wrinkle in the abortion debate in Kansas and represents a potential path to challenge to Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that affirmed abortion as a Constitutional right.
>>Read more>> |
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February 16, 2011 - Bill Would Require Women to Buy Insurance Rider for Abortions |
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Most people do not realize that the health plan in Kansas for all state employees includes coverage for abortion. In fact, it is the first covered procedure listed on the plan. Many citizens find abortion to be a "morally repugnant" procedure, and even some who don't are opposed to public funding of it. With this in mind, Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, is leading the effort to have abortion moved from the list of mandatory coverage to a rider made available by the health care provider for those desiring it.
>>Read the story here>> |
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February 5, 2011 - Kansas Bill Would Require Prescription for Cold Meds Like Sudafed and Claritin-D |
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Some Kansas lawmakers want to make some cold and allergy medications available only by prescription as a way of reducing methamphetamine production in the state. A new bill would force patients seeking drugs that contain pseudoephedrine, a nasal decongestant and key ingredient in meth, to get approval from their doctors first...The new Kansas bill, HB 2098, was introduced by representatives Peter DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, and Vince Wetta, D-Wellington. State Sen. Steve Abrams, R-Arkansas City, said he will introduce a similar bill Monday in the Senate's public health and welfare committee.
>>Read more>> |
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November, 2010 - Kansas Policy Institute Launches OpenGov Website! |
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The Kansas Policy Institute has launched KansasOpenGov.org, a website developed to give Kansans a clear look at how their state and local tax dollars are spent. Categories at this time include: State Government, School Districts, Retirees, and Property Tax. The dynamically-driven site pulls all data directly from government sources. |
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October 13, 2010 - Stand Up for Kansas Endorses Pete! |
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 The Stand Up for Kansas Political Action Committee issued a 2010 General Election Voter Guide with endorsements for candidates across the state. The guide identifies candidates who "oppose the expansion of legalized gambling." Among those endorsed is Pete DeGraaf, State Representative for Kansas House District 81.
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October 8, 2010 - Put Our Right to Keep and Bear Arms Back in the Kansas Constitution! |
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 A 1905 court ruling from the Kansas Supreme Court took the interpretation of Section 4 of the Kansas Constitution to mean the Right to Keep and Bear Arms only exists as a collective right for those in the militia or military and "NO INDIVIDUAL RIGHT EXISTS."
For that reason, the NRA has worked with the Kansas State Rifle Association, Senator Mike Petersen and the Legislature, to pass a Constitutional Amendment during the 2009 legislative session, which provides new language that clarifies Section 4 and GUARANTEES an individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
The language reads: "A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose." Our elected officials have done law-abiding Kansans a tremendous service by passing this landmark Constitutional Amendment.
Now it is up to YOU to do your part on November 2, 2010 and vote this provision into the Kansas Constitution.
Click here or on the flyer to the left to download a pdf flyer with additional information about the amendment. Visit the NRA-ILA website to find out more. |
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June 28, 2010 - Kansas Chamber Endorses Pete! |
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Topeka, KS (June 28, 2010) – The Kansas Chamber PAC has released their endorsements forthe 2010 elections to the Kansas Legislature. “We are proud to endorse a group of candidates who demonstrate a pro-jobs approach to stimulating the Kansas economy and the personal leadership to form strong public policy,” said Kansas Chamber Interim President and CEO Kent Beisner. “These individuals are committed to reducing government spending and growing jobs in Kansas.”
The Chamber PAC endorses exceptional lawmakers and candidates who support the tenets of free enterprise. The selection process focuses solely on the core business issues that impact the state’s economy.
>>Read more>> |
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June 3, 2010 - AFP Kansas legislative scorecards released |
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by Bob Weeks, of Voice for Liberty in Wichita.
The Kansas Chapter of Americans for Prosperity has released its legislative scorecards for the 2010 session of the Kansas Legislature. These scorecards rank members of the Kansas House and Senate by the way they voted on selected legislation and amendments.
>>Read more>> |
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May 12, 2010 - DeGraaf says new highway plan is bloated and too large |
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by Jeannine Koranda
Eagle Topeka Bureau
Kansas' next transportation plan headed to the governor's desk on Tuesday after the House passed a 10-year, $8.2 billion program. "This is an opportunity for us to have jobs, jobs, jobs and continue to have the jobs," said Rep. Barbara Ballard, D-Lawrence. "Transportation is crucial to the economy of our state."
The state will not select expansion or economic development transportation projects until February — meaning a newly elected governor will preside over the process... "We need an affordable and sustainable plan," said Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane."
This is bloated and too large for our situation." Surrounding states spent less per person than the Kansas plan called for, he said. "At what point are we going to say enough is enough?" DeGraaf asked.
>>Read more>> |
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March 25, 2010 - Kansas Economic Freedom Index |
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Bob Weeks, of the Voice for Liberty in Wichita blog, has recently begun a project that tracks the votes of Kansas legislators to identify those who "vote in favor of economic freedom - and those who don't." Visit the Kansas Economic Freedom Index post for information about the project.
Click here to download the March 25, 2010 Kansas Economic Freedom Index. Of his 85% rating, Representative DeGraaf states, "I do not regret my one vote that they [Voice for Liberty] say is out of sync; I will always vote to limit sexually-oriented businesses. I suspect all true Republicans would vote to limit such establishments, while all true libertarians would vote to allow them." |
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March 19, 2010 - School Funding Data Released |
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There is much hype over school funding and concern that schools will suffer from state budget cuts. The following downloadable files reveal the truth about school funding. Please take a moment to read the information and educate yourself with the facts on this important issue.
Comprehensive School Data Packet
Funding Facts - March 15, 2010
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