Dear K-Staters,
Hope everyone is staying warm and dry after the latest snowfall. It’s definitely not the nicest weather to wake up and trudge to class in, but stay strong! It won’t be long before those 60 F days we’ve had here and there will be the norm again – or maybe it will. It’s always hard to tell in Kansas.
Last Tuesday, we mentioned that we’d be spending the day in our state capital for State Higher Education Day. Student leaders from Student Governing Association and other entities around campus joined forces with representatives from the other Board of Regents institutions and Washburn University to advocate for issues important to students.
One of the topics we discussed with the state senators and representatives we met with was the Lifeline 911 bills that were introduced in the House and Senate earlier this month. If passed, the bills would make the Lifeline 911 policy we implemented at K-State this semester – which gives minors the peace of mind to call for help in an alcohol-related emergency – a state law.
We’re pleased to say that the bills were well-received by most of the legislators we spoke with. In addition to lobbying, I testified alongside KU student body president Morgan Said on behalf of the bills in hearings of the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Both these hearings went well – in fact, the chairman of the Senate committee said he was convinced that the bill would save lives and was excited to see it get to the floor for a vote.
When we ran for office last spring, Lifeline 911 was one of our primary platforms, and implementing it as a state law was easily our most ambitious goal. It’s likely that a decision will be made in the next few weeks, and we’re optimistic about the outcome. It’s exciting to see our work, and that of countless others, so close to fruition.
If you’d like to help the cause, don’t hesitate to reach out to your legislators and let them know you support the Lifeline 911 bills. Hearing from constituents is a powerful factor in how a senator or representative votes!
Enjoy the rest of your week, and if you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us. We love serving the students of K-State, and would be glad to work for your interests!
As always, go Cats!
Reagan Kays, student body president
rkays@ksu.edu
Cody Kennedy, student body vice president
ckennedy@ksu.edu
@KStateSBP_SBVP
