LENEXA – A teenager was hit and killed in an accident just after 5 p.m. on Saturday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Toyota pickup was southbound on Interstate 35 at milepost 226.

The truck swerved and attempted to take the exit at the U.S. 69 ramp and struck Steven Henderson Schuster, 19, Pataskala, Ohio, standing in an area between the two exit lanes.

The pickup left the scene of the accident.

Schuster was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to First Call Mortuary.

It is uncertain why the man was trying to cross the highway when he was hit. Both I-35 and 69 Highway were closed for several hours on Saturday evening following the accident.

BY ERIN ANTHONY

With the launch of a new oversight subcommittee focusing on the administration’s energy and environmental policies and House passage of the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 185), House lawmakers are putting the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies on notice: Business as usual is over.

In both the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, Congress set out policies that regulators are supposed to follow. Yes, EPA and other regulatory bodies do have some leeway in writing and implementing the regulations for these laws and many others. Over the years, however, where Congress gave EPA an inch, the agency has taken a mile. Both the proposed Waters of the U.S. rule and the proposed regulations related to new and existing coal-fired power plants overstep the regulatory authority Congress granted the agency in the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act, respectively.

With House action to tighten the reins on the regulators less than a month into the new Congress, lawmakers are setting a clear agenda, and close to the top of that agenda is holding regulators’ feet to the fire.

In late December, Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), newly appointed chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, announced he would form a new panel, the Interior Subcommittee, to watch over the EPA, as well as the Agriculture, Energy and Interior departments. Responsibility for those agencies previously fell to two subcommittees, one that focused on energy and the other on regulatory affairs.

Chaffetz’s concerns aren’t exclusively with regulatory policy. General mismanagement and personnel problems are also very much on his radar. In addition, he has been vocal about what he sees as unlawful limits on the ability of Utahans to access federal lands, which comprise two-thirds of his state. Chaffetz has appointed Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) to lead the subcommittee.

The Regulatory Accountability Act, which passed with bipartisan support in the House last week, would give all stakeholders a greater voice in a federal regulatory process that is too often one-sided.

The legislation provides a much-needed update to the nearly seven-decades-old Administrative Procedures Act, which needs to be amended to ensure that the public and the regulated community, in particular, are afforded a transparent, fair and open regulatory process.

The bill would require agencies to be more open and transparent on data justifying a rule. The most costly rules would be subject to on-the-record hearings. Agencies would be required to consider such rules’ impact on jobs and the economy. Moreover, agencies’ ability to use guidance and interim final rules would be constrained.

Farmers and ranchers are optimistic lawmakers’ efforts will bring EPA and other regulatory agencies’ real mission back into focus: to execute the laws passed by Congress in the least costly way and, with strong public input, to find the most efficient regulatory solutions that benefit all Americans.

Erin Anthony is the editor of FBNews, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s official e-newsletter.
– See more at: http://www.mofb.org/NewsMedia/CuttotheChase.aspx#sthash.VEKl9pgl.dpuf

By ASHLEY BOOKER

After taking his new role as Kansas insurance commissioner, Ken Selzer stressed that he will work toward providing Kansas consumers with a more robust insurance market.

Selzer said recruiting insurance companies to move to the state will give consumers more options.

“We are always going to find other ways to help the industry be more vibrant, more aggressive, more productive on behalf of consumers,” Selzer said last week while speaking to the Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee. “The end game is to always take care of the consumers.”

Under Kansas statute, the insurance department must educate and advocate for consumers, regulate insurance companies and license insurance agents.

Selzer, a Republican from Leawood, succeeds Republican Sandy Praeger, who broke from her party’s conservatives in supporting the federal Affordable Care Act. Praeger, of Lawrence, decided not to run for a fourth term.

Praeger expressed pride in the department’s focus on consumer protections and service during her 12 years in office. Selzer said he intends to help consumers by helping insurance companies.

“Some people think that when you advocate for consumers and advocate for companies that that’s a oxymoron, and you can’t do that at the same time,” he said. “In fact, if you can create a more robust market in this state, we can do great things for consumers.”

During his campaign for commissioner, Selzer talked about how Iowa has attracted insurance corporations by creating a recruiting plan and fostering an image within the department as one that truly understands the insurance industry.

“What we haven’t had in this state is a focus on insurance companies, support companies and financial services companies like Iowa has,” Selzer said. “Thank goodness we are starting this, because other states got involved earlier than we did, so we are going to be playing a little bit of catch-up.”

Iowa’s online health insurance marketplace, created under the ACA, faces some challenges. CoOportunity Health, a co-op started to offer insurance on Iowa’s marketplace, recently folded. That leaves Coventry as the only company offering plans statewide on the exchange.

Selzer, a certified public accountant, has worked in the reinsurance business for more than three decades. After winning the November election, Selzer retired from his job as executive managing director of Aon Benfield, a global insurance and consulting firm.

Before Aon Benfield, Selzer worked at Employers Reinsurance Corporation in Overland Park. He has a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California.

A day after being sworn into office, Selzer put together an informal working group that included insurance company representatives, educators, Senate Financial Institutions and Insurance Committee Chairman Sen. Jeff Longbine and House Insurance Committee Chairman Rep. Scott Schwab, along with other government officials.

The group will collaborate to recruit insurance companies to Kansas and look at how other states successfully bring companies to their states.

Longbine, a Republican from Emporia, said the working group of about 20 people identified a need for education and training to create a qualified workforce.

“We also determined that we need a stable regulatory environment, and then additional capital,” he said.

Moving forward, Longbine said the working group could split into subgroups to address more specific topics.

Selzer said the group members “are going to work hard to find ways to bring more companies to do business here” over the next 18 months to two years.

He outlined that broad vision while speaking to House and Senate committees during the first week of the 2015 legislative session.

During the Senate committee meeting, Sen. Jim Denning, a Republican from Overland Park, asked if the state will receive additional information about the insurance marketplace. Currently, the federal government provides information about enrollees’ type of plan, age and gender, but Denning would like to see more about insurance plan costs.

“It is a federal law with federal mandates and they will release to us what they want to release, and we can’t garner as much as we can out of that,” said Selzer, noting that Congress could change some aspects of the ACA that might affect the insurance marketplaces.

Sen. Tom Hawk, a Democrat from Manhattan, said he hopes Selzer will be open-minded about the option of operating a state-run ACA exchange as the climate changes in Congress.

“I don’t think the Legislature will consider it if the insurance commissioner does not report back that they think it’s a good idea,” Hawk said. “There’s no guarantee even if this new commissioner thinks it’s a good idea that the Legislature will agree.”

Ashley Booker is an intern for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team.

RAY HENRY, Associated Press
KATHLEEN FOODY, Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — Republican lawmakers are pushing legislation restricting gay rights even as the U.S. Supreme Court gets ready to decide whether same-sex couples can marry.

The roughly half-dozen bills are viewed as political longshots unlikely to become law. Still, they create a political problem for Republicans nationally.

It’s possible the U.S. Supreme Court could strike down prohibitions against gay marriage as Republican state lawmakers are seeking laws restricting gay rights. Those stances may appeal to religious and social conservatives in the GOP, but polls shows it’s increasingly out of step with the desire of voters nationally.

Some Republican leaders are subtly pushing back. House Speaker David Ralston in Georgia said he is unsure a new law on religious rights is constitutionally necessary.

CALIFORNIA – A Missouri man died in an accident just before 10:30 a.m. on Saturday in Moniteau County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Pontiac Bonneville driven by Claude E. Jones, 45, Holts Summit, was traveling on U.S. 50 at California Drive. The driver failed to yield to a westbound Kenworth semi.

Jones was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Phillips Funeral home in California.

The semi driver Arlyn J. Hartsock, 65, Florence, refused treatment at the scene.

The MSHP reported Jones was not wearing a seat belt.

SUDHIN THANAWALA, Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Federal investigators are cracking down on what they say are sham universities that exploit the visa system for foreign students.

At least half a dozen schools have been shut down or raided by federal authorities in recent years over allegations of immigration fraud. Like Tri-Valley University in Pleasanton, California, they had obtained permission from immigration officials to admit foreign students.

But investigators say most offered little or no instruction or didn’t require all students to attend classes, instead taking advantage of the visa system for profit.

Government watchdogs say the recent visa fraud cases have exposed gaps in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement oversight of schools that admit foreign students — a problem the agency says is being corrected.

Experts say they also hurt the U.S. higher education system’s reputation.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Gov. Jay Nixon is asking for $25 million for higher education next fiscal year.

But $13 million would be generated in part through expanded Medicaid funding, which has been widely criticized by Republicans. The governor also wants more than $161 million to update and repair campuses.

Although colleges and university officials say the money would help, they added it’s not much after years of underfunding.

University of Central Missouri President Chuck Ambrose says a .8 percent tuition increase is possible. But Ambrose says the increase could be avoided if lawmakers give the Warrensburg school more than what the governor is requesting.

Missouri State University in Springfield is looking at raising tuition by up to 2 percent for out-of-state students and graduate students regardless of what the Legislature does.

WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) co-sponsored the American Liberty Restoration Act, legislation to repeal ObamaCare’s individual insurance mandate. The bill, which was introduced by Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch (Utah) and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), is co-sponsored by Blunt and 19 of his colleagues.

“This law is broken, and forcing families in Missouri to buy expensive health care from the federal government is not the solution,” said Blunt. “Every American – including low and middle-income workers and families – deserves access to quality health care that they can afford. I’ll continue to support efforts to stop ObamaCare, and this important bill is a step in the right direction.”

The American Liberty Restoration Act would strike provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) requiring individuals to purchase health insurance. The individual insurance mandate in PPACA went into effect in 2014.

For the 2014 tax filing season, individuals who did not purchase health insurance will face a fine of $95 or 1 percent of their income, whichever is more. For the 2015 tax filing season, that penalty will increase to $325 or 2 percent of their income, whichever is more.

In addition to Blunt, co-sponsors of the bill include U.S. Senators Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), John Barrasso (Wyo.), Richard Burr (N.C.), Dan Coats (Ind.), Thad Cochran (Miss.), Susan Collins (Maine), John Cornyn (Texas), Deb Fischer (Neb.), Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Jim Inhofe (Okla.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Rob Portman (Ohio), Jim Risch (Idaho), Pat Roberts (Kan.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), John Thune (S.D.), and Roger Wicker (Miss.)

The Associated Press

Kia Motors America is recalling nearly 87,000 of its 2014 Forte sedans because of faulty equipment that could cause the cars to catch fire.
The recall notice issued Saturday affects Kia Fortes made from Dec. 5, 2012, through April 17, 2014. The cooling fan resistor might overheat and melt in those vehicles, increasing the risk of a fire.
The recall is expected to begin Feb. 24.
Owners of 2014 Fortes seeking additional information may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542, or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
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TRAVIS LOLLER, Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Leaders in the nation’s largest Protestant denomination are preaching that integrated churches can be a key driver of racial justice in society. But that could be a hard sell to those sitting in Southern Baptist congregations.

About 20 percent of Southern Baptist Convention congregations are nonwhite, but less than 1 percent are multiethnic.

Despite that lack of integration, a phone survey of about 1,000 churchgoers by Lifeway Research found that only 37 percent of evangelicals thought their churches needed to become more ethnically diverse.

The Rev. Russell Moore, who leads the Southern Baptist’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, wants that to change. He said that when black Christians and white Christians begin to worship together, they will also stand up for each other.