THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2005
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
3A
STUDENT SENATE
Senate OKs fee veto
BY DANIEL BERR
dberk@kansan.com
dBERK STAFF WRITER
After an hour of debate, Student Senate voted to uphold a veto by Steve Munch, student body president.
Munch vetoed a bill Monday that would increase student fees for Legal Services for Students by a $1.50 so its lawyer could go from working 75 percent time to full-time. Munch said the reason he vetoed the bill was because he made a commitment to the student body that any fee increases to go to a student vote.
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"I was a little surprised with the end outcome, but certainly happy with it," Munch said.
The final vote on the veto was 43-17 in support of Munch, which was a drastic change from the initial legislation, where the vote was 48-10 in favor of increasing fees.
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the veto, which included speeches both for and against Munch's decision. Ryan Faulconer, author of the original bill, spoke against Munch's veto and said the fee increase was necessary and went along with normal University inflation.
Faulconer, Colorado Springs,
Colo., senior and chairman of the
advisory board of LSS, said he
respected Munch's decision
and his right to veto a bill, but
was disappointed with the senators.
After Munch's veto was upheld, senators voted unanimously to send the bill to a student referendum during the Senate elections, April 13-14.
"I think people copped out," Faulconer said. "People didn't want to get into it, and it was a political cop-out."
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Munch said he was pleased that students will get an opportunity to vote on the increase.
Legal Services for Students will do what they can to market the idea to students, Faulconer said, but he was unsure how much time could be dedicated to it.
During the debate, senator Stephanie Craig, Edmond, Okla., junior, and vice-presidential candidate for Delta Force, questioned the leadership of Senate that the debate and vote took place so long after Munch's veto. Craig said she thought it was a waste of time to debate it for so long and that this showed poor leadership.
"The criticism comes with the territory." Munch said. "I know that it wasn't personal."
"Hopefully we can work with Senate to have people work for us and raise awareness," Faulconer said. "Everyone in Legal Services will do what they can to market the idea."
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Kline defends records request
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—Edited by Jesse Truesdale
BY JOHN HANNA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LEGISLATURE
TOPEKA — Two abortion clinics yesterday accused Attorney General Phill Kline of violating a court's gag order covering his pursuit of patient medical records and both planned to notify the patients affected by the request.
"I think he is doing everything he can to block access to these services," said Peter Brownlie, Planned Parenthood's local chief executive.
opponent of abortion, is on a fishing expedition.
Kline later reiterated that he needed the records as part of his investigation into child rape and potentially illegal late-term abortions.
Last year, at Kline's request, a Shawnee County judge issued subpoenas for the records of 90 patients from Dr. George Tiller's clinic in Wichita and the Overland Park clinic operated by Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. Both clinics contend Kline, a vocal
Kline's pursuit of the records has brought him national attention and infuriated abortion rights group, who compare his efforts to unsuccessful attempts by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft last year to obtain records from Planned Parenthood nationwide.
Last week, the Kansas Supreme Court, at the clinics' request, lifted a gag order imposed by the same judge who subpoenaed the records. The clinics also have asked the Supreme Court to narrow the subpoenas or block them.
LOCAL
WASHINGTON — A proposed national heritage area in eastern Kansas would highlight violent events that led to the Civil War, a supporter told members of Congress Tuesday.
National park sparks controversy
A National Park Service official, however, urged lawmakers to defer legislation that authorized any additional national heritage sites until Congress established a uniform system of guidelines to decide what areas were nationally significant.
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Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, both Kansas Republicans, introduced legislation earlier this year that designated the Bleeding Kansas and Enduring Struggle for Freedom National Heritage Area, which would include 24 counties in eastern Kansas.
The designation would bring in money and other resources from the National Park Service and create historic markers, signs, brochures and museums. Heritage areas also can qualify for up to $1 million per year in federal funds for up to 10 years.
Bleeding Kansas mainly referred to 1854 to 1861, when pro- and anti-slavery forces in the area erupted in violence.
The Associated Press
Seat belt bill may soon be reality
TOPEKA — Senators are trying again to strengthen Kansas' child passenger safety law, giving first-round approval Tuesday to a bill requiring all minors to wear seat belts or ride in special safety seats.
The measure was advanced on a voice vote. It would triple the fine for violating the law to
$60 and make it easier for law enforcement officers to ticket young drivers.
The Senate planned to take final action on the bill Wednesday. That is when passage would send the measure to the House. Senators approved similar bills in 2001, 2002 and 2004, and only saw them dead in the other chamber.
Strengthening the law has been a goal of some legislators, law enforcement agencies and child advocates since 2001. That was when Kansas' law received an "F" from the National SAFE KIDS Campaign.
Supporters of the bill contend a stronger law will save lives.
But some lawmakers, particularly in the House, view the measure as burdensome for families, particularly those with many children.
English professor Thomas E. Murray, 48, is charged with first-degree murder in the 2003 death of his wife, Carmin D. Ross, 40. His trial began Feb. 17 in Douglas County District Court and ended Monday with closing arguments by prosecutors and defense attorneys.
LAWRENCE — Jurors finished their second full day of deliberations Wednesday without reaching a verdict in the case of a Kansas State University professor accused of killing his former wife.
The Associated Press
Evidence from the trial, which began Feb. 17 and ended Monday with closing arguments, included some 400 exhibits, mainly documents and photographs, as well as a 9-and-a-half-hour video of Murray being questioned by investigators — a key element in the prosecution's case.
Jury still out about K-State professor
reaching a verdict.
The eight women and four men met yesterday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., working through lunch and taking periodic short breaks.
ON THE RECORD
Several members of the victim's family waited inside the district attorney's office. The victim's father, Danny Ross, declined Wednesday to comment.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors said they weren't concerned the jury had met for two full days without
Defense attorneys visited with Murray on yesterday afternoon in his detention cell.
Ross was bludgeoned and stabbed on Nov.13,2003,and her body was found the next day on the living room floor of her two-story farmhouse north of Lawrence.
The Associated Press
A 47-year-old KU employee reported to Lawrence police damage to a passenger side window and a stolen briefcase. The damage and theft took place sometime between 6:45 p.m. March 10 and 7:05 a.m. March 11 from the 2800 block of Westdale Road. The estimated value of the damage and stolen items were $260.
A 20-year-old KU student and a 19-year-old KU student reported stolen to Lawrence police two $1,000 laptop computers, a $30 leather bag, and nine personal checks. The theft took place between 12 and 4 p.m. Tuesday from the 500 block of Colorado Street.
A 20-year-old KU student reported to Lawrence police damage to a driver's side door mirror. The damage took place about 1:45 a.m. yesterday in the 900 block of New Hampshire Street. The damage was estimated at $150.
ON CAMPUS
The Spencer Museum of Art will screen the film "William Burroughs: The Final Academy Documents" at 7 tonight. Call 864-4710 for more information.
The Center for Latin American Studies will sponsor a Merienda Brown Bag lecture on "Theatre Scenes from Concepcion" by Marta Contreras of the University of Concepcion, Chile. The lecture will be at noon today in Room 318 at Bailey Hall. Call 864-4213 for more information.
The Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics will sponsor a lecture on "Women in Politics and the Media," featuring Kansas City, Mo., Mayor Kay Barnes and former five-term U.S. Rep, Karen McCarthy, D-Mo., at 8 tonight. Call 864-4900 for more information.
THIS WEEK ON CAMPUS MARCH 17,2005 STUDENT SENATE One community. many voices
WOMEN IN POLITICS AND MEDIA
Women's History Month panel Dole Institute of Politics Thursday, March 17th @ 8pm co-sponsored by SLAB
Featuring:
Kate Snow, ABC News
Becky Norton Dunlop, VP Heritage Foundation
Mayor Kay Barnes, KCMO
Former US Rep. Karen Mc Carthy, D-Mo
Lia Larson, Harvard Undergrad, Editor of Skirting Politics
Is Travelling Abroad too Expensive? Don't worry, ISA can bring the world to you. Join us at our annual International Awareness Week from April 10th thru 15th A week full of activities that will enhance your cultural experience
Sponsered by: International Student Association
"I was aborted and did not die."
Now, Gianna is using her gifts as a singer, lyricist, and a speaker to address the challenges that young people face today. In 2001, Gianna recieved a standing ovation from the Pro-Abortion, predominately anti-Christian crowd when she and Carol Everett (former abortionist) debated Sarah Weddington of Roe vs. Wade. Gianna has spoken before Congress twice, once in 1996 against partial-birth abortion, and again in 2000 in support of the Born-Alive Infants protection act.
"Rather than giving into frustration, Gianna rejoices in her disability, calling it a gift."
Gianna Jessen was born eighteen hours after a doctor injected a deadly saline solution into her birth mother's womb, and she has been amazing the world ever since. Doctors said she would never walk - a result of the celebral palsy she sustained while in utereo - but she did.
Gianna will be speaking at part of Stand up for LIFE week, presented by KU Students for LIFE.
Gianna Jessen
Tuesday, April 5th
KS Union Ballroom, 7:00pm
Sponsored by KU Students for Life
Contact heddo@ku.edu for more information
visit us on the web at http://www.ku.edu/~kusfl/