TOPEKA — A Kansas Democrat proposed prohibiting lawmakers from using their $178 per diem for purchasing soda, candy, alcoholic beverages and hot meals, the same things Republicans are trying to restrict for purchase under a government food assistance program.
Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Democrat from Merriam, offered an amendment Thursday while legislators on the House Welfare Reform Committee discussed House Bill 2015. The legislation, along with Senate Bill 79, would direct the secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, which administers the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to request a waiver that would allow the agency to eliminate soft drinks and candy from the list of eligible food products under the program.
Ousley’s amendment applied the same prohibitions to legislator per diem pay as those applied to SNAP in Kansas, including proposed bans on purchasing candy and soda. Alcohol, cigarettes and hot foods are already prohibited for purchase under Kansas’ food assistance restrictions.
“I think what’s good for the goose is good for the gander,” Ousley said.
Some legislators flashed amused smiles as they thumbed through the printed pages of Ousley’s amendment. Others had puzzled frowns.
Rep. Carrie Barth, a Republican from Baldwin City, challenged the germaneness of the amendment, a function of House rules that calls into question the relevance of a legislative action.
“We’re looking at apples and oranges here, a little bit,” Barth said. “You know, we’re looking at public assistance versus legislative pay. We’re looking at W2 benefit employee pay versus a SNAP public assistance program. Completely opposite things.”
Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, begged to differ.
“Taxpayer dollars are taxpayer dollars,” he said.
The committee’s chairman, Republican Rep. Francis Awerkamp of St. Marys, allowed committee members to discuss the amendment.
“I think if we’re going to sit here from this committee table and tell people what’s good for them — and that we know what’s best for them — that perhaps we ought to take a spoonful of our own medicine,” Ousley said.
He called the bill “poor shaming.”
“And shame on us for that,” he said.
The committee rejected Ousley’s amendment but gave approval to the bill.
