The final of the Legislative Coffees sponsored by the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce was scheduled for Saturday at the Oil and Gas Hall of Fame. The operative word here is “was.”
In an e-mail blast to members Friday afternoon, the chamber notified folks the coffee was cancelled. You see, lawmakers were being told by their leadership that they couldn’t leave Topeka.
They would be “working into the night” on pending legislation. They just couldn’t get away to allow concerned constituents the opportunity to question their legislators directly. 
Then, this news item came up. Senators approved a bill Friday that would make changes to Kansas liquor laws, including granting authority to legislative leaders to allow alcohol at approved Statehouse functions.
The measure — a collection of several liquor bills — grants the Legislative Coordinating Council the authority to allow liquor to be served in the building. The intent is to allow drinks to be served during an event to mark completion of more than 10 years of renovations to the building.
The 29-10 vote sent the measure to the House, which was to consider it later Friday. The bulk of the bill dealt with regulations for wine and liquor tasting events that were approved in 2012, as well as rules for homebrew competitions.
Critics of liquor in the Statehouse argue that the language could be construed to allow drinking at any approved Statehouse function, perhaps even the legislative session.
It all becomes very clear now. It must be party time in Topeka.
This might be a good idea to allow drinking in the Statehouse. It might loosen up the otherwise uptight Legislature.
They might actually get something done. Then again,hangovers might make our elected officials even nastier.
However, it does seem funny (odd, no “ha, ha”) that a conservative Legislature that is all about telling us how we can live our lives would be willing to allow keggers in the Capital.
Cheers. We can hope they don’t put this on our tab.
Dale Hogg