Wine can be shipped to your door

Let my pinot go!

Kansas wine drinkers can now order wine to be shipped directly to their homes under legislation signed Monday. Previously, oenophiles could order from out-of-state wineries, but the wine had to be shipped to a local liquor store.

Shipments are limited to no more than 12 cases a year. Many states, including Missouri, already allow home shipments from most wineries.

The new law, which goes into effect July 1, also permits the sale of wine at farmers markets, and expands alcohol sales at outdoor festivals. In both cases, the sales would need to be authorized by local officials.

TOPEKA | A tax break for job creation

Kansas has a new way to lure jobs to the Sunflower State.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Monday signed legislation allowing companies to keep a portion of their withholding taxes if they create jobs in Kansas. The more jobs created, the bigger the incentive; the bigger the salaries, the longer the companies could retain the withholding taxes.

Businesses hoping to get the incentive must provide health insurance to full-time employees. Certain industries would be ineligible. Missouri already has a similar program.

Rep. Marvin Kleeb, an Overland Park Republican who sponsored the legislation, noted that state government wouldn’t lose any revenue because the incentive only applies to new jobs at companies relocating to or expanding in Kansas.

“This makes us so much more competitive,” Kleeb said. “There’s only one way to get out of this economic mess in Kansas and that’s to grow ourselves out of it.”

TOPEKA | New rule on passing lanes

Time’s running out on left-lane loiterers now that Kansas has a law requiring motorists to stay out of the passing lane unless they’re, well, passing.

The new rule, signed Monday, would limit use of the left-most lane on multi-lane highways to passing or exiting, or in the case of construction zones or accidents. The rule wouldn’t apply to highways within city limits.

Violators would receive warnings until July 2010. After that, police could issue tickets. Several states, including Missouri, have similar laws.