TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the Kansas Legislature (all times local):
Kansas legislators didn’t finish their budget work on Saturday night. The House adjourns until 12:30pm Sunday
The Republican majority hope lawmakers can wrap up work on the budget early Sunday morning.
The plan would require Republican Gov. Sam Brownback to do most of the work in closing projected shortfalls totaling more than $290 million in the state’s current and next budgets.
It assumes Brownback follows through on previously announced plans to cut higher education spending and delay highway projects.
State aid to Kansas public schools would be protected from cuts during the 2016-17 school year under a new legislative plan for balancing the state budget.
Three Senate and three House negotiators agreed Saturday to protect education funding. Their talks had stalled temporarily over the issue.
Lead House negotiator Ron Ryckman Jr. of Olathe said lawmakers have promised schools stable funding.
Lead Senate negotiator Ty Masterson of Andover said during talks that some fellow GOP senators didn’t believe any potential cuts should be off the table.
___
4:20 p.m.
Kansas legislators negotiating over budget issues have agreed that they’ll have Republican Gov. Sam Brownback do most of the work of closing projected shortfalls.
Three senators and three House members finished drafting a plan Saturday for balancing the state budget through June 2017. Kansas faces projected shortfalls totaling more than $290 million in its current and next budgets.
The plan delays $99 million in state contributions to public employee pensions due this spring, possibly until the end of June 2018.
But it assumes Brownback follows through on previously announced plans to cut higher education spending and to delay highway projects so that road funds can be diverted to general government programs.
The plan also assumes that Brownback will make as-yet-unspecified spending cuts after July 1 to keep budget balanced.
___
3:15 p.m.
A Republican senator involved in the Kansas Legislature’s budget negotiations says lawmakers are justified in leaving much of the budget-balancing work to GOP Gov. Sam Brownback.
Sen. Jim Denning of Overland Park said Saturday that a plan will leave some spending cuts to Brownback because he won’t back off one of his signature income tax cuts.
The House on Friday rejected a plan to repeal a 2012 policy exempting more than 330,000 farmers and business owners from personal income taxes. Brownback sees the exemption as a pro-growth measure.
Budget negotiator and Democratic Sen. Laura Kelly of Topeka said she understands why some GOP legislators want to leave spending cuts to Brownback but said it’s irresponsible.
Brownback has announced plans to delay highway projects and cut higher education spending.
___
2:55 p.m.
Budget negotiations in the Kansas Legislature have stalled temporarily over whether aid to public schools should be protected from future budget cuts.
Lead Senate negotiator Ty Masterson said Saturday during talks that some GOP senators object to giving public schools special protection.
The Andover Republican said some senators don’t believe any potential cuts should be off the table as the state seeks to balance its budget.
The state is facing projected shortfalls totaling more than $290 million in its current budget and the one for the next fiscal year beginning in July. The state constitution prohibits a deficit.
A budget-balancing plan could leave some cuts to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. The House’s three budget negotiators want to exempt funding for public schools and suggested it in talks Friday night.
___
12:40 p.m.
Top Republicans in the Kansas Legislature consider two bills an important part of efforts to balance the state budget through June 2017.
GOP leaders hoped lawmakers would make progress Saturday on passing the measures. One is aimed at cutting prescription drug costs for poor and disabled Kansans who receive health coverage under the Medicaid program by nearly $11 million a year.
The measure would the Medicaid program to use “step therapy” with prescriptions. Participants would be required to try less expensive medications and have the treatment fail before obtaining more expensive drugs.
The other bill would allow the state to sell off the Kansas Bioscience Authority’s assets to raise $25 million. The agency was set up in 2004 to nurture emerging biotechnology companies but has had a mixed record.
___
11:40 a.m.
Kansas legislators are negotiating over the details of a plan that would close part of the projected $290 million shortfalls in the current and next state budgets.
Three Senate and three House negotiators met Saturday to reconcile differences between their chambers on spending issues. They’re also drafting budget-balancing measures.
They are considering a plan to indefinitely delay state contributions to public employee pensions. The contributions would be covered later with part of the state’s annual payments from a 1998 national legal settlement with tobacco companies.
But the lawmakers’ plan is likely to leave much of the budget-balancing work to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
The governor has already announced plans to cut higher education spending. He also plans to delay major highway projects and divert road funds to general government programs.