A lot has been accomplished, but some heavy lifting remains ahead for state lawmakers.
That’s the perspective of 17th District Senator and Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine of Emporia, who joined KVOe’s 8:05 am newscast Monday with a look at what has taken place and what is yet to come.
One of the big issues to resolve is K-12 education funding. The Senate has already voted, and Longbine says the approved $92 million was suggested by both Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Board of Education as lawmakers try to satisfy the Kansas Supreme Court.
Final action is pending in the House. Longbine says the House plan has more money earmarked for K-12, and those differences will be resolved in conference committee.
Also, Longbine says the budget — passed by the Senate several days ago, up for discussion soon in the House — improves transportation funding.
After the House passed Medicaid expansion last week, discussions are beginning in the Senate on whether or when to bring that issue to the floor. Longbine says the Senate will handle its due diligence work on exactly what’s in the House bill and proceed from there. Opinion is split in the Senate on whether the Medicaid bill should get a vote, with concerns about too little state funding being set aside by the Kelly administration and the possibility the federal government may end its financial match for participating states.
