Legislators set for second half of two-year cycle for the first time in decades
For the first time since 1954, when Kansas legislators return to Topeka in January, they’ll be dealing with the state budget in a different way according to the Kansas Health Institute.
Last year the Legislature received and approved a two year budget plan from the governor. That means any important spending decision for the upcoming year have already been made.
"This is a whole new experience coming up," said Duane Goossen, a former state legislator and budget director for three Kansas governors. He now is vice president of fiscal and health policy at the Kansas Health Institute.
"No one in the Legislature or the administration has been in the second year of an existing budget, so it's hard to predict how this session will go. The Legislature could consider substantial changes. Or they could do nothing and we would still have an approved budget for fiscal 2015.”
