The Kansas Legislature passed a budget bill Saturday, which marked the 113th day of the Legislative session.
As The Topeka Capital-Journal reports, the two chambers took up the budget bill, which was hacked out during hours of negotiations that ended Friday between the two legislative bodies, with sometimes considerable disagreement about allocations.
The bill includes $15.6 billion in spending for fiscal year 2018 and $15.8 billion in spending for fiscal year 2019 with $6.3 and $6.4 billion, respectively, coming from the State General Fund.
The bill includes additional funding for community mental health centers and Osawatomie State Hospital, as well as a 2.5 percent pay raise for some state employees, putting it $239 million above Gov. Sam Brownback’s recommended appropriations.
Several Republican Senators expressed disgust for a budget that paid out new dollars at the same time as the recently approved tax increase snatched $1.2 billion over two years from Kansas taxpayers.
The budget bill now heads to Gov. Sam Brownback’s desk.
