Current Happenings Live RealAudio Search Campaign Data Kansas Statutes Legislature stalled by tax matters Intense House opposition to any sort of tax increase knotted the Legislature on Saturday, dashing hopes for a weekend adjournment of the 2001 session and sending lawmakers into their seventh day of overtime today. Mental health parity bill sent to Graves Mandatory insurance coverage for treatment of mental illness would be significantly expanded under provisions of a bill passed by the House on Saturday and sent to Gov. Bill Graves for his signature. House Democrats, who had pushed hard for the legislation, were elated that the measure had passed. A stalemate had existed most of the session. Legislature has chance to maintain Regents' trust Trust in the Legislature among state agencies, employees and retirees has always been tenuous at best.
Lawmakers sometimes forget commitments, especially when budget crunches hit.
That is why a shudder went through the university community when the House Appropriations Committee recommended that funding for the second year of the Kansas Higher Education Coordination Act of 1999 be slashed by 20 percent. Later this week, the 165 Kansas legislators will reconvene in their wrap-up session to, well, wrap things up. I have always kind of liked these few days, and governors, including the current one, have generally loved them. After all, they are in the cat bird's seat in terms of building the coalitions that will pass the final, difficult pieces of legislation. In fact, the final few days can get downright boring for the average lawmaker.