The Kansas House has passed a bill that will eliminate most of a $300 million budget shortfall in the current fiscal year.
The bill takes money from the state highway fund, children’s program funding and other places to help fill the gap. The bill passed the House on an 88-34 vote, mostly along party lines.
Several Republicans said they had concerns but voted yes so the state could pay its bills on time. Rep. Don Hineman was a yes vote, but called for reconsidering tax cuts passed in recent years.
“This bill presents us with terrible choices. It destabilizes vital government programs and it increases the financial burden on future legislatures and the Kansans that they will represent,” says Hineman.
The state could face a cash crunch if the bill isn’t signed into law by later this month. The Senate could take it up as soon as Thursday.
