Kansas lawmakers weigh budget-fix plan: Dump it on Brownback

Top Republicans in the Kansas Legislature hope to finish work on a plan for balancing a state budget that would require GOP Gov. Sam Brownback to do most of the work.

The House was taking the measure up first Sunday. If its members approved the bill, the Senate would decide whether to send it to Brownback.

Rejection in either chamber would require the legislative negotiators who drafted the plan to write a new one.

The plan would only partially close shortfalls totaling more than $290 million in the current budget and the one for the next fiscal year beginning July 1.

The plan assumes Brownback follows through with announced plans to cut higher education spending and delay major highway projects so road funds can be diverted to general government programs.