Legislature’s Annual Session Hits 87th Day

The Kansas Legislature has been in session a week longer than its leaders had anticipated, and lawmakers still must resolve major tax and budget issues.

Monday will be the 87th day of lawmakers’ annual session.

Republican leaders in the GOP-dominated Legislature had promised that it would wrap up its business in 80 days. That would have trimmed 10 days off the normal expected 90-day schedule.

But the House and Senate have had trouble reconciling their differences on a proposed state budget for each of the next two fiscal years, beginning in July. They’ve also had trouble agreeing on proposals for cutting income taxes while possibly stabilizing the budget by canceling all or part of a scheduled sales tax decrease set by law for July.

Their 90th day would be Thursday.