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Kansas House Rejects State Contract Changes

The Kansas House has rejected a proposal that Democrats say would create more jobs for Kansans.

The amendment would have required companies that get state contracts to mostly employ Kansas workers.

Representative Annie Tietze introduced the plan during debate on a bill.

"We talk about the American dream and we want to grow businesses,  but these peoples need jobs first," she says.

Representative Marvin Kleeb says the measure could lead to other states passing similar rules, and that could hurt Kansas businesses.

"We'd end up finding our Kansas businesses not being welcome, bidding on other state contracts and other states through out the nation," he said.  

Democrats have proposed similar measures in the past.

The debate came during work on a bill that would expand a state tax incentives program aimed at attracting businesses to Kansas.

Stephen Koranda is the managing editor of the Kansas News Service, based at KCUR. He has nearly 20 years of experience in public media as a reporter and editor.