© 2024 KMUW
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Kansas Lawmakers Could Leave Early For Spring Break

Stephen Koranda
/
Kansas News Service/File photo
House Speaker Ron Ryckman.

Kansas lawmakers could leave early for their three-week spring break if they don’t start making progress on a tax proposal. They’re currently scheduled to work through the week, but Republican House Speaker Ron Ryckman said Tuesday that they could start the break early.

“We don’t want to have people here if we’re not being very productive, but if we see some momentum in one direction or another we’ll stick around,” Ryckman said.

Ryckman and other legislative leaders met with Gov. Sam Brownback Tuesday afternoon, and after the meeting, Ryckman said no deal had been reached.

The top Democrat in the House, Jim Ward, called the prospect of leaving early “very frustrating.” He said they should have made more progress on taxes, the budget and education funding.

“That means we’re in for a long, bitter, confrontational wrap-up session,” Ward said.

A spokesperson for Senate President Susan Wagle said senators are planning to work through the week.

Lawmakers need to erase budget deficits that total around $1 billion by the middle of 2019.

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.