Government

On Friday, Republican leaders in the Kansas House there's little support in their chamber for Gov. Sam Brownback's proposal to raise additional sales tax revenue.

House Speaker Ray Merrick of Stilwell and Majority Leader Jene Vickrey of Louisberg said the measure proposed by Gov. Brownback does not seem viable.

Brownback wants to cancel a decrease in the sales tax scheduled for July. The 6.3% tax is set to drop to 5.7%. The governor would use that added revenue to stabilize the state budget, so that he could eliminate individual income taxes over the next four years.

There's some disagreement among leaders in the Kansas House over using the state's financial reserves to help balance the budget.

A committee in the Kansas Senate continued hearings Thursday on a constitutional amendment that could block some lawsuits over school funding. The proposed change to the state Constitution says only the Legislature can set school spending levels.

Lawmakers are considering the change in response to lawsuits filed by parents and school districts over funding. Republican Senator Steve Abrams said earlier this week that the amendment would make it clear that lawmakers set the level of funding for education and courts can’t order spending increases.

Members of a Kansas House committee are considering a bill known as the Community Defense Act. The measure would put new restrictions on what can take place in strip clubs and where they can be located.