Leaders of the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature have backed off a threat to sue the state’s Democratic Governor for vetoing parts of a GOP Education Funding Bill. They said Thursday, May 25th, that they still doubt the legality of her actions but now question whether a court challenge would be worth it. Governor Laura Kelly’s vetoes changed how state funds are distributed to protect rural schools. GOP leaders argue that Kelly exceeded her power to veto individual items in budget bills, but Senate President Ty Masterson told reporters they had expected her to go after more parts of the bill.
Republican leaders contend that Kelly exceeded the power granted to Governors under the Kansas Constitution to veto individual spending items in budget bills. The Education Funding Bill mixed spending with policy, and Kelly deleted six pages of language and also made a technical adjustment at the end of the bill.
