(AP) — Important but relatively unnoticed provisions in the tax plan approved by Kansas legislators this year embody conservative Republicans’ vision for long-term constraints on government spending.

Most of the debate on tax policy focused on whether the state should cancel all or part of a scheduled decrease in the state’s sales tax to help prevent budget shortfalls while Kansas pursues further cuts in personal income tax rates.

But the bill legislators ultimately passed also has provisions for limiting annual increases in state spending and ensuring that Kansas cuts income taxes each year.

Anti-tax groups and legislators who want to shrink government have pushed for years for constraints on spending.

With relatively little fanfare, they’ll achieve that goal when Brownback keeps his public promise to sign the tax plan.