Brownback signs Kansas budget bill, lawmakers to return Monday

Topeka –Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a state budget for the next two years that will use a $1.2 billion income tax increase to fund government and schools, but he complained about “excessive spending.”

Brownback signed the $15.6 billion budget bill on Sunday. It will provide raises of up to 5 percent to state workers who haven’t had any in recent years.

He vetoed two items that imposed some limits on programs for people with disabilities and mental health programs. Lawmakers will have a chance to override those vetoes Monday.

He issued the following statement in a media release Sunday afternoon.

“This budget, passed on the 113th day of the legislative session, unnecessarily increases government spending in several areas and fails to adopt common sense cost saving measures identified by the legislature’s own efficiency study. However, I am signing the budget, despite my concerns about excessive spending, to avoid a break in core functions of government and to provide state workers with well-deserved pay increases.”

I signed the budget, despite my concerns about excessive spending, to avoid a break in core functions of govt #ksleg https://t.co/wLwpWyNaua

— Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) June 25, 2017

Pursuant to Article 2, Section 14(b) of the Constitution of the State of Kansas, the Governor returned Senate Substitute for House Bill 2002 with the following line item vetoes:

Limitation on the ability of KDADS to best serve vulnerable Kansans
- Section 174 – Vetoed broad language limiting the ability of KDADS to implement changes, no matter how minor, to some programs and services.

Redirection of funding for KDADS Clubhouse Model Program Fund
- Section 99-(q) and Section 100-(o) – Vetoed language establishing a funding receptacle which was made unnecessary by the veto of HB 2313. Governor Brownback has directed KDADS to work with the Community Mental Health Centers to establish a pilot with Clubhouse Model Program providers in fiscal year 2018 in order to expand the scope of this program.

The Governor’s full message to the legislature can be found here.

Brownback already had signed a separate plan to increase school spending to meet a state Supreme Court mandate.

The Governor has now signed 102 bills into law this session, vetoed four, and allowed one to become law without his signature.