Kansas

The Kansas Legislature adjourned a 99-day session after resolving disagreement over when to end a temporary sales tax.

Kansas House rejected a Senate plan to extend a temporary sales tax rate despite pleas from Gov. Sam Brownback.

The Kansas Senate approved $202 million of state bonds for a national bio-defense laboratory at Kansas State University on a voice vote.

Topeka will build up fund balances in effort to restore GO credit downgrade.

Kansas House committee approved $202 million of bonds for the state's share of a bio-defense laboratory in Manhattan, Kan.

A supplemental budget for fiscal 2014 submitted last week by Gov. Sam Brownback includes a request for $202 million of state bonds for a bio-defense laboratory.

Johnson County Unified School District 233 will build a new high school in Olathe if voters approve a $244.8 million bond referendum in a mail-in election.

Quick legislative action on $202 million of state revenue bonds for a biodefense laboratory may avoid higher costs later, Gov. Sam Brownback said last week.

Kansas may issue another $202 million of state bonds to finance a national biological defense laboratory at Kansas State University.

Retaining a sales tax rate set to drop July 1 could help offset additional state aid to local school districts if Kansas loses a school finance lawsuit.

State revenues are expected to fall 12% in fiscal 2014 as a result of tax cuts enacted by the 2012 Legislature.

Severe storms that slammed Kansas this winter are the culprits behind March's drop in sales and income tax collections.

Douglas County Unified School District 497's request for a $92.5 million bond package passed last week with an approval rating of more than 70%.

A plan to issue $1.5 billion of taxable pension bonds for the state retirement system passed a key Kansas Senate committee last week.

Shawnee County Unified School District 345 will continue its expansion effort if approve a $42.5 million GO bond referendum for the fast-growth Topeka district.

Moody's Investors Service has put $220 million of economic incentive bonds on review for a possible downgrade over uncertainties from falling state income tax collections.

Kansas legislative negotiators will wait until April for an updated revenue estimate before resolving differences between competing two-year budget bills.

Kansas lawmakers will consider a bill for $1.5 billion of state pension bonds to bolster the sagging finances of the state employee pension plan.

Kansas's 10-year, bond-financed highway program will slow to a crawl if lawmakers allow a sales tax to expire and divert transportation funds to other purposes, said Transportation Secretary Mike King.

State senators seek more financial oversight of Kansas Turnpike Authority by merging it into Kansas Department of Transportation.