The Kansas House today voted 64-57 to make the largest change in school budgets in over 20 years, altering the way the education formula funds schools and transitioning to a block grant proposal.
The bill, which is the result of a "gut and go" a complete revision of Senate Bill 7, went on a rocketship this week, moving from just introduced to passed and could be signed into law quickly. Some Republicans, however, had their own thoughts on the way this legislative procedure was managed:
Stephanie Clayton, an Overland Park Republican found herself outnumbered, as Johnson County school district SMSD decided to remove themselves from other school districts and come out in favor of the block grant proposal.
Under a block grant configuration, schools will be able to lobby as individual districts for changes rather than worry about universal impacts; and schools with higher tax bases may benefit by changes to the Local Option Budget guidelines.
The bill looked as though it would stall this morning, stuck at 62 votes as several Republican "Yea" votes were not present. Peggy Mast (R-Emporia) held the house in session waiting for those votes to show up in order to push it over the limit.
Virgil Peck (R-Tyro), a known yes vote, was the name provided to media and others as a missing vote who could show; but Peck had adjourned himself to his home town, reportedly a 3 hour drive from Topeka. House Republicans, however, were able to summon the final vote needed after more than an hour-and-a-half wait as Republicans finally conjured the 63rd and required vote.
Sue Boldra, (R, Hays), joined the "yea" side after being a staunch no, in what many believe may be a procedural move, allowing her to call for a reconsideration of the question on Monday. Only those who are on the prevailing side of a measure may call for a reconsideration, and Boldra's vote -- which put the bill over by two votes -- may allow that reconsideration with a weekend of lobbying to ensue.
Jan Pauls (R-Hutchinson), who was endorsed by the teachers unions through the years, but switched parties to become a Republican in the last cycle over her dispute with gay rights issues and pro-choice attitudes sealed her allegiance with Brownback, voting along with the Brownback administration and against the teachers groups that had so recently recommended her. This switch of allegiance may be one of the most remembered to occur today.
The bill returns to the senate for consent before reaching Brownback's desk for a signature.