State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Kansas Lawmakers Approve Raises for State Workers in Budget

U.S. News and World Report: TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators on Saturday approved pay raises of up to 5 percent to state workers who haven't had any in recent years as lawmakers wrapped up work on budget issues and adjourned their unusually long annual session.

Both chambers passed a single bill containing proposed state budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and the one starting in July 2018. The votes of 88-27 in the House and 27-11 in the Senate sent the measure to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.

Legislators already have passed a separate plan increasing spending on public schools to meet a court mandate and earlier this week enacted an income tax increase over Brownback's veto to balance the budget and provide the extra money for education.

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