(KAIR)--Kansas lawmakers are working overtime to get some important issues resolved before the regular session ends.
One of those issues deals with school funding. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled last month that the state's current public school funding levels are unconstitutional, and ordered legislators to bridge the gap. Democratic State Representative Jerry Henry says there is bipartisan agreement to do this, and all that really remains is to agree on how it should be done. Both houses think there should be policies in place regarding which funding levels need to be scaled back. He says they are looking at perhaps taking fund weighting away from part time students and students that are over the age of nineteen. This would decrease funding to schools by over $3 million.
Henry says that hopefully both houses will have an agreement ready for Governor Sam Brownback's review by the end of the day Saturday.
Another hot issue being debated concerns gun owners and where they can carry their firearms. Henry says the Senate is currently working on a bill that would preempt all local gun ordinances regarding guns in public places. He says such a bill is needed to ease confusion among gun owners. Right now, some cities are allowing guns in public places while some cities are not. A gun owner has a very hard time figuring out where they can carry their gun, and if they are caught in an area where a gun is not allowed, it can be a very serious offense.
Henry says everything should be wrapped up by the end of the day Saturday when lawmakers will start a three week break before reconvening to wrap up the 2014 session.
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