(MSC News)--Kansas Senator Dennis Pyle, on Tuesday, provided insight into the Senate's workings as the Legislative Session continues in Topeka,

According to Pyle, "the Kansas Senate has continued to stay busy as session has progressed," adding that "now that the session is past turn around, the time when each body of the legislature begins to consider the other chamber's legislation, it seems as though things have really begun to speed up as many legislators are hopeful of a shorter session."

Pyle, in a release, says the Kansas Senate, on Wednesday, March 13, "worked six long hours of debate on [the Senate's] budget bill for 2025," with Senators giving initial approval to the legislation, sending it to the House. According to Pyle, the House may work the Senate bill or their own bill and then conference begins on the different pieces of legislation.

Pyle says the budget bill included many items, including $15.7 million to send the Kansas National Guard to Texas, which Pyle calls "just one of the many pieces in this 25-billion-dollar spending bill."

The budget, according to Pyle, also contained $174 million to raise state employee salaries by 5%, but did not include funding to expand Medicaid. However, funding did include $78 million to increase outpatient hospital reimbursement. Also, included was $23 million to be used for long waiting lists for disability services.

Pyle, in the release, notes that the Senate adopted his amendment to require a vote on the legislative pay increase, set to be implemented next year, before it can take effect.

According to Pyle, the Legislature, last year, voted to create a “compensation commission” of unelected officials to make pay recommendations for legislators. The legislation passed last year also required that the proposal by the commission must be “rejected” by the legislature in the first 30 days of session or it becomes law, with Pyle's amendment trumping that legislation.

Pyle, Senator for the 1st District, is a resident of rural Hiawatha.

To hear the full story, including comments from Pyle, go here.