The House Appropriations Committee today (MON) failed to approve a budget for next fiscal year, after the bill was criticized by members of both parties. The committee added a pay cut for state employees making over 40 thousand dollars per year and cut funding for Washburn University by 5 million dollars. The bill was criticized by Democrats for cutting state services. Some Republicans said it did not do enough to cut spending. The legislation failed to get enough votes to move to the full House. Committee Chairman Marc Rhoades ("roads"), a Newton Republican, says the process has taken longer than he expected.
Rhoades had been hoping to finish the bill today (MON). The Appropriations Committee will resume work on the budget first thing tomorrow (TUE).