Kansas House and Senate committees have advanced bills aimed at keeping the Kansas courts open. Lawmakers last year tied the judicial budget to another bill changing how chief judges are selected in Kansas judicial districts. When that law was struck down, it also invalidated the court budget, which threatens to shut down Kansas courts.
The House Appropriations Committee held a short hearing on a bill that would reinstate the court funding then advanced it to the full House. Republican state Rep. Ron Ryckman says they’re trying to move fast on the legislation.
“It solidifies, protects the funding levels that left the building last year. We want to provide (the) most certainty as possible for our courts,” says Ryckman.
Democratic state Representative Kathy Wolfe Moore is pleased Republican leaders are moving to fix the funding problem.
“It’s the right thing to do. It was unfortunate the way they did it in the past year. So I am just thrilled to death,” says Wolfe Moore.
A similar measure also advanced through a Senate Committee Thursday.