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Check this spot on Sundays for a few quick hits about what’s driving the debate in the Legislature.
Say what?
"How do you undo a train wreck?"
— That’s what Wichita Democratic Rep. Nile Dillmore said when asked how Democrats plan to deal with budget problems and tax fairness issues tied to big income tax cuts Gov. Sam Brownback approved last year. Brownback’s proposal seeks to help pay for the income tax cuts by eliminating some tax deductions and keeping a temporary sales tax hike in place.
103-54
That was the score last time the University of Kansas Jayhawks played Wichita State University in 1993. Wichita Republican Sen. Michael O’Donnell introduced a bill last week that would require KU and Kansas State University to play WSU once a year. Some lawmakers said in response that the Legislature should stay out of basketball scheduling.
Trending
Gun owners who fear they will lose their rights appear to be trending upward. Lawmakers welcomed a raft of new bills aimed at pre-empting any new federal gun control measures and allowing licensed Kansans to carry their firearms into more public places. Bills to protect Kansas from federal laws may draw pricey lawsuits and may not stand up to legal challenges, but dozens of lawmakers are throwing support behind NRA-backed proposals.News ahead
While messy debates over taxes and education spending continue to dominate discussions, expect strippers to make an appearance this week. Lawmakers plan to open debate Thursday on a proposal that would ban lap dances and topless dancing in Kansas. Then on Friday, a Senate panel is expected to start debating a bill requiring drug testing of Kansans who get welfare or unemployment benefits.
— Brent Wistrom
For more legislative news, go to www.kansas.com/politics and follow @BrentWistrom on Twitter.
