TOPEKA — Kansas legislators have approved pay raises for state workers and extra funds to partially reverse past spending cuts on state university campuses.
The House and Senate passed a bill Thursday that would add millions of dollars in new spending to budgets approved by lawmakers last year for the state’s current fiscal year and the next fiscal year beginning in July.
The House vote was 98-23. The Senate vote was 26-14, and the bill goes to Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer.
The bill provides an additional $15 million to state universities to undo most cuts made in their operating budgets in 2016.
State workers would get at least a 2.5 percent pay raise. Uniformed corrections officers and employees who did not get a raise last year would receive 5 percent.
LOCAL LEGISLATOR TALLY:
House: Tom Phillips (R-Manhattan), Sydney Carlin (D-Manhattan), Ron Highland (R-Wamego) and Susie Swanson (R-Clay Center) voted in favor.
Senate: Tom Hawk (D-Manhattan) voted in favor.