Kansas lawmakers returned to Topeka Monday to officially begin the 2017 session and are already taking action to address the state's finances.
A house tax committee met Monday and introduced a bill to repeal the LCC tax exemption.
Right now, Kansas is facing a projected budget shortfall of $342 million.
RELATED: Kansas coalition proposes raising income, gas taxes to fix budget
"Everyone is fatigued from missing our estimates month over month, year over year,” said Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, R- Overland Park.
One idea floating around the capitol includes repealing the income tax exemption that was a part of Gov. Sam Brownback’s 2012 tax plan. According to Denning, repealing the exemption could generate about $250 million a year.
#ksleg swearing in today. State has long list of items needed to finish this session @arothfield has updates @41actionnews 4,5,&6 pic.twitter.com/LljdujbmmF
— Matthew Reeb (@MDReeb) January 9, 2017
"I think there’s enough wheel in both bodies to close that LLC loophole and legislatures also know we will have to do some cuts,” he said.
Whatever cuts those may be both Democrats and Republicans agree they need a long-term budget solution, which could become even harder to accomplish should lawmakers be forced to spend millions of dollars more on education.
Right now, there is a pending Kansas Supreme Court case, which will decide if the state is spending an adequate amount on school funding. Lawmakers already need to write a new funding plan to replace the temporary block grants put in place two years ago.
"We must wait for the Supreme Court to weigh in so we know we’re moving down a path that will [agree] with the path that they deliver,” said Representative Melissa Rooker, R- Fairway, who helped find a solution to satisfy the equity portion of the case decided last year.
Other issues expected to be addressed this legislative session include allowing concealed weapons on public universities, expanding Medicaid and finding ways to both attract and recruit doctors and lawyers to rural parts of the state.
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Ariel Rothfield can be reached at Ariel.Rothfield@KSHB.com.
