Gov. Laura Kelly Thursday signed into law – with some line-item vetoes — the $6.3 billion K-12 budget bill that is the last bill sent to her by the 2023 Legislature.

Kelly said the bill fully and constitutionally funds K-12 education as described by the Kansas Supreme Court and criticized lawmakers for refusing to include in the measure provisions that would have used conventional State General Fund monies for increasing funding for special education programs in public schools.

She line-item vetoed provisions which would reduce the student population statistics of each district in a manner that would see some largely rural districts get sizable reductions in their base state aid. Kelly said those amendments to the school finance formula likely would result in rural schools having to cut services or close buildings.

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Kelly also said that when the Legislature includes policy decisions in conventional budget bills, the governor has the authority to line-item veto those provisions.

More later…