Kansas lawmakers will begin committee meetings next week in advance of a special session focused on school funding issues. The committees could discuss a constitutional amendment that would block the courts from shutting down schools during funding disputes.
The state is currently involved in a legal fight over school funding. The Kansas Supreme Court has said if it isn’t fixed by the end of the month, the funding system will be unconstitutional and schools could be closed.
Republican Sen. Jeff King says that would be a huge disruption. He’s working on a constitutional amendment that would block any dispute from closing public schools.
“Why is that an option we want anybody to have, be it the courts, the Legislature, the governor or anyone else? All we’re doing is letting Kansas voters decide if they want that option taken off the table,” King says.
The proposed amendment could not be approved soon enough to impact the school funding dispute going on this month. To take effect, it would require the approval of both legislative chambers and Kansas voters.