Today - the Senate failed to have enough votes to override the Governor's veto of Sub for HB 2178 amending income tax rates and categories.  This sends the House and Senate Tax Committees back to the drawing board and could bring forward some of the Governor's tax proposals, including motor fuels, tobacco and liquor enforcement tax increases.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed Sub for HB 2178, a bill to raise state revenues by rolling back much of Governor Brownback's signature income tax legislation.  It increased rates, added a third higher income category, and reversed the LLC exemption, among other changes.  A bipartisan alliance of Democrats and moderate Republicans passed the bill last week with 83 votes.

Last Friday, the Senate made a very unusual move to debate the bill on Senate General Orders rather than refer the bill to a committee, which is where newly passed House Bills typically are sent.  After a heated debate, the Senate passed the tax bill with 22 votes, sending it to the Governor.

Last night, the Governor announced at the Kansas Chamber of Commerce Banquet that he would veto the bill.  A veto override requires 2/3 vote in each chamber - a high bar.

Today, the House was able to override the veto with 79 votes, but the Senate mustered only 24 - 3 votes shy of the 27 votes needed.  The bill is dead.

The House and Senate are scheduled to take a break after Thursday - Turnaround Day - and come back March 6 to resume their work.  Turnaround Day is the deadline for all non-exempt bills to pass their chamber of origin.  If bills do not meet that deadline, they will need to be blessed (referred to an exempt committee) or die.  

While the House has already adopted a budget rescission bill - to amend current year funding for the fiscal year ending June 30 2017 - the Senate has not yet debated a rescission bill on the floor.