Topeka ? Kansas lawmakers today sent Gov. Bill Graves legislation that would allow the state to authorize $133 million in bonds to help build research laboratories at Kansas University and two other schools.

Graves has indicated that he would sign the bill.

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The House approved the proposal 101-23. Last week, the Senate had given its OK, 37-3.

“This is one of the shining lights of the session,” said the plan’s chief sponsor Rep. Kenny Wilk, R-Lansing.

Under the measure, the state would issue $120 million in bonds for a biomedical facility at KU, a food-safety lab at Kansas State and an aviation lab at Wichita State. Taxpayers will pay back $50 million of the debt with the research universities responsible for paying off the remainder.

The bill also includes $13 million in bonds for improvements to a research lab in Wichita which is used by the aviation industry. Those bonds will be paid off by taxpayers.

Despite the state’s fiscal problems, supporters of the proposal said it was necessary to ensure that Kansas is able to tap into federal and private funding for research projects.