Topeka ? Legislators continued Thursday to push for printing government telephone directories, lengthening a confrontation with Gov. Kathleen Sebelius over a $45,000 expense in a $10.2 billion budget.

Sebelius halted the printing of directories last year, arguing the state could save the money because the information is available online. Some legislators contend searching online for phone numbers takes more time than using a phone book and have said they’re hearing plenty of complaints from government workers and the public.

In the budget they approved for the fiscal year beginning July 1, legislators included a provision to allow the printing of the directories — and to permit the Department of Administration to charge a fee to cover the cost. On Monday, Sebelius used her line-item veto power to strike the provision.

On Thursday, the Senate Ways and Means Committee added $25,000 to the Legislature’s budget to print several thousand directories. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee added $5,000, also to the legislative budget, for printing directories.

The committees were working on bills to resolve remaining spending issues. Lawmakers said they want paper copies of the state directory to be available to libraries or the public.

“We don’t just simply eliminate phone books because the information is online,” said Sen. Henry Helgerson, D-Wichita.

But Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said, “In the governor’s opinion, this is a sensible, moneysaving decision.”

On the Net:

Kansas Legislature: http://www.kslegislature.org

Governor’s office: http://www.ksgovernor.org