Topeka ? The Kansas House gave preliminary approval today to a bill that Republicans said will speed up an appeal to the Kansas Supreme Court of the school finance lawsuit.

Democrats said the legislation was a stalling tactic to avoid working on school finance issues during the current legislative session.

AP story: House backs bill speeding appeal in school finance case

“This bill is an excuse to not do anything about education funding this year,” state Rep. Paul Davis, D-Lawrence, said.

But state Rep. Mike O’Neal, R-Hutchinson, said the measure would give the Legislature guidance on school finance from the state’s highest appellate court.

The dispute is over a lower court ruling that said Kansas’ method of financing public schools was unconstitutional. In the decision, State District Court Judge Terry Bullock of Topeka said the state was under-funding schools, and the method of finance discriminated against minority students.

He issued a preliminary court order, giving the Legislature until July 1 to fix the system.

But Republican legislative leaders formed a bill that would allow the preliminary order to be appealed. The bill — SB 324 — has already been approved by the Senate.

The measure was advanced today in the House on a voice vote and will face a final vote Tuesday. If approved Tuesday, the legislation will go to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius who has said she will sign it into law.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of Tuesday’s Journal-World.