Topeka ? In response to a Kansas Supreme Court ruling, the Senate has advanced a bill reaffirming that elected officials may spend money raised for one campaign to run for another office.

The court, in a December decision in a lawsuit filed by a Wichita mayoral candidate, had ruled such transfers illegal because they are not specifically authorized by the state’s Campaign Finance Act.

The Senate bill, tentatively approved on a voice vote Tuesday, would add language on the matter to the campaign finance law. Approval on final action would send the measure to the House.

Kansas politicians had routinely transferred money from one campaign fund to another without challenge until the issue arose last year when former Republican state Rep. Carlos Mayans ran for mayor of Wichita.

Another candidate went to court after Mayans — who went on to win the mayoralty — transferred $50,000 from his legislative campaign fund to his mayoral campaign.

In 2001, then-Insurance Commissioner Kathleen Sebelius transferred $142,000 she had raised in running for that office to her Democratic campaign for governor.

Debate on the legislation took on a partisan tone Tuesday, with Democrats arguing against reversing the effect of the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Sen. Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, said Democrats liked the ruling because it could hamstring Republicans officeholders considering a challenge to Sebelius if she seeks a second term as governor in 2006.

But minority Democrats and some conservative Republicans said the bill would preserve one of the biggest advantages elected officials have in seeking higher office against political newcomers.

Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley noted that two of the bill’s Republican supporters — David Adkins of Leawood and Barbara Allen of Overland Park — won Senate seats in 2000 after using thousands of dollars from House campaign accounts to defeat primary challengers.

“We’re protecting the politicians who decide they want to go on in their careers to some other office,” said Hensley, D-Topeka.

As for Sebelius, spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said, “We really don’t have a stance on this at all.”