School finance countdown

91 days. The state Supreme Court has given lawmakers until April 12 to produce a constitutional school finance plan.

Tuesday’s highlights

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius unveiled a $4.841 billion budget for fiscal year that starts July 1. One of the biggest winners in the proposal is higher education, which would receive a $42.2 million increase. Sebelius included no increase for the classroom, saying that it was the Legislature’s turn to come up with a school funding plan.

State Board of Education conservatives took over with a 6-4 majority following last year’s elections. Steve Abrams, Arkansas City, elected chairman.

Quote of the day

“The governor’s budget is no help.”

— Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, on funding for public schools.

Today’s schedule

9 a.m.: Barry Poulson, distinguished scholar of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, speaks in support of a so-called Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights for Kansas.

9:30 a.m.: Senate Judiciary Committee, report and staff presentation on death penalty.

10:30 a.m.: Senate Ways and Means, start review of governor’s budget recommendation.

1:30 p.m.: Senate Education Committee, Education Commissioner Andy Tompkins gives report of school system.

2:30 p.m.: Senate convenes; fight expected over Senate rules on roll-call votes and number of votes needed to get a bill out of committee.