Topeka ? State universities would receive extra money — but not as much as some legislators want — under the House’s proposed state budget.

House members were to take final action Friday on their $11.3 billion spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Much of a four-hour debate Thursday centered on how much to spend on higher education.

While Republican leaders want a budget that increases spending on public schools, in hopes of meeting a Kansas Supreme Court mandate to improve funding, they also want to avoid raising taxes.

Some House members worried those goals led Republicans to squeeze state universities, community colleges and vocational colleges.

By the end of Thursday’s debate, members had provided for $21 million in new state dollars to higher education, an increase of about 3 percent. But Gov. Kathleen Sebelius had proposed an increase of $43 million, or 6.1 percent.

“It could have been worse, but it’s still not good,” said Rep. Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, who supported the larger increase.

Other House members saw the $729 million in state tax dollars for higher education as generous.

“We’re not cutting,” said Rep. Scott Schwab, R-Olathe. “We’re just not spending as much as the governor wants us to spend.”

And Dick Bond, chairman of the state Board of Regents, a former Senate president, said: “The summary for today is that it’s more positive for higher education than when the day began.”

The Senate expects to debate a proposed budget next week, and the final version will be drafted by negotiators from the two chambers.

Under the House’s proposed budget, overall state spending would increase about $427 million during the next fiscal year, or about 4 percent. Many of the extra dollars would go to K-12 programs and to cover higher costs associated with providing medical services to the needy.

State employees would see a 2.5 percent pay increase, but not until March 2006. Sebelius proposed starting the raises in June, but House Republicans wanted to divert salary dollars to public schools.

In other action, the Senate voted 18-14 against a proposal to dramatically cut the state’s spending on Viagra and other impotence-fighting drugs for men under the Medicaid program.

Also, Sen. Barbara Allen, R-Overland Park, disclosed that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is undergoing treatment in Boston.