Topeka ? In an unusual move, the Senate on Friday will take time during the adjournment session to try to increase state compensation for families of Kansas National Guard members killed in Iraq.

The Legislature is scheduled to return for the adjournment session, which is usually ceremonial, but Senate President Steve Morris said Tuesday his chamber will take up a bill authorizing the state to pay $250,000 to families of all Kansas Guard members killed in Iraq.

House Speaker Doug Mays supports the idea but said he’s not sure he can get enough people in his chamber on such short notice. The Senate has 40 members; the House has 125.

“I’m fine with the concept, but I can’t sign off on the bill until I see the language,” said Mays, R-Topeka. “If they have nothing else to do, they will be back, but it’s harder to bring back 125 than 40.”

Earlier this month, lawmakers sent Gov. Kathleen Sebelius a spending bill that gave families of two Kansas Guard soldiers killed in Iraq $125,000 each. Since then, a third guardsman died in Iraq.

A few hours before Morris announced his plan, Sebelius told reporters she hoped lawmakers would “pass the benefit that was suggested would be appropriate for the National Guard.”

The Senate approved an ongoing $250,000 death benefit three times this year, but the House never considered the idea. The smaller plan emerged from negotiations over the state’s $11.4 billion budget to finance state government after July 1.

“Some members of our caucus were upset about not getting the full amount, but really we are doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” said Morris, R-Hugoton.

He agreed the short notice works against the plan, but added, “If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, but we need to make the effort.”

There are some 7,600 Kansas National Guard and Air National Guard members and about 1,400 of them are in Iraq, according to National Guard spokeswoman Joy Moser.

Before the session wrapped up in the pre-dawn hours of May 1, the House agreed to have the issue studied over the summer.

On Nov. 8, Staff Sgt. Clinton Wisdom, 39, of Atchison and Sgt. Don Clary, 21, of Troy were killed in Iraq. They belonged to Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 130th Field Artillery Regiment based in Hiawatha.

Spc. Derrick J. Lutters, 24, who grew up in Goodland but lived in Burlington, Co., was killed May 1. He was assigned to the 891st Engineer Battalion based in Iola.