Topeka ? A House committee axed $65 million Saturday from a Senate school finance plan, sending the revised bill to the House, where passage is far from certain.

The new $401 million package assembled by the House Select Committee on School Finance would phase in funding over three years and make changes to a bill that senators approved 24-16 on Thursday. The package largely follows previous bills with where the dollars are spent, but it makes much smaller allotments to the state’s 300 school districts.

It is the House’s second attempt at a school finance plan this session. A coalition of moderate Republicans and Democrats pushed through a $633 million plan in March. One coalition leader said nothing appears to have changed to budge the group from its position.

“Certainly, there’s nothing there to take votes away from the coalition,” said Rep. Ward Loyd, R-Garden City. “Our intent is to reaffirm the school finance plan that was adopted by the House.”

Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, said he was pleased that the committee acted because it pushed legislators closer to negotiating the final version of a school finance bill.

Legislators must increase school spending to satisfy last year’s Kansas Supreme Court order in a lawsuit filed in 1999 over how much the state spends on schools and how the funds are distributed.

Rep. Kathe Decker, chairwoman of the school finance committee, said debate was expected on the plan Monday or Tuesday. Pass or fail, she expects to begin negotiations with senators to reach a compromise. Doing so would expedite the end of the wrapup session, which began Wednesday.