Topeka ? The Lawrence school district will be able to continue getting cost-of-living funds under the school finance plan without having to raise local taxes under a bill approved Saturday.

Lawrence, and a handful of other districts, were in a situation where to qualify for certain supplemental state education dollars, they would have had to hold elections, asking voters to increase local taxes.

Lawrence school officials testified to lawmakers that they needed to continue getting those cost-of-living funds, which totaled nearly $1.3 million, but didn’t want to increase taxes on local property owners.

The measure kicked around the Legislature all session but was finally approved by the Senate on Friday and House on Saturday to put the issue on Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ desk.