Topeka ? A full menu of tough issues awaits Kansas lawmakers today as the 2008 legislative session starts.

The House and Senate will gavel in this afternoon and then hold a joint session to hear Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’ State of the State address.

“I’m hopeful that we can talk about some issues and ideas that bring us together as Kansans,” said Sebelius, a Democrat who faces an overwhelmingly Republican Legislature.

“We’ve got 90 days to come together and do the work that the citizens expect us to do, roll up our sleeves, work hard, pass a budget, move forward and at the end of the day go back to our lives,” she said.

After Sebelius’ speech, House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, of Ingalls, will give the Republican response. “This session we have tough choices,” Neufeld said when unveiling priorities last week of the House GOP caucus.

One of the top priorities will be to limit spending, he said.

The event will be broadcast on Kansas-based public television stations, Kansas Public Radio, WIBW 580 Radio and Kansas Information Network affiliates.

On the Internet, Sebelius’ speech can be heard at governorks.gov.

Updates from the session will be posted regularly at here at ljworld.com.