Topeka ? State employees aren’t out of the woods yet by any means.

While a House plan to cut state employee pay by 5 percent was jettisoned last week, the Senate Monday will consider proposals that could result in reducing state employees’ paychecks.

A proposal to be debated Monday would require that state agencies cut $26 million from personnel costs. That could mean pay cuts, unpaid furloughs, or even layoffs.

“I won’t be voting for that,” said state Sen. Tim Owens, R-Overland Park. “That is taking a segment of our society and taxing them. That is no different than a tax increase.”

But other Republican senators argued they were having to cut back on employees in their private businesses, and that some state agencies may be able to handle the proposed cut by simply not filling open positions.

State Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook, R-Shawnee, said that private sector employees are paying the taxes that pay for public sector employees.

The proposed state employee cut was included in a 3-percent across-the-board-cut that state Sen. Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said he will offer as an amendment to the budget bill.

The Legislature faces a $328 million budget deficit.