In this file photo from Aug. 23, 2016, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach responds to questions outside the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after delivering an argument in a legal fight over how the state of Kansas enforces its proof-of-citizenship requirement for voters who register at motor vehicle offices.

TOPEKA ? Kansas lawmakers have dropped an effort to force Secretary of State Kris Kobach to personally pay the costs of being held in contempt of court.

The Kansas House last week approved a rule that would have prohibited statewide elected officials from using state money to pay for contempt findings, court costs or attorneys’ fees.

The move came after a federal judge in April found Kobach in contempt of court in a voting-rights lawsuit and ordered him to pay court costs and attorneys fees.

The Wichita Eagle reports budget negotiators dropped the provision on Tuesday after a letter from Kobach’s office to top Republicans contended the ban would be illegal and the state would pay a significant amount in a “futile attempt” to defend it.