Higher education funding seems to be one of the key sticking points in ongoing budget talks between the Kansas House and Senate, and it’s not yet clear whether the two chambers will reach an agreement before adjourning Thursday or Friday for the Legislature’s annual spring break.

So far, the Senate is the only chamber that has passed a budget bill. It includes, among other things, a $9.4 million cut in general operating funds for Kansas University over the next two years, and a $2.1 million cut to Kansas State University in the upcoming fiscal year.

Also, the Senate included a proviso that says out of the $15.7 million available for need-based student financial aid, 75 percent will be reserved for students attending private, independent colleges and universities.

House negotiators so far are not going along with the cuts to KU and K-State. But Wednesday morning they offered a compromise on financial aid, suggesting that 60 percent be reserved for students at private schools.

The House is negotiating based on the bill reported out of its Appropriations Committee, but Republican leaders have not put that bill on the floor of the House for full debate and a vote.

Republican leaders in the House have admitted that they may not be able to muster the 63 votes needed for passage. But Democrats have suggested that GOP leaders don’t want a floor debate where amendments could be offered out of fear that an amendment to authorize expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act might pass.

The chambers are able to meet in conference committee anyway because the Senate put the contents of its budget bill into a House bill, which technically makes it a change to the original House bill.

If negotiators for the two chambers are able to agree on a package, it will go back to the full chambers for a straight up-or-down vote, with no opportunity for further amendments.

Lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn Thursday or Friday for about three and a half weeks. During that time, budget officials will release new consensus revenue estimates for the upcoming fiscal year. Then the Legislature will return April 29 for a final wrap-up session to pass what is known as the “omnibus” budget bill, which must be balanced with those new revenue figures.