Kansas’ Democratic governor on Thursday vetoed parts of the Republican-backed $6 billion funding plan for the state’s K-12 schools, setting up a likely legal battle that will test her office’s powers. Gov. Laura Kelly issued a statement explaining her decision to take the unprecedented step of vetoing parts of the proposed education budget, saying she objected to one provision, in particular, that she says would cut funding for rural public schools, which have been dealing with declining enrollment. She said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of it. Top Republicans are likely to object and to challenge the assertion in court.
