On Monday, June 25, Kansas’ Supreme Court ruled that the state’s funding formula for public schools is still unconstitutional. This is the sixth ruling in a long-running lawsuit, Gannon vs. Kansas. In response to the ruling, some conservative legislators called for the renewal of a push for a constitutional amendment that would make the legislature solely responsible for determining school quality and spending.

Conservative Republicans called Monday’s ruling an example of judicial overreach. A proposed constitutional amendment, something proposed by some lawmakers in April, would block the state’s Supreme Court from reviewing overall spending on schools. This issue will likely be taken up by campaigns later in the year and amendment supporters must persuade voters to elect pro-amendment candidates if they want a chance of passing such an amendment in the Legislature.

A constitutional amendment would take a two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Legislature, followed by a majority of votes in a statewide election.

Sources

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2018/jun/26/ahead-of-kansas-primaries-conservatives-renew-push-for-constitutional-amendment-on-school-finance/

https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article213856059.html

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/state_edwatch/2018/06/kansas_legislatures_resurface_constitutional_amendment_idea_after_nightmare_ruling.html?cmp=eml-enl-eu-news3&M=58530508&U=1527760&intc=eml-contshr-shr-desk