(Syndicated to Kansas newspapers June 3, 2013)
They’re back home, probably trying to remember just what you do with an actual bill for drinks and meals, but at least the freshmen legislators can now tell their coffee crowds about working until 2 a.m. hammering out a year’s worth of government.
The 2013 session of the Legislature, which adjourned early Sunday, was more complicated than some in recent years, maybe partly because of record numbers of new members who probably didn’t realize just what all the state does and how it pays for it.
Also, the session may have surprised some folks who thought it would get done in the 80 days—instead of 99—that some legislative leaders predicted. Wouldn’t a conservative Republican governor, House and Senate all work smoothly together, they reasoned. Nope: Family squabbles can morph into the most intricate, complicated battles you’ll find anywhere.