Kansas Governor to Outline Agenda for Skeptical Lawmakers

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is preparing to outline what she is likely to call a middle-of-the-road agenda for a Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature that already expects to ditch much of what she'll propose in favor of more conservative ideas on taxes and education.

Kelly was scheduled to give the annual State of the State address Tuesday evening to a joint session of the state House and Senate. She previously outlined several proposals for cutting taxes that include eliminating the state's 4% sales tax on groceries by April 1.

Other proposals, including expansion of the state's Medicaid coverage for the needy and elderly, previously have been blocked by GOP lawmakers.

Top Republican legislators have outlined their own agenda with ideas in vogue in other GOP-led states. They include allowing parents to claim tax dollars previously earmarked for public schools to cover private or home schooling costs and restricting how public schools discuss gender and sexuality, like what critics call Florida's Don't Say Gay law. Kelly and GOP leaders also differ strongly on tax cuts.