Kelly says she’s aware of the need for help in higher education institutions, will focus on other issues during first legislative session

Kansas Governor-elect Laura Kelly says she’s aware the state may need to help higher education institutions but has more pressing issues she needs to focus on during her first legislative session.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Kelly says the state will “go after the critical issues first,” listing K-12 education funding, Medicaid expansion, infrastructure and the state’s foster care program as the main issues.  She says the state will be “doing what we can” for higher education, which saw its budget slashed by $30.7 million under former Governor Sam Brownback.

Lawmakers restored $6 million of that in 2017 and another $15 million in May.  Still, the University of Kansas announced it would need to make a $20 million cut from its own budget.

Kelly acknowledged that morale is an issue.