TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas public pension system’s top administrator says budget-balancing proposals from Republican Gov. Sam Brownback would raise its long-term costs by $6.5 billion.

Executive Director Alan Conroy testified Thursday before the Senate Ways and Means Committee about how Brownback’s proposals would affect the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System and efforts to close a long-term funding gap for the system.

Brownback is proposing to freeze the state’s annual contributions to public pensions for three years instead of increasing them as planned. The savings would help the state close projected budget shortfalls totaling $1.1 billion through June 2019.

Conroy said Kansas would take 10 years longer to close its pension funding gap with higher costs in future years.

Brownback said if lawmakers don’t like the pension measures, they should offer budget-balancing alternatives.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican House budget leader says without more cuts the state is expected to end the fiscal year about $40 million in the hole.

Budget Committee Chairman Scott Fitzpatrick told lawmakers Thursday the difference between how much money the state has and its obligations is a problem.

Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon already cut more than $200 million in spending this fiscal year.

Republican Gov. Eric Greitens has said he plans more cuts, although he hasn’t said how much or what he’ll ax. Greitens took office Monday.

Greitens also on Thursday announced he and the Legislature are lowering expectations for revenue growth this year.

They now estimate revenues will grow 3 percent compared to last year.

Nixon had predicted 4.1 percent revenue growth, and lawmakers estimated a 3.4 percent increase.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An official with Great Plains Energy says the Topeka area will lose between 150 and 200 jobs over the next three to five years as its subsidiary, Kansas City Power & Light, merges with Westar Energy.

Great Plains spokesman Chuck Caisley told The Topeka Capital-Journal on Wednesday that roughly the same amount of jobs will be lost in the Kansas City area.

If the merger is approved, Westar and KCP&L will become a single electric company straddling the Kansas-Missouri border, with 1.5 million customers.

Topeka Mayor Larry Wolgast says he’s confident the job losses will be handled in a way that is least detrimental to those involved.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A former principal of the year from northern Kansas City has been charged with having sex with a high school cheerleader nearly two decades ago.

The Kansas City Star reports that 48-year-old Matthew Lindsey, of Oak Grove, was charged Wednesday with two statutory rape counts. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

A North Kansas City School District spokeswoman says Lindsey has been placed on administrative leave from his job as principal of Winnetonka High School.

Authorities allege the sexual encounters began in October 1997 when the cheerleader was 16. At the time, Lindsey was coaching basketball at Richmond High School, located about 35 miles east of Kansas City.

Lindsey won the top principal honor in 2015 from the Greater Kansas City Missouri Principals Association.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — An attorney for a man sentenced to 25 years in prison for rape is arguing that a Missouri law allowing sexually violent predators to be indefinitely committed to mental institutions is unconstitutional.

The Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday from attorneys for Jay Nelson and the state.

Nelson was convicted of rape in 1989. While in prison, he was accused of sexually assaulting female guards.

The state subsequently classified Nelson as a sexually violent predator. He has since been committed to the department of mental health until doctors determine he is safe for release.

Nelson’s attorney argues that the requirements for release, as set out in the statute, are impossible to meet. The attorney also says conditions in the facility are too restrictive for mentally ill patients.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — An Ohio man could face up to life in prison after being convicted of transporting four teenage girls to Missouri to engage in prostitution.

A four-day trial in U.S. District Court in St. Louis ended Thursday when 54-year-old Kyle Maurice Parks of Columbus, Ohio, was convicted of several counts related to sex trafficking. Sentencing is April 19.

Prosecutors say Parks and two women brought three 17-year-old girls and a 15-year-old runaway to the St. Louis area in December 2015 and advertised sexual services on Backpage.com.

Columbus police searching for the runaway tracked her phone and found the victims in a St. Charles, Missouri, motel.

Parks’ attorney said during the trial that his client was running a legal adult entertainment business but had been misled about the ages of the girls.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is proposing to increase taxes and fees for business owners and to boost state liquor and cigarette taxes to address the state’s budget problems. The governor also outlined proposals Wednesday to continue diverting highway funds to general government programs, scale back state contributions to public employees and liquidate a state investment fund.

He also proposed selling off the state’s rights to collect its share of funds from a 1990s legal settlement with tobacco companies to raise $530 million or more.

The cigarette tax would increase by $1 a pack, to $2.29. The proposal outlined Wednesday would double the state’s liquor enforcement tax to 16 percent from 8 percent on July 1. Gov. Brownback is projecting that his proposal to boost taxes on liquor, wine and beer would raise more than $50 million a year.

Gov. Brownback did not propose repealing the income tax break for farmers and business owners. Instead, he proposed that the state reinstate personal income taxes on royalties and rents. They have been exempt under the 2012 policy that also exempts the profits of more than 330,000 farmers and business owners. Even some GOP lawmakers want to repeal the full exemption.

The Kansas Beer Wholesalers Association says the proposed alcohol tax increase prompted strong opposition from industry members and consumers.

“Kansas already has incredibly high taxes on beer, wine, and spirits,” said Jason Watkins, executive director of the association. “In fact, these high taxes are what drive business across the border to our neighboring states, especially Missouri. An additional increase on alcohol taxes in Kansas will only send more business out of state, hurting the state’s bottom line and the viability of hundreds of small businesses in Kansas.”

Watkins also expressed concern the proposed tax increase would lead to job losses within the industry.

“Kansas beer distributorships and craft beer breweries are locally owned and operated businesses that employ hundreds of Kansans, pay great wages and make tremendous contributions to their local communities through charitable giving and economic benefit,” he said.

“Doubling the tax on beer will send a large number of these people to the unemployment line and cause great harm to the communities in which our members live and serve.”

(Staff and wire reports)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice says Missouri counties are now eligible to receive federal funds for prescription drug monitoring programs to combat the opioid epidemic.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri announced Wednesday the change means counties are able to apply for federal money from the Department of Health and Human Services. Without the provision, the federal grants would have been limited to states.

Missouri is the only state in the country without such a program at the state level.

McCaskill has advocated for the change and she said Wednesday the announcement allows counties to do critical work to fight drug abuse while the state of Missouri “continues to sit on its hands.”

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The parents of Hailey Owens, a 10-year old girl kidnapped and killed in Springfield in 2014, are joining with the parents of the man suspected of killing her to seek updates to the Amber Alert system.

Hailey’s parents, Bill and Stacey Barfield, and the suspect’s parents, Jim and Regina Wood, met with lawmakers Wednesday at the Missouri Capitol.

The Woods’ son, Craig, is awaiting trial in Hailey’s killing.

The families’ proposal would update law enforcement computers with the technology to report an Amber Alert. It would also require a state Amber Alert committee to meet annually to discuss updates to the system.

Jim Wood says if an Amber Alert had been issued faster, he might have been able to stop his son and prevent Hailey’s death.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri House panel has voted to advance a right-to-work bill to bar mandatory union fees.

House Economic Development Committee members voted 8-4 in favor of the bill Wednesday.

Kearney Republican Rep. T.J. Berry voted present. He told The Associated Press that residents in his district are split on the issue and he’s also waiting for results of a constituent survey to gauge constituent opinions.

Democratic St. Louis Rep. Doug Beck tried to add a requirement that the right-to-work measure get voter approval. The Republican-led committee voted his proposal down 9-4 along party lines.

Right to work could come up for debate on the House floor as soon as Jan. 18. It has support from Republican Gov. Eric Greitens. GOP legislative leaders say it’s a priority this session.