The KS House implosion, legislator quits, another removed, and chaos, another tuesday

[Tree Frog]

12. This sums it up...

Rubin, Barker and others wanted to engage a debate about readjusting the tax structure for reopening dog and horse racetracks, legislators said. Merrick objected, and the Rules Committee, headed by Barker, sided with Merrick that the bill couldn’t be debated.

Merrick said he had a “very heavy heart” in ousting Rubin and Barker. In a written statement, he cited the attempt to “manipulate the House rules” to pull a bill out of committee despite a hearing scheduled Wednesday in House Appropriations.