Key Kansas Lawmaker says Business, Not Vacation Took Him to Texas During Overtime

 (AP) – A key Kansas lawmaker who has been criticized for his weeklong absence says he was away on family business and was not paid during that time.

Republican Sen. Ty Masterson from Andover said he was in Texas on family business and declined to give specifics for privacy reasons.

Friday was the 99th day of the legislative session, which traditionally span 90 days or less each year. Lawmakers have been in a deadlock attempting to fill an estimated $406 million budget shortfall with tax increases.

Masterson is chairman of the Senate budget committee and was rumored to be on vacation over the past week while receiving overtime pay.

Administrative staff confirmed that he waived his pay, but the paperwork had not been processed due to the lack of a signature.