Topeka (WIBW/AP) - Kansas House Republicans are out with a proposal they say will balance the budget without raising taxes.

GOP leaders outlined it Thursday. Lawmakers are facing a $400 million budget shortfall.

The House GOP plan takes $50 million from the state highway fund by capping the amount of sales tax money which can be transferred into it. It also cuts other state agency budgets one-percent, imposes a hiring freeze, eliminates overtime and out-of-state travel, and closes state offices at 3 pm on Fridays.

In addition, it freezes contributions to KAPERs at current levels. They say no benefits will be threatened by the freeze, but acknowledge the system needs reform to remain solvent in the future.

House Speaker Mike O'Neal, R-Hutchinson, says the proposal includes calculated, targeted cuts that are designed to do the least amount of harm while recouping the most amount of savings.

The plan also freezes how much the state spends on public schools, but does not make up for $170 million in federal stimulus funding schools will lose. Instead, it gives local communities the option to raise revenue.

Rep. Kevin Yoder, R-Overland Park, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, says, in this way, the legislature would not force a tax increase on anyone. Instead, he said, local communities who feel it is necessary could decide for themselves.

Gov. Mark Parkinson released a statement saying the plan was irresponsible.

“The cuts now proposed by House Republican leadership are, in a word, irresponsible," he said. "They are proposing that we cut schools, cut services for the vulnerable and cut programs which directly impact public safety. While I appreciate their willingness to put forward a plan, it is the wrong plan for Kansas."

House GOP leaders disagreed. They say their plan would actually do more than the Governor's plan. They say they include $7 million to reduce the waiting list for services for the physically and developmentally disabled, while the Governor's plan calls for a hard freeze on the waiting list.

Yoder says the plan also increases KBI funding to eliminate the DNA backlog, extra money for the Regents and restores funding for the Judicial branch to avoid furloughs.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.