Governor Laura Kelly’s administration is now taking legal action in response to actions by state legislative leaders Wednesday.
During her daily news conference Thursday afternoon, Governor Kelly stated she has instructed her chief counsel to file suit against the Legislative Coordinating Council after the council overturned the Governor’s executive order limiting church and funeral gatherings to 10 people maximum. Governor Kelly stated this action is being done to “ensure that politics does not continue to hinder our ability to save Kansas lives.”
Additionally, Governor Kelly also gave instructions to her chief counsel to file with the Kansas Supreme Court to expedite the process.
Governor Kelly says the decision to overturn the executive order rests with the Legislature as a whole, not the LCC alone.
Governor Kelly stated the action by the LCC has also created unnecessary confusion for emergency officials across Kansas regarding the status of other executive orders.
Local lawmakers have begun offering their perspective into the situation. 60th District Representative Mark Schreiber says legal action is not something he would have liked to see, however:
KVOE has reached out to other local lawmakers for their perspectives as well.
Ahead of the LCC’s decision Wednesday, Attorney General Derek Schmidt issued a memorandum in which he both commended the governor’s executive order and yet strongly discouraged law enforcement from attempting to enforce the requirements of the order as violations of law. Kelly responded to this action by calling it a “bizarre, confusing and overtly political attack.”
Governor Kelly will continue her daily press briefings Friday. You can hear the full news conference on KVOE 1400 am and 96.9 fm.
