Governor Laura Kelly says new legislation to adjust the state’s emergency powers structure has her support, even if she doesn’t totally agree with the bill.
Republican leaders met with Kelly starting late last week — before the start of a special session Wednesday morning.
The bill extends the current disaster declaration to Sept. 15, well beyond the current deadline of next Wednesday. If a declaration needs to go longer than that, Kelly would have to get a 15-day extension through the State Finance Council — and she would need Finance Council approval to spend any of the $1.25 billion in coronavirus relief money coming to Kansas. Kelly also would need permission from the Kansas State Board of Education to close schools by executive order.
The wide-ranging bill also has provisions for counties, which could adopt COVID-19 responses that aren’t as strict as the statewide guidance. Contact tracers would be forbidden from mentioning patient names.
Lawmakers will debate the bill later in the day.
This would replace House Bill 2054, which lawmakers passed after a 24-hour veto session late last month. Kelly vetoed the bill, mentioning constitutional concerns and possible limits on how disaster declarations are processed.
