Governor Laura Kelly thanked lawmakers for compromising on a package for the state’s coronavirus recovery efforts.
Kelly started Friday’s news conference by recognizing the work of the Legislature in a special session that started Wednesday and finished up Thursday.
The new bill, House Bill 2016, now replaces HB 2054 which was vetoed by Governor Laura Kelly after a 24-hour veto session by the Legislature late last month. The new legislation extends the state’s disaster declaration to Sept. 15 and will require Governor Kelly to seek approval from the state Finance Council for a 15-day extension if it is required. Additionally, Kelly will need Finance Council approval to spend any of the $1.25 billion in coronavirus relief money coming to Kansas and will require permission from the Kansas State Board of Education to close schools by executive order.
Kelly said one unfortunate byproduct of the action this week was protections against mortgage foreclosures or lease evictions were eliminated. She says the Kansas Department of Labor has now processed about $1 billion worth of unemployment benefits to help offset that issue to a degree along with an improving state economy, but she says work continues to make things easier for Kansans who have lost their jobs and are in danger of losing their housing.
Separately, Kelly said tracking metrics were favorable enough for the state to recommend counties begin shifting to the Ad Astra Phase 3 if they haven’t already done so. Lyon County shifted to a modified Phase 3 on Thursday. Greenwood County phased out of COVID-19 restrictions altogether earlier in the week.
