Kansas can’t close businesses, limit crowds to fight coronavirus for seven more weeks

Even as coronavirus cases mount and hospitalizations rise in Kansas, Gov. Laura Kelly will be unable to impose statewide restrictions on businesses or mass gatherings until Sept. 15 under a new state law. Because of a single paragraph in a measure hastily passed during a special session last month, neither Kelly, a Democrat, nor her Republican rivals in the Legislature can do much to stem the rising tide of COVID-19 cases when it comes to businesses and gatherings — even if they could agree on a course of action. A provision in House Bill 2016 appears to render the entire state government largely powerless to order changes in business practices or limit crowd sizes for seven more weeks.