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.
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