Kansas lawmakers on Tuesday passed a bipartisan reform of the state’s emergency management law, installing new checks on powers of the governor, health officers and school boards to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and future disasters. The Senate adopted the legislation by a 31-8 vote hours after it won approval in the House by a 118-5 vote. The measure now goes to Gov. Laura Kelly for consideration. In addition to modifying the decades old Kansas Emergency Management Act, the new legislation extends the current disaster declaration from March 31 to May 28. The changes to KEMA were inserted into Senate Bill 40 — which previously dealt with the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Division of Conservation. Republicans furious with the governor’s decisions to close schools, businesses and churches and require face coverings wanted additional limits on her powers. Competing plans emerged in the House and Senate before a compromise was reached.
Source: Kansas Reflector
