Kansas lawmakers burned the midnight oil during an unprecedented, nearly 24-hour session from Thursday morning into Friday morning.
By the end, both chambers of the Republican-controlled legislature had voted to approve a bill restricting Democratic Gov.
Laura Kelly’s emergency declaration powers.
AFTER DISCUSSIONSTHROUGHOUT THE NIGHT ..KANSAS LAMWAKERSPASSED A BILL LIMITINGGOVERNOR LAURA KELLY'SEMERGENCY POWERS.AFTER MAY 31ST, THE BILLREQUIRES THE GOVERNORTO GET PERMISSION FROMLAWMAKERS TO KEEPBUSINESSES CLOSED ORTO EXERCISE OTHERBROAD POWERS GRANTEDDURING EMERGENCIES.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER NICK STARLINGHAS REACTION FROMBOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.NICK:EMOTIONS RAN HIGHDURING AN UNUSUALNEARLY 24-HOUR SESSIONIN TOPEKA.MANY LAWMARSCALLING THIS A MAJORPOLITICAL HIT JOB ON THEGOVERNOR-OTHERS BELIEVE THERESHOULD BE A STRONGCHECKS AND BALANCESSYSTEM DURINGEMERGENCIES.KANSAS GOVERNORLAURA KELLY NOTHOLDING BACK HERTHOUGHTS ON THEMARATHON SESSION- THEHEADLINER-THEREPUBLICAN-CONTROLLEDLEGISLATURE STRIPPINGPART OF HER EMERGENCYDECLARATION POWER.Rep.
Stephanie Clayton:When you rush and when youdo things in the middle of thenight you end up getting shottywork and that is what I'mafraid the legislature hascompleted in this whirlwind24-hour session.Rep.
Jarrod Ousley,Those orders have been inplace for 45 year now andwe're going to rewrite them ina day session on the fly withfour people you know prettymuch authoring the thing, inthe middle of a crisis, didn'tseem like good policy makingto me at all.THE BILL REQUIREGOVERNOR KELLY TO GETPERMISSION FROMLAWMAKERS TO KEEPBUSINESSES CLOSED ORTO EXERCISE OTHERBROAD POWERS DURINGEMERGENCIES.Rep.
Jan KessingerI am a believer in the checksand balances system but it gotto be fairly partisan, notfairly itwas very partisan.PARTISAN ANDDANGEROUS AS SOMELAWMAKERS PUT ITBECAUSE DURING THEALL-NIGHTER-MANY WERENOT WEARING MASKS.Rep.
Jan KessingerI would estimate at least3/4ths of the legislators didnot wear protective mask andto be that was disconcerning.Rep.
Jarrod Ousley,one of the first things I sawtoday when I went in to pressmy resent button was a bunchof people standing in the aisleconversing without masks on.LAWMAKERS IN THEHOUSE DIDN'T GET THETEXT OF THE BILL UNTILAFTER 3 IN THE MORNING.Rep.
Stephanie Clayton:If you don't know what's in it,you shouldn't probably not putyour stamp of approval on it.NOW IT'S UP TOGOVERNOR KELLY-ONWHETHER SHE'LL VETOANY OF THE BILLS.Rep.
Jarrod Ousley,I think that's a lot of whattoday was about, was justpolitical posturing and settingthe governor up to force aveto so that you have apolitical weapon to useagainst her.REPORTING IN KANSASNICK STARLING41 ACTION NEWS.GOVERNOR KELLY DIDN'TSAY IF SHE'LL VETO ANYBILLS TODAY.BUT SHE CAN VETOANYTIME WITHIN THE NEXT10 DAYS.OTHERWISE IT WILLBECOME LAW WITHOUTHER SIGNATURE.GOVERNOR KELLYEXPRESSED HERDISAPPOINTMENT ABOUTWHAT HAPPENED -- ANDSAID THE STATELEGISLATURE HAS ASERIOUS RESPONSIBILITYTO THE PEOPLE OFKANSAS.SHE SAID THE DECORUMEXPECTED OF LAWMAKERSWAS THROWN OUT THEWINDOW.Gov.
Laura KellyKansas"What happened in thelegislature....no way for me tosugarcoat this for the Kansaspeople."TODAY -- KDHESECRETARY DOCTOR LEENORMAN SAID HE WASDISAPPOINTED IN THELEGISLATURE'S ACTIONSAND ITS POTENTIALIMPACT ON THE STATE'SFIGHT AGAINST COVID-19.HE ADDED THAT NOMATTER WHAT, PEO