TOPEKA — Republican legislative leadership ended the State of Disaster Emergency Declaration Tuesday morning.
Senate President Ty Masterson announced that the meeting of the Legislative Coordinating Counci to discuss Governor Kelly's request to extend the declaration until August had been canceled, according to a statement from his office.
As a result, the statewide emergency declaration will expire as scheduled at the end of today.
Eight leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature, six of them Republicans, were scheduled to meet to consider whether to extend the state of emergency that’s been in place since early March 2020. A law enacted in late March requires the legislative leaders to sign off on an extension.
President Masterson, Vice President Rick Wilborn and Majority Leader Larry Alley have issued the following joint statement:
"At last month's LCC meeting, a majority of legislative leaders made it clear that June 15th was likely to be the end of the state of emergency - that after 15 months, it is time for Kansas to return to normal. As such, the LCC recommended the governor develop an exit strategy to end the emergency – however, after reviewing the governor's letter, it appears the governor opted for an extension strategy.
“The legislature and the LCC have granted the governor every extension request over the last year, but the current circumstances surrounding COVID-19 no longer necessitate a statewide disaster emergency. The governor has not provided adequate justification for the LCC to grant her request for yet another extension, and all remaining efforts related to COVID-19 can and should take place under our normal procedures. As such, the statewide disaster emergency will expire as planned.”