Kelly’s orders OK’d by LCC
The Legislative Coordinating Council this afternoon approved the two latest coronavirus-related executive orders (EO) issued by Gov. Laura Kelly dealing with group meetings and basic government/commercial services that local units of government can’t block with local "stay-at-home" orders.
The group meetings EO pulled from 50 to 10 the cap for meetings and gatherings that are now the state limit, with provisions for social distancing requirements that could temper those limits.
Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said she has heard concerns that the 10-person limit might be used to deter gathering of families, and urged the governor to pencil in a provision that would allow families to shelter together.
Kelly’s Chief of Staff Will Lawrence, who attended the Internet-broadcast meeting, said the governor likely would soon have language to add to the EO that would make clear that family gatherings aren’t to be prohibited by local emergency orders.
There were provisions in another EO that didn’t make clear that local units of government couldn’t through local stay-at-home orders interfere with utility services, and some business-related services like payroll, accounting and such, and Lawrence said he believed that the orders will be clarified.
Travel quarantine expanded
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has added Louisiana and all of Colorado to its list of states from which Kansans who have returned to Kansas starting today are required to quarantine themselves for 14 days to deter the coronavirus. Previously only a few Colorado counties were quarantined.
Other states that require 14-day quarantines for Kansans are California, Florida, New York and Washington state (after March 15) and Illinois and New Jersey after March 23.
Source: Hawver’s News Service
