Kansas Governor Issues A New Statewide Mask Mandate, But Republicans Scoff And Quickly Overturn It

TOPEKA, Kansas — Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly issued a new statewide mask mandate Thursday, but Republican lawmakers quickly used newly crafted legislative powers to reverse her order.

The action came under a new emergency management law signed by Kelly last week. The new law represented a compromise between the governor and the GOP-led Legislature. It extended Kelly’s state of emergency declaration through late May. That allows the state to continue assisting local governments and organizations with help such as providing protective equipment.

In exchange, the law caused all of Kelly’s executive orders related to the pandemic to expire. Now, lawmakers have new, if untested, powers to overturn orders as they’re issued.

A panel of legislative leaders, dominated by Republicans, blocked Kelly’s mask order just hours after she issued it, but let a dozen others stand.

Read more: https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-04-01/kansas-governor-issues-a-new-statewide-mask-mandate-but-republicans-scoff-and-quickly-overturn-it