By Sherman Smith
Tribune News Service
TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers have fixated on passing a budget and other high-priority legislation as the peril of COVID-19 disrupts daily life and official business in the state with increasing seriousness.
Capitol halls have fallen silent with restrictions placed on visitors. Access is limited to individuals conducting official business, including legislative staff, lobbyists and news media.
As of Monday morning, health officials had confirmed nine people in Kansas have tested positive for coronavirus, the latest a Johnson County man in his 50s whose source of infection is unknown.
House Republican leadership issued a statement Sunday night identifying as a top priority the passing of a base budget to provide stability to core government functions.
House Speaker Ron Ryckman, of Olathe, Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, of Wichita, and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch, of Ottawa, said the House was prepared to take action on a budget on Monday if Senate counterparts were ready to negotiate any sticking points.
“As elected leaders,” the House Republicans said, “the first and only priority at this time is the health and safety of the citizens of Kansas. Our people come before partisanship and politics. We will continue to all pull together in this shared purpose.”
On Friday, the House passed a resolution that would expand Gov. Laura Kelly’s authority to deal with the public health crisis by declaring a state of emergency through January 2021.
Laura McCabe, spokeswoman for Senate President Susan Wagle, said Senate leaders were meeting Monday morning to address the path forward.
“Our goal is to be sure we pass a budget and any other critical legislation needed to keep Kansas economically sound,” she said.
In addition to the budget, high-priority legislation includes a long-term transportation plan for funding highway projects. By taking care of those issues now, the Legislature could deviate from its schedule to adjourn from April 3 to April 27 and join virtually all other public institutions in temporarily shutting down to avoid rapid transmission of the coronavirus.
“Not sure how many more days we go in (the Legislature) before shutting down,” said Rep. Brett Parker, a Democrat from Overland Park. “I’d have liked to see us work through the weekend to get essentials done and adjourn. We increase the risk of spreading COVID-19 each day we’re here. We need to lead by example.”
Kelly has asked public schools to close this week, and state universities have extended spring break while preparing to move classes online. Libraries, churches and restaurants have closed, sports and events are canceled, and some businesses have asked employees to work from home.
KDHE issued recommendations for anyone traveling to areas of widespread transmission of COVID-19 to quarantine themselves at home for 14 days.
At the Statehouse, all public events and tours have been postponed until further notice.
“The health and safety of Kansans across the state is always our No. 1 priority,” Kelly said. “This limitation of access is merely a precautionary measure as we work to mitigate the spread of the virus.”