As part of her administration’s ongoing efforts to protect Kansans’ health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, Thursday Governor Laura Kelly will issue a new disaster declaration to replace the current declaration. The current declaration will expire Friday, May 1.
The new declaration is necessary to maintain the governor’s emergency authority granted by the Kansas Emergency Management Act, extend all COVID-19 related Executive Orders and retain critical federal funding and other support through FEMA and the Department of Defense.
“It is clear the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kansas are going to last for the foreseeable future,” Governor Kelly said. “This new declaration will allow my administration to keep intact important state emergency measures and enable essential federal support to continue.”
The new declaration will be in effect April 30 through May 14, at which point the State Finance Council can extend it for 30 additional days. Further extensions must be accomplished by concurrent resolution of the Legislature.
The governor also will issue a new Executive Order that will re-issue the orders listed below. Each will expire on May 31, or when the new emergency declaration expires, whichever is earlier. Certain other orders (such as the statewide stay-home order and mass gathering order) will expire as noted below.
- 20-03 – Extending states of local disaster emergency
- 20-05 – Temporarily prohibit utility disconnects
- 20-07 – Temporarily closing K-12 schools to slow the spread of COVID-19
- 20-08 – Temporarily expanding telemedicine and addressing certain licensing
- requirements to combat the effects of COVID-19
- 20-10 – Temporarily prohibiting certain foreclosures and evictions
- 20-11 – Temporarily requiring continuation of waste removal and recycling services
- 20-12 – Driver’s license and vehicle registration and regulation during public health emergency
- 20-13 – Allowing certain deferred tax deadlines and payments during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 20-15 – Establishing the KEFF for COVID-19 response efforts
- 20-16 – Establishing a statewide “stay home” order in conjunction with the KEFF for COVID-19 response efforts, to expire at 11:59 p.m. on May 3.
- 20-17 – Temporary relief from certain unemployment insurance requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 20-19 – Extending professional and occupational licenses during the COVID-19 pandemic
- 20-20 – Temporarily allowing notaries and witnesses to act via audio-video communication technology
- 20-21 – Suspending the issuance of general nonresident spring 2020 turkey permits
- 20-22 – Extending conditional and temporary relief from certain motor carrier rules and regulations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, to expire at 11:59 p.m. on May 15, 2020
- 20-23 – Licensure, Certification, and Registration for persons and Licensure of “Adult Care Homes” during public health emergency
- 20-24 – Extending Executive Order 20-16 to 11:59 p.m. May 3, 2020.
- 20-25 – Temporarily prohibiting mass gatherings of more than 10 people to limit the spread of COVID-19, to expire at 11:59 p.m. on May 3.
- 20-26 – Temporary relief from certain restrictions and requirements governing the provision of medical services
- 20-27 – Temporarily suspending certain rules relating to sale of alcoholic beverages