‘They should be ashamed’: KS Democrats fight for more health precautions, GOP pushes back

The Kansas House passed a bill extending an emergency declaration regarding the pandemic Thursday, but not before extensive debate around its own policies inside the State Capitol.

While the emergency declaration passed swiftly, legislators unsuccessfully proposed several changes to House rules, including requiring lawmakers to disclose a positive COVID-19 test to the Speaker of the House and to follow quarantine guidelines.

The amendment was sponsored by Rep. Jarrod Ousley, D-Merriam, to help prevent the virus from spreading throughout the legislature. There is no written requirement for lawmakers to disclose a positive test to the Speaker or follow quarantine guidelines by staying home from work.

While the change did receive some bipartisan support, it was not enough to pass. Republicans argued the change should have been proposed before the Rules and Journal Committee sent the bill to the full House.

“I see arguments on both sides of this, but without having this vetted in that committee, I will stand in opposition to this one,” said Rep. Mark Samsel, a Wellsville Republican. “Hopefully we can find ways to get good common sense things, whatever that is, through our committees.”

Ousley said the change was practical, especially after the House rejected an amendment requiring lawmakers wear masks while in committee and House meetings. While the amendment was not seen by the Rules Committee ahead of the meeting, he said, the process still allows changes to be made if the House deems it necessary.

“Whether or not this was presented in the Rules Committee does not mean it’s not sound legislation and sound policy to keep our health and the health of Kansans first and foremost as we enter this session,” Ousley said.

Rep. Brett Parker, a Lenexa Democrat, proposed a mask requirement during legislative meetings, also quickly struck down by the Republican supermajority. It received some bipartisan support, as Samsel spoke in favor of the amendment based on success schools in his district have seen with mask mandates.

“We hate it, we don’t like it, but it’s been working,” Samsel said.

Parker attempted to relate with other legislators through an anecdote about his father, who has Alzheimer’s and has been isolated throughout the pandemic. Parker said until the start of the legislative session, he had been isolating as well so he could continue visiting his father and urged lawmakers to think about those in their own lives who are at high risk.

Around 10 legislators did not wear masks throughout the meeting. Several requested colleagues take off their masks when speaking because they could not hear them.

This came as legislators moved quickly since the start of the session to extend an emergency management act. Both chambers approved the extension, which would continue the state’s emergency declaration and restrict Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive powers to enact emergency declarations like closing businesses and schools to stop the spread of the virus.

The bill passed with some bipartisan support. Democrat Rep. John Carmichael of Wichita conceded to the legislation despite “changes that ought to be made.” Many of those changes haven’t been discussed this session, but Kelly previously said remanding power to local governments was a mistake.

It passed through the Senate last week before heading to the House.

Carmichael said the decision to support the bill without amendments came from concern that the Legislature will be forced to recess because of an outbreak and will not be able to extend the declaration later in the session.

“After consultation with others, it seems the wisest course now is to go ahead and approve the bad work the Senate has done, because the alternative is even worse,” he said.

This story was originally published January 21, 2021 at 3:59 PM.