Jun 02, 2020

Waggoner: Process must start from beginning in special session

Posted Jun 02, 2020 11:37 AM

By NICK GOSNELL

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — It still remains to be seen if the special session of the Kansas Legislature due to start this week in Topeka sticks to COVID-19 response, but Representative Paul Waggoner notes that whatever is done will have to start from scratch.

"All of the old bills are dead," Waggoner said. "We're literally starting with a blank slate. Whatever happens, I mean, you would have to have committee hearings and things pass out of committee and go to the floor for a vote and I imagine that's exactly what's going to happen. I take it, of course, since she vetoed the bill that was passed at Sine Die that she has issues, though I don't know if she's exactly specified."

How much will get accomplished or how fast it might go are also open questions.

"I think the whole question of business liability on COVID-19 is an important one," Waggoner said. "I think there's going to be federal legislation which may solve that, but just the fact that businesses could be sued, just randomly was something addressed in the bill that the Governor vetoed. Also, about the power of local officials."

Waggoner doesn't have an issue with counties making decisions, but the last word coming from someone who is not elected is what gives him pause.

"Throwing things back to the county is fine in one sense, but, the current statute, I mean, the county public health officer, he or she does not even have to have the approval of the County Commission to shut down every business in the county," Waggoner said. "People didn't realize that was the case and that was tried to be corrected by the bill that the Governor vetoed. I would think that's something that, going forward, really needs to be handled."

The legislature convenes Wednesday at 8 a.m.