By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Democratic Representative Jason Probst hopes the focus of the Special Session underway on Wednesday can remain narrow and focused on COVID-19 response.
"I would personally like it if we would just address the issue at hand and get on our way," Probst said Monday. "If we are going to address anything else, I think I would like to see us have a discussion about Medicaid expansion. I've always been a supporter of that, but I think, when you have so many people who have lost their job who have also lost their health insurance and we're a little uncertain about what the future might hold, I think this is a good opportunity to provide some baseline protection for people, particularly if they have underlying conditions."
Probst does think that those leaving the Legislature whether for retirement or another office may do things differently in the Special Session, since the filing deadline is past.
"If they don't have to face voters again, they may be able to do some things that they would feel pressure otherwise not to do," Probst said. "For those that are running for something else, there's a lot of pressure to get this wrapped up, so they can go back to campaigning. They'll want to be able to go out and do the fundraising and visiting with constituents and doing the things that they'll need to do for a campaign."
Many prominent members of the Kansas Senate, in particular, Senate President Susan Wagle and Majority Leader Jim Denning are not running for re-election.