Capitol police have lifted a year-long ban for the three protesters who unfurled mammoth banners in the statehouse condemning lawmakers for refusing to budge on Medicaid expansion.
Lt. Eric Hatcher, who oversees the Capitol Police detail, said Thursday that he was out of the office Wednesday when the protests occurred and wished the situation had been handled differently. He declined to elaborate.
Hatcher, however, said the rules still had been broken.
“They broke the rules and I believe they knew they broke the rules on top of it,” Hatcher said. “There is a proper way to do things and an improper way to do things.”
State policy bars banners, signs, exhibits or any other materials from being taped, tacked, nailed or hung within the Capitol Complex. It also bars anyone from carrying or transporting signs, posters or banners within the complex without permission.
Five protesters rolled out four banners inside the Capitol rotunda leaving many onlookers in awe. They were removed within minutes by Tom Day, director Legislative Administrative Services.
The banners targeted Senate President Susan Wagle, House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins and Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning.
They are blamed for putting up roadblocks to keep Medicaid expansion from being considered on the House and Senate floor.
Last week, a coalition of Democrats and moderate Republicans used a procedural move to get Medicaid expansion passed in the House. The bill awaits action in the Senate.
The protesters’ signs read “Blood on their hands,” along with “Expand Medicaid” with each lawmaker’s name spelled out vertically. Initially, they were banned for a year, a punishment that Hatcher said may have bee too tough given the infraction.
The Kansas State Collegian identified the banned students as Jonathan Cole, a senior in mechanical engineering and student senator; Nate Faflick, senior in family studies and human services; and Katie Sullivan, junior in civil engineering and and student senator.
Thea Perry, a former statehouse candidate and one of the protesters, said the demonstration was intended to call attention to the need to expand Medicaid.
She said that supporters of Medicaid expansion have been trying to cooperate and work with lawmakers for a couple years but nothing has seemed to advance their cause.
