State Health Secretary Lee Norman on Monday sounded a word of caution about lawmakers returning for their wrapup session shortly after the coronavirus is expected to peak in Kansas.
Norman has indicated he expects the number of cases to reach its apex by April 24.
The Legislature is set to return April 27 although it could be earlier or later depending on conditions.
“I think it would be highly unlikely that we would want to have people congregating in that manner that soon after the peak,” Norman said at a news briefing Monday.
“I don’t second guess the Legislature, but I think it would be unwise to gather people that soon after a peak,” he said.
The Legislature adjourned its regular session on March 19 with no certainty of when – or if – it would return for the veto session.
The Legislature has set April 27 as the date for returning, although leading lawmakers have the flexibility to call the Legislature back earlier or later if it’s warranted.
The session can’t run past May 21.
Norman said he thinks the coronavirus cases could peak in Kansas by April 24, but added that’s far from certain given that it’s still three weeks away.
Lawmakers are increasingly dubious about whether they can return for the veto session, especially after Gov. Laura Kelly imposed a stay-at-home order through April 19 and limited mass gatherings to 10 people.
As of Monday, the state had 368 confirmed coronavirus cases, up from 79 a week earlier.
There had been eight deaths and 66 hospitalizations, according to state health department.
Over the weekend, the governor said the state could reach 900 cases within a week.
Leading legislators were hesitant to say whether the Legislature would – or could – return.
Lawmakers left a lot of legislation unfinished, including sports wagering, Medicaid expansion, a constitutional amendment on abortion, money for state employee pay raises and occupational licensing reciprocity.
“I’m optimistic we can return to finish some important legislation like transparency in property taxation and more,” Senate President Susan Wagle said in a statement.
“We will continue to work with House leadership to monitor the situation,” she said.
House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said the situation is too fluid to predict what might happen later this month.
“Information is evolving rapidly,” Ryckman said. “We’re going to continue listening to experts and take it one day at a time.
“We’ll evaluate when we know more.”
Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley questioned whether he would even participate in a wrapup session at this point.
At 66, Hensley said he was worried that he was of an age that would make him vulnerable to the virus.
“We’ve done everything that we needed to do,” Hensley said of the Legislature. “I’d be very, very hesitant to even participate.”
Hensley said lawmakers can take a wait-and-see approach, but believed that April 27 would be too early.
“I think we’re in this for the long haul,” Hensley said. “I think it would be very unwise for us to come back on April 27.”
