Month: September 2021

Kansas legislative leaders create special committee to rebuff federal COVID-19 mandates

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector

Topeka — Top House and Senate lawmakers agreed Monday to establish a special legislative committee to examine options for thwarting federal policy layered with COVID-19 government mandates tied to the pandemic that so far killed more than 6,000 residents of Kansas.

The Legislative Coordinating Council convened online for less than 10 minutes to authorize five days of meetings for members of the new Special Committee on Government Overreach and Impact on COVID-19 Mandates. The joint committee could lay the foundation for a special session of the Legislature. An alternative would be for committee members to make recommendations to the 2022 Legislature that convenes in January.

“We want to make sure that we do everything possible for the citizens of this state to make sure that these overreaching mandates can be handled lawfully. I’m excited for this group,” said House Speaker Ron Ryckman, an Olathe Republican.

Senate Vice President Rick Wilborn, R-McPherson, said the Legislature needed to do whatever was necessary to deter the federal government’s intrusion into personal liberties of Kansas.

“We need to check the federal government pretty hard and stop them. It’s just completely out of control,” he said. “We need to put a checkmark on the federal government. Let them know where we stand.”

‘What are our solutions?’

The GOP-led committee would consist of 11 members chosen by the House speaker and Senate president. They would be expected to meet during the next month or so to consider legal issues, public testimony and possible recommendations for deflecting actions of the administration of President Joe Biden.

Some conservative GOP legislators have urged Ryckman and President Ty Masterson to endorse convening of a special legislative session to rebuff the Democratic president’s approach to masks, testing, vaccination and other pandemic edicts.

House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita, said the committee ought to move beyond federal executive orders related to the pandemic to consider how the state could convince more people to adhere to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on avoiding COVID-19.

He said the Legislature should be supportive of vaccinations and other preventative steps “to help people so they don’t die from this disease.”

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, a Johnson County Democrat, said the death of 6,024 people during the pandemic demanded less politics and more science. The Biden administration, she said, concentrated on a vaccination program or regular testing of personnel.

“What are our solutions?” Sykes said. “I just don’t want this committee to politicize this any more. How do we actually protect Kansans, keep our economy growing? I want solutions and not just a time that we can fight against Democrats and Republicans.”

Masterson, the Senate president from Andover, said activity to politicize the pandemic was being led by the White House.

“Bad news is I don’t think we can make it more political than the Biden administration has made it,” he said.

Masterson said the goal of the special committee was to concentrate on federal action, but panel members could weigh restraint of city, county or school officials with power to issue pandemic mandates.

The new committee of five senators and six representatives needs to sort through the possibilities before making a decision about calling all 165 members back to Topeka at an estimated cost of $65,000 per day, Masterson said.

“I understand we have some new members who are energetic,” Masterson said. “We’re anticipating lots of energy in our constituent base.”

Kansas tops 6,000 deaths

First-term Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, said last week during an anti-vaccination gathering hosted by Kansas For Health Freedom that he intended to seek signatures of two-thirds of the Legislature’s members to force a special session before January. He said he had requested a special session four times without success.

Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Winfield Republican, said the Legislature’s special committee ought to consider ways of dealing with hospitals requiring thousands of employees in Kansas to receive coronavirus vaccinations. He said the state needed physicians and nurses, including those who oppose the vaccination, on the job at hospitals struggling to care for the flow of COVID-19 patients.

The special committee’s work shouldn’t inhibit the possibility of the LCC placing a ban on use of government funding to enforce federal mandates, said State Rep. Blaine Finch, a Republican from Ottawa on the Legislative Coordinating Council.

In addition, he said, legislative staff should be authorized to work with the Kansas attorney general’s office to prepare legal challenges to federal executive orders.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported Monday that more than 400,000 Kansans have tested positive for COVID-19 since March 2021. More than 13,700 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19 and 6,024 people stricken with the virus have died.

Gov. Laura Kelly directed flags be lowered to half-staff throughout the state through sundown Wednesday to honor the lives lost to COVID-19 in Kansas.

“It is with great sadness that, for the sixth time since the pandemic began, I am ordering flags to half-staff to honor the lives and memories of another 1,000 Kansans who have died from COVID-19,” Kelly said. “We have the tools to stop the virus in its tracks and prevent further unnecessary deaths of our loved ones and neighbors. I urge all Kansans to get vaccinated, wear masks and follow best health practices.”

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KCK schools consider changes to athletic eligibility rules

The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools are considering a change to athletic eligibility rules.

The KCK school board discussed the issue on Sept. 20, and is scheduled to consider it at tonight’s meeting starting at 5 p.m.

Under the proposed change, any high school or middle school student who has a grade point average below 2.0 (a C average) or any failing grades of F on the mid-quarter and quarter grade reports would be required to participate in a student support plan (SSP) at the student’s school in order to practice or play.

Students who do not follow their SSP would not be allowed to participate, according to the proposed change.

Students would attend after-school tutoring for 30 minutes before attending practice, according to the proposed change. Their grades would be checked each week. Teachers would sign off on a pass to show that the student attended an appointment to work with them. Students who didn’t have the pass could not practice.

Students also would participate in early release tutoring, where resources are available, according to the proposed policy.

According to the new policy, SSPs would provie students who have been quarantined from school the support needed without losing the opportunity to participate in athletics and activities.

Tammie Romstad, district athletic director, said at the Sept. 20 meeting that 70 percent of the lower grades had more to do with not having work turned in. She said they are trying to make arrangements for these students to have a study time before attending practice.

She said the proposal is to design a plan tailored for the student and that helps with their needs.

She said this policy creates urgency with students because they knew they were being held out of practice until they get their schoolwork done.

Wanda Paige, a school board member who is a former teacher, said she was concerned about the policy. She said it’s good to have the SSP, as students need the support, but she has an issue with suspending the current requirement.

“To me, if you don’t have your grades together, you don’t need to be participating,” she said. “I would not let them compete.”

Coaches need to be making sure that the athletes get their work in, according to Paige.

Because colleges don’t let students play unless they are academically where they need to be, Paige said she’s not sure if they’re helping students by changing this policy.

“We may be setting them up for failure,” she said.

Superintendent Anna Stubblefield did not disagree with her, but said the students today may miss practice for a week, not due to anything they did. Sometimes there is a time lag between the time the student turns in the assignment and the time it is recorded. This year, there could be delays in recording the assignments as they were absent from a quarantine.

Dr. Valdenia Winn, a board member, said she did not support suspending the requirement for the building policy because it sends the message that grades are not important and there’s no consequence for making an F or a D.

“Quarantine is not an excuse for lack of performance and responsibility,” she said.

“My generation expected performance,” she said. “They expected you to make the grade before you could go to the dance or student council.”

“We need to maintain high expectations,” Dr. Winn said.

Dr. Stacy Yeager, a board member, said it was important to recognize it’s 2021 and they are in a pandemic. Both teachers and students have been placed on quarantines.

She was in favor of showing support for students and continuing to work toward the goal.

Athletics is a way for students to get out of their situations and go to college, Dr. Yeager said.

It’s important for the board to make a decision to help insure the students can play sports and continue to work on their GPA, she said.

Changes are proposed to the KCK school district’s athletic eligibility rules. (KCK school board agenda documents)

Hot today, rain possible Wednesday and Thursday

At Wyandotte County Lake. (Photo by Mary Rupert)

National Weather Service graphic

Temperatures will reach a high near 90 today, with rain possible on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

Rain chances will be 40 percent on Wednesday and will increase to 80 percent on Thursday, the weather service said.

A few storms are possible, but severe weather is not expected, according to the weather service.

Rain chances will then continue through the end of the week, the weather service said.

Storms are moving through on Wednesday, and the high then should drop about seven degrees, to around 83, according to the weather service. Thursday’s high will be around 79.

Today, it will be sunny with a high near 90 and a south wind of 6 to 10 mph, the weather service said.

Tonight, it will be mostly clear, with a low of 66 and a south southeast wind of 5 to 7 mph, according to the weather service.

Wednesday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 p.m., with a high near 83, and a south southeast wind of 6 to 10 mph, the weather service said. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.

Wednesday night, there is a 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 66 with a southeast wind of 5 mph becoming clam in the evening. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.

Thursday, there is an 80 percent chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm, with a high near 79, the weather service said. A calm wind will become southeast around 6 mph in the morning. Between a tenth and quarter-inch of rain is possible.

Thursday night, there is a 60 percent chance of showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m., according to the weather service. The low will be around 64. Less than a tenth of an inch of rain is possible.

Friday, there is a 60 percent chance of showers, then more showers are likely and possibly a thunderstorms after 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 78.

Friday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 63, according to the weather service.

Saturday, there is a 60 percent chance of showers, and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 p.m., the weather service said. The high will be near 75.

Saturday night, there is a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, with a low of 60, according to the weather service.

Sunday, there is a 50 percent chance of showers, with a high near 74, the weather service said.

Sunday night, it will be partly cloudy, with a low of 56, according to the weather service.

Monday, there is a 30 percent chance of showers, with a high near 71, the weather service said.