The Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council (LCC) on Friday met and revoked the Kansas eviction and foreclosure moratorium.
The move was opposed by Gov. Laura Kelly, who had issued executive order No. 21-13 prohibiting foreclosures and evictions on April 1 for those persons whose financial hardships had been caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Kansas Legislature voted to limit the governor’s authority and substitute the Legislative Coordinating Council.
With the LCC action on Friday, evictions and foreclosures can begin again in Kansas. However, there have been reports in the community that many evictions already have taken place in the past month, before the action was taken Friday.
The LCC is made up of Kansas legislative leaders.
Also on Friday, the LCC extended the state of emergency in Kansas until June 15.
Gov. Kelly’s spokesperson, Reeves Oyster, issued this statement: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, Governor Kelly has taken a clear-eyed, practical approach and empowered the people who know how to handle emergencies best. Maj. General Weishaar has been clear about the importance of this disaster declaration. It is central to how we get Kansas back to normal. We can not put our recovery at risk.
“The Governor strongly disagrees with the LCC’s decision to revoke her evictions and foreclosure moratorium. As we finally start to recover from this global pandemic, now is not the time to kick people out of their homes. Governor Kelly will continue to focus on doing what’s right – and not what’s politically convenient.”
A statement was issued by House leaders on the LCC action setting the end of the state’s disaster emergency declaration, from Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe, Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch, R-Ottawa:
“This week, the Governor requested yet another extension of her emergency authority from the Legislative Coordinating Council when refusing to provide Kansans with even the most basic plan to return our state to normal. Today’s action by the LCC to end the emergency declaration on June 15 brings needed certainty to the people of Kansas, while giving those serving on the front lines of the pandemic time to form a plan of transition from emergency response to routine operations. Republicans believe that the incredible men and women of the Kansas National Guard and those who serve in other areas of emergency management deserve the thanks of our entire state. Kansans deserve an end to government by emergency and a more measured response that moves our state forward. Today’s action by the LCC does exactly that.”
Kansas Democratic Party Chair Vicki Hiatt issued a statement in response to the Legislative Coordinating Council ending the eviction moratorium put in place during COVID-19:
“Today, we saw Republicans in the Kansas Legislature again put politics above public health as Sen. Masterson, Rep. Ryckman, Sen. Alley, Sen. Wilborn, Rep. Hawkins, and Rep. Finch voted to end Governor Kelly’s eviction moratorium and kick Kansans experiencing financial hardship out of their homes. This decision is cruel and punitive, bad for our recovering workforce, and devastating for vulnerable families. Kansans will remember that when they needed help the most, Republicans turned their backs to score cheap political points.”