KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is taking a legislative committee to court a day after the committee overruled her executive order limiting the size of religious gatherings.
During her daily briefing Thursday from Topeka, Kelly said she had instructed her general counsel to file a lawsuit against the Legislative Coordinating Committee. She further said she instructed her counsel to compel the Kansas Supreme Court to make an expedited ruling.
At issue is an executive order Kelly made on Tuesday that limited the number of people who could attend religious gatherings, such as services and funerals, to no more than 10 people at a time.
On Wednesday, the committee of seven legislators voted 5-2 to overturn Kelly’s order.
On Thursday, Kelly fired back.
"The last thing I want right now is a legal battle, but as I said yesterday, Kansas lives are on the line,” Kelly said. “I took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. What the (committee) did yesterday in concert with the Kansas Attorney General weakened and confused our emergency response efforts, putting every Kansan at risk.”
Earlier Wednesday, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt issued a news release stating that while Kansans should comply with the governor’s orders, residents could not be arrested or prosecuted for violating the order.
Followng Kelly's remarks Thursday, the Republican leadership in the Kansas House of Representatives said they were "concerned and disappointed," and said they had worked "throughout the day" to reach a deal with the governor.
"Despite repeated attempts to solve this problem and create a constitutional order, the Governor has opted to create confusion and tie this issue up in the courts," House Speaker Ron Ryckman (R-Olathe), Majority Leader Dan Hawkins (R-WIchita) and Speaker Pro Tem Blaine Finch (R-Ottawa) said in a joint statement. "We urge the governor to allow for a solution today that is safe and legal rather than pursuing an unnecessary lawsuit."
