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By JOHN HANNA, AP Political Author
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas handed proposals by early Saturday to ban COVID-19 vaccine passports, restrict efforts to trace down the shut contacts of individuals with the coronavirus and supply as much as $500 million to companies that closed or confronted pandemic restrictions.
The GOP-controlled Legislature accredited finances laws Friday night time that included a ban on state businesses from issuing vaccine passports and limits on COVID-19 contact tracing, sending it to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Some conservative Republicans gave up on making an attempt to go a separate invoice with extra expansive variations of these insurance policies that additionally would stay in impact after the following state finances expires on the finish of June 2022.
Three senators and three Home members haggled over however finally struck a deal on a invoice that may put aside federal COVID-19 reduction funds headed to the state, cities and counties. These funds can be used to pay claims to companies that may present they have been harmed financially by being pressured to close down or by limits on their operations.
The votes have been 68-42 within the Home and 24-14 within the Senate, sending the invoice to Kelly and permitting lawmakers to adjourn till a proper ceremony Could 26 ending their annual session.
Whereas making a system for contemplating and paying claims may keep away from a bigger whole payout from lawsuits, it additionally would assist small companies that can’t afford to rent attorneys to sue state or native officers, supporters mentioned.
“This course of is ideal for them,” mentioned Ryan Kriegshauser, an legal professional for a Wichita health studio and its proprietor, who sued the state in December. “That is actually what it is for, is the mother and pop retailers that obtained shut down, as a result of a whole lot of the large field retailers, they have been working.”
The Wichita health studio and state Lawyer Basic Derek Schmidt, a Republican now operating for governor, agreed to place the health studio’s lawsuit on maintain to present the Legislature an opportunity to offer compensation. GOP lawmakers have thought of compensation figures as excessive as $2 billion; the Senate handed a plan this week to put aside $700 million, whereas the Home hadn’t voted on any plan earlier than Friday.
Kelly imposed a stay-at-home order for 5 weeks final spring after which began a phased reopening of the the economic system earlier than Republican lawmakers intervened and gave native officers management over restrictions. A lot of them imagine the restrictions on companies have been too onerous and pointless.
Democrats, in the meantime, have been cautious of the enterprise compensation proposal.
Some argued that companies receiving compensation ought to be required to make use of a few of it on workers’ wages. Others have been upset that an appointed, three-member board would overview claims — in conferences closed to the general public to guard companies’ monetary data. Some opposed taking half the funds for compensation from cities’ and counties’ allocation of federal coronavirus reduction {dollars}.
“I do not like this invoice,” mentioned Democratic Rep. John Carmichael, of Wichita. “I by no means although it was vital.”
An appointed board nonetheless would study claims, however its resolution can be reviewed by a joint legislative committee, and legislative leaders would have the ultimate say. Companies with 50 or fewer workers can be eligible to file claims.
Kelly and GOP lawmakers have battled over who can have ultimate management over how the state allocates $4.eight billion from the final coronavirus reduction package deal. They finally settled on giving the governor each a job and veto energy in ultimate choices however gave lawmakers management of the board that must approve all spending plans first.
In the meantime, conservatives pushing for a ban on vaccine passports and limits on contact tracing needed to accept the provisions in finances laws that may be in impact for a bit greater than a 12 months. That finances invoice handed the Home, 98-21, and the Senate, 26-12.
Vaccine passports arose as a difficulty despite the fact that Kelly mentioned final month that none can be issued by her administration. The supply included in finances laws would stop any state company from spending any funds on issuing passports, requiring folks to make use of them or denying folks with out them entry “to a spot accessible to most people.”
However the ban would not apply to cities and counties and would expire in a bit greater than a 12 months.
The Legislature enacted limits on COVID-19 contract tracing final 12 months at Schmidt’s urging, stopping folks with the virus from being pressured to reveal shut contacts. He noticed them as a technique to defend folks’s privateness, however these guidelines expired Saturday.
A finances provision would enable the state Division of Well being and Setting to spend cash on tracing provided that participation was voluntary and the tracing didn’t use cellphone location knowledge.
Observe John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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