Read on Twitter
HEY EVERYBODY who believes the Kansas House GOP leadership’s statement that the Governor wants people locked up if they violate the stay-at-home order - I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU. 1) She didn’t say that and 2) even if she had, she does not have that power.
Here is the order. https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/20-18-Executed.pdf
Let’s back up a few days. Notably, House GOP leadership didn’t mention people being arrested and jailed when they first commented on the governor’s EO-18. https://twitter.com/ronryckman/status/1247989645973032960?s=21
It wasn’t mentioned because Governor Kelly didn’t say it. No, it was @KSAGOffice who brought it up. https://twitter.com/ksagoffice/status/1247936573729103873?s=21 https://twitter.com/ksagoffice/status/1247936573729103873
By the way, the Kansas Emergency Management Act has had a “penalty for violation of act or rules and regulations, orders or proclamations thereunder” (K.S.A. 48-939) since 1975. It’s not a new thing. http://kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/statute/048_000_0000_chapter/048_009_0000_article/
Anyway, people have the right to disagree with EO-18, or argue that seven people can act for 165, or any other various points BUT don’t fall for House GOP leadership’s attempt to equate the existence of a statutorily provided penalty passed by legislators 45 years ago with ...
“The Governor believed they should be [arrested & jailed for going to church.]” There’s NO evidence to support tonight’s accusation from @RonRyckman et al. Also, their stmt. doesn’t acknowledge that #ksleg passes laws, incl. penalties - not the Governor. https://twitter.com/ronryckman/status/1249167473158520833?s=21 https://twitter.com/ronryckman/status/1249167473158520833
In other words, it is #ksleg who believes a criminal penalty should exist for violating the Emergency Act (as a Class A misdemeanor, it carries up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine up to $2,500). Then it’s up to local authorities to decide if and how to enforce a law like this.
P.S. The “question” posed in leadership’s stmt. wasn’t the question before the Court so it didn’t actually “go another direction” - it went the only direction it could. Again, the Governor didn’t “[seek] a criminal provision” on churches. Please don’t fall for this kind of talk.
