Today Governor Laura Kelly announced her administration had reached an agreement to resolve a challenge to actions she took to stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Kansas.

“My highest priority has been, and will continue to be, keeping Kansans safe during this pandemic,” Kelly said. “While I am confident that we have the law on our side, the agreement with these two churches will allow us to move forward and focus our efforts on mitigating the spread of the disease and working to restart the economy.”

The settlement comes less than a week before Governor Kelly is expected to make a decision on whether to open the state back up or keep in place the mass gathering and disease mitigation restrictions. Under the agreement, the two churches agree to comply with safety protocols put in place by the court.

“Since this case was filed on April 16, Ford County has seen a spike in COVID-19 cases going from 51 positives to 419,” Kelly said. “I know this is a difficult time for everyone, but I want to take a moment and thank all of the first responders and medical staff for their sacrifice. They are on the front lines of this disease and they are true heroes.

“Our job is to not make theirs harder. And, our advice to all Kansans remains the same – stay home and stay safe. We are bending the curve, but we must continue to be vigilant in our mitigation efforts.”

TOPEKA – Kansas Secretary of Labor Delía García confirmed today that the Spanish language feature of the GetKansasBenefits.gov website officially launched this week.

Unemployed Kansans can file their weekly claims, check the status of their claims and view FAQs all in Spanish just by clicking the Español button at the top of the page. The first stage of the launch was late last week followed by additional translated content earlier this week. KDOL will continue to update the site to provide more Spanish language resources as they are developed.

“When I joined the Kansas Department of Labor as the new secretary last year, I wanted to increase availability of materials in Spanish,” García said. “With the launch of the Spanish language website, we should be able to help more Kansans get questions answered and apply for benefits online. That is even more important during this crisis when call volumes are at unprecedented levels.”

For more information, or to apply for unemployment benefits, go to GetKansasBenefits.gov.

Governor Kelly applauds federal coronavirus relief, conveys need for flexibility

Governor Laura Kelly sent a letter to members of Kansas’ federal delegation to commend them for supporting the latest coronavirus emergency relief package, which provides economic support for small businesses, hospitals and COVID-19 testing capacity. The letter also conveys the urgent need for additional federal support in the form of direct, flexible state aid.

“Although federal aid made available up to this point will enhance Kansas’ immediate coronavirus response efforts, it lacks the flexibility necessary to adequately meet the needs of Kansas communities for the duration of this pandemic,” Kelly said in the letter. “COVID-19 will continue to impose unprecedented economic and public health challenges for at least another 12 to 18 months, and I write to urge your support for additional relief in the form of direct state aid.”

Kelly said it is critical to understand that the $1 billion budget shortfall Kansas faces today as a result of the coronavirus is far different than what happened as a result of the Great Recession, which resulted in $1 billion worth of cuts.

“Although those cuts were brutal, they occurred gradually. This gave communities time to adapt and prioritize, so they could limit the damage to Kansas families as much as possible,” she said in the letter. “That is not the situation Kansas faces today. Never before has the state confronted such a rapid, steep fiscal drop due to unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances.”

Kelly thanked the federal delegation for its work on behalf of the people of Kansas, but expressed that she is gravely concerned that states are prohibited from using COVID-19 relief funds, such as those included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to supplant lost general fund revenue.

“As we continue to navigate these uncharted waters, my administration will remain in close communication with you and your respective staffs,” the Governor said in the letter. “Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require additional information as you negotiate the next round of emergency relief.”