By the Associated Press and KFDI News:

Kansas’s State of Disaster Emergency has been extended to June 15th, but the Kansas Legislative Coordinating Council voted to end the emergency orders for foreclosures and evictions.

The measure was approved by a 6-2 vote, with two Democrats voting against ending the moratorium, and all 6 Republicans voting in favor of ending it.

Prior to the June 15th extension, the state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic was set to expire Friday, May 28th, but Republican legislators say they are serving notice that they are preparing to end it. They have also accused Governor Kelly of not having an exit strategy. Democrats are saying that it is still too early to end the emergency declaration.

The Governor is bound by state law to acquire lawmakers’ approval to retain the disaster declaration, seeking to extend it until June 27th–which is the longest extension the law allows at one time.

Governor Kelly’s office issued a statement later that said in part:

“”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.”