By the Associated Press:
Kansas lawmakers are moving ahead with two measures that are a response to issues arising during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One measure considered Wednesday is designed to help courts and prosecutors deal with a backlog of criminal cases. Another is a proposal to limit state and local officials’ power in setting restrictions in future pandemics.
The House gave first-round approval to a bill that would suspend until May 2024 a law that sets deadlines for criminal trials to protect defendants’ constitutional right to a speedy resolution of their cases. The Senate Judiciary Committee had a hearing on a bill rewriting the state’s emergency management laws.
