TOPEKA — Kansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman will update the state's battle against coronavirus during a Wednesday news conference.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 119 to a total of 9337, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp; The state also reported 17 additional virus deaths since Monday for a total of 205.

TOPEKA — Kansas Department of Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman will update the state's battle against coronavirus during a Wednesday news conference.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F675391013312264%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 119 to a total of 9337, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp; The state also reported 17 additional virus deaths since Monday for a total of 205.

🎥  KDHE Secretary on latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

TOPEKA (AP) — Drowned out by the coronavirus and national politics, Republican and Democratic operatives are quietly preparing for a battle of state legislative supremacy later this year that could have a profound effect on political power for the next decade.

The November ballot will feature more than 5,000 elections for state House and Senate members in 35 states who will play a significant role in crafting or passing new voting districts for Congress and state legislative chambers based on census results.

Republicans, who currently control a majority of state legislative chambers, generally will be on defense against a well-funded Democratic effort. But Republicans are trying to change that narrative.

The national Republican State Leadership Committee on Tuesday rolled out a target list focused on a dozen states where it hopes to strengthen Republican redistricting power or dent that of Democrats. The targets include 115 state legislative seats held by Democrats in districts won by Republican President Donald Trump in 2016.

"The best way for us to play defense is to go on offense and flip these seats,” said Austin Chambers, president of the GOP legislative organization.

Trump could be a big factor in the down-ballot races. National surveys of voters from 2006-2018 have shown that presidential approval carries nearly three times as much impact in determining voters' choices for state legislative candidates as their approval of the legislature itself, said Steven Rogers, a political scientist at Saint Louis University who studies elections with a focus on state legislatures.

That's likely to remain the case this year, Rogers said, though there's a chance that voters could be more attuned to state elections because of the attention given to governors who have been leading their states' coronavirus response.

National Democratic groups have compiled similar target lists focused on Republican-held seats, with a goal of flipping control of several closely divided chambers to their favor. Democrats are focusing not only on districts that Hillary Clinton carried in the 2016 presidential election, but also on some Trump-won districts where they think likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden may fare better.

“After the coronavirus and with Biden at the top of the ticket, our map now expands back out to districts that had Democratic DNA, that have voters that thought Trump might turn around the economy in working-class Rust Belt towns across the Midwest," said Jessica Post, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

In 2010, the first midterm election of Democrat Barack Obama's presidency, Republicans scored big victories in state legislatures across the country as the Republican State Leadership Committee outspent its Democratic rival by a 3-to-1 ratio. The next year, Republicans used their enhanced power in some states to draw voting districts that have benefited their legislative and congressional candidates for much of the past decade.

“Democrats have been paying the price since 2010 for their lack of success that year," Rogers said.

Democrats have since ratcheted up their state legislative efforts. Obama and his former attorney general, Eric Holder, have spearheaded a new Democratic group focused solely on state redistricting. Various Democratic-aligned interest groups also have begun pouring money into state legislative contests.

Democrats and Republicans have set their sights on some of the same places.

Republican-led legislatures in Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin appear on both of their redistricting target lists. So does Minnesota, the only state where Republicans control one legislative chamber and Democrats the other.

Some North Carolina state legislative candidates are running in newly redrawn districts this year after a state court tossed out the old ones drawn by the GOP-led Legislature as illegal partisan gerrymanders. But Democrats could face an uphill climb in states such as Texas and Wisconsin, where they will be running in the same districts that have favored Republicans.

Nationwide, 2020 may be "a more pro-Democratic year, but the payoff in redistricting may be a little bit less, just due to what they can probably actually pick up,” Rogers said.

Texas looms especially large because Democrats have made gains in recent legislative elections. Continued Republican control of both chambers and the governor's office would give the GOP great sway in shaping a large number of congressional districts.

Texas ranks second to California with 36 U.S. House seats and is likely to gain more following the census because of its population growth. Democrats hold full control in California, but an independent citizens commission is responsible for redistricting.

Some of the most hotly contested legislative elections are likely to occur in the Dallas and Houston suburbs.

“It would be a huge blow for the Republican Party if we lost Texas,” Chambers said. "We’re going to make sure that never happens.”

North Carolina is another big target. It's expected to be a battleground for president, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and the governorship. The state legislative elections also matter more than in most states, because the North Carolina governor has no veto power over the voting districts that lawmakers will draw. Republicans currently hold modest majorities in both the state House and Senate.

Kansas may appear to be one of the most surprising states on the target lists because of its solidly Republican legislative majorities. But Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly will have veto power over any redistricting plans passed by the Legislature. The battle focuses on whether Republicans will have the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590523973873.png" alt="Kansas Senate district map image courtesy Kansas Bar Association" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senate district map image courtesy Kansas Bar Association</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA (AP) — Drowned out by the coronavirus and national politics, Republican and Democratic operatives are quietly preparing for a battle of state legislative supremacy later this year that could have a profound effect on political power for the next decade.The November ballot will feature more than 5,000 elections for state House and Senate members in 35 states who will play a significant role in crafting or passing new voting districts for Congress and state legislative chambers based on census results.Republicans, who currently control a majority of state legislative chambers, generally will be on defense against a well-funded Democratic effort. But Republicans are trying to change that narrative.The national Republican State Leadership Committee on Tuesday rolled out a target list focused on a dozen states where it hopes to strengthen Republican redistricting power or dent that of Democrats. The targets include 115 state legislative seats held by Democrats in districts won by Republican President Donald Trump in 2016."The best way for us to play defense is to go on offense and flip these seats,” said Austin Chambers, president of the GOP legislative organization.Trump could be a big factor in the down-ballot races. National surveys of voters from 2006-2018 have shown that presidential approval carries nearly three times as much impact in determining voters' choices for state legislative candidates as their approval of the legislature itself, said Steven Rogers, a political scientist at Saint Louis University who studies elections with a focus on state legislatures.That's likely to remain the case this year, Rogers said, though there's a chance that voters could be more attuned to state elections because of the attention given to governors who have been leading their states' coronavirus response.National Democratic groups have compiled similar target lists focused on Republican-held seats, with a goal of flipping control of several closely divided chambers to their favor. Democrats are focusing not only on districts that Hillary Clinton carried in the 2016 presidential election, but also on some Trump-won districts where they think likely Democratic nominee Joe Biden may fare better.“After the coronavirus and with Biden at the top of the ticket, our map now expands back out to districts that had Democratic DNA, that have voters that thought Trump might turn around the economy in working-class Rust Belt towns across the Midwest," said Jessica Post, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.In 2010, the first midterm election of Democrat Barack Obama's presidency, Republicans scored big victories in state legislatures across the country as the Republican State Leadership Committee outspent its Democratic rival by a 3-to-1 ratio. The next year, Republicans used their enhanced power in some states to draw voting districts that have benefited their legislative and congressional candidates for much of the past decade.“Democrats have been paying the price since 2010 for their lack of success that year," Rogers said.Democrats have since ratcheted up their state legislative efforts. Obama and his former attorney general, Eric Holder, have spearheaded a new Democratic group focused solely on state redistricting. Various Democratic-aligned interest groups also have begun pouring money into state legislative contests.Democrats and Republicans have set their sights on some of the same places.Republican-led legislatures in Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin appear on both of their redistricting target lists. So does Minnesota, the only state where Republicans control one legislative chamber and Democrats the other.Some North Carolina state legislative candidates are running in newly redrawn districts this year after a state court tossed out the old ones drawn by the GOP-led Legislature as illegal partisan gerrymanders. But Democrats could face an uphill climb in states such as Texas and Wisconsin, where they will be running in the same districts that have favored Republicans.Nationwide, 2020 may be "a more pro-Democratic year, but the payoff in redistricting may be a little bit less, just due to what they can probably actually pick up,” Rogers said.Texas looms especially large because Democrats have made gains in recent legislative elections. Continued Republican control of both chambers and the governor's office would give the GOP great sway in shaping a large number of congressional districts.Texas ranks second to California with 36 U.S. House seats and is likely to gain more following the census because of its population growth. Democrats hold full control in California, but an independent citizens commission is responsible for redistricting.Some of the most hotly contested legislative elections are likely to occur in the Dallas and Houston suburbs.“It would be a huge blow for the Republican Party if we lost Texas,” Chambers said. "We’re going to make sure that never happens.”North Carolina is another big target. It's expected to be a battleground for president, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and the governorship. The state legislative elections also matter more than in most states, because the North Carolina governor has no veto power over the voting districts that lawmakers will draw. Republicans currently hold modest majorities in both the state House and Senate.Kansas may appear to be one of the most surprising states on the target lists because of its solidly Republican legislative majorities. But Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly will have veto power over any redistricting plans passed by the Legislature. The battle focuses on whether Republicans will have the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

Parties target control of state legislatures, redistricting

O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — The owner of a business that hosted crowded pool parties over the Memorial Day weekend at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks says no laws were broken and safety measures were in place to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.

Social media postings over the weekend showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a7d5e0a595343857caa5bb903e9598a8">large crowds&nbsp;</a>of mostly young people without masks and not adhering to social distancing guidelines at pools along the central Missouri lake that is a popular weekend getaway for people in the state and the surrounding region. Many of photos and videos showed people in an area of the lake nicknamed “Party Cove.”

Political leaders in St. Louis, St. Louis County and Kansas City, along with Kansas’ health secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b33fcbffc2f47541d60004eabd4bbbdc">encouraged 14-day self-quarantines</a>&nbsp;for anyone involved in the parties. Some labeled the gatherings “reckless” and worried that revelers would return home after becoming unwittingly exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 and potentially spread it to others.

St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, a Democrat and a medical doctor, noted studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. Those people can then spread the virus to older adults and people with existing health problems who are more vulnerable to more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.

“The pictures that emerged from Lake of the Ozarks over the weekend were an international example of bad behavior,” Page said Wednesday.

Backwater Jacks, a bar and restaurant that has a pool, was among the places with big crowds. Owner Gary Prewitt said in a statement that no laws were broken, though the images appeared to show people violating Republican Gov. Mike Parson's state order requiring social distancing.

Prewitt's statement said temperatures were checked at the pool entrance by medical staff hired for the event and free bottles of hand sanitizer were distributed. Staff members were given the option not to work.

The statement noted that the business is seasonal and about one-third of its busy season has already been lost due to coronavirus-related closures.

“We stand by our decision to move forward with Memorial Day Weekend plans,” Prewitt’s statement said.

Although Missouri’s social distancing order gives enforcement authority to both the state and local health departments, Parson has said enforcement responsibility lies with local health departments.

The health director in one lake-area county, Osage, said he had no enforcement authority. The health director in Camden County, where Backwater Jacks is located, did not respond to email messages seeking comment.

Parson allowed businesses and attractions to reopen May 4, but the state order requires 6-foot (2-meter) social distancing through at least the end of May. St. Louis and St. Louis County are just now phasing in reopening because COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, was so devastating there. More than half of Missouri’s 12,291 confirmed cases have occurred in those locations, along with more than two-thirds of the state’s 686 deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590412088066.png" alt="Snap Chat image of the crowded pool party" />
 <figcaption>Snap Chat image of the crowded pool party</figcaption>
 </figure>O'FALLON, Mo. (AP) — The owner of a business that hosted crowded pool parties over the Memorial Day weekend at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks says no laws were broken and safety measures were in place to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.Social media postings over the weekend showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a7d5e0a595343857caa5bb903e9598a8">large crowds&nbsp;</a>of mostly young people without masks and not adhering to social distancing guidelines at pools along the central Missouri lake that is a popular weekend getaway for people in the state and the surrounding region. Many of photos and videos showed people in an area of the lake nicknamed “Party Cove.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589570075818.png" alt="“The reckless behavior displayed during this weekend risks setting our community back substantially for the progress we’ve already made in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said." />
 <figcaption>“The reckless behavior displayed during this weekend risks setting our community back substantially for the progress we’ve already made in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said.</figcaption>
 </figure>Political leaders in St. Louis, St. Louis County and Kansas City, along with Kansas’ health secretary,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b33fcbffc2f47541d60004eabd4bbbdc">encouraged 14-day self-quarantines</a>&nbsp;for anyone involved in the parties. Some labeled the gatherings “reckless” and worried that revelers would return home after becoming unwittingly exposed to the virus that causes COVID-19 and potentially spread it to others.St. Louis County Executive Sam Page, a Democrat and a medical doctor, noted studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick. Those people can then spread the virus to older adults and people with existing health problems who are more vulnerable to more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.“The pictures that emerged from Lake of the Ozarks over the weekend were an international example of bad behavior,” Page said Wednesday.Backwater Jacks, a bar and restaurant that has a pool, was among the places with big crowds. Owner Gary Prewitt said in a statement that no laws were broken, though the images appeared to show people violating Republican Gov. Mike Parson's state order requiring social distancing.Prewitt's statement said temperatures were checked at the pool entrance by medical staff hired for the event and free bottles of hand sanitizer were distributed. Staff members were given the option not to work.The statement noted that the business is seasonal and about one-third of its busy season has already been lost due to coronavirus-related closures.“We stand by our decision to move forward with Memorial Day Weekend plans,” Prewitt’s statement said.Although Missouri’s social distancing order gives enforcement authority to both the state and local health departments, Parson has said enforcement responsibility lies with local health departments.The health director in one lake-area county, Osage, said he had no enforcement authority. The health director in Camden County, where Backwater Jacks is located, did not respond to email messages seeking comment.Parson allowed businesses and attractions to reopen May 4, but the state order requires 6-foot (2-meter) social distancing through at least the end of May. St. Louis and St. Louis County are just now phasing in reopening because COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus, was so devastating there. More than half of Missouri’s 12,291 confirmed cases have occurred in those locations, along with more than two-thirds of the state’s 686 deaths.___

Lake of the Ozarks business owner defends pool parties

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 119 to a total of 9337, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 119 to a total of 9337, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 205<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590599390124.png" alt="May 27, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>May 27, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect wanted in connection with the fatal 2018 shooting of a woman in Kansas has been arrested.

On May 9, authorities in El Paso, Texas located and arrested&nbsp;27-year-old Juan Carlos Caballeros-Yescas in connection with the&nbsp;shooting that fatally injured <a href="https://www.guerragutierrez.com/obituary/6651664">41-year-old Lucy Mojica,</a> according to Wichita Police officer Charley Davidson. He has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated burglary.

On July 7, 2018, officers responded to a shooting call at 531 W. 17th&nbsp;Street North in Wichita/ Upon arrival, officers located Mojica with multiple gunshot wounds.&nbsp; She was transported to an area hospital where she died.

The investigation revealed that Caballeros-Yescas and Mojica were in a dating relationship and that he arrived at her home, pulled out a handgun, and fired multiple times, striking her.&nbsp; Caballeros-Yescas then fled the scene.

Through the investigation, investigators developed Caballeros-Yescas as the suspect and had been working to find him.&nbsp; On Tuesday, he was extradited to Sedgwick County and booked into the jail.

The case has been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590589482248.png" alt="Caballeros-Yescas- photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Caballeros-Yescas- photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect wanted in connection with the fatal 2018 shooting of a woman in Kansas has been arrested.On May 9, authorities in El Paso, Texas located and arrested&nbsp;27-year-old Juan Carlos Caballeros-Yescas in connection with the&nbsp;shooting that fatally injured <a href="https://www.guerragutierrez.com/obituary/6651664">41-year-old Lucy Mojica,</a> according to Wichita Police officer Charley Davidson. He has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated burglary.On July 7, 2018, officers responded to a shooting call at 531 W. 17th&nbsp;Street North in Wichita/ Upon arrival, officers located Mojica with multiple gunshot wounds.&nbsp; She was transported to an area hospital where she died.The investigation revealed that Caballeros-Yescas and Mojica were in a dating relationship and that he arrived at her home, pulled out a handgun, and fired multiple times, striking her.&nbsp; Caballeros-Yescas then fled the scene.Through the investigation, investigators developed Caballeros-Yescas as the suspect and had been working to find him.&nbsp; On Tuesday, he was extradited to Sedgwick County and booked into the jail.The case has been presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.

Kan. man wanted for girlfriend's murder captured in Texas

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A suspect identified on security cameras as involved in a fatal shooting made his first court appearance Tuesday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Malcom Ganther, 22, is charged with first-degree murder and remains jailed on a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Just before 3p.m. May 21, police responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 1100 block of South Webb Road in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;

Upon arrival, police located 17-year-old Marcus Sain in a parking lot with critical injuries.&nbsp; He was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment and died, according to Davidson.

Several minutes later, officers responded to an area hospital regarding an 18-year-old male walk-in shooting victim with a gunshot wound to his body.&nbsp; He was treated for a non-life-threatening injury and released.

Malcom Ganther as seen on security camera images from Wichita Police

The investigation revealed Ganther, a second suspect, Sain, and an 18-year-old male had arranged to meet in the apartment complex parking lot regarding a drug transaction.

A suspect arrived at the apartment complex parking lot driving a newer-model white mustang, and Ganther arrived at the same time driving a grey Buick.&nbsp; Sain and the 18-year-old walked up and got into the Buick, occupied by Ganther.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the transaction inside the Buick, a disturbance ensued, and the suspect seated in the Mustang exited the car and fired multiple shots at Sain and the 18-year-old, striking them and causing their injuries.&nbsp; Ganther then fled in the Buick, and the second suspect fled in the Mustang.

Through the community’s help and the investigation, Ganther was identified and arrested at his home on Thursday in the 300 block of North Edgemoor in Wichita. Investigators also have located the Buick vehicle involved.&nbsp;

Police are still working to identify and locate the suspect that arrived in the white Mustang, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590157799937.png" alt="Ganther" />
 <figcaption>Ganther</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A suspect identified on security cameras as involved in a fatal shooting made his first court appearance Tuesday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Malcom Ganther, 22, is charged with first-degree murder and remains jailed on a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.Just before 3p.m. May 21, police responded to a shooting call at an apartment complex in the 1100 block of South Webb Road in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp;Upon arrival, police located 17-year-old Marcus Sain in a parking lot with critical injuries.&nbsp; He was transported to an area hospital for medical treatment and died, according to Davidson.Several minutes later, officers responded to an area hospital regarding an 18-year-old male walk-in shooting victim with a gunshot wound to his body.&nbsp; He was treated for a non-life-threatening injury and released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590090874405.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Malcom Ganther as seen on security camera images from Wichita PoliceThe investigation revealed Ganther, a second suspect, Sain, and an 18-year-old male had arranged to meet in the apartment complex parking lot regarding a drug transaction.A suspect arrived at the apartment complex parking lot driving a newer-model white mustang, and Ganther arrived at the same time driving a grey Buick.&nbsp; Sain and the 18-year-old walked up and got into the Buick, occupied by Ganther.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;During the transaction inside the Buick, a disturbance ensued, and the suspect seated in the Mustang exited the car and fired multiple shots at Sain and the 18-year-old, striking them and causing their injuries.&nbsp; Ganther then fled in the Buick, and the second suspect fled in the Mustang.Through the community’s help and the investigation, Ganther was identified and arrested at his home on Thursday in the 300 block of North Edgemoor in Wichita. Investigators also have located the Buick vehicle involved.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1590090818345.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Security camera photo Wichita PolicePolice are still working to identify and locate the suspect that arrived in the white Mustang, according to Davidson.-------

Kan. man captured on security camera charged with murder

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-26/a-kansans-50k-medical-bill-shows-that-you-dont-always-owe-what-youre-charged">Kansas News Service</a>

PITTSBURG — Alvin Letner doesn’t remember signing the form where he promises to pay a medical bill of nearly $50,000 he hadn’t yet seen.

Much
 of that day in July 2019 is a blank for him. A dog ran onto the highway
 as he and other motorcyclists on a veterans fundraiser rode by. It 
knocked him off his antique BMW, breaking his neck, three ribs and an 
elbow.

The air ambulance charge came later by mail: $48,934.27 for
 the 20-minute, 30-mile flight that whisked the retired high school 
teacher from the accident scene in southeast Kansas to Freeman Hospital 
West in Joplin, Missouri.

Legal experts say patients often get sky-high bills for <a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/5/23/17353284/emergency-room-doctor-out-of-network" target="_blank">emergency health care</a>, even though they are only obligated to pay <a href="https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2017/2017-vol23-n4/battling-the-chargemaster-a-simple-remedy-to-balance-billing-for-unavoidable-out-of-network-care" target="_blank">market value</a>.
 Moreover, they say, financial paperwork handed to patients for their 
signature while they’re traumatized, drugged or confused wouldn’t hold 
up in a court of law.

Yet, they concede, making a potentially <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/16/16357790/health-care-prices-problem" target="_blank">financially devastating</a> medical bill go away can be tricky, even if you suspect it’s excessive.

Letner
 and his wife, Diane, have health insurance, but the air ambulance 
company and insurer disagreed dramatically on the flight’s value. 
Current federal law lets the out-of-network biller pursue the Letners 
directly to make up the difference: in this case, more than $40,000.

“When
 I came home from the hospital, I was instantly old,” said Letner, whose
 recovery has been slow. “I don’t want the instant debt.”

This
 story is part of the Kansas News Service series, Bills of Health. Do you have a medical 
bill from Kansas that you want to share with a reporter? Email celia@kcur.org.

After much worrying, the Letners appear 
to be in the clear. In an interview with the Kansas News Service, an 
executive at the national, private-equity owned <a href="https://www.airmethods.com/newsroom/2017/04/21/american-securities-completes-acquisition-of-air-methods" target="_blank">air ambulance</a> firm said his company never planned to collect so much from the Letners.

“The
 idea of trying to collect tens of thousands of dollars from individuals
 is really stupid,” said Chris Myers, vice president of reimbursement 
for Air Methods. “Because they don’t have the money to pay it.”

However,
 the company gave the Letners paperwork at least twice indicating 
patients are on the hook for what their insurance won’t pay.

“At no time,” Diane Letner said, “did they ever indicate that we would not be liable for the remaining bills.”

In February, seven months 
after the accident, Alvin Letner could finally lift enough weight to 
return to his love of pottery making — an outlet that helps clear his 
mind.

“You wake up in the middle of the night thinking about 
this,” he said recently, sitting in the house he built mostly himself 
over the decades he’s lived there. “We’ve been paying all this insurance
 money all these years. We trust in the system.”

Air ambulance 
companies face growing scrutiny and political pressure over their 
prices, which have risen sharply in recent years.

The average charge for an Air Methods ride, for example, jumped from $13,000 to $49,800 within a decade, <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/690/686167.pdf" target="_blank">federal auditors</a> wrote in a 2017 report. That’s 283%.

Congress has created a <a href="https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/AAPB" target="_blank">panel</a>
 to find solutions. States sick of waiting have passed their own 
measures, only to be rebuffed by courts that conclude federal law blocks
 states from regulating the rates that aircraft charge.

“We have 
literally tried everything,” said Jon Godfread, insurance commissioner 
for North Dakota and a member of the new panel. His state lost in court 
over its law to steer business toward air ambulances that contract with 
more insurers to keep prices down. “There is no overarching authority 
(to) prevent these kinds of egregious bills.”

Air Methods, which 
also has a seat on the panel, says it bills privately insured patients 
more to make up for Medicare, Medicaid and uninsured patients. It says 
those three groups comprise most of its business, and that it loses 
money on them.

Still, experts in health law say the principles of <a href="https://ideas.dickinsonlaw.psu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1080&amp;context=dlr" target="_blank">contract law</a>
 obligate patients like Letner only to pay the market value of health 
care. That’s because they haven’t signed a contract to buy a specific 
treatment or procedure for a specific price.

Bills that exceed market value for a medical service are common, 
experts say. Patients who receive them land in a legal maze without a 
guaranteed exit, or any paperwork making clear what amount they really 
need to pay.

Patients owe something for the care they received, 
Lehigh University law and business professor George Nation says. But 
that “something” is what buyers and sellers willingly agree upon in 
informed situations.

“Look at what they get paid for (care, not 
what they charge for it,” Nation said. “That’s the big game that 
hospitals and doctors like to play with the word ‘charges.’ They’re just
 numbers. … No insurance company pays those.”

What matters is what
 health care providers accept from insurers, he says. In-network prices 
represent deals negotiated by two willing parties. A unilateral, 
non-contracted bill for nearly $50,000 mailed to the victim of a traffic
 accident does not.

The difficulty, though, is getting billers to 
stop pressing patients for more. Health care providers and collections 
agencies, armed with those forms from patients promising to pay all 
charges, can sue. They can hurt patients’ credit scores, put liens on 
their homes and <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/methodist-le-bonheur-healthcare-sues-poor-medical-debt" target="_blank">garnish their wages</a>.

Read a list of expert tips <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-05-26/expert-tip-sheet-for-pushing-back-against-your-medical-bills" target="_blank">here</a> for dealing with medical bills that seem too high.

Patients
 routinely don’t know their rights, or have an attorney. And if a bill 
goes to court instead of collections, judges may not have the price 
information they need to spot price-gouging.

“So what’s been 
happening is that (health care providers) have been suing individuals 
who are poorly represented, maybe not represented at all,” Duke 
University professor of law and business administration Barak Richman 
said. “They’ve been getting default judgments.”

Richman argues 
state attorneys general have the authority to go after companies for 
charging excessive prices, and to help patients recoup excessive 
payments. State courts, meanwhile, could <a href="https://www.ajmc.com/journals/issue/2017/2017-vol23-n4/battling-the-chargemaster-a-simple-remedy-to-balance-billing-for-unavoidable-out-of-network-care" target="_blank">train their judges</a> to figure out appropriate health prices using publicly available <a href="https://www.guroo.com/#!" target="_blank">databases</a> and other sources.

“When
 hospitals or providers or air ambulances go after patients and claim to
 be owed chargemaster prices — these extraordinary prices that nobody 
would ever agree to — it really is akin to theft,” he said. “They are 
not entitled to that.”

Others want Congress to rein in medical bills with legislation to curb a practice called “<a href="http://www.kcur.org/post/getting-health-care-kansas-your-odds-may-be-worse-here-youll-get-surprise-bill#stream/0" target="_blank">surprise billing</a>,” or to let states regulate air ambulance prices so state efforts no longer get blocked in court.

Market value for that trip to Joplin

So what about the 
$48,934.27 bill Letner received for the helicopter ride that got him to 
Joplin an estimated half an hour faster than a ground ambulance would 
have?

No patient advocacy 
groups, health care price experts or law professors we spoke to put a 
definitive price on it. The question might only be settled if it went to
 court.

Air Methods says its average flight cost is $12,000, but 
that it bills more to privately insured people like Letner to make up 
for money lost on other patients.

The privately held company won’t disclose its profit margins.

The
 Letners have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas state employee health 
insurance through Diane’s job at Pittsburg State University. That paid 
about $7,000 for the 30-mile ride.

Blue Cross said it pays for 
out-of-network emergency flights at the same rates that it has 
negotiated for in-network, contracted air ambulances.

<a href="https://sentinelairmedicalalliance.com/" target="_blank">Sentinel Air Medical Alliance</a>
 — a Wyoming-based consulting firm that reviews air ambulance bills — 
estimated operating costs (sans profit) for a roughly 30-mile transport 
would fall between $7,000 and $8,000 if the chopper makes 30 flights a 
month.

That’s similar to the <a href="https://www.verticalmag.com/features/isskyhighthelimit/" target="_blank">average costs</a> per ride disclosed publicly by a Kansas air ambulance company in 2015.

And in Texas, an <a href="https://www.tdi.texas.gov/medcases/soah15/454-15-0681.M4(R).pdf" target="_blank">administrative judge</a>
 concluded a price of about 1.5 times Medicare rates was enough to allow
 an air ambulance operator locked in a price dispute there to earn a 
profit. (That case is now pending before the Texas Supreme Court.)

By
 contrast, Air Methods sent Letner a bill for seven times what a 
Medicare spokesperson said the government program would pay (less than 
$6,500) for a 30-mile air ambulance ride in Kansas.

Uncertain what
 to do, the Letners recently undertook a month-long hunt for a lawyer 
with expertise in situations like theirs. He advised them to refer Air 
Methods to him, and reassured them they were in a good position to fend 
off any efforts by the company to collect its full bill.

“I wanted this off my plate,” Letner said, “and not to have to worry about bankruptcy.”

Air
 Methods has since told the Kansas News Service that it sends unpaid 
bills to collection agencies only in two scenarios: If people get their 
health insurance check and refuse to give it to Air Methods, or if they 
ignore for half a year the company’s questions about who their insurer 
is.

Asked whether the company sues patients, garnishes their wages
 or puts liens on their homes, vice president Myers said: “Historically,
 Air Methods may have done that … We certainly do not do it today.”

The
 company said it collects little from privately insured patients 
directly — on average about $130 last year per patient — when billing 
out-of-network. This, despite the congressional audit showing Air 
Methods’ average charge at about $50,000 in 2017.

Letner signed a contract agreeing 
to pay his Air Methods bill while drugged and confused. Legal experts 
say it wouldn’t hold up in a court of law for that and other reasons.

“Clearly, Mr. Letner had no capacity to contract for anything,” said Nation, at Lehigh University.

The
 form doesn’t say what Air Methods planned to charge Letner, but it says
 the company can get his credit report to help collect money from him if
 he doesn’t pay. It also says Letner promises to foot the full bill if 
his insurance won’t.

Letner only found out in February that he 
signed the document on the day of his accident last July. He thought his
 lack of memories from that day meant he’d been unconscious.

Notes
 taken at the time by the air ambulance crew describe him as awake after
 the accident, but “mildly confused.” He didn’t know what had happened 
to him, and was “repeatedly asking questions despite receiving answers.”

They gave him fentanyl to dull the pain. And paperwork to sign.

Injured, confused and presented with paperwork

Experts say health care providers often ask patients to sign such paperwork while panicked or confused from an injury.

The
 forms grant permission for medical care, but patients may not notice 
sentences often toward the bottom agreeing to financial responsibility 
for a bill they haven’t seen.

Marty Makary, a professor and 
surgeon at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, calls that one of many 
practices eroding public trust in the medical system.

“People come
 to us at a hospital at a time when they’re vulnerable and they’re 
scared,” he said. They “have every thought and emotion going through 
their brain, and it is traumatic.”

Makary takes up the topic in his book, <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42373033-the-price-we-pay" target="_blank">The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care — and How to Fix It</a>. He considers financial promises made under such circumstances invalid, and legal experts agree.

Ann
 Marie Marciarille, a law professor with a specialty in health care at 
the University of Missouri-Kansas City, says courts are generally 
skeptical of contracts signed in emergency medical situations.

“Nobody
 assumes that in the emergency room you have the option of slowing down 
and reading things,” she said. Moreover, even if patients read the 
paperwork and don’t agree, they’re in no position to take their business
 elsewhere. “There’s no real freedom of contract.”

Some legal experts also recommend taking a pen and <a href="https://khn.org/news/one-defensive-strategy-against-surprise-medical-bills-set-your-own-terms/" target="_blank">striking out or amending</a> financial provisions folded into “consent to treatment” paperwork before signing it. But Air Methods states <a href="https://www.kcur.org/sites/kcur/files/AirMedFlightAuthorization_Redacted.pdf" target="_blank">on its consent form</a> that any such changes will be deemed “invalid.”

Nine
 days after Letner’s accident, Air Methods sent him similar paperwork — 
seeking his signature on a promise to pay whatever his insurance won’t 
cover, without showing him the bill.

Myers, at Air Methods, said the company doesn’t want to stress patients with that detail.

“We
 don’t want patients to be alarmed about the total amount,” he said, 
“until we have been able to work with their insurance company and 
understand what may be left for us to have to work on.”

Myers said
 Air Methods tries hard to get patients on the phone — it reached out to
 Letner repeatedly — to explain verbally that patients actually won’t 
have to pay what their insurance doesn’t cover if they cooperate with 
Air Methods through the process of billing the insurer.

“We don’t 
put that in writing,” Myers said, “because if we did that, then no 
out-of-network (insurer) would ever pay us anything. They would just pay
 us zero.”

That’s no comfort to the Letners. For them, what matters is what the company puts down in ink.

Regardless, law professors argue forms <a href="https://www.kcur.org/sites/kcur/files/202003/Redacted_LetnerPacket_Redacted.pdf" target="_blank">like this one</a>
 mailed to Letner are problematic because patients can’t give informed 
consent for financial responsibility without bill details. Experts also 
suggest skepticism about Air Methods describing itself in writing as 
“patient advocates.”

“It is common practice for insurers to 
underpay,” the letter warns. “We are here to help you in the claims 
adjudication process, which we know can be confusing.”

Richman, at Duke, considers the letter misleading.

“The
 notion of a ‘patient advocate’ — we have a very specific understanding 
of what that means,” he said. And it’s “not somebody who might be a 
potential creditor.”

Letner, out of the hospital by then and recovering at home, didn’t sign that second form.

That
 was smart, Richman said. But in his legal analysis, if Air Methods is 
charging more than market value for helicopter service, the document 
wouldn’t entitle it to collect its price even with Letner’s signature.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/Celia_LJ" target="_blank">@celia_LJ</a>
 or email her at celia@kcur.org. The Kansas News Service is a
 collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public
 Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their 
connection to public policy.

$50K medical bill shows you don't always owe what you're charged

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ Democratic governor on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/hb2054_enrolled.pdf" target="_blank">vetoed</a>&nbsp;a sweeping Republican coronavirus measure that would have limited her power to direct the state’s pandemic response but then ceded to local officials the authority to keep restrictions on businesses.

Gov. Laura Kelly not only killed&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2019_20/measures/documents/ccrb_hb2054_02_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;approved by the GOP-controlled Legislature last week but also issued a new state-of- emergency declaration to replace one set to expire Tuesday night. Many Republicans question whether she has the legal authority to do that — and retain the governor’s broad emergency powers — so her action is likely to keep an intense partisan dispute burning and risk a potential court challenge.

Kelly also is heightening the potential conflict with GOP leaders by calling the Legislature back into special session on June 3 to extend the new state of emergency past June 10. However, Republicans have a long list of proposals, including shielding businesses and health care providers from possible coronavirus-related lawsuits.

Lawmakers ended their 2020 session in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/aca525d4b8813b406ccfa924a2f92fdc">a single, frenzied 24-hour stretch&nbsp;</a>after reconvening Thursday from a coronavirus-mandated spring break that started March 20. Kelly called the process of pushing through the coronavirus bill “messy, confusing and complicated.”

“The bill is purported to address the pandemic but instead would make a mess of the state’s ability to respond in times of crisis,” Kelly said during a news conference.

Kelly joined fellow Democratic governors in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin in facing a strong backlash from Republicans over their handling of the pandemic. The others govern in swing states important to President Donald Trump’s reelection, but he won Kansas handily in 2016 and is expected to carry it again this year.

Because lawmakers are out of session, they can’t challenge Kelly’s veto, though the special session gives them a chance to try again to curb her power.

The bill Kelly vetoed would have required her to get the permission of legislative leaders to extend the state of emergency through June or continue closing businesses for more than 15 days.

The measure also would have given legislative leaders the final say over how the state spends $1.25 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds. They called it necessary oversight; Kelly said it would delay the money’s distribution.

The bill also would have shielded businesses and medical providers from lawsuits,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/ff56b245f4a2c25fa2b04c0644cbef80">a priority of Republicans</a>&nbsp;nationally.

Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican and a vocal Kelly critic, declared victory because Kelly also is converting her mandate for a phased reopening of the state’s economy into merely a set of recommendations for the state’s 105 counties. Kelly had planned to keep some restrictions until at least June 23, and county health officers will now decide what happens.

“Essentially, what we were wanting to do was to open up business,” said Wagle, also a U.S. Senate candidate. “She spent a lot of time condemning our work, but we’ve won.”

Republicans believe Kelly has moved too slowly to reopen the state’s economy and has too aggressively imposed restrictions. She imposed a statewide stay-at-home order from March 30 until May 4 before announcing a phased economic reopening.

Democrats objected to curbing Kelly’s power and said Republicans also were protecting substandard nursing homes and manufacturers of defective personal protective equipment from liability.

Kansas has seen its reported coronavirus cases increase by 76% since the statewide-stay-at-home order expired three weeks ago, to more than 9,200 as of Monday, the state health department said. Much of the increase has been driven by outbreaks among employees of meatpacking plans at a state prison outside Kansas City.

Kansas reports 188 COVID-19-related deaths, while Johns Hopkins University puts the number at 208.

The state’s top health official urged Kansans who joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b33fcbffc2f47541d60004eabd4bbbdc">large gatherings at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks&nbsp;</a>during the Memorial Day weekend to self-quarantine for 14 days to prevent spreading the coronavirus.

Social media posts showed large crowds at pools, bars and restaurants near the lake without any social distancing or masks. Kelly said it’s not clear how many Kansans were there.

Kelly said state health officials will have “constant communication” with county health officers about restrictions on businesses going forward.

But she acknowledged that she turned the power to set restrictions over to county officials to persuade GOP lawmakers to extend the state of emergency she declared Tuesday.

Without a state of emergency, orders Kelly issued to deal with the pandemic would all expire, and she said Tuesday she would reissue some of them. However, the initial list released by her office Tuesday evening did not include a previous order banning evictions of people who can’t pay their rent and blocking foreclosures for people behind on their home mortgages.

State Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ag-opinions/2020/2020-006.pdf?sfvrsn=1997ac1a_8" target="_blank">issued a legal opinion&nbsp;</a>last week saying Kansas law doesn’t allow multiple declarations during the same emergency. His opinion is non-binding, but could fuel a legal challenge.

The House’s Republican leaders issued a joint statement saying Kelly’s veto “does nothing but create more uncertainty and less stability for Kansas.”

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ Democratic governor on Tuesday vetoed a sweeping coronavirus measure passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature, ratcheting up a partisan dispute over her response to the pandemic and possibly setting up a court fight over her power to direct it.

Gov. Laura Kelly not only vetoed the measure approved by lawmakers in the last moments of their 2020 session to curb her emergency powers, but promised to issue a new emergency declaration to replace one that was set to expire. Many Republicans believe she doesn’t have the legal authority to do that.

Kelly also is heightening the conflict by calling the Legislature back into special session on June 3 to tackle coronavirus measures.

The bill was meant to shield businesses and health care providers from coronavirus-related lawsuits and take control of the state’s pandemic response from Gov. Laura Kelly, including decisions about how to spend $1.25 billion in federal relief funds.

The lawmakers’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e6757a443d18bd708998cfcb088c5e51">last day in session&nbsp;</a>lasted 24 hours straight. Kelly has called it the “most embarrassing, irresponsible display of government that we have witnessed throughout this ordeal.”

“The process was messy, confusing and complicated but it didn’t have to be,” Kelly said during a news conference Tuesday.

Democrats had objected to curbing Kelly’s power and shielding substandard nursing homes and manufacturers of defective personal protective equipment from liability.

Republicans believe Kelly has moved too slowly to reopen the state’s economy and has too aggressively imposed restrictions. She imposed a statewide stay-at-home order from March 30 until May 4 and plans to lift restrictions on businesses in phases through June 23.

The bill approved Friday required Kelly to get permission from legislative leaders to keep businesses closed for more than 15 days or to exercise other broad powers granted to governors during emergencies after May 31. Counties that could document a case for lesser restrictions could impose them.

Shielding businesses from lawsuits is a priority of Republicans and business groups nationally. Unions said the bill could grant “total immunity” and called it dangerous.

Because legislators adjourned for the year, they cannot override a Kelly veto. Republicans had hoped that passing a bill would box Kelly in because her existing state of emergency was set to expire Tuesday.

The bill would have extended the state of emergency through May 31, then required Kelly to seek permission from the Legislature to extend it.

If the state of emergency had ended, some 30 orders that Kelly issued would expire, including those banning evictions for people who can’t pay their rent during the pandemic and prohibiting utility cutoffs.

State Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican, issued a legal opinion last week saying Kansas law doesn’t allow multiple declarations during the same emergency. His opinion is non-binding, but could fuel legal challenges.

The state’s top health official meanwhile urged Kansans who joined large gatherings at Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks during the Memorial Day weekend to self-quarantine for 14 days to prevent spreading the coronavirus.

Social media posts showed large crowds at pools, bars and restaurants near the lake without any social distancing or masks.

“The reckless behavior displayed during this weekend risks setting our community back substantially for the progress we’ve already made in slowing the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “If you traveled to Lake of the Ozarks over the weekend, we urge you to act responsibly and self-quarantine to protect your neighbors, coworkers and family.”

In a media release late Tuesday afternoon,&nbsp; the governor's office reported.

“As I’ve said from day one, the safety and well-being of Kansans is my number one priority. What the Legislature sent to my desk does not protect Kansans. It does not help Kansans. It puts their lives at risk,” Kelly said. “I’m calling on the Legislature to come back and put a carefully crafted, bipartisan bill on my desk that will provide the resources Kansans need, in a timely manner. We must stop putting Kansans at risk.”

The new state disaster declaration addressing the current emergency enables Kansas to provide the following services through the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas National Guard and the federal government:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows KDEM to make deliveries of Remdesivir to counties across Kansas. So far, KDEM, along with their state agency partners which include the Kansas National Guard, Kansas Highway Patrol and Civil Air Patrol, have made 26 deliveries of Remdesivir to 10 counties. Remdesivir is delivered to hospitals to treat critical patients, and this service is potentially life-saving for those patients.&nbsp; KDEM makes these deliveries immediately when needed for patients throughout the state.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows KDEM to continue providing non-congregate shelter for positive and exposed persons who are essential workers. There are currently 50 contracts related to non-congregate sheltering needed for the present disaster. Continuing to provide this support will mitigate the threat to the food supply and the threat of surges in COVID-19 infections.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows medical workers and first responders to rely on the Battelle Critical Care Decontamination System to decontaminate their PPE. This system is provided by FEMA and continuing to provide this service will mitigate the threat of surges in COVID-19 infections.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows KDEM to manage donations and warehouse space necessary to store PPE. This storage is necessary due to the threat of new COVID-19 outbreaks as statewide restrictions are lifted and the economy reopens.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows KDHE to provide community-based testing under the State Emergency Response Plan. Increased testing will help the state mitigate the threat of, or respond to, future outbreaks and allows businesses, employees, and customers to resume economic activity with increased confident that outbreaks will be prevented or mitigated.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows KDEM to continue transporting testing samples. KDEM has transported over 1,000 samples to state labs since April 29, 2020. By transporting the tests via KDEM couriers, the tests arrive at the lab the same date they are collected, and results are provided the following day. Without this same-day service, the results of the tests will be delayed and the ability to contact-trace will be severely limited, risking additional illness and death as well as economic insecurity.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows KDEM to provide translation support. Currently, KDEM is providing 16 translators to support contact-tracing operations to mitigate the current and imminent threat of a new COVID-19 outbreak.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Allows the Civil Air Patrol to continue to provide needed emergency transportation.

If the state disaster declaration is not extended by the Legislature within 15 days, the following significant problems will likely occur:

Under the new disaster declaration, the operative provisions of the following Executive Orders will be reissued:

TOPEKA —Governor Laura Kelly held a&nbsp; press&nbsp;briefing Tuesday afternoon to discuss the latest updates regarding COVID-19. She responded to the legislatures's pandemic legislation and confirmed she will not sign the bill that would have given the GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature control over the state’s pandemic response.

The Legislature approved the bill early Friday to limit Kelly’s emergency powers, including decisions on spending $1.25 billion in federal relief funds. Kelly vetoed the bill Tuesday.

The bill also would have shielded businesses and health care providers from coronavirus-related lawsuits. Republicans believe the Democratic governor is moving too slowly to reopen the state’s economy and has too aggressively imposed restrictions.

The current emergency declaration expires Tuesday night and the governor has issued a new disaster declaration.