“I’ve a sense that it’s going to be a number of counties” that might be dropping their mandates, she mentioned. “Simply from what now we have seen already, simply from the counties that took motion earlier than yesterday.”
One purpose was that the identical guidelines that made it potential for lawmakers to overturn Kelly’s masks order additionally enable residents and companies objecting to pandemic restrictions to set off a lightning-fast 72-hour assessment by a decide. The burden of proof falls on officers to exhibit that their guidelines shield public well being within the least restrictive approach potential.
Commissioners in Sedgwick County, the state’s second-most populous, cited the specter of litigation in voting final week to cast off all remaining COVID-19 restrictions.
“I don’t see that now we have a lot authority left,” Commissioner David Dennis mentioned on the time.
In Shawnee County, commissioners additionally cited the laws this week once they took motion that enables companies, church buildings and nonprofits to not require masks. The county seat of Topeka would require masks in metropolis buildings, although. Reno County, the place Hutchinson is positioned, took related motion final week, though it’s going to proceed to require masks on the courthouse.
Moreover, many counties had masks orders in place solely as a result of they took no motion to choose out of Kelly’s November order. Now they might want to move their very own guidelines in the event that they need to require masks, and it’s unclear whether or not they’ll accomplish that.