TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Sanctuary cities will become a thing of the past in Kansas after Governor Laura Kelly signed a bill that would outlaw them.
The Kansas Legislature website indicates Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has signed a bill to ban sanctuary cities in Kansas on Monday, April 11. However, she has called on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration legislation.
“The responsibility to address our broken immigration system rests with Congress and cannot be resolved at the municipal level. Both Republicans and Democrats in Washington have failed to address immigration issues for decades. We need a national solution and we need it now,” the Governor said. “I encourage my colleagues who sent me this bill to persuade our federal delegation to pass comprehensive immigration legislation that allows us to continue growing our economy and meeting our workforce needs here in Kansas.”
“Kansans who rely on local government IDs to vote, such as veterans, the elderly, and people with disabilities will be adversely affected by this law. The Legislature needs to send me a trailer bill that ensures these folks can continue participating in our democracy,” Kelly concluded.
House Bill 2717 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
The AG’s move followed a vote from the Unified Government of Wyandotte County to allow undocumented immigrants to be issued a municipal ID card and prohibit local law enforcement from participating in Immigration and Customs Enforcement cases.
HB 2717 would prohibit any municipality in Kansas from preventing the enforcement of federal immigration laws and would require municipal law enforcement agencies to provide written notice to each law enforcement officer of their duty to cooperate with state and federal agencies in the enforcement of immigration laws.
The bill would also require any municipal identification card to state on its face that it is not valid for state identification.
The bill has been highly contested by local agencies, including Safe and Welcoming Wyandotte. The coalition held a news conference via Zoom on Monday morning in which Roeland Park Council Member Michael Rebne called Schmidt racist for his push for the legislation.
HB 2717 passed the House with an 84-38 vote and it passed the Senate with a 29-10 vote.
“The veto-proof bipartisan support for this bill in the Legislature demonstrated its importance, as the Biden administration continues its tragic failure to secure our southern border, jeopardizing public safety in our Kansas communities,” AG Schmidt said. “Under this new law, Kansas law enforcement will be able to resume working professionally with federal immigration authorities as the needs of public safety require and not be silenced by a patchwork of local ‘sanctuary city’ gag orders.”
Also on Friday, Kelly said she vetoed Senate Bills 161, 199 and 493.
Senate Bill 161 would have provided for the use of personal package delivery devices on sidewalks and crosswalks and would exempt such delivery devices from motor vehicle regulations. The bill would also limit additional municipal regulations.
“I support advancements in technology to enhance our transportation network and delivery services. However, Senate Bill 161 allows delivery service businesses to operate large robotic delivery devices on sidewalks with few safety precautions. These precautions are particularly important in residential areas,” Kelly said. “This bill does not clarify who is responsible for enforcing rules and regulations related to personal delivery devices other than requiring an annual fee and a certification form with minimal information. The provisions around minimum liability are also ambiguous and unclear in their application.”
SB 161 was introduced in the Senate on Feb. 8 and underwent a litany of amendments. The House passed this bill 75-47 and the Senate passed it 22-17.
“The Legislature must address these safety concerns before this bill becomes law. I’m ready to work with lawmakers on legislation that allows us to take advantage of technological advances while ensuring the safety of all Kansans,” Kelly said. “Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 161.”
Senate Bill 199 would have provided for short-term limited-duration health plans.
“After reviewing this bill, I still have concerns about how it will hurt Kansas families. The plans provided under this bill do not cover pre-existing conditions and do not provide consumer protections. As a result, one medical emergency could cause a Kansas family to spiral into bankruptcy,” the Governor noted. “We already know that the solution to provide health care access for all Kansans, to bring thousands of jobs to our state, to save small businesses money, to protect our rural hospitals, and inject millions into our economy... is expanding Medicaid”
This bill was introduced into the Senate on Feb. 10 and was passed from committee to committee. It passed the House with a 73-49 vote and the Senate with a 28-11 vote.
“I encourage the Legislature to work with me to improve Kansans’ access to affordable health care and join the 38 other states in expanding Medicaid,” Kelly said. “Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 199.”
Lastly, Senate Bill 493 would have prohibited cities and counties from regulating plastic and other containers meant for the consumption, transportation or protection of merchandise, food or beverages.
“The disposal and regulation of solid waste is traditionally a public policy issue that Kansans decide at the local level with input from local businesses, waste management providers, and private citizens. As this bill advanced through the process, no evidence was provided demonstrating why the Legislature had a compelling public interest to repeal city and county local control and home rule over these matters,” Kelly said.
This bill was introduced into the Senate on Feb. 10 and was passed through the House with a 74-48 vote and the Senate with a 26-12 vote.
“This issue is a local decision, and it should be left to local governments based on what’s best for their constituents, stakeholders, and businesses in their community,” the Governor concluded. “Therefore, under Article 2, Section 14(a) of the Constitution, I hereby veto Senate Bill 493.”
For more information about HB 2717, click HERE.
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