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Business Legal Update – Termination of the Kansas Ad Astra Reopen Plan

May 27, 2020

By: Trish Voth Blankenship

Foulston has produced a series of issue alerts as we continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 situation and provide additional guidance. Please find all updates and our latest resources available here.

On May 26, the Kansas governor ended the state-wide phased reopening plan of business, facility, venue and event operating restrictions, and mass gathering limits. The governor’s executive order imposing the mandatory Ad Astra Reopen Plan was replaced today by the governor switching the plan and its additional covid.ks.gov online resources to be guidance that remains available for local or business use.

Any similar pandemic response restrictions now will be decided by each Kansas local health official or government. Some local jurisdictions may choose to avoid any pandemic-response requirements, some could select their own ideas (including restrictions affecting essential businesses), and others might continue with the governor’s Ad Astra Reopen Plan.

Businesses operating in Kansas remain benefited by the continuance of multiple executive orders responding to pandemic effects (examples: remote notarial acts, alcoholic beverage sales, deferred tax deadlines, telemed, various licensure and registration relief). Also, Kansas travel quarantines for non-essential business travel, other governmental (local, state, federal) law applicable to a specific business, and the common law duty of care – all remain in effect. 

A new Kansas disaster emergency proclamation is in effect, and the governor called for a special legislative session commencing June 3. The Kansas 2020 legislative session wrapped up last week (review here Foulston's Kansas legislative session wrap-up discussion).

Foulston’s Resource and Recovery website continues to deliver pandemic recovery and reopening support on topics critical to businesses, including:

  • Property management dealing with a positive COVID-19 test
  • Insurance coverages and claims
  • Force majeure and other contractual performance topics
  • Remote workforce data privacy considerations
  • SBA’s PPP and EIDL loans
  • CARES and FFCRA employment, benefits, and tax elements
  • Relevant estate planning strategies
  • Telehealth, nursing home, HIPAA, and other health law alerts.

For More Information

If you have questions or want more information regarding business operations in response to the pandemic effects, contact your legal counsel. If you do not have regular counsel for such matters, Foulston Siefkin LLP would welcome the opportunity to work with you to meet your specific business needs. For more information, contact Trish Voth at 316.291.9767 or pvoth@foulston.com. For more information on the firm, please visit our website at www.foulston.com.

Established in 1919, Foulston Siefkin is the largest law firm in Kansas. With offices in Wichita, Kansas City, and Topeka, Foulston provides a full range of legal services to clients in the areas of administrative & regulatory; antitrust & trade regulation; appellate law; banking & financial services; business & corporate; construction; creditors’ rights & bankruptcy; e-commerce; education & public entity; elder law; emerging small business; employee benefits & ERISA; employment & labor; energy; environmental; ERISA litigation; estate planning & probate; family business enterprise; franchise & distribution; government investigations & white collar defense; governmental liability; government relations & public policy; healthcare; immigration; insurance regulatory; intellectual property; litigation & disputes; long-term care; mediation/dispute resolution; mergers & acquisitions; Native American law; oil, gas & minerals; OSHA; privacy & data security; private equity & venture capital; product liability; professional malpractice; real estate; securities & corporate finance; supply chain management; tax exempt organizations; taxation; trade secret & noncompete litigation; water rights; and wind & solar energy.

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This update has been prepared by Foulston Siefkin LLP for informational purposes only. It is not a legal opinion; it does not provide legal advice for any purpose; and it neither creates nor constitutes evidence of an attorney-client relationship