Kansas governor more forceful against COVID vaccine mandates

(AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly is becoming more forceful in opposing President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates. She issued a statement Friday saying it’s too late in the coronavirus pandemic to impose them after states tailored solutions to their needs. The Democratic governor’s latest statement came after she argued Thursday that federal mandates tend not to work, though they’ve boosted vaccination rates elsewhere. Kelly faces a difficult race for reelection next year in her Republican-leaning state, and her comments came shortly before Republican Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Derek Schmidt announced that Kansas and six other states had filed a federal lawsuit against a mandate for companies with 100 or more workers.

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Read her full statement below:

“Yesterday, I reviewed the new vaccine mandate from the Biden Administration. While I appreciate the intention to keep people safe, a goal I share, I don’t believe this directive is the correct, or the most effective, solution for Kansas.

“States have been leading the fight against COVID-19 from the start of the pandemic. It is too late to impose a federal standard now that we have already developed systems and strategies that are tailored for our specific needs. I will seek a resolution that continues to recognize the uniqueness of our state and builds on our on-going efforts to combat a once-in-a-century crisis.”