Alva Review-Courier -

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Conservative Kansas legislators, still smarting over actions Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly took early in the coronavirus pandemic, pushed Monday to prevent the state from restricting religious gatherings or keeping abortion providers open during emergencies.

But Republicans are deeply split over how much to limit the power of state and local officials during future pandemics. Kelly kept a statewide stay-at-home order in place for five weeks last spring to check COVID-19's spread. But the GOP-controlled Legislature later forced her to accept local control over mask mandates an...