GOVERNOR KELLY'S EXECUTIVE ORDERS
Needless to say, these are certainly unprecedented times for our state and our country. As you certainly are aware, late yesterday afternoon Governor Laura Kelly officially extended the closure of K-12 school buildings for the duration of the 2019-2020 school year by Executive Order # 20-07 and effective Monday, March 23, directed state employees to stay home on administrative leave to minimize additional risk of exposure to the virus for two weeks. She stated this break will allow agencies to assess their essential functions to ensure that they can safely continue to serve the core needs of Kansans. This directive only applies to executive branch agencies under jurisdiction of the governor, which of course includes the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Kansas Division of Motor Vehicles.

Also, in Executive Order #20-04, Governor Kelly announced the adoption of the CDC’s recommendation to limit group gatherings to no more than 50 individuals in a single area. This order does not take emergency action to force the closure of businesses deemed “nonessential.” However, we are aware of the issue of “nonessential” and “essential” businesses and are in contact with the Governor’s office.

In fact, this morning KADA hand-delivered a letter to the Governor’s office stating should the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic warrant further action by the State of Kansas, we specifically would request that our dealerships be considered “essential” businesses in the event an executive order is issued to shut down “non-essential” businesses. You can read KADA's letter to the Governor here .

From a policy standpoint, we believe the ability to maintain adequate transportation to obtain or deliver essential items such as groceries and healthcare products is paramount to supporting a healthy population. In addition, first responders, medical professionals, food distribution personnel and many other individuals who perform critical services are dependent upon adequate transportation.

As previously mentioned, Executive Order # 20-07 closes executive branch agencies, including the Kansas Department of Revenue and the Kansas Division of Motor Vehicles on Monday, March 23 for 2 weeks. It is unknown whether the various County Treasurers across the state will also close, but it is the intention of Kansas Vehicle Title Service (KVTSC) to remain open and follow normal business hours. We are seeking to secure that assurance tomorrow and at this point expect to be able to operate as usual.

Should you find that your local County Treasurers office has closed and you are in need of a title, KADA’s Title Service and KVTSC are readily available to assist you with your title needs. However, we have had to implement some new procedures to address appropriate social distancing within our offices.

We have also been in contact with the Kansas Highway Patrol in regard to out-of-state vehicle inspections and we are still exploring possible solutions. The problem is there are only 10 uniformed officers across the state, which perform inspections. The majority of the inspectors are designees, which are non-essential employees, who will be covered by the administrative leave order. Hopefully, we will be able to provide you with some direction tomorrow.

Due to the Division of Motor Vehicles closing on March 23, all orders through the Dealer Portal for supplies need to be placed by noon on Friday, March 20. This includes tag bags, ST-8 or ST-8b booklets and TR-69 addendum forms. This will allow your order to be mailed to your dealership prior to Monday’s closing. Make sure you order the appropriate quantities, as you will not be able to receive any more until they reopen.

Finally, this is a very fluid situation and it is changing hourly. You can be assured we will do everything in our power to keep you informed as developments occur.