A Johnson County judge struck down provisions of a sweeping change to the state's emergency management law, which allow individuals to challenge COVID-19 mitigation protocols put in place by local and state governments. The ruling from Judge David Hauber invalidates core portions of the legislature's efforts to increase oversight on local governments and Gov. Laura Kelly in handling the pandemic. It also restores the ability of local health officers to issue orders without the oversight of other county officials. But Republican lawmakers voted last month to end the state's COVID-19 emergency declaration, meaning many of the other provisions under Senate Bill 40, signed into law earlier this year, will end.