Amid U.S. TikTok bans, a few balk at writing its name in law

By JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Banning TikTok from government devices enjoys bipartsan support across the U.S. But a few Democratic legislators in Kansas object to expanding a ban imposed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly because they don’t want a state law to target a company by name. The Republican-controlled Kansas House voted 109-12 on Thursday to pass a bill to prohibit any electronic device owned or issued to a state employee from accessing TikTok. A new law would apply a ban to more agencies than Kelly’s order, and it also would apply to any app or website from TikTok’s Chinese parent company. Congress and more than half of U.S. states have imposed bans. TikTok says the bans don’t improve security.