Norman resigns as top administrator of Kansas health agency

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The top public health official in Kansas has resigned. Gov. Laura Kelly announced Friday that Dr. Lee Norman stepped down as the top administrator at the state Department and Health and Environment and as state health officer. His departure came only days before the Legislature was set to convene a special session Monday to consider proposals for pushing back against federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Norman had been the health department’s top administrator since Kelly took office in January 2019. Neither she nor Norman gave reasons for his resignation in statements released by her office but Kelly praised Norman as the most consequential leader in the department’s history.