Minutes for SB19 - Committee on Public Health and Welfare

Short Title

Enacting the conscientious right to refuse act to prohibit discrimination against individuals who refuse medical care and creating a civil cause of action based on such discrimination and revoking the authority of the secretary of health and environment to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties.

Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 5, 2025

Jenna Moyer, Office of Revisor of Statutes, reviewed the legislation, SB19. (Attachment 1)

She responded to questions.

PROPONENTS

Lindsey Berning suggested the legislation protects her freedom and beliefs. She is not a member of a religious denomination whose teachings oppose inoculations though she believes it is morally wrong to vaccinate her young baby daughter. (Attachment 2)

Kathy Brown stated her belief that it is inconceivable for people to not have a conscientious right to refuse anything, including invasive procedures such as vaccinations. (Attachment 3)

Melissa Campbell stated her support for the legislative language that would give individuals the right to refuse based on conscience instead of needing to prove religious reasons to refuse medical treatments. (Attachment 4)

Gary Morgan expressed his distrust in government, pharmaceutical manufacturers and the medical establishment. (Attachment 5)

Connie Newcome suggested it makes sense to be able to say no to medical procedures. (Attachment 6)

Ashley Prescott expressed concern related to the COVID-19 vaccinations and health issues of one of her children. (Attachment 7)

Jacob Sattler shared examples of the current law regarding vaccinations impacting his family and children in several ways. (Attachment 8)

Conferees responded to questions.

OPPONENTS

Randy Bowman, Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, stated concern of the legislative language regarding persons refusing certain medical care would have a broad range of cause of action against employers, healthcare entities, schools or a person. He suggested the legislation would not improve future disease response. His association includes 100 local health departments. (Attachment 9)

Heather Braum, Kansas Action for Children, suggested the legislation would weaken long-standing vaccination policies including preventing local and state officials from quickly stopping the spread of infectious disease outbreaks. (Attachment 10)

Jason Ghumm, suggested if schools and healthcare organizations were prevented from requiring vaccinations or quarantining persons, diseases would be allowed to spread making for a greater risk to all. (Attachment 11)

Kimberly Martin, Kansas School Nurses Organization, stated current law recognizes two exemptions from vaccination, medical and religious. Her agency supports maintaining those exemptions but not expanding them. (Attachment 12)

Dr. Rebecca Reddy, Kansas Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, stated the legislation would remove long-standing safeguards that help keep children, families, and the communities healthy. She stated support for balancing personal freedom with public responsibility. (Attachment 13)

Rev. Dr. Annie Ricker, Kansas Interfaith Action, stated the majority of denominations affirm the importance of vaccines. She noted even religious traditions that reject much of modern society still participate in routine vaccination and immunization programs. (Attachment 14)

William Wilk, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, expressed concern of the legislative language that would create civil cause of action against employers and would prohibit employers from a variety of actions such as refusal to hire or dismiss an employee, if the individual exercised refusal of vaccination or other medical procedure based on reasons of conscience. (Attachment 15)

WRITTEN ONLY TESTIMONY

Festus J. Krebs (Attachment 16)

Tara Ricketts (Attachment 17)

Proponents A-Z (Attachment 18)

Opponents A-Z (Attachment 19)

The hearing on SB19 was closed.

The meeting adjourned at 9:26 am.