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Minutes for SB315 - Committee on Public Health and Welfare
Short Title
Requiring child care facilities, elementary, secondary and postsecondary educational institutions and employers to grant exemptions from vaccine requirements without inquiring into the sincerity of the request and repealing the meningitis vaccine requirement to live in student housing.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 21, 2023
Jenna Moyer, Staff Revisor gave an overview of the bill. She took questions from committee members.
Dr. Gayln Perry testified in support of SB315. She told of her son's story of being a nursing student in good standing who was kicked out of his nursing program three semesters prior to graduation when his university denied both his religious and medical exemptions for the Covid 19 vaccine. Students are left with the choice of either submitting to a medical intervention they may have a right of conscience objection to in order to finish their training or they have to change their major. After numerous roadblocks he is now a student in Florida, completing his nursing degree, which will take a total of six years rather than four years. She stated SB315 must be passed into law. SB315 is solely about medical freedom - simply having a choice about what you do with your own body as dictated by your conscience, without coercion or reprisal. (Attachment 14)
Lauren Shiffman gave proponent testimony for SB315. She testified that after being initially terminated from her job, the passage of HB2001 in 2021 saved her job. While her religious beliefs can no longer be scrutinized, the protection doesn't extend down to children. There are schools in Kansas that are not accepting religious exemption requests. She stated that as a mother, it is her responsibility to protect her children and hopefully work to make their lives easier than hers.. She wants them to be respected for who they are and live in a state with complete religious freedom. (Attachment 15)
Jeffrey Earl, DO gave testimony in support of SB315. As a family practice doctor for over 30 year he said the amount of pain and suffering he witnessed in his patients, including physical, psychological, and economic, in the past 3 years, because of governmental overreach in healthcare, had been unprecedented. Patients who did not want to receive the Covid vaccine were coerced by their employer, who was following the mandates set forth by governing agencies. A religious exemption only requires that the individual have a firmly held religious belief that participating in the medical procedure violates that belief. Clarity is needed in legislation regarding this process. (Attachment 16)
Olivia Lyon testified in as a proponent of SB315. She said over a few month's span in 2022, they were denied entry for childcare three times because of their sincerely held religious beliefs. Day cares and schools need to be held accountable and children need equal protection. Kansans need to come together and pass SB315 for religious freedom for all. (Attachment 17)
Kathryn Andries gave proponent testimony for SB315. She said that SB315 supports everyone and goes beyond partisan politics and that this bill will not deter people from receiving vaccinations, but rather will protect the freedom of those who choose not to. She stated that this bill helps promote medical freedom for all. (Attachment 18)
Carol Daunis testified in support of SB315. The said this bill does not, in the least, prevent anyone from getting a vaccine. It simply doesn't force them on our children. Parents should be making decisions for their children, not government. (Attachment 19)
Kathy Brown gave testimony in support of SB315. She said she supports this bill since medical procedures must always be subject to the decision of the individual. The only places where medical procedures are forced are the Soviet Union and Russia, and other dictatorships. American citizens consent to our governance, we do not submit to it. (Attachment 20)
Opponent, Oral
Dr. Dena Hubbard said that the Kansas Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics has the fundamental goal that all children and adolescents in Kansas have the opportunity to grow safe and strong, It is with this goal in mind, that they are in strong opposition of the proposed SB315 that could reduce immunization rates in the state by requiring child care facilities, educational institutions and employers to grant exemptions from vaccine requirements without inquiring into the sincerity of the request, and repealing the meningitis vaccine requirements to live in student housing. Attachment 21)
Eric Stafford testified in opposition of SB315 by saying that it would prohibit businesses from making decisions based on the safety of their employees. He added that SB315 is an unnecessary piece of legislation that places restrictions on Kansas businesses. (Attachment 22)
Geovannie Gone' gave opponent testimony by stating that she is opposed to SB315 passing in order to maintain the current process for vaccine requirement exemptions for childcare and school entry; protect the freedom of private businesses to set vaccine requirements in the best interest of their employees and patrons; and keep students safe from meningitis outbreaks. (Attachment 23)
Paula Bunde on behalf of Ronda Hutchinson testified in opposition of SB315. She stated that KSNO opposes any bill that encourages a weakening of the mandatory vaccine policies school districts and childcare facilities follow now. Childhood vaccines have done such a good job of reducing the once common illnesses that many people have never seen.The majority of Kansans want to strengthen vaccine exemptions, not weaken them. (Attachment 24)
Rabbi Moti Rieber testified in opposition of SB315 by stating that it is ill-considered and dangerous. His opposition focuses on the expansion of a so-called "religious exemption" to immunization requirements. None of the denominations that make up the Kansas InterFaith Action coalition, nor any denomination of which he is aware of (with the exception of Christian Science) has any such things as a religious exemption to immunizations. (Attachment 25)
Blake Flanders spoke in opposition to the portion of SB315 regarding the repealing of the meningitis vaccine requirement to live in student housing. He requests that this portion not be repealed. (Attachment 26)
They took questions from committee members.
Proponent, written only testimony was submitted by - A - Ma (Attachment 27)
Proponent, written only testimony was submitted by - Mc - Wo (Attachment 28)
Opponent, written only testimony was submitted by - A - Wh (Attachment 29)
Neutral, written only testimony was submitted by:
KDHE (Attachment 30)
Chairperson Gossage closed the hearing on SB315.
Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 9:30 a.m. The next scheduled meeting is March 22, 2023.
