Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has vetoed a bill from the Legislature that would prohibit governing bodies and public officials from taking certain actions related to infectious diseases, such as mask mandates. The bill also limits the powers of the state health secretary related to the enforcement of a quarantine and requiring student vaccinations.
Senate Bill 34 was a response to actions taken by local government to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. In her veto message, Governor Kelly said
I have consistently opposed vaccine passports and mandating any COVID-19 vaccination. However, this bill goes beyond COVID-19 and implements a one-size-fits-all approach for all infectious diseases. It significantly limits any government entity’s response to any infectious disease outbreak.
As a result, this legislation creates significant safety concerns for workers, for employers, for the economy, and for all Kansans. Schools could not adequately respond to an outbreak of measles in a classroom, and manufacturing facilities could not respond to a tuberculosis outbreak.
Beyond that, our agricultural sector could not continue to fight the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). We have a responsibility to protect our critically important agricultural industry and the farmers and ranchers who feed the nation.
We need to be prepared for what’s down the road to best protect Kansans. This bill puts the safety of all Kansans and our economy at risk.
Kansas lawmakers return to Topeka on May 23rd for their wrap-up session, and they may try to override the veto at that time.
