Kansas passes sweeping COVID-19 exemption law | Coronavirus | newspressnow.com - News-Press Now
A compromise bill passed out of the Kansas legislature and signed into law by a Democratic governor gives employees sweeping exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine requirements.
Under the law, signed Tuesday by Gov. Laura Kelly, employers cannot question an employee's religious or medical exemption to a vaccine mandate.
Rep. John Eplee, R-Atchison, generally supports broad exemptions. He's also a medical doctor and said on the House floor that vaccines are safe and effective.
"This was our attempt to protect Kansans that are adamant in their desire not to get a vaccine at this time and not lose their job," Eplee said.
Under the law, employees can claim exemptions to COVID-19 vaccine mandates, but employers still are allowed to impose them.
A stricter law, which passed the Senate but not the House, would've required a business to get approval from the legislature before imposing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
Sen. Dennis Pyle, R-Atchison, was the senator who amended that chamber's bill to include the preclearance provision.
Eplee was not a supporter of the stricter Senate bill, but an overall compromise was reached after both chambers passed their own versions, and a conference committee negotiated a final version.
The governor signed the bill into law despite disappointment from some in her own party.
Ultimately, the roll call vote indicates Eplee voted no on the compromise bill while Pyle voted yes. It passed the House 77-34 and the Senate 24-11.
Eplee told News-Press NOW before the vote that he doesn't support employees being eligible to claim unemployment if they're fired despite claiming an exemption.
Under the law, employees can claim unemployment, but Democratic members said the exemptions are so broad that no person should need to make a claim.
"There are tons of jobs out there that people can go to if they lose their job," Eplee said. "And I know that sounds a bit heartless, but doggone it, it's just hard to get behind."
The governor explained her decision to sign the bill in a statement Tuesday.
“I have been clear that I believe it is too late to impose a federal standard,” Kelly said. “States have been leading the fight against COVID-19 for nearly two years. I know there are Kansans who believe this legislation goes too far, and there are others who believe this legislation doesn’t go far enough. But I was elected to lead, and leadership means seeking compromise.”
Some Democrats believe the law won't change anything.
“We’re hoodwinking the public if they think this means anything,” said Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat.
Rep. John Carmichael, a Wichita Democrat, called the bill “a bad bargain,” and Sen. David Haley, a Kansas City Democrat, suggested the measure showed that apparently “people don’t avoid the plague anymore.”
source: https://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/coronavirus/kansas-passes-sweeping-covid-19-exemption-law/article_35fabdea-4cab-11ec-bf31-0bd9dbf01139.html
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