Immunize Kansas Coalition Disappointed in Committee Reversal on Vaccine Policy Bill

March 24, 2023

Media Contact

Geovannie Gone,
Executive Director,
Immunize Kansas Coalition,
Email,
(620) 521-1832

TOPEKA —Geovannie Gone, Immunize Kansas Coalition (IKC) Executive Director, expressed concern at the latest news that the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee reversed action on SB 315 this morning, passing an amended version out of committee.

“While we agree with removing the portion that infringed on businesses’ rights, today’s action by the Committee to pass Senate Bill 315 is a blow to public health protections for Kansans. Kansas must maintain the current process for vaccine requirement exemptions for childcare and school entry and keep students safe from meningitis outbreaks. Current state law already works to protect all Kansans from vaccine-preventable diseases, while allowing for medical and religious exemptions. No changes to state law are needed,” said Gone.

Senate Bill 315 would require schools and child care facilities to grant religious exemptions from vaccine requirements without inquiring into the sincerity of the request, effectively turning it into a philosophical versus a religious exemption. “There are three types of vaccine requirement exemptions: medical, religious, and philosophical. Kansas already has medical and religious exemptions in place. Further exemptions introduce significant and unnecessary risks to the protection of our children and most vulnerable Kansans. This language, with the net effect of adding a new exemption category, represents a major change to Kansas vaccine policy,” Gone explained.

Vaccine requirements are determined based on scientific recommendations for immunizations. These requirements keep children and adolescents safe by ensuring they are protected when at schools, where potential exposure to life-altering diseases is high. Expanding exemptions is the first step in unraveling the critical work that has nearly eradicated diseases like polio, hepatitis, measles, mumps, and rubella. In a 2022 poll (https://nurturekc.org/kansans-support-vaccines/), 67% of Kansans rejected the idea that we should add more exemptions for wellness vaccines.

SB 315 also repeals the meningitis vaccine requirement for live-in student housing. Meningococcal meningitis is very serious and can be deadly. Even with treatment, approximately 1 in 10 who get meningococcal disease will die. Of those who survive, up to 1 in 5 will suffer permanent disabilities, such as brain damage, hearing loss, or limb amputations(https://www.nfid.org/infectious-diseases/meningococcal-disease/). While the incidence is rare, college students living in group housing are at increased risk for contracting this disease. In addition to the morbidity and mortality risks, the medical cost burden for patients with invasive meningococcal disease is significant. Vaccines are the best protection against meningococcal disease.

“This bill should receive no further consideration. It disregards the wishes of Kansas votes and would turn back the clock several decades on proven policies to protect our children and youth,” Gone said.

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Immunize Kansas Coalition is a group of Kansas healthcare providers, health departments, nonprofits, researchers, educators, and parents working together to improve vaccine rates and protect Kansans against vaccine-preventable diseases. For more information, visit immunizekansascoalition.org.