religious exemption vaccine letter kansas

RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION VACCINE LETTER KANSAS FULL

“Our children should not be excluded in this nor should they have to choose between their faith, schools, jobs or day care restrictions for their future kids,” she said.

Olivia Lyon testified about her struggle to find child care for her three children while refusing to vaccinate them on religious grounds. Supporters of the far broader exemption argued for personal freedom and bodily autonomy. The legislation brought heated testimony from both sides. Broadening exemptions, he said, poses a public health hazard. Williams said his research found people want a larger voice in deciding when vaccines should be required. That includes Pope Francis, who stated that getting the COVID-19 vaccine was a “moral obligation” and that vaccines are an “act of love.” “No major faith traditions,” he said, “prohibit vaccination and all major faith traditions expressly support vaccination.” Williams said religious exemptions have traditionally been carved out for small sects with specific objections to vaccines. But schools, for instance, often have discretion about how much someone has to document a religious objection before their vaccination requirement was waived. Religious and medical exemptions have existed for decades. Josh Williams, a pediatrician and professor at the University of Colorado who has researched religious exemptions and vaccine hesitancy. “It’s liberalizing religious exemptions to really become nothing more than a personal belief exemption,” said Dr. The legislation would take current law further by saying people would merely need to say they have a moral objection, rather than requiring some documentation that a religion they belong to opposes vaccinations. For kids, those vaccines would include measles, mumps, tetanus and more.

The bill rejected in committee Thursday - and then passed on Friday - would extend that to all vaccines and added children.

RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION VACCINE LETTER KANSAS FULL

The Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee sent the bill to the full Senate.Ī law enacted in 2021 already allows Kansas workers to refuse the COVID-19 vaccine if it’s against their religious beliefs without question from an employer. UPDATE: On Friday, the committee voted again on the bill and sent it to the full Senate.Ī bill that would have broadened vaccine exemptions in day care, schools and workplaces in Kansas cleared a legislative committee on Friday.

Religious exemption vaccine letter kansas