Bills pertaining to physical health, education funding and the state’s budget were all passed by Kansas Lawmakers before the adjournment of the 2023 legislative session Friday.
The Kansas House of Representatives voted 63-56 while the Senate voted 22-18 to approve House Bill 2285. The bill removes power from public health officials to issue or require specific measures in the event of a health emergency.
The bill would also prohibit the state’s health secretary from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations in order to attend school or child care. It also removes isolation and quarantine order requirements by law enforcement, provides employment protection for those who have to isolate and quarantine and addresses orders for school closures due to a “disaster situation.”
13th District Representative Duane Droge of Eureka and 76th District Representative Eric Smith of Burlington voted for the bill while 60th District Representative Mark Schreiber of Emporia was against it. 17th District Senator Jeff Longbine of Emporia voted for the bill.
Senate Bill 113, a hotly contested education funding bill, also gained approval from the House by an 83-37 vote and the Senate by a vote of 23-16. The bill includes several provisions including the establishment of tax credits for private school students and a special education funding task force that will include 11 members.
The task force will study how public schools use special education funding and authorize school districts to provide a salary to their local board of education members. The bill also includes an increase in special education funding of about $7.5 million which is far from the request $72.4 million over the next five years requested by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.
Schreiber, Smith and Droge all voted in favor of the legislation as did Longbine.
Finally, the House and Senate passed Senate Bill 25, the state’s budget proposal. The House passed the bill 91-29 while the Senate approved the bill by a vote of 29-10.
Again, Schreiber, Smith, Droge and Longbine all voted in favor.
