TOPEKA — Rep. Tatum Lee and Sen. Mark Steffen heartily embraced anti-vax activists Monday at the Capitol ahead of the Legislature’s consideration of limited-government policy tied to the COVID-19 pandemic and potential overrides of a cluster of vetoes issued by Gov. Laura Kelly.
The plan was for the House and Senate to devote the day to weighing bills left unfinished when lawmakers adjourned for a three-week break. The list includes bills on K-12 education budget, the final state budget package, reform of the state’s 6.5% sales tax on groceries, legalization of sports wagering and a sweeping bill approved by the Senate but not the House that would tackle libertarians’ objections to COVID-19 directives.
On Tuesday, legislative leadership wants to dive into override votes on a transgender sports ban on girls and women athletes, a parental bill of rights for public education, a ban on municipal government limits on single-use plastic, expansion of short-term health plans and new limits on access to food stamps.
Lee, a Ness City Republican not averse to criticizing GOP leadership, lauded the group affiliated with Kansans for Health Freedom who pressed their case for a trio of bills that haven’t cleared the Legislature. She demanded House Speaker Ron Ryckman, R-Olathe, allow each to be adopted by the House.
“Ron Ryckman, you better get these bills passed,” said Lee, who alleged backroom deals were being hatched as she spoke to the protesters. “Thank you so much for caring, standing and participating. None of this is worth it unless we’re standing together.”
The anti-vax coalition demanded passage of House Bill 2280 opening the door to treatments not fully endorsed by federal regulators, Senate Bill 489 inhibiting ability of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and local government health directors to issue pandemic orders and Senate Bill 541 prohibiting directives on vaccination passports, facial coverings, contract tracing, church attendance and student vaccinations.
Steffen, a Republican from the Hutchinson area who has been under scrutiny by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts, said the board regulating physicians such as himself had to be changed to prevent the heavy “corporate doctor” influence on the board. The KBHA should be more respectful of physicians such as himself who advocate off-label drug treatments for COVID-19 not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“The Kansas Board of Healing Arts has to be reorganized. It has to be,” Steffen said. “the associations — Kansas Medical Society, chiropractic society, osteopathic society — they are the ones that are picking the board members. They don’t pick a group of doctors to represent true Kansans. They pick corporate doctors. They’re not picking the average Joe doctor like myself. That has to change.”
He said the regulatory scrutiny of doctors not in the medical mainstream blunted early treatment of COVID-19 and “created suffering and death for people with cancers.”
“So, let’s keep our head down. Let’s keep charging forward. Let’s hold people accountable. Let’s stand for the truth. Let’s make this state better. Let’s make this country better,” Steffen said.
The crowd created funnels of protesters outside the House and Senate chambers that legislators had to walk through. They hoisted signs that read: “We the people want health freedom,” “Let doctors save lives” and “Do what’s right for Kansans.” They chanted “pass the House freedom bills” and “stop medical tyranny.”
Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said he was focused on Senate Bill 541, which was approved by the Senate 24-14 but not taken up by the House.
It would limit cities responding to infectious diseases to issuance of 30-day ordinances that limited the size of gatherings, restricted operation of businesses or controlled movement of people. Anyone harmed by such local government orders to file a lawsuit that would be heard by a judge within 72 hours. No school or educational institution could issue vaccination documents or separate students based on vaccination status. Violation of provisions in the bill would be a misdemeanor crime.
In addition, the bill would forbid mask mandates, restrictions on religious liberty and would declare children enrolling in daycare facilities or schools would be exempt from immunizations if required by the KDHE secretary based on a written statement signed by a parent or guardian outlining a “sincerely held religious belief.”
