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Bill

SB 19

Enacting the conscientious right to refuse act to prohibit discrimination against individuals who refuse medical care and creating a civil cause of action based on such discrimination and revoking the authority of the secretary of health and environment to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas bill prohibits medical care refusal discrimination and eliminates quarantine authority, creating civil liability while restricting public health emergency powers.

Died in Committee
#civilprocedureandcivilactions #discrimination #healthandhealthcare
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Bill Summary · SB 19

Legislative bill overview

SB 19 would prohibit discrimination against individuals who refuse medical care based on conscience, establish a civil lawsuit mechanism for those who face such discrimination, and eliminate the Kansas Secretary of Health and Environment's authority to quarantine individuals and impose related penalties. The bill creates broad protections for medical refusal while substantially curtailing public health emergency powers.

Why is this important

This legislation directly affects public health response capabilities during disease outbreaks, pandemic management, and individual medical autonomy rights. It creates potential conflicts between personal conscience protections and collective disease control measures that have historically been used to contain infectious disease spread.

Potential points of contention

  • Public health authority vs. individual rights: Removing quarantine authority eliminates a foundational tool for containing contagious diseases, potentially compromising outbreak response effectiveness and public health officials' ability to protect vulnerable populations
  • Scope of "conscientious refusal": The bill doesn't clearly define what constitutes a valid conscientious objection, potentially allowing refusal of any medical intervention regardless of public health consequences
  • Discrimination definition: Creating civil liability for "discrimination" based on medical refusal could expose healthcare providers, employers, and institutions to lawsuits when implementing evidence-based health protocols or legal requirements
  • Emergency preparedness gaps: Eliminating quarantine authority during public health emergencies may leave Kansas unable to respond effectively to serious outbreaks or pandemics

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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