Senate public-health committee passes bill to reinstate statewide limits on COVID-19 vaccine mandates
September 11, 2023 | PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
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Senate Bill 3, which would prohibit COVID-19 vaccine mandates across state entities and require agencies seeking federal funds to obtain legislative review, passed the Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee in a voice vote.
Senator Bryant, who presented the measure, said the bill largely mirrors earlier language in Act 977 and was drafted to cover a broader set of entities than prior language. "What that bill did was prohibits COVID, COVID shot mandates, across the state agencies, including public schools, cities, counties," he said, and he noted the earlier law included a two-year expiration tied to FDA approval that has since lapsed.
The bill also adds a provision requiring entities that are subject to federal funding conditions to bring mandates to the Legislative Council (ALC) for review. Senator Bryant said that mechanism preserves legislative authority: "It allows the state to weigh in," he said. The chair explained the provision reflects the legislature's fiduciary role in approving federal funds and said that ALC review would ensure the legislature has oversight when federal funding would be conditioned on a vaccination mandate.
A single member of the public, Noelani Podwoski, testified in favor of the bill. Podwoski, a former child-care facility owner, said the choice to vaccinate should remain with families: "Our beliefs and health care decisions should not be made by any school or government organization," she said, recounting that her facility did not mandate vaccination during the pandemic.
With no further speakers, the chair called for a motion; the committee moved to "do pass," voices of "Aye" and "No" were heard, and the chair announced "Ayes have it," recording the bill as passed by the committee. The transcript records a voice vote but does not provide a roll-call tally or the names of individual voters.
The next procedural step for Senate Bill 3 was not specified in the record provided at the meeting.
Senator Bryant, who presented the measure, said the bill largely mirrors earlier language in Act 977 and was drafted to cover a broader set of entities than prior language. "What that bill did was prohibits COVID, COVID shot mandates, across the state agencies, including public schools, cities, counties," he said, and he noted the earlier law included a two-year expiration tied to FDA approval that has since lapsed.
The bill also adds a provision requiring entities that are subject to federal funding conditions to bring mandates to the Legislative Council (ALC) for review. Senator Bryant said that mechanism preserves legislative authority: "It allows the state to weigh in," he said. The chair explained the provision reflects the legislature's fiduciary role in approving federal funds and said that ALC review would ensure the legislature has oversight when federal funding would be conditioned on a vaccination mandate.
A single member of the public, Noelani Podwoski, testified in favor of the bill. Podwoski, a former child-care facility owner, said the choice to vaccinate should remain with families: "Our beliefs and health care decisions should not be made by any school or government organization," she said, recounting that her facility did not mandate vaccination during the pandemic.
With no further speakers, the chair called for a motion; the committee moved to "do pass," voices of "Aye" and "No" were heard, and the chair announced "Ayes have it," recording the bill as passed by the committee. The transcript records a voice vote but does not provide a roll-call tally or the names of individual voters.
The next procedural step for Senate Bill 3 was not specified in the record provided at the meeting.
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