This bill amends K.S.A. 65-122 to establish new guidelines regarding the exclusion of children from public, parochial, or private schools and licensed child care facilities due to exposure to infectious or contagious diseases. The bill prohibits schools and child care facilities from excluding a child who has been exposed to such diseases unless there is a valid isolation or quarantine order issued by a local health officer or the secretary of health. The exclusion period must not exceed the duration specified in the order. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a physician or local health officer can certify that a child is not suffering from an infectious or contagious disease, allowing for their readmission.

The bill also repeals the existing section of K.S.A. 65-122, which previously mandated the exclusion of individuals afflicted with infectious or contagious diseases from schools and child care facilities. The new language emphasizes the importance of valid health orders for exclusion and aims to prevent unnecessary exclusion of children who have merely been exposed to a disease, thereby promoting public health while ensuring that children are not unjustly kept from educational settings.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 65-122