SF2211: Medical Freedom Act/Public Health Powers Reform

Prohibits discrimination, requirements, or penalties based on a person's status regarding medical interventions (e.g., vaccination, treatment) by businesses, educational institutions, and government entities, with limited exceptions for foreign jurisdiction travel requirements. It repeals or amends statutes mandating or tracking immunizations, and significantly curtails state authority to order medical interventions during public health emergencies. Enforcement is provided via civil action by the attorney general or county attorney, and compliance is tied to licensure. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Key Points & Impacts:

• Strikes and replaces Section 27C.2 to prohibit businesses, schools, and government from requiring or discriminating based on medical intervention status (e.g., vaccination), with narrow exceptions for foreign jurisdiction jobs.

• Prohibits businesses, ticket issuers, educational institutions, and government from denying services, admission, employment, or compensation based on medical intervention status.

• Allows one-time incentives for medical interventions but bans ongoing compensation differences based on intervention status.

• Explicitly bars healthy individuals from being excluded from any public or private activity based on medical intervention status.

• Removes state authority to order or administer treatment or prophylaxis (including vaccinations) during public health disasters, allowing only isolation or quarantine of infected, unwilling individuals and recommendations for exposed persons.

• Repeals requirements for childhood immunizations (striking Section 139A.8 and related reporting/verification statutes for schools and child care) and repeals employer COVID-19 vaccination mandates/waivers and related unemployment provisions.

• Prohibits compelled use of personal protective equipment authorized solely by emergency use authorization, while still allowing standard PPE requirements per workplace safety laws.

• Mandates enforcement via civil actions with attorney fees for successful prosecution and ties compliance to licensure for businesses, schools, and government entities; applies at all times, including during emergencies.