Senate Public Health Committee Meeting Notice – TOMORROW, Friday, Oct. 1

UPDATE: The agenda for tomorrow’s meeting is up. Click here to view the agenda.

Tomorrow, Friday, October 1 at 8:30 a.m., the Senate Public Health Committee will be meeting in room 272 at the State Capitol. The committee will discuss several bills at this meeting.

These bills deal with the state’s response to COVID vaccine mandates imposed by employers or the federal government, and the use of American COVID Rescue Act Funds in the state.

If you or someone you know would like to voice your comments or concerns to the committee about this legislation, tomorrow is the time. You must attend the meeting in person if you want to speak on any of these bills.

You can livestream the meeting at www.arkleg.state.ar.us.

The agenda for the meeting has not been posted. Here is a list of the legislation which will likely be considered, with links:

SB719 – TO ESTABLISH A RIGHT OF PRIVACY CONCERNING CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19) VACCINATION STATUS; TO ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM WITH DISTRIBUTION FROM COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

SB731 – TO ESTABLISH A RIGHT OF PRIVACY CONCERNING CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19) VACCINATION STATUS; TO ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM FROM COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS OR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021 FUNDS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

SB732 – TO PROHIBIT COERCION OF PERSONS TO RECEIVE THE VACCINE OR IMMUNIZATION FOR CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19); AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

SB736 – TO ADDRESS MANDATES RELATED TO CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19); TO PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS FOR EMPLOYEES FROM MANDATES RELATED TO CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19); AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

SB737 – TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE EMPLOYERS AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS FROM DISCRIMINATING BASED ON A PERSON’S VACCINATION STATUS OR POSSESSION OF A VACCINE PASSPORT AND FROM MANDATING VACCINES FOR COVID-19.

SB738 – TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE EMPLOYERS AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS FROM DISCRIMINATING BASED ON A PERSON’S VACCINATION STATUS OR POSSESSION OF A VACCINE PASSPORT AND FROM MANDATING VACCINES FOR COVID-19.

SB739 – TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEE EXEMPTIONS FROM FEDERAL MANDATES AND EMPLOYER MANDATES RELATED TO CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19); TO AUTHORIZE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

SB740 – TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE EMPLOYERS AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS FROM DISCRIMINATING BASED ON A PERSON’S VACCINATION STATUS OR POSSESSION OF A VACCINE PASSPORT AND FROM MANDATING VACCINES FOR COVID-19; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.