<p>By JOHN HANNA</p><p>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican legislators are pushing to keep in place specific rules for tracing the close contacts of people exposed to COVID-19 despite public health groups’ opposition.</p><p>(Click below to listen to the committee discussion on the proposal)</p><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vs5cWpA-iWM?start=194" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><p>The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/documents/sb304_00_0000.pdf" target="_blank">a bill</a>&nbsp;making limits on COVID-19 contact tracing permanent, rather than repealing them May 1. The GOP-controlled Legislature approved the rules last year at Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s request. He argued that they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-topeka-derek-schmidt-abfa3c6b1634a5b670a6943e9a3f37aa">protect the privacy</a>&nbsp;of infected people and prevent information about them from becoming public.</p><p>The committee’s voice vote Friday sent the measure next to the full Senate. It applies only to COVID-19 and not other diseases, and a key provision prevents people exposed to the novel coronavirus from being forced to disclose their close contacts. It also says people can’t face criminal charges or civil lawsuits for refusing.</p><p>“It’s a small change we are addressing while we are in session, keeping privacy protections in place,” said Committee Chair Kellie Warren, a Lenexa Republican.</p><p>But public health officials have said the rules&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-kansas-wichita-topeka-virus-outbreak-1402959bab4ae0016d313fae13258c62">hinder contact tracing,&nbsp;</a>and two public health associations told the Senate committee that it makes no sense to have different rules for COVID-19 and all other diseases.</p><p>“Let health care professionals have all the tools in the chest they need,” said Democratic Sen. David Haley, of Kansas City, Kansas.</p>

🎥 Kan. lawmakers push to keep COVID contact-tracing rules