(April 16, 2024)—As bills have made their way to Governor Laura Kelly's desk, the Kansas Hospital Association wants to update you on the status of health care-related legislation.
Bills signed into law:
House Bill 2353 the Care and Treatment Act for mentally ill persons, increases the time allowed for an initial, continued treatment order; adds criteria to determine when outpatient treatment may be ordered.
House Bill 2358 permits additional professionals to provide attestation to the cause of death.
House Bill 2484 enacts the Social Work Licensure Compact to provide interstate practice privileges, requires applicants for social work licensure to submit to a criminal history record check and authorizes the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board to establish a fee for a license with compact practice privileges.
House Bill 2754 authorizes counties to use home rule powers to exempt from conducting school sanitary inspections.
Senate Bill 430 increases dependent's death benefits, reduces certain functional impairment requirements, increases compensation for certain disability categories and for treatment without authorization, raises the evidentiary standard for future medical treatment, limits certain procedures for post-award medical benefit claims, allows benefit payment by funds transfer or payment cards, establishes procedures for neutral health care examinations, exchanges and admission of medical reports, extends employee injury notification deadlines, eliminates the deadline for motions to avoid dismissal for lack of prosecution, provides for expedited settlement and digital recording of hearings and other changes to the Workers Compensation Act.
House Bill 2665 increases criminal penalties for drivers who leave the scene of a fatality or injury accident.
House Bill 2536 establishes a legal permanency option for foster children 16 years of age or older.
House Bill 2615 updates the process for publishing the Administrative Rules and Regulations and allows state officials to receive electronic or physical copies.
House Bill 2660 simplifies requirements and processes for annual business filings with the Secretary of State's office.
House Bill 2690 replaced the 911 Coordinating Council with the 911 Board.
House Bill 2790 transfers the registration and related compliance oversight of professional employer organizations from the commissioner of insurance to the secretary of state.
House Bill 2629 requires the death certificate of a child received by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to go to the Kansas Child Death Review Board.
Bills allowed to become law without signature include:
Senate Bill 394 requires the use of age-verification technology to permit access to internet websites containing material harmful to minors.
Each bill goes into effect at times dictated by the bill language.
Bills seeing a veto by Governor Kelly:
Senate Bill 233 prohibits health care providers from treating a child whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child's sex; authorizes a civil cause of action against health care providers for providing such treatments; restricts the use of state funds to promote gender transitioning; prohibits professional liability insurance from covering damages for health care providers providing gender transition treatment to children; requires professional discipline against a health care provider who performs such treatments; add violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 82-39, and the Senate on a vote of 27-13.
House Bill 2749 requires the reasons for each abortion performed at a medical care facility or by a health care provider to be reported. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 81-39 and the Senate on a vote of 27-13.
House Bill 2436 creates the crime of coercion to obtain an abortion, provides the penalties therefor and provides for enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed with the intent to compel a woman to obtain an abortion. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 82-37, and the Senate on a vote of 27-11.
Senate Bill 434 exempts hair removal by sugaring from the definition of cosmetology. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 71-52, and the Senate on a vote of 38-1.
House Bill 2648 requires the director of the budget to independently determine the costs of compliance and implementation for all proposed rules and regulations and authorizes the director of the budget to reject proposed rules and regulations. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 82-36, and the Senate on a vote of 27-13.
The legislature could attempt to veto these bills when it returns the last week of April. Any veto override vote requires a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate.