(Feb. 6, 2024) – Today, the House Health and Human Services Committee, chaired by Rep. Brenda Landwehr (R-Wichita), held hearings on the following bills:
House Bill 2548 – Enacts the No Patient Left Alone Act, requires facilities to allow in-person visitation to certain patients at hospitals, adult care homes and hospice facilities. The committee saw two amendments clarifying this applies to end-of-life care, allowing one or more visitors, and changing section (i) to ensure that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting individual complaints. The committee recommended the bill favorably for passage as amended.
Proponent testimony:
- Deann Feldt, private citizen and nurse
- Rachelle Colombo, Kansas Medical Society
- Kylee Childs, LeadingAge Kansas
Neutral conferees seeking amendments included:
There were no opponents.
House Bill 2637 – Expands eligibility for rural emergency hospital licensure to facilities meeting the criteria at any point after 2015.
Proponent testimony:
There were no opponents or neutral conferees.
The committee recommended the bill favorably for passage. It now goes to the full House.
The committee meets again tomorrow for a hearing on House Bill 2622. HB 2622 amends the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act to prohibit smoking on the gaming floor of a lottery gaming facility or racetrack gaming facility.