(Feb. 5, 2026) – Today, the House Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing on House Bill 2528, which would void all Kansas State Board of Nursing actions related to nonpractice violations; allow late license renewal for professional, practical and advanced practice registered nurses; set fees for late license renewal; limit unprofessional conduct to acts related to the practice of nursing; prohibit the board from taking retaliatory action against a licensee based on certain lawful actions; create a civil cause of action for violations of the foregoing; require that board members be subject to Senate confirmation; and require the board to issue refunds for overpayment or duplicate payment.
The committee heard from the following proponents:
- Representative Sandy Pickert (R-Wichita)
- Lacey Grogan, a nurse from St. Francis, who shared her experience with the Kansas State Board of Nursing
- Josh Conner, who explained the difficulties he had after leaving Kansas following a cancer diagnosis
- Shannon Greg described her experience with a Kansas State Board of Nursing investigation initiated by an angry patient
- Kathy Coslett, who discussed her deceased husband's experience after he unintentionally reported incomplete continuing education information
- Melissa Vaughn, who explained complications in her renewal process
- Michael Schommer, father of an autistic child who attempted suicide, discussed his son's experiences at various hospitals and the specialized care his son received from a psychiatric nurse practitioner
- Kathy Brown, who claimed her First Amendment rights were infringed in 2024
- Aaron Kelly, a long-term care administrator at Prairie Sunset Home, discussed nursing shortages
- Kerri Mosinski with Midland Care Connection shared a recent interaction and the lag time for a response from the Kansas State Board of Nursing
- Pamela Frueschting, a Wichita practitioner, discussed administrative issues versus patient safety issues
- Linda Moody, president of the Kansas State Nurses Association, provided background on the association and urged support
- Darrin Patterson, husband of Melissa Vaughn, gave an overview of the discussion on the topic of the legislature to date
- Representative Doug Blex (R-Independence), who shared his wife’s experiences with the board of nursing
The committee next heard opposition testimony from the following:
- Carol Moreland, Kansas State Board of Nursing. Moreland expressed concern about instances that wouldn’t be available and highlighted work done by the board
- Dr. Ruth Burkhart, who serves on the Kansas State Board of Nursing, emphasized the role the board plays in ensuring patient safety
- Angie Schreiber from Emporia discussed the limited number of complaints the board receives and noted that her brother was married to Carol Moreland before his death
- Kelly Sommers, a private citizen and nurse, suggested this is about retribution rather than good policy and that many key stakeholders need to be included in building the legislation
- Dr. Carol Moore, a retired Baker University nursing professor, discussed unintended consequences and suggested a few areas where the legislation could be improved
The committee will meet again next week.