(August 15, 2025) – Yesterday, the Legislative Coordinating Council, chaired by Senate President Ty Masterson, met. The committee had several items before it, including requests for additional special interim committees. Representative Leo Delperdang (R-Wichita) requested four days for an interim to examine telecommunications and the Video Competition Act, and Senate Vice President Tim Shallenburger (R-Baxter Springs) asked that a committee study the topic of Pharmacy Benefit Managers and 340B.
Following the overview of requests, House Speaker Dan Hawkins (R-Wichita) made a motion to approve two days for the telecommunications interims, excluding the 340B and PBM topics. The reason for not including those topics cited during the discussion was that, in 2022, a PBM bill was passed. Former Senator Jeff Longbine (R-Emporia) stated the legislature wouldn't be doing another PBM bill for four years, and 340B is not a state issue but rather a federal statute.
Senate Majority Leader Chase Blasi (R-Wichita) explained 340B protections have seen action in all states around us, the Senate passed a bill last session on this topic with a vote of 34 to six, and made a substitute motion to include the original motion (the two days for telecommunications), but to add two days for the topics of 340B and PBM reform.
Representative Woodard (R-Lenexa) supported the substitute motion, emphasizing the need for insurance discussions to focus on solutions and expressed a desire to work toward making prescription medications more affordable for Kansans.
The committee on the Legislative Coordinating Council rules requires at least five affirmative votes to pass. The Senate Blasi motion vote failed on a vote of four to three, with Speaker Hawkins, House Majority Leader Chris Croft (R-Overland Park) and Senate President Ty Masterson (R-Andover) voting no. However, Senate President Ty Masterson made a second motion on the topic to include the Speaker's original motion, but to include one day to focus on the issues of 340B and PBM reform, agreeing the topics need discussion.
Speaker Hawkins next made a motion for the House Select Committee on Government Oversight, which will meet again in September, to allow them to have compulsory subpoena power of a board or an agency pursuant to KSA 46-1004 (c) 1. This power will last for one meeting. The House Select Committee on Government Oversight has been discussing the Kansas State Board of Nursing. Many nurses appeared before them at the last meeting and expressed their concerns about having to admit to improper behavior in an effort to remedy administrative compliance on licensure and renewals. The committee has expressed frustration with the Board of Nursing during a time when nursing shortages continue.
Attorney General Kris Kobach also appeared before the committee to discuss lawsuits about federal grants and asked the committee to support that the governor's office cannot represent the State of Kansas in a lawsuit, citing the work must only be done by the Kansas Attorney General. The committee formally took a motion to document it agrees the Kansas Attorney General is the only one who should represent the interests of the State of Kansas in litigation related to New Jersey vs. OMB.They recommended the State of Kansas should not be a plaintiff in the lawsuit of New Jersey v. OMB, with Senator Dinah Sykes (D-Overland Park) and Representative Brandon Woodard (D-Lenexa) recorded as dissenting votes.
The committee also took up the topics of disposal of a building for a school district, the printing of Senate and House Journals during the 2026 session, the legislative data storage center, the KLISS modernization project updates and the legislative chief information technology officer position update.