Requiring the department of health and environment to audit hospital compliance with the lay caregiver act and report the results of such audit to the legislature.

SB 3 requires Kansas hospitals to comply with the Lay Caregiver Act, which ensures patients can designate a caregiver for help after leaving the hospital. Starting in 2026, the Department of Health and Environment must annually audit hospitals to verify they follow the Act’s requirements - like allowing patients to choose caregivers and providing discharge instructions to them - and report the results to legislative health committees by January 31 each year. This bill directly affects hospitals (as audited entities), patients (who can designate caregivers), and caregivers (who receive discharge information). The key mechanism is the mandatory annual audit and reporting process, not changes to the original Act’s patient and caregiver protections.