HB 2763 creates a compact allowing athletic trainers licensed in one participating state to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects licensed athletic trainers seeking to work across state lines, active military members and their spouses relocating for duty, and patients gaining broader access to these professionals. The bill establishes uniform licensing standards and a commission to manage mutual recognition, eliminating the need for multiple state licenses while preserving each state's authority to regulate practice and protect public safety. It requires trainers to maintain current licensure and meet continuing education standards to exercise interstate practice privileges.
HB 2587 allows state-licensed private psychiatric hospitals in Kansas to maintain approved emergency medication kits for immediate patient use during pharmaceutical emergencies. These kits, stocked under pharmacist supervision, can include controlled substances but require specific committee approval for types and quantities. Hospitals must follow strict protocols for kit access, administration, and recordkeeping, with pharmacists-in-charge responsible for oversight. The bill directly affects private psychiatric hospitals and their pharmacy staff, ensuring rapid access to critical medications when standard supplies are unavailable.
SB 430 allows licensed physical therapists in Kansas to perform specific fingerstick blood tests (like lactate and blood glucose) to assess muscle metabolism, exercise tolerance, or rehabilitation progress. It limits these tests to federal "CLIA-waved" assays, requires therapists to hold a federal waiver certificate, and mandates that results only support therapy planning or follow physician orders - never for diagnosing medical conditions. Physical therapists cannot bill insurance for these tests alone but may charge patients for supply costs. The bill explicitly prevents therapists from expanding their diagnostic authority or billing separately for these tests.
HB 2365 establishes the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital in Wichita, Kansas, to expand mental health care access in south-central Kansas, specifically serving Sedgwick County and surrounding areas. The bill creates a dedicated "South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital Fee Fund" managed by the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, which will collect and allocate funds from patient charges and operations. It also directs the department to establish an extension to the state security hospital in Larned for housing patients committed by courts, transferred from correctional facilities, or requiring specialized mental health care. This facility aims to address regional mental health bed shortages without altering existing criminal law provisions referenced in the bill text.
HB 2044 requires third-party administrators (TPAs) handling insurance funds to maintain separate fiduciary accounts for each individual payor (such as insurance companies or group health plans), prohibiting commingling of funds from multiple payors. The bill mandates that TPAs provide detailed accountings to payors and disclose any bankruptcy filings under U.S. Chapter 9 or 11 to the Kansas Insurance Commissioner. These changes amend Kansas statutes 40-3807 and 40-3809 to enforce clear financial separation and transparency. The law directly affects TPAs and their payors by restructuring how insurance premiums and claims funds are handled and reported.
SB 82 allows rural emergency hospitals in Kansas that previously provided skilled nursing care to convert up to 10 swing beds into skilled nursing facility beds. To qualify, hospitals must be currently licensed as rural emergency hospitals, have held a prior hospital license, and have offered skilled nursing or swing bed services for at least one year without safety violations. The bill requires the Secretary for Aging and Disability Services to grant physical environment waivers upon application, enabling these hospitals to transition beds without meeting full nursing facility requirements. This policy directly affects eligible rural hospitals seeking to expand care access in underserved communities.
HB 2729 requires the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to provide physicians with specific forms and notices for the "Woman's Right to Know Act." It mandates that physicians give women written information 24 hours before an abortion, including details about the procedure, risks, alternatives, physician qualifications (like medical degree year and disciplinary history), and fetal development. The law also requires women to sign a written certification confirming they received this information before the procedure. This bill directly affects physicians performing abortions and women seeking abortion care in Kansas, with the department responsible for creating the required forms.
HB 2727 allows plaintiffs in lawsuits claiming violations of Kansas' "woman's-right-to-know" act (specifically regarding abortion informed consent) to choose a $5,000 statutory damages limit instead of seeking full compensation. If this election is made, Kansas' medical malpractice screening panel requirements (K.S.A. 65-4901-65-4908) no longer apply to the case. The bill directly affects individuals filing abortion-related informed consent claims against healthcare providers. It creates a streamlined option for plaintiffs seeking limited recovery in these specific cases, without altering the core requirements of the woman's-right-to-know act.
SB 334 requires nursing schools in Kansas seeking state approval to ensure their instructors hold nursing degrees at least one level higher than the program they teach (e.g., instructors for practical nursing programs must have a professional nursing degree). This directly affects all Kansas nursing schools applying for or renewing state approval. The bill amends existing law to mandate this faculty qualification standard as part of the approval process, with limited exemptions for schools facing hiring challenges. It does not alter nursing curricula or student requirements.
HB 2509 amends Kansas law to explicitly include "licensed advanced practice registered nurse" (specifically those authorized as nurse-midwives) in the definition of "healthcare provider" under the Healthcare Provider Insurance Availability Act. This change directly affects advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) who practice as nurse-midwives, ensuring they qualify under the same professional liability insurance requirements as other defined healthcare providers. The bill modifies K.S.A. 40-3401 to add new subsections (S) and (U) to the definition, aligning APRNs with existing categories like physicians and nurses. This adjustment ensures APRNs are covered by the state's framework for professional liability insurance availability, without altering insurance benefits or costs. The bill is currently pending in the Health and Human Services Committee.
