Enacting the Kansas surrogate medical decisions act to establish a hierarchy for identifying a surrogate who would make healthcare decisions and provide associated definitions and provider guidelines.

HB 2720 establishes a clear priority order for who can make healthcare decisions for Kansas residents who lack the capacity to decide for themselves. It directly affects patients without decision-making capacity, healthcare providers, and families needing to navigate medical choices during emergencies. The bill defines key terms (like "surrogate" and "capacity") and sets the hierarchy: guardians (appointed by court) come first, followed by healthcare agents (like proxies), then patients' designated surrogates (chosen in writing), and finally providers identifying surrogates from family/friends based on a specific order (spouse, adult children, parents, etc.). It also provides guidelines for healthcare providers on implementing this process while respecting patient preferences and legal standards.