Healthcare

vetoed · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2587: Authorizing a licensed private psychiatric hospital to maintain a stock supply of emergency medication kits for pharmaceutical emergencies.

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables psychiatric hospitals to maintain emergency medication kits under pharmacist supervision, improving patient access to critical care during pharmaceutical emergencies in mental health settings.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Mental Health Prescription Drugs

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2551: Enacting the Kansas pharmacy services administrative organization act.

HB 2551 creates a licensing and regulatory framework for pharmacy services administrative organizations (PSAOs) in Kansas. These are entities that help independent pharmacies negotiate contracts with insurance companies and pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), requiring them to obtain a license from the Kansas Department of Insurance ($200 application fee, $150 annual renewal). The bill mandates PSAOs to disclose ownership details (including ties to drug manufacturers or PBMs) to both the state and pharmacies/PBMs before contracts are signed, prohibits requiring pharmacies to buy specific drugs to access discounts, and requires sharing contract terms and reimbursement rates with pharmacies within 10 days. This directly affects independent pharmacies, PBMs, and PSAOs by increasing transparency and standardizing their business relationships.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates PSAOs to improve pharmacy negotiation with insurers, enhancing access to medications and transparency in pharmacy services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2550: Requiring certain 340B entities to report annually to the Kansas department of insurance on certain costs, savings and payments made under the federal 340B drug pricing program.

HB 2550 requires Kansas hospitals participating in the federal 340B drug pricing program to submit annual reports starting January 1, 2027, to the Kansas Department of Insurance. The reports must detail how hospitals use 340B savings for community services, compare drug acquisition costs under 340B to other pricing sources, and provide specific financial data on drug expenditures, payments to pharmacies, and program administration. The Department of Insurance must publish these reports publicly on its website. This bill applies directly to Kansas hospitals designated as 340B entities under federal law, aiming to increase transparency around how these savings are utilized.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates reporting on 340B savings usage for community services, ensuring transparency and accountability in program implementation to support healthcare access and proper fund utilization.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 295: Removing the criminal penalties for possession of a personal-use quantity of marijuana and creating a civil penalty for possession of a personal-use quantity of marijuana.

Kansas' SB 295 replaces criminal penalties for possessing a personal-use amount of marijuana (up to 1 ounce) with a civil "marijuana infraction." Adults face a $25 fine or up to three hours of community service, while minors require up to five hours of community service or a drug awareness program. The bill prohibits arrests for this infraction, bans criminal records, and prevents impacts on driving privileges, financial aid, housing, or adoption eligibility. Fines fund a drug awareness program (50%) and the state general fund (50%), with data reported annually to the legislature. Municipalities cannot ban possession but may regulate public consumption similarly to alcohol.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReplaces criminal penalties with civil infractions, eliminates criminal records, and prevents collateral consequences - directly advancing criminal justice reform by reducing unnecessary criminalization.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates fines to fund a drug awareness program, directly supporting public health initiatives under healthcare policy.90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly prevents marijuana infractions from impacting housing eligibility, protecting tenant rights and preventing discrimination in housing access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

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signed · Kansas · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 2374: Creating the specialty practice student loan program and the specialty practice student loan repayment fund, allowing for the transfer of funds from the OBGYN and psychiatry medical student loan repayment funds to the specialty practice student loan repayment fund and abolishing the OBGYN and psychiatry medical student loan repayment funds.

HB 2374 establishes a new specialty practice student loan repayment program by consolidating existing funds from the OBGYN and psychiatry medical student loan repayment programs (which are abolished) into a single specialty fund. The University of Kansas School of Medicine will administer the program, offering loan repayment to medical students who commit to practicing in approved specialties - such as gynecology, general psychiatry, or other specialties designated by the chancellor - in designated service areas like rural communities or state medical facilities. The bill requires the university to annually report changes to eligible specialties and service areas based on workforce needs, population data, and community needs. This reorganization reallocates existing state funds without creating new spending to address healthcare workforce shortages in underserved regions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates loan repayment program for medical students in specialties like psychiatry/OGYN, incentivizing workforce development in critical healthcare areas to improve access.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 236: Authorizing victims of childhood abuse or neglect to access records related to substantiated reports or investigations of abuse or neglect.

SB 236 would authorize adult victims of childhood abuse or neglect to access their own substantiated abuse or neglect records held by Kansas child welfare agencies. Currently, these records are restricted to specific entities like courts, medical professionals, or foster parents, but this bill would add victims directly to the list of eligible individuals. The key mechanism is amending Kansas Statute 38-2212 to explicitly permit victims to obtain records related to their own substantiated cases, without requiring court involvement. This change would directly affect adult survivors seeking their own case documentation for personal or therapeutic reasons. The bill is pending review in the Public Health and Welfare Committee after introduction on February 6, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEnables victims to access substantiated abuse records, supporting victim rights and transparency in criminal justice proceedings related to past abuse cases.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables abuse victims to access substantiated records, improving mental health treatment access by providing documentation for care coordination.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Public Health

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 276: Removing the state fire marshal from the adult care home licensure act and the providers of disability services act and requiring the state fire marshal to complete training in person-centered care and responding to individuals with Alzheimer's disease and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

SB 276 removes the state fire marshal from direct authority under Kansas' adult care home and disability services licensing laws. Instead, it requires the fire marshal to complete annual training on person-centered care, Alzheimer's response, and intellectual/developmental disabilities support. The bill shifts life safety inspections for adult care homes to a subcontract model where the fire marshal conducts surveys under the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (DADS), which retains final authority over enforcement decisions. This directly affects adult care homes and disability service providers by changing how safety inspections are conducted and reviewed under their licensing processes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires fire marshal training on Alzheimer's/developmental disabilities care, enhancing safety protocols for vulnerable populations in adult care homes under healthcare services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 11: Requiring the state 911 board to establish requirements for 911 telecommunicators to receive training and continuous education in telecommunicator-cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

SB 11 requires Kansas' state 911 board to establish mandatory training and ongoing education for 911 telecommunicators who handle emergency medical dispatch. The bill mandates that this training follow national emergency cardiovascular care guidelines, including protocols for recognizing cardiac arrests and teaching callers compression-only CPR during medical emergencies. It directly affects all 911 telecommunicators in Kansas whose duties involve dispatching for medical emergencies. The state 911 board must monitor and enforce this training compliance for these personnel. The bill amends Kansas law to add this specific requirement to the board's responsibilities under Section 12-5384.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates CPR training for 911 telecommunicators in cardiac arrest protocols, improving emergency medical response quality per national guidelines.95% confidence

Tags Public Safety

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2287: Eliminating certain restrictions for eligibility for public assistance, including removing the requirement to cooperate with child support services, restrictions on persons convicted of drug felonies, requirements for employment and training programs, photograph requirements for benefits cards and legislative action required for expansion of medical assistance, permitting the secretary from granting categorical eligibility standards, extending the lifetime limitation on benefits, providing for hardship extensions and exempting parents providing care for a child less than one year of age.

HB 2287 simplifies eligibility for Kansas public assistance programs like cash aid (TANF), food assistance, and medical help. It removes barriers including the requirement to cooperate with child support enforcement, bans on people with drug felony convictions for food aid, and photo requirements on benefit cards. The bill extends the lifetime limit for TANF from 60 months (previously 36 months), exempts new parents caring for infants under one year from work requirements, and allows the secretary to set automatic eligibility standards for certain groups. It also eliminates the need for legislative approval to expand medical assistance and permits hardship extensions for applicants facing crises. These changes directly affect low-income Kansans seeking food, cash, or medical assistance.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves barriers to medical assistance eligibility (e.g., drug felony bans, photo requirements), expands access via categorical eligibility, and permits medical assistance expansion per bill text.95% confidence

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2159: Exempting law enforcement agencies who do not provide emergency opioid antagonistspursuant to the statewide protocol from the requirement to procure a physician medical director.

HB 2159 creates a $4 million annual grant fund to help law enforcement agencies purchase emergency opioid antagonists (like naloxone) for overdose response. It removes law enforcement agencies from the state's statewide opioid antagonist protocol, exempting them from requirements such as needing a physician medical director for their program. The bill also provides legal immunity for officers who administer these drugs during emergencies. Priority for the grants will go to small agencies that have adopted policies requiring opioid antagonist use.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill provides $4M grants for naloxone procurement and legal immunity for officers administering it during overdoses, enhancing law enforcement's emergency response capacity within criminal justice framework.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates $4M grant fund for naloxone access, removes bureaucratic barriers for overdose response, directly advancing public health emergency care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Substance Abuse

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