(Feb. 23, 2024) – The Senate debated Senate Bill 352, the John D. Springer Patient's Bill of Rights. The legislation requires hospitals to allow in-person visitation, adopt visitation policies and procedures and creates a civil cause of action for violation of such rights. The bill was amended on a vote of 22-18 by Senator Kristen O'Shea (R-Topeka) to require backfill any federal funds that could be lost by the state. The bill, as amended, passed the Senate on a vote of 26-13.

The Senate also worked on the following bills:

Senate Bill 338 – Changes certain reporting requirements of group-funded liability and workers' compensation pools. 40-0

Senate Bill 345 – Enacts the Commercial Financing Disclosure Act. 38-2

Senate Bill 433 – Clarifies practice privileges of institutional license holders. 39-1

Senate Bill 491 – Standardizes criminal history record check fingerprinting language and defines who may be fingerprinted for a criminal history record check. 40-0

Senate Bill 391 – Enacta the Constitutional Right to Health Freedom Act to regulate the activities of the secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment related to public health functions; repeals statutes relating to the secretary's authority to quarantine individuals and impose associated penalties. 23-17