(Mar. 25, 2024) – Today, both the House and Senate debated bills before them. Among the scheduled work before the House, bills included:

House Bill 2510 concerns the code of civil procedure, relates to litigation funded by third parties; limits discovery and disclosure of third-party agreements in certain circumstances: requires reporting of such agreements to the judicial council and a judicial council committee to study third-party agreements; requires the clerk of the supreme court to develop a form for reports; exempts such reports from the Open Records Act.

Senate Bill 384 concerns health and health care; relates to emergency medical services; staffing of ambulances; and authorizes the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services to grant certain permanent variances from rules and regulations. The bill previously passed the Senate on a vote of 39-0. The House saw an amendment scrapping much of the agreed to language and stating the Board of EMS shall not require any vehicle providing emergency medical services in a city with a population of less than 50,000 or any county with a population of less than 50,000, to operate with any additional personnel other than the minimum personnel required. The amended bill will go for final vote.

Senate Bill 434 concerns public health, relates to the practice of cosmetology; and exempts the practice of hair removal by sugaring from the definition of cosmetology. The bill previously passed the Senate on a vote of 38-1.

Senate Bill 433 concerns health and health care, relates to institutional licenses; and clarifies practice privileges for those working for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. The bill previously passed the Senate on a vote of 39-1.

House Substitute for Senate Bill 287 concerns health and health care; relates to children and minors; prohibits a health care provider from administering any drug or diagnostic test or conducting behavioral health treatment to a minor in a school facility without parental consent. The bill previously passed the Senate on a vote of 40-0.

House Substitute for Senate Bill 143 concerns elevators; relates to the Elevator Safety Act; redefines the term elevator; modifies the requirements for licensure, inspections and testing of elevators and the adoption of rules and regulations by the state fire marshal; permits inspections by insurance companies; requires notification to the state fire marshal of certain elevator accidents; prohibits the use of elevators following such accidents until approved by the state fire marshal; provides for the use of labels by the state fire marshal to affix to elevators not authorized for use; provides that failure to notify the state fire marshal of an accident; removing an affixed label or operating an elevator in violation of an affixed label constitutes class A nonperson misdemeanors; removes requirements that licensed elevator inspectors conduct inspections and provides that licensed elevator mechanics or the employees of licensees may conduct such inspections. The bill previously passed the Senate on a vote of 38-0.

Also, today the Senate was slated to debate the following, among the bills before them:

Senate Bill 488 concerns the attorney general; relates to the office of the inspector general and the powers, duties and responsibilities thereof; expands the power of the inspector general to investigate and audit all state cash, food and health assistance programs.

House Bill 2749 concerns abortion; relates to reports on abortions performed in this state; requires the reporting of the reasons for each abortion performed at a medical care facility or by a health care provider. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 81-39.

House Bill 2484 concerns the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board; relates to social work; enacts the Social Work Licensure Compact to provide interstate practice privileges; requires applicants for social work licensure to submit to a criminal history record check; authorizes the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board to establish a fee for a license with compact practice privileges. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 118-2.

House Bill 2353 concerns the Care and Treatment Act for Mentally Ill Persons, increases the time allowed for an initial continued treatment order; adds criteria to determine when outpatient treatment may be ordered. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 119-0.