(Feb. 13, 2023) – Today, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, chaired by Senator Beverly Gossage (R-Eudora), heard Senate Bill 45. The legislation updates the state Children's Health Insurance Program eligibility requirements to be based on current federal poverty levels, rather than the 2008 levels. It also waives the waiting period. The legislation was included in a budget proviso last session but will last until the end of 2023. This bill corrects the language in statute.

Proponent conferees included:

• Sarah Fertig, Director of Medicaid at Kansas Department of Health and Environment
• Heather Braum, Kansas Action for Children.

The committee also held hearing on Senate Bill 6. The legislation restricts the powers of the KDHE secretary and local health officers to deal with infectious diseases.

Proponents included:

• Sen. Mark Steffan (R-Hutchinson)
• Bryant Anderson, private citizen
• Jeffrey Earl, DO
• Debbie Detmer, private citizen
• Festus Krebs, MD
• Lauren Shiffman, private citizen
• Gayln Perry, MD
• Greg Smith, Johnson County sheriff

Opponents included:

• Ashley Goss, KDHE Deputy Secretary
• Dennis Kriesel, executive director Associaton of Local Health Departments
• Dr. Dena Hubbard, American Academy of Pediatrics

The committee also received 21 pieces of opposition testimony, including from the Kansas Hospital Association.

The committee will meet again tomorrow, Feb. 14, to hold a hearing on Senate Bill 12, enacting the Kansas Child Mutilation Prevention Act to criminalize performing gender reassignment surgery or prescription of hormone replacement therapy on certain persons and providing grounds for unprofessional conduct for Kansas Board of Healing Arts licensees.