(Mar. 27, 2024) – Today, the Senate took final votes on the following, among the bills before them:
House Bill 2547 authorizes the maintenance of emergency medication kits for certain life-threatening conditions; requires a prescription for the distribution of emergency medication to schools; provides requirements for the administration of emergency medication by school personnel and training; exempts certain persons from the practice of healing arts and civil liability if acting in good faith. The bill was amended in the Senate Committee to strike the civil liability protections. The House passed the bill previously on a vote of 116-4. The Senate passed the bill on a vote of 40-0. The bill will now see either a motion to concur in the House or will go to a conference committee.
House Bill 2648 concerns the requirements for the adoption of rules and regulations; provides agency adjudications shall not be used to establish policies that are rules governing future private conduct having the force of law; relates to economic impact statements; requires legislative ratification for certain rules and regulations; requires the director of the budget to review an agency's determination of implementation and compliance costs and disapproves proposed rules and regulations with incomplete or inaccurate economic impact statements. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 82-36. The bill passed the Senate on a vote of 27-13. The bill now goes to the governor.
House Bill 2690 establishes the state 911 Board; abolishes the 911 Coordinating Council; transfers the powers, duties and functions of the 911 Coordinating Council to the state 911 Board; authorizes the board to appoint an executive director and other employees to carry out the powers, duties and functions of the board; abolishes the 911 Operations Fund, the 911 State Grant Fund and the 911 State Fund and establishes the state 911 Operations Fund, the state 911 Grant Fund and the state 911 Fund in the state treasury; authorizes governing bodies of cities or counties to contract for the provision of 911 PSAP services with another governing body of a public safety support center. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 117-3. The bill passed the Senate on a vote of 39-1. The bill now goes to the House for a motion to concur or to a conference committee.
Among the bills debated by the Senate today:
Senate Bill 553 permits a plan sponsor to authorize electronic delivery of plan documents and identification cards for certain insured individuals covered by a health benefit plan. This bill includes language requiring insurers to meet federal electronic prior authorization standards in state law by Jan. 1, 2028.
House Bill 2358 allows a mid-level provider to attest to an individual's cause of death. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 106-9.
House Bill 2754 authorizes counties to be exempt from the requirement to perform school safety inspections. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 114-5.
House Bill 2614 requires state agencies to provide a notice of revocation thereof; and removes certain abolished or inactive state agencies from the five-year state agency review requirement. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 120-0.
House Bill 2711 relates to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System and systems thereunder; membership waiting period for direct support positions of community service providers; employment after retirement; increases the amount of retirant compensation subject to the statutory employer contribution rate; provides an exemption for retirants employed by a community developmental disability organization or a community service provider affiliated with a community developmental disability organization in a licensed professional nurse, licensed practical nurse or direct support position; increases the earnings limit for members of the Kansas Police and Firemen's Retirement System. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 117-2.
Senate Substitute for House Bill 2436 creates the crime of coercion to obtain an abortion and provides enhanced criminal penalties for offenses committed with the intent to coerce a woman to obtain an abortion. The bill previously passed the House on a vote of 85-38, so the House may see a position to concur or go to a conference.
House Bill 2784 relates to continuing care retirement communities; transfers authority for certification of such facilities from the Kansas Insurance Department to the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. This bill has previously passed the House on a vote of 118-1.
House Bill 2570 relates to Employment Security Law, the definition of benefit year, temporary unemployment, wages subject to assessment for employer contributions, the statewide average of annual wage and statewide average weekly wage; references certain new definitions for purposes of the annual determination by the secretary of the maximum weekly benefit amount; requires electronic filing of wage reports, contribution returns and payments and interest assessments for employers with 25 or more employees; establishes minimum qualifications for candidates for membership on the Employment Security Board of Review and initial review of such candidates by the director of unemployment; extends when the mandatory combination of rates and the establishment of a new account due to a business acquisition must occur from the beginning of the following quarter to the beginning of the following year; makes certain changes to the schedules governing employer contribution rates. This bill has previously passed the House on a vote of 120-0.