Week 11 and First Adjournment of the 2026 Session

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Week 11 and First Adjournment of the 2026 Session

During Week 11, before adjourning late on Friday, March 27, legislators reached agreement on the budget and passed more than 90 bills - including more than 30 related to health - sending them to Gov. Laura Kelly for consideration. The Legislature will return to the Capitol on Thursday, April 9, for the veto session.

This edition of Health at the Capitol looks at health-related policy issues addressed by the Kansas Legislature the week of March 23, as well as actions taken by Gov. Kelly in the days leading up to the veto session.

Health at the Capitol is a weekly summary providing highlights of the Kansas legislative session, with a specific focus on health policy related issues. Sign up here to receive these summaries and more, and also follow KHI on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram . Previous editions of Health at the Capitol can be found on our ARCHIVE PAGE.

On Monday, March 23, Gov. Kelly and the Kansas Water Office announced that $19.4 million is being awarded to 44 communities and special districts across the state to provide funding for water projects, technical assistance and loan assistance. Gov. Kelly stated that the funding will "ensure a safe and resilient water supply for generations of Kansans to come." A full list of the funded projects and communities is available here.

On Thursday, March 26, the Governor announced that Kansas has joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families' "A Home for Every Child" initiative to improve the ratio of foster homes to children in Kansas and across the country. According to the Administration for Children and Families, nationally there are only 57 homes for every 100 children entering foster care. The initiative aims to achieve a foster-home-to-child ratio of at least 1:1 by collaborating with states to cut bureaucratic red tape, improve data collection and reporting, provide new incentives and support kin-first placements. Kansas is the first state to receive ACF approval for its "A Home for Every Child" plan. Additional information about the federal initiative is available here.

On Friday, March 27, the Kansas Supreme Court dismissed the case of Governor Laura Kelly, in Her Official Capacity, v Kris Kobach, Attorney General, in His Official Capacity, which was filed by Gov. Kelly on Oct. 31, 2025. The Court stated in its ruling that it had determined that the actual dispute between the parties had not "ripened" into the type of question that they could resolve and the case did not "present a pressing legal question of significant public importance" that supported continuation of the case.

The Governor's petition was filed after the Attorney General objected to her filing suit in her official capacity to participate in ongoing federal litigation related to two disputes with the federal government related to the federal government's request for all states, including Kansas, to provide personally identifying information of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and the federal government's attempts to delay, cut or terminate certain federal grant funding, including SNAP, to several state agencies. Attorney General Kobach asserted that he had exclusive authority to represent Kansas and its interests in federal litigation and sought to have the Governor removed from those lawsuits. In its decision, the Court noted that the dispute related to the SNAP data appeared to be resolved and found that the Attorney General had conceded during the oral argument on Jan. 16 that he does not "contest the Governor's constitutional authority to represent the legal interests of her office or the executive agencies she oversees." The Court also acknowledged that its decision "neither attempts to resolve nor draws any conclusion about which official or officials in Kansas have the constitutional authority to speak for the State of Kansas in court," which makes it possible that this issue could arise again in the future.

On April 3, the Governor announced that the state had ended March with total tax collections of $577.1 million, which was $68.9 million, or 10.7 percent, below the estimate.

Bills With Action During Week 11 Leading to First Adjournment

Senate Substitute (Sub.) for House Bill (HB) 2004 would establish and amend law regarding the sharing of information related to federal assistance programs with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Second Conference Committee agreed to the bill, as passed by the Senate Committee of the Whole, with the following amendments:

• Clarify that the request for information from USDA or HHS would need to be related to a federal program administered by either the Secretary for the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) or the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE);
• Clarify that the information provided to USDA or HHS would be information contained in state records related to the federal program administered by the Secretary in question;
• Remove language that would have required both the Secretaries for DCF and KDHE to comply to a USDA or HHS request "without conditions or limitations;" and
• Change the time by which the Secretaries for DCF and KDHE would be required to provide the data to USDA or HHS from 30 days to 60 days.

The Second Conference Committee also agreed to insert the contents of Sub. for HB 2731 regarding data sharing between the OIG and DCF, as passed by the House Committee of the Whole. On March 26 the Second Conference Committee Report (CCR) was adopted by the Senate on a vote of 28-11, adopted by the House on a vote of 84-37, and the bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 30.

HB 2068 would amend various provisions in the Pharmacy Act of the State of Kansas and the Pharmacy Practice Act regarding pharmacist scope of practice, pharmaceutical compounding, authority to delegate access to the state's prescription monitoring program database, and the remote practice of pharmacy. The Conference Committee agreed to remove the provisions of HB 2068 (regarding provisions of the Cosmetology Compact) and add the contents of HB 2676 (regarding permitting pharmacists to initiate therapy for certain conditions consistent with pharmacist education, training and experience), the contents of HB 2740 (regarding the adoption of compounding standards established by the United States Pharmacopeia or USP), the contents of SB 322 (regarding the removal of the authority of the Board to authorize individuals to access the prescription monitoring program database by rules and regulations) and the contents of SB 431 (regarding the remote practice of pharmacy), and to make the bill effective upon publication in the Kansas Register. The CCR was adopted by the Senate on March 25 on a vote of 40-0 and by the House on March 26 on a vote of 107-18 and was enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

Senate Sub. for HB 2164 would establish minimum requirements for recess in public schools and include such time in school term calculations beginning in the 2027-2028 school year; direct the State Board of Education to establish a Kansas State Physical Fitness Test, and amend the Kansas Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to ban certain food additives from reimbursable school meals. The Second Conference Committee agreed to remove the provisions of Senate Sub. for HB 2164 (prohibiting certain sex offenders from entering onto school property), insert the contents of SB 339, as passed by the House, regarding recess and physical fitness tests, and add Section 1 of House Sub. for SB 390 (related to food additives prohibition in school meals), with the following modifications:

• Specify the time provided for organized recess not in excess of one hour per school day would be considered part of the school term; and
• Add language on reasonable reliance regarding food labels.

The CCR was adopted by the Senate on March 27 on a vote of 24-13 but was not adopted by the House.

Sub. for HB 2250 would add administering an emergency opioid antagonist as a protected act immune from criminal prosecution if the person to whom aid was rendered reasonably appeared to need medical assistance or requested medical assistance from law enforcement or emergency medical services as a result of the use of a controlled substance and would add civil liability protection for first responders. The bill also would authorize a licensed private psychiatric hospital to maintain a stock supply of emergency medication kits for pharmaceutical emergencies; permit pharmacists to distribute epinephrine delivery systems to schools for emergency medical kits; and authorize the use of expedited partner therapy (EPT) to treat sexually transmitted diseases. The Conference Committee agreed to the bill, as passed by the Senate on March 13, and agreed to insert the contents of HB 2587 (related to emergency medication kits); the contents of SB 328 (related to epinephrine delivery systems) and the contents of SB 448 (related to EPT). The CCR was adopted by the Senate on March 25 on a vote of 40-0, adopted by the House on March 26 on a vote of 124-1, and enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

HB 2374 would create the Specialty Practice Student Loan Program and Specialty Practice Student Loan Repayment Fund, allow for the transfer of funds from the OB-GYN and psychiatry medical student loan repayment funds to the Specialty Practice Student Loan Repayment Fund, and abolish the OB-GYN and psychiatry medical student loan repayment funds. The Specialty Practice Student Loan Program would be administered by the University of Kansas School of Medicine, and the school would be authorized to enter into medical student loan agreements with undergraduate students who intend to pursue practice in an approved specialty and commit to satisfy obligations to engage in the full-time practice of medicine and surgery in a service commitment area. The Chancellor would have the authority to administer the medical specialty student loan program, including discretion to allocate which specialties are eligible for the loan based on workforce needs. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and signed on April 6.

HB 2329 would amend provisions in the Revised Kansas Juvenile Justice Code relating to sentencing alternatives, the placement matrix and detention length limit. The bill also would direct the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) to contract for beds for juvenile alternative sentences to out-of-home placements, direct the funding for such placements to come from the Evidence-Based Programs Account (EBPA) and remove expired sunsets regarding such out-of-home placements. The bill also would authorize the Secretary to enter into a memorandum of agreement to provide money from the EBPA to additional types of facilities with a program purpose of behavioral health crisis intervention for juveniles. The bill also would change the name of juvenile crisis intervention centers to juvenile stabilization centers through the Revised Code for the Care of Children and the Juvenile Code and modify the intake criteria for, and the treatment and services provided by, such centers. The bill also would transfer money from the EBPA in the State General Fund (SGF) to DCF to provide juvenile stabilization services. The Second Conference Committee agreed to the provisions of HB 2329, and agreed to add the contents of HB 2639 (related to juvenile stabilization centers) and further amended the contents of the bill to:

• Amend when a juvenile offender would be considered a chronic offender;
• Lower the cap on the amount of expenditures the Secretary of KDOC would be authorized to make from the EBPA to carry out the provisions of the bill from $10.0 million to $4.5 million; and
• Amend that the detention risk assessment tool may be overridden when a juvenile has been presented to juvenile intake pursuant to the Juvenile Code for the second time in three months.

On March 26 the CCR was adopted by the Senate on a vote of 27-12 and by the House on a vote of 89-32 and the bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 30.

HB 2365 would make amendments to the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by adding and removing certain substances in Schedules I, III and IV, including 11 opioids or synthetic opioids and 7-OH, a derivative of kratom; modifying language related to fentanyl and cannabis to conform state statute with federal law; and making conforming amendments to the definition of "fentanyl-related controlled substance" in the Kansas Criminal Code. The Second Conference Committee agreed to remove the contents of HB 2365 regarding the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital, which was enacted in 2025 HB 2249, and add the provisions of HB 2765 regarding updates to the CSA, and SB 497, regarding kratom and fentanyl-related controlled substances. The CCR was adopted by the Senate on March 26 on a vote of 34-5, adopted by the House on March 27 on a vote of 76-49, and the bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

Senate Sub. for HB 2402 would require eligible boards of education to consider participation in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), provide a financial hardship exception to such participation, and require the State Department of Education to assist school districts seeking such participation. The Conference Committee agreed to the bill, as passed by the Senate, with the following amendments:

• Included language requiring that only school boards with one or more schools with at least 50.0 percent of students eligible for free lunch through direct certification under NSLP would need to annually consider CEP participation; and
• Added clarifying language that the determination of the number of students enrolled and attending school in each school who qualify for a free lunch under the NSLP would only be those students who qualify through the direct certification process.

On March 27 the Conference Committee Report (CCR) was adopted by the Senate on a vote of 31-9 and by the House on a vote of 91-33. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 30 and signed on April 7.

HB 2479 would increase the penalties for the crimes of endangering a child and aggravated endangering a child when such child is less than 6 years of age and amend other provisions of the Kansas Code for Criminal Procedure and Kansas Criminal Code. The Conference Committee agreed to include the provisions of HB 2412 (regarding penalties for endangering a child and aggravated endangering a child), HB 2518 (regarding breach of privacy), HB 2594 (regarding blackmail), and HB 2762 (regarding unlawful sexual relations by persons in positions of authority), and to amend the unlaw sexual relations provisions to include volunteers at a school who are 21 years old or older as a "person in position of authority at a school" and to be effective upon publication in the statute book. The CCR was adopted by the Senate on March 26 on a vote of 39-0, by the House on March 27 on a vote of 124-0, and the bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

HB 2509 would amend the Health Care Provider Insurance Availability Act to add advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) to the list of health care providers participating in the Health Care Stabilization Fund; add a member who is an APRN to the Board of Governors of the Fund; and permit licensed physical therapists to perform certain capillary blood tests. The Conference Committee agreed to the bill, as amended by the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare, and agreed to add the contents of SB 430 as amended by the House Committee on Health and Human Services, which would permit licensed physical therapists to perform certain capillary blood tests, The CCR was adopted by the Senate on March 26 on a vote of 37-2, adopted by the House on March 27 on a vote of 92-33, and enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

HB 2513 contains Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding adjustments, funding for state agencies for FY 2027, and selected adjustments for FYs 2028, 2029 and 2030. The bill also provides funding and implementation for the Office of Early Childhood. The bill adjusts total state expenditures to $27.8 billion, including $10.9 billion State General Funds (SGF) in FY 2026 and adjusts total state expenditures to $26.8 billion, including $10.7 billion SGF, for FY 2027. On March 26, the CCR was adopted by the Senate on a vote of 23-16 and by the House on a vote of 67-53. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 30.

Major adjustments for FY 2026 include:

• Adding $431.0 million, including deleting $68.9 million SGF, to adopt the fall 2025 consensus human services caseloads estimates. The SGF decrease is primarily attributable to lower than anticipated KanCare costs statewide; however, these are offset by increases in foster care costs in the Sedgwick County region;
• Adding $39.2 million SGF to increase expenditures for contract staffing at Larned State Hospital and Osawatomie State Hospital; and
• Adding $1.9 million, including $810,888 SGF, for upgrades to the Kansas Eligibility Enforcement System (KEES).

Major adjustments for FY 2027 include:

• Adding $49.8 million, including $18.9 million SGF, for a Medicaid capacity payment for nursing facilities of $15 per resident per day;
• Adding $56.5 million, including $15.0 million SGF, for the Children's Health Insurance Program;
• Adding $41.7 million, including $15.8 million SGF, to provide a 6.0 percent reimbursement rate increase for providers of Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Intellectual/Developmental Disability waiver services;
• Adding $39.5 million, including $15.0 million SGF, to cover the current HCBS Frail Elderly waiver services overages and to formally establish a waitlist for such waiver services;
• Adding $22.0 million, including $20.0 million SGF, and 336.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, to fund the first year of operations at the South Central Regional Mental Health Hospital;
• Adding $13.3 million, including $5.3 million SGF, to increase the Physical Disability agency-directed personal care services from $19.52 per hour to $29.00 per hour and reduce the Frail Elderly Level 3 Personal Care Services from $33.24 to $30.00 per hour;
• Adding $12.0 million SGF to increase expenditures for contract staffing at Larned State Hospital and Osawatomie State Hospital;
• Adding $10.5 million, including $4.0 million SGF, to accommodate the number of individuals served on the HCBS Brain Injury waiver;
• Adding $10.0 million SGF for hospitals providing inpatient behavioral health services for adults;
• Adding $7.0 million, including $2.5 million SGF, to accommodate the number of individuals served on the HCBS Technology Assisted waiver;
• Adding $5.0 million SGF to provide funding for individuals who are included in the uninsured, non-Medicaid eligible federal block grant population;
• Adding $4.7 million, including $1.8 million SGF, to fund services for the HCBS Community Support waiver;
• Adding $4.0 million, including $1.0 million SGF, to implement Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Final Rule 0056-F in the Kansas Modular Medicaid System (KMMS) that modernizes electronic pharmacy transactions;
• Adding $4.0 million SGF for community mental health centers;
• Adding $3.5 million State Institutions Building Fund (SIBF) to remodel the A building at Adair Acute Care on the campus of Osawatomie State Hospital to provide additional federally certified beds;
• Adding $3.4 million, including $850,000 SGF, for Gainwell Technologies to complete system changes required by CMS Final Rule 0057-F pertaining to interoperability of Medicaid data;
• Adding $3.0 million SGF for Nutrition Services and adding language requiring expenditures to be distributed proportionally based on the number of meals provided plus the number of individuals on a waitlist for FY 2027. Adding language specifying that no less than $5.7 million be disbursed directly to Meals on Wheels service providers;
• Adding $3.0 million SGF for the Community-Based Primary Care Clinic Program;
• Adding $2.0 million, all from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, for one-time funding for Inclusion Connections for Belong KC construction expenses to build a home for 41 young adults with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities for FY 2027;
• Deleting $12.1 million in federal funds for the administrative portion of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Adding $12.1 million SGF to the State Finance Council (SFC). Adding language that DCF provide expenditure information on SNAP administration expenditures and payment error rates before the SFC releases the $12.1 million;
• Deleting $6.0 million SGF from the Mental Health Intervention Team;
• Adopting the fall 2025 consensus human services caseloads estimates; and
• Establishing the Office of Early Childhood and authorizing funding and FTE positions to be transferred from KDHE, DCF, and the Kansas State Department of Education to this new agency.

Language-Only Items

• Adding language directing KDHE to implement the child, adolescent and adult immunization schedules from the CDC that are in effect at CDC on July 1, 2026;
• Adding language prohibiting KDHE from expending any funds to enter into a contract with, or make a grant to entities that assist, provide, perform, promote, counsel towards, refer for or provide facilities for abortions. Additionally, this language excludes entities prohibited from performing abortions under chapter 76 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated - unless in the event of a medical emergency; and
• Adding language withholding $5.0 million SGF from DCF's operating account until the agency can certify to the SFC that the Healthy Foods Waiver has been implemented statewide on or before Jan. 1, 2027.

HB 2520 would amend the Adult Care Home Licensure Act to allow a maximum of 16 individual residents, increased from 12, in Home Plus facilities. The bill would require Home Plus facilities that provide care for more than 12 individuals after July 1, 2026, to develop and maintain written plans demonstrating the ability of the facility to meet residents' needs, respond to emergencies and maintain resident health and safety at the increased capacity. The bill would require the plans to be available for review during survey or inspection. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and signed on April 6.

HB 2524 would amend law concerning DCF's licensing of family foster home applicants and licensees. The bill would allow DCF to allow for the continuation of a license of a family foster home when:

• The applicant or licensee otherwise qualifies for such licensure; and
• A person who resides in such home:
  • Has been convicted or adjudicated of an offense as described in continuing law;
  • Was a child with such conviction or adjudication in custody and placed in such home by the Secretary of DCF;
  • Is less than 26 years of age; and
  • Maintains residence in such home or has been legally adopted by a person who resides in such home.

The Secretary could grant a license or allow the continuation of a license if there are no safety concerns, as determined by the Secretary, and if a person residing in such home otherwise meets the above-listed requirements, but:

• Is older than 26 years of age; or
• Has an additional conviction or adjudication after release from the custody of the Secretary.

This bill would allow an applicant or licensee of a family foster home to appeal to the Secretary for review if licensure has not been granted. If this arises, the Secretary's decision upon review of the appeal would be final. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and signed on April 6. In her bill announcement Gov. Kelly said, "I am pleased to sign bipartisan legislation that ensures individuals who have been touched by the foster system have the support, care and stability they need as they grow."

HB 2528 would require all State Board of Nursing actions related to certain nonpractice violations be void, allow for late license renewal for professional, practical and advanced practice registered nurses, set fees for late license renewal, limit unprofessional conduct to acts related to the practice of nursing, prohibit the Board from taking retaliatory action against a licensee based on certain lawful actions and create a civil cause of action for violation thereof, require termination of current Board members on Jan. 1, 2027, and require the Governor to appoint interim board members subject to Senate confirmation. The Second Conference Committee agreed to the bill, as passed by the Senate Committee of the Whole, and agreed to add an amendment regarding expiration of terms for current Board membership and the appointment of new Board members by the Governor. On March 26 the Second CCR was adopted by the Senate on a vote of 32-8 and adopted by the House on a vote of 87-38. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 30 and signed on April 7.

HB 2533 would enact four multistate licensure compacts:

• Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact
• Respiratory Care Interstate Compact
• Esthetics Licensure Compact
• Athletic Trainer Licensure Compact

On March 26 the CCR was adopted by the Senate on a vote of 38-2 and by the House on a vote of 125-0. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

HB 2534 would require school districts to develop fentanyl abuse education programs and to maintain a stock supply of naloxone, create the Student Safe at School Act regarding the conduct of active shooter drills and simulations in public and accredited nonpublic schools, amend the definition of "crisis drill" for purposes of rules and regulations promulgated by the State Fire Marshall, and amend requirements concerning school district at-risk accountability plans. The Conference Committee agreed to remove the contents of HB 2534 related to enactment of the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, as passed by the Senate Committee of the Whole, and insert the contents of:

• House Sub. for SB 263, as passed by the House Committee of the Whole, regarding active shooter drills and active shooter simulations, with the following amendments:
  • Include "trauma-informed" to the types of designs that Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) must include in its guidelines; and
  • Include language allowing adult school personnel to conduct or participate in tactical training exercises on school property.
• HB 2489, as passed by the House Committee of the Whole, regarding fentanyl abuse education programs, storage of naloxone in schools, and the administration of naloxone by school district employees; and
• HB 2663, as passed by the House Committee of the Whole, regarding changes to school district at-risk accountability plans, with the following amendments:
  • Require both student cohort groups to be composed of subgroups identified for state assessment purposes;
  • Require that if two student cohort groups cannot be created from state assessment subgroups, that one student cohort group would be composed of students eligible to receive at-risk programs and services; and
  • Clarify that the English language arts or mathematics assessment used as a quantitative measurement for a cohort group correspond to the quantitative goals of such cohort group.

[Note: The previous contents of HB 2534 were placed into the CCR for HB 2533.]

On March 27 the Senate adopted the CCR on a vote of 39-0 and the House on a vote of 123-0. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

HB 2536 would prohibit a court from appointing a person as a guardian for an adult diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, dementia or a similar neurological condition until the person to be appointed files an affidavit with the court verifying completion of an approved training program. The bill would authorize the court to waive the training if it is in the best interest of the adult diagnosed with the condition, and any such waiver would be entered into the record of proceedings. The Secretary for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) would be required to approve training programs for proposed guardians and would be required to adopt rules and regulations to administer the provisions of the bill. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and signed on April 6.

HB 2537 would create "Caleb's Law," which would amend the definition of the crime of sexual extortion to include additional conduct; create the crimes of aggravated sexual extortion causing great bodily harm and aggravated sexual extortion causing death; and if the offender is over age 18, and the victim is less than age 18, or the victim is a dependent adult, the offense would be a severity level 6 person felony. The bill would also require the Attorney General to prepare and provide certain educational materials and information concerning sexual extortion. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and signed on April 6. In her bill announcement, the Governor said, "By prioritizing education and awareness, Caleb's Law ensures that young people, families and educators have the tools to recognize sexual extortion and seek help before it's too late."

HB 2562 would add physical therapists, licensed to practice under the Physical Therapy Practice Act, to the list of authorized practitioners who can certify to the Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Vehicles, that an individual has a disability. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and signed on April 6.

HB 2601 would establish a Child Abuse and Neglect Registry maintained by the Secretary for DCF and require administrative hearings, including the opportunity for appeal, before placing an individual on the Registry. The bill also would limit use of information on the Registry and permit the Secretary to maintain other registries or records to meet federal requirements. The bill also would amend law concerning reporting of child abuse and neglect in the Revised Kansas Code for the Care of Children to require such reports include information about any known custody dispute involving the child subject to the report and would require certain reporting information be submitted to specified legislative committees each year. The report would be required to include the number of reports of abuse or neglect made to and received by the Secretary that include a known custody dispute and whether such report:

• Was anonymously reported;
• Has been assigned for investigation;
• Leads to a family needs assessment;
• Resulted in an unsubstantiated or substantiated report; or
• Leads to an out-of-home placement.

The Conference Committee agreed to the provisions of the bill, as passed by the Senate on March 19, with the following additional amendments:

• Adding a provision that would require reports of child abuse and neglect include information regarding known custody disputes involving the child subject to the report;
• Adding a provision that would remove the requirement that the Secretary report certain information concerning child abuse and neglect reports involving known custody disputes to specified legislative committees; and
• Removing juvenile adjudications for crimes against a child from the circumstances that may result in an individual being placed on the Registry.

The CCR was adopted by the Senate on March 26 on a vote of 39-0, adopted by the House on March 27 on a vote of 124-0, and enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

HB 2635 would create the Pregnancy Center Autonomy and Rights of Expression Act. It would make several findings related to pregnancy centers and the services provided at such centers and would prohibit regulations, policies, procedures or other measures that would prohibit a pregnancy center from taking certain actions or requiring that a pregnancy center take specific actions. The bill was vetoed by the Governor on March 27 and in her veto message she said the state shouldn't be spending tax dollars "trying to interfere" with personal, very private medical decisions. Her veto was overridden by the House and Senate on the same day, on votes of 87-35 and 30-9, respectively.

HB 2702 amends the Kansas Healing Arts Act regarding practice protocols to provide for collaboration between a physician assistant or associate (PA) and a physician and to amend the Physician Assistant Licensure Act. The bill also would authorize the use of a criminal history record check and the collection of fingerprints for an applicant for PA licensure by the State Board of Healing Arts. The bill would be in effect after Jan. 1, 2027. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 24 and signed on April 3.

HB 2729 would amend informed consent provisions of the Women's-Right-to-Know Act concerning required information and required notice signs for both abortion procedures and medication abortion. The bill would specify that the information required to be provided by abortion providers under the Act shall be on a form provided by KDHE and that such form may be provided in hardcopy format on white paper or electronically transmitted to the woman. Additionally, the bill would require that the informed consent and medication abortion reversal notice signs required by the Act state that such notice is from KDHE. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and vetoed on April 6. In her veto message, Gov. Kelly said, "Kansans have made it clear that they want government to stay out of women's private health care decisions. This bill does the opposite."

Sub. For HB 2731 would establish data matching and eligibility verification requirements for the Secretary for DCF and the Secretary of KDHE for certain public assistance programs; permit continuous eligibility provisions for select individuals; prohibit certain exemptions, waivers and self-attestation; and change eligibility requirements for certain public assistance programs. The Second Conference Committee agreed to remove the contents of HB 2731, regarding data sharing between the Office of the Inspector General and DCF and now included in Senate Sub. for HB 2004, and inserted the contents of SB 363, with the following amendments:

• Include language requiring KDHE and KDADS to seek federal approval to establish continuous Medicaid eligibility protections for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and on a home and community-based services waiver;
• Include "household composition" in the list of items that cannot be verified by self-attestation; and
• Remove the requirement that benefit eligibility redeterminations for the caretaker medical assistance population occur every six months under certain conditions.

On March 27 the CCR was adopted by the Senate on a vote of 28-11 and by the House on a vote of 80-43. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 30.

HB 2761 establishes the Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Licensure Act and establishes the powers, duties and functions of the Secretary for the KDADS in carrying out the Act. The bill would provide for speech-language pathology assistance (SLPA) licensure, define the scope of practice, specify required qualifications, and require SLPAs to practice under a supervising speech-language pathologist. The bill would require the Secretary to issue a SLPA license to an individual who meets the educational and training requirements of the Act and any other reasonable qualifications that may be adopted by the Secretary in rules and regulations. Such license would expire after two years. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 24 and signed on April 3.

SB 20 would enact the Kansas Consumer Prescription Protection and Accountability Act. The bill would provide for the regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), defining auditing procedures, outlining reporting requirements and allowing compliance and financial examinations. The bill would require PBMs to charge a health benefit plan the same price for a prescription drug as the PBM pays a pharmacy for the prescription drug, utilize the most recently published monthly National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC) as a point of reference, and reimburse pharmacies at an amount not less than the NADAC, plus a professional dispensing fee of $10.50. The bill would provide a reimbursement procedure for drugs not on the NADAC. The bill also would add and amend definitions in the Act, amend monetary penalty fees, and add a severability clause among other conforming and technical changes.

The bill would add to and amend definitions in the Act, including

• "Health benefit plan" or "health plan" would mean any hospital or medical expense policy; health, hospital or medical service corporation contract; a plan provided by a municipal group-funded pool; a policy or agreement entered into by a health insurer or health maintenance organization contract offered by an employer; or any certificate issued under any such policies, contracts or plans. These terms would not include:
  • Policies or certificates covering only accident, credit, dental, disability income, long-term care, hospital indemnity, Medicare supplement, specified disease, vision care, coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance, insurance arising out of a workers' compensation or similar law, automobile medical-payment insurance, or insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and that is statutorily required to be contained in any liability insurance policy or equivalent self-insurance;

• "Covered entity" would mean a health insurance company; health maintenance organization; hospital; medical or dental corporation; health care corporation; any entity that provides, administers or manages a self-funded health benefit plan including a governmental plan; or any other entity that provides prescription drug coverage unless specifically excluded by the Act;
• "National Average Drug Acquisition Cost," or NADAC, would mean the monthly survey of retail pharmacies conducted by CMS to determine the average acquisition cost for Medicaid-covered outpatient drugs;
• "Pharmacy services administrative organization" would mean any entity that contracts with a pharmacy to assist with covered entity interactions and that may provide a variety of other administrative services, including contracting with PBMs on behalf of pharmacies and managing pharmacies' claim payments from covered entities; and
• "Rebate" would mean any and all payments that accrue to a PBM or such PBM's health plan client, directly or indirectly from a pharmaceutical manufacturer, including, but not limited to, discounts, administration fees, credits, incentives or penalties associated directly or indirectly in any way with claims administered on behalf of a health plan client. "Rebate" would not include any discount or payment that could be provided to or made to any 340B entity through such program.

The Conference Committee agreed to remove the contents of SB 20 regarding certain insurance-related boards and enacted in 2025 HB 2050, make amendments to SB 360 and insert the amended contents into SB 20. The Conference Committee amended the bill to:

• Include "health plan" in the definition for "health benefit plan" and define the terms;
• Require every PBM contract between a PBM and a pharmacy include that the PBM provide to the pharmacy a copy of any contract, amendment, payment schedule or reimbursement rate within 10 calendar days after the execution or amendment of such contract;
• Require a PBM to report to the Commissioner of Insurance the net acquisition costs for each class of drug appearing on the NADAC list that the PBM charged each health plan; and
• Provide the Commissioner or the persons appointed by the Commissioner with access at no cost to the books and papers of any insurance company or PBM that relates to such insurance company's or PBM's business, for the purposes of financial examinations.

The CCR was adopted by the House on March 23 on a vote of 104-17, adopted by the Senate on March 24 on a vote of 32-8, and enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

SB 84 creates the Supported Decision-Making Agreements Act allowing adults, or "principals," to enter into supported decision-making agreements to receive decision-making assistance with the adult's affairs from one or more other adults, or "supporters." The bill defines a "principal" as an adult who enters into a supported decision-making agreement under the Act to receive decision-making assistance. A "supporter" is defined as an adult who enters into a supported decision-making agreement and provides decision-making assistance. The Conference Committee agreed to insert the provisions of HB 2609 into SB 84. (Note: The provisions of SB 84, regarding criminal use of financial or gift cards, are included in the CCR for HB 2347, which was signed into law on Feb. 5, 2026.) On March 27 the CCR was adopted by the House on a vote 123-0 and the Senate on a vote of 39-0. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 30 and signed on April 7. In her bill message, Gov. Kelly said, "These voluntary agreements will equip those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health needs or other impairments, with assistance from trusted adults as they navigate decisions about health care, finances, housing and more."

Senate Bill (SB) 254 would prohibit any alien who is unlawfully present in the U.S. from receiving any state or local public benefit, except for state or local benefits that are required to be offered by federal law. In addition to providing proof of other eligibility requirements, at the time of application for any state or local public benefit, an applicant who is 18 years of age or older would be required to provide proof that the applicant is:

• A citizen or permanent resident of the U.S.; or
• An alien who is lawfully present in the U.S.

The bill would also nullify current law that permits residents without lawful immigration status to be granted in-state tuition rates at postsecondary educational institutions, provided certain requirements are met. The bill would declare any provision of the bill severable from the other provisions in the event one or more provisions are held to be invalid. The Second Conference Committee agreed to the provisions of SB 254 and further agreed to remove provisions related to criminal procedure and appearance bonds that would have required verification of a non-citizen's immigration status and established a presumption that an alien who has been charged with a crime is a flight risk. The CCR, which was previously adopted by the House on March 19 on a vote of 78-46, was adopted by the Senate on March 24 on a vote of 22-18. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 27 and was vetoed on April 6. In her veto message Gov. Kelly said, "Kansas needs these young people to be educated and trained so they can enter our workforce and contribute to our state's economy."

SB 271 would change the household gross income eligibility requirement for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and change the meeting time of the Robert G. (Bob) Bethell Joint Committee on Home and Community Based Services and KanCare Oversight. The bill would be in effect upon publication in the Kansas Register. The Conference Committee agreed to the provisions of SB 271 and agreed to add the contents of SB 327 (regarding the meeting time of the Bethell Joint Committee). The CCR was adopted by the House on March 26 on a vote of 125-0 and adopted by the Senate on March 27 on a vote of 39-0. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.

SB 334 provides education levels for instructors at nursing schools as a requirement for state approval. The bill would require, in addition to other requirements in continuing law, that faculty at a school seeking approval from the Kansas State Board of Nursing as a school for professional nurses or as a school for practical nurses possess a nursing degree awarded by a state or nationally accredited school of nursing approved by the Board that is at least one level more advanced than the degree awarded by the program in which they are teaching. The bill would prohibit the Board from requiring additional or more advanced credentials for such faculty. The bill would allow the Board to grant an exemption for this requirement to a school facing hardships in hiring faculty. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 24 and became law without her signature on April 3. In her bill message Gov. Kelly said, "I understand the urgent need to address the workforce shortage in skilled nursing … However, I have concerns that the lowered educational requirements for educators in Senate Bill 334 would result in a decreased level of rigorous academic training that would leave prospective nurses unprepared to deliver the standard of care Kansans trust nursing professionals to provide."

House Sub. for SB 366 prohibits the use of a mobile telephone under certain circumstances in a school zone when reduced speed limit is enforced or in a road construction zone while workers are present (school or work zone) and signs are posted at the beginning of the road construction zone alerting drivers to such workers. Holding a mobile telephone would constitute a rebuttable presumption of a violation of that prohibition. The bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on March 24 and was signed on April 3. In her bill message, Gov. Kelly said the bill "takes concrete steps to make our communities safer for all … and I'm pleased to sign smart, commonsense legislation that will help ensure drivers are distraction-free and schoolchildren, pedestrians and construction workers are protected."

SB 368 enacts the Health Care Sharing Ministries Tax Deduction Act, providing a subtraction modification for taxpayers for qualified health care sharing expenses and amounts of qualified health care share received by taxpayers. The subtraction modification for health care sharing expenses cannot exceed $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for a married couple filing a joint return. "Qualifying health care sharing expenses" would be those amounts paid for the taxpayer and their spouse or dependent for contributions for medical expenses and administrative fees of the health care sharing ministry. "Qualifying health care share received" would be the amount received as a member of a health care sharing ministry to assist with a medical expense. In order to qualify for the deductions, the bill would require the health care sharing ministry to:

• Be a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization limiting their membership to members sharing a common set of ethical or religious beliefs;
• Act as a facilitator among members who have qualifying medical needs under criteria established by the organization and members with the present ability to assist with financial and medical needs;
• Provide for the financial or medical needs of members through the contributions of other members and provide contribution amounts of members with no assumption of risk or promise to pay, either among members or by the organization;
• Provide written statements to members, on at least a quarterly basis, specifying the total dollar amount of qualified needs submitted to the organization and the actual amount published or assigned to members for contributions;
• Conduct an annual audit by an independent certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles that is made available to the public; and
• Provide a written disclaimer on all applications and guideline materials distributed by the organization, as provided by the bill, specifying that the organization is not an insurance company.

The tax subtraction modifications would begin in tax year 2027 and would only apply to the extent the health care sharing expenses are not already deducted and health care share received is included in the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income and is not otherwise deducted. The bill was vetoed by Gov. Kelly on March 26. In her veto message, the Governor expressed concerns about health care ministries not being regulated, and said her veto was about "ensuring that Kansans are in a health care system that's reliable and actually covers their medical expenses." On March 27, her veto was overridden by the Senate on a vote of 30-9 and the House on a vote of 87-37.

SB 408 would amend the definition of "child in need of care" in the Revised Code for Care of Children (CINC Code) to exclude a person less than 18 years old who is engaging in independent activities without adult supervision when a parent allows such child to engage in such activities if:

• Such independent activities are appropriate for the child's age, maturity and mental abilities; and
• Such lack of supervision does not constitute such grossly negligent conduct that it would endanger the health and safety of the child.

The bill also would create and amend law in the CINC Code concerning a process of referring military children to services provided by a military family advocacy program and would amend the Kansas Parentage Act concerning voluntary acknowledgement of paternity. On March 23, the Senate nonconcurred with amendments made by the House on March 18 and requested a Conference Committee, the Senate subsequently concurred with amendments in conference on March 26, and the bill was enrolled and presented to the Governor on April 3.