KHI

TOPEKA – During the 2017 session—which ended with sine die on June 26 and matched the record-setting, 114-day 2015 session—legislators dealt with many issues, including the budget and school finance, and also addressed health-related bills (more than 80 introduced in the first month of the session). Several key issues emerged:

• A bill to enact Medicaid expansion in Kansas made it all the way to the governor’s desk but was vetoed. A veto override attempt failed.
• Legislators reversed a 4-percent reduction in KanCare provider payments that was initiated in 2016. The same bill provided additional funding for Community Mental Health Centers.
• The Kansas Department of Health and Environment was directed to develop a strategic plan to address the diabetes epidemic.
• Law enforcement is now allowed to transport a person in custody to a crisis intervention center for observation and treatment for up to 72 hours.
• The concealed carry law was revised to prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms in certain health care buildings.

Stay tuned! KHI is preparing a 2018 Legislative Preview, which will provide a glimpse into the important health issues legislators may face in January.

The Kansas Health Institute delivers credible information and research enabling policy leaders to make informed health policy decisions that enhance their effectiveness as champions for a healthier Kansas. The Kansas Health Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan health policy and research organization based in Topeka, established in 1995 with a multiyear grant from the Kansas Health Foundation.