KMS Newsletters
February 25, 2023 Newsletter
Legislative Update
The first major deadline of the 2023 legislative session was reached this week, with what is known as “turnaround”, the date at which most bills have to pass their chamber of origin in order to be alive for further consideration this session. However, there are exceptions to this deadline, as bills can be “blessed” which keeps them alive even though they have not passed their chamber of origin. Certain committees which are exempt from normal deadlines can also introduce bills about anytime, and the contents of a “dead” bill can always be added to an unrelated bill. So, even though there are deadlines, as a practical matter no issue is truly beyond the reach of the legislature as long as it is in session.
An example of an issue that failed to pass the Senate, but was “blessed”, keeping it alive for further consideration, is SB 112, which allows CRNAs to practice independently. Although the bill made it out of the Health Committee, the Senate deferred action on it for the time being. KMS opposed the bill and would like to thank everyone that reached out to their senator following Thursday’s call to action.
February 4, 2023 Newsletter
Legislative Bill Introductions
The 2022 legislative session is approaching its Feb. 10 deadline when bills must be introduced by committees in their originating chamber. That means bill introduction activity is likely to pick up in the next week. Feb. 24 is the turnaround deadline, when most bills must be approved by committees in their originating chamber or be exempted from deadlines in order to advance through the process.
January 28, 2023 Newsletter
In Memoriam, Jimmie A. Gleason, MD
Jimmie A. Gleason, MD, of Topeka, passed away January 24. He was 89. He is survived by his wife Louise and his two sons — Doug Gleason, MD, and Jeff Gleason, MD, and their families — and two stepdaughters, Lisa and Katherine and their families. He was preceded in death by his by his first wife, Mary Ellen “Micke,” who passed away in 2000, and by his son Mike, who passed away in 2013.
Dr. Gleason practiced obstetrics and gynecology in Topeka for 35 years, delivering more than 10,000 babies and caring for thousands of women throughout northeast Kansas. Dr. Gleason grew up in Clay Center. His family was in the livestock business raising mules and horses. Growing up, Dr. Gleason was an accomplished musician, playing the trumpet as a youngster and then in a band in college.
January 21, 2023 Newsletter
Legislative Update
On Friday, the legislature wrapped up its second full week of the 2023 legislative session. Bill introductions continue at a brisk pace, and committees have begun the process of holding hearings, discussing issues and advancing legislation.
As always, there will be a large number of health-related issues which we anticipate will receive some legislative attention this session. Efforts by non-physician healthcare providers to expand scope of practice provisions will likely continue to be an issue. Though nothing has been introduced as yet, there have been some rumblings that the APRNs may introduce a bill to broaden their scope of practice beyond the prescribing of drugs and durable medical equipment, which was all that was specifically authorized by last year’s legislation. Additionally, the pharmacists are expected to seek legislation which would allow pharmacisy technicians to administer immunizations; and also to expand pharmacists’ authority to provide vaccines to patients down to age 6 years and older.
January 10, 2023 Newsletter
2023 Legislative Session Begins
Yesterday marked the start of the 2023 legislative session. As always, KMS will vigorously advocate for keeping the practice of medicine and surgery in physicians’ hands, and making the environment in which you practice medicine the best it can possibly be.
This session will undoubtedly produce several important health care discussions, which will be affected by new leadership in the House of Representatives, as well as some Senate changes brought on by recent resignations. Both chambers of the legislature will be led by Republican legislators from the Wichita area: Representative Dan Hawkins is the new speaker of the House of Representatives, and Senator Ty Masterson continues as Senate president. The House Health Committee will continue to be chaired by Representative Brenda Landwehr of Wichita, and the Senate Health Committee will have a new chair in Senator Beverly Gossage of Eudora, who was made committee chair following the resignation from the senate by Richard Hilderbrand of Baxter Springs, who was the main architect of the 2022 legislation which authorized APRNs to prescribe drugs without a physician’s written authorization.
