Two legislative days this week were cancelled due to the midweek winter storm which hit much of Kansas. Legislators must now brace for a figurative blizzard of work as they ramp up committee hearings and debate on hundreds of bills leading up to the first legislative deadline of 2011.

The House Health and Human Services Committee Monday beat the weather and did review Senate Bill 33. The bill provides that Kansas middle and high school student athletes who show concussion symptoms during a game or practice must be removed from competition and can't take the field again without a licensed health care provider's written approval. KMS testified in support of the bill but offered an amendment that diagnosis and treatment leading to written authorization for a return to play be conducted by a physician or a nurse practitioner or physician assistant working pursuant to a protocol with a physician. Bart Grelinger, MD (Wichita) appeared in support of the bill and the KMS amendment. The committee took no action on the bill.

KMS also appeared Friday before a Senate budget committee in support of the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts' efforts to contract with a physician, as authorized by state law. The physician would assist the Board in reviewing matters relating to licensure, patient complaints and professional conduct. KMS also lent its support for making adequate funds available to the Board through re-licensure fees to enable it to contract with such a physician. The Board needs funding approval from the legislature to formally proceed with adding the position.

Bills currently scheduled next week for hearing include the “I'm Sorry Bill” and a bill to allow parents to refuse the administration of immunizations to their children for “personal beliefs.”

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