Kansas committee hears bill to require annual hospital audits of Lay Caregiver Act compliance

Senate Bill 3 would require the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to audit hospitals for compliance with the Kansas Lay Caregiver Act and report the results to the Legislature annually, beginning in 2026, a staff bill brief said.

The brief, delivered by a staff member identified only as Jenna, said the bill "adds a new subsection F" to the statute and would require the department to verify hospital compliance and compile results into a report delivered to the House Committee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare before Jan. 31 each year.

The bill drew emotional testimony from a family member and guarded comments from the Kansas Hospital Association during a committee hearing. Jody Fowler testified as a proponent and described the discharge and death of her…