Kansas Silver Haired Legislature urges lawmakers to back medical cannabis, tax relief and Medicaid protections for seniors

Chuck Schmidt, representing the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature, briefed the Committee on House Health and Human Services on the group's top priorities for senior Kansans.

Schmidt outlined five principal items the delegates debated and adopted: medical cannabis, property tax relief, preserving and expanding Medicaid and food assistance, improving transportation to keep seniors in their homes, and protecting voting access for older residents. On medical cannabis, Schmidt said the Silver Haired Legislature "would support senate bill 2 94," clarifying the group expects tight regulation, doctor prescriptions and pharmacy dispensing rather than recreational use.

On taxes, Schmidt told members delegates favor measures similar to Senate Bill 215 that would raise income limits and the appraised-value thresholds for homestead property tax rebates to reflect inflation so more seniors qualify. He also urged maintaining and expanding Medicaid and food assistance, noting "more than 65% of people who are in nursing homes are funded by Medicaid" and that roughly 14,000 Kansans aged 60–65 lack health insurance because the state has not expanded coverage.

Schmidt cited an estimate from the Kansas Health Institute that 68 hospitals statewide are at risk of closing and referenced the recent Rock Regional Medical Center closure as an example of local impacts. He said communities and counties need grant support for senior transportation programs that provide rides to medical appointments and groceries.

On elections, Schmidt said delegates oppose further restrictions: they want to retain mail-ballot protections such as the three-day waiting period, keep drop boxes and preserve early voting duration to avoid making voting harder for seniors with mobility or transportation challenges.

Committee members asked clarifying questions: Representative Rees confirmed the group supports state-level approaches to property tax relief; an unidentified member asked whether medical cannabis in pill form would be acceptable, to which Schmidt replied, "absolutely," stressing the clinical, prescription-based nature of the proposal. Representative Steen referenced rural transformation funding and said Kansas was awarded about $221,900,000; allocation details were not specified and will be determined by relevant agencies.

Schmidt closed by noting the Silver Haired Legislature will present these priorities to relevant committees and agencies and stood for questions.