Panel hears bill to add service-connected disability info to death certificates and build a veterans roster

The Committee on Veterans and Military heard testimony on House Bill 2732, which would direct the state registrar of vital statistics to create and maintain a roster of veterans with service-connected disabilities and require cause-of-death certifiers to consult that roster when preparing death certificates.

Mike Kelly, a proponent, said the change responds to situations where emergency-room certifiers lack the veteran's full VA medical history and families lose access to federal survivor benefits. "There is a benefit that currently is $1,700 a month, tax free for the rest of the survivor's life," Kelly said, urging the committee to adopt a "duty to assist" approach so families do not have to litigate to obtain correct certificates.

Committee members raised procedural questions about who would make changes to death certificates and whether the state registrar's roster could conflict with local coroners or medical examiners. Carly (committee staff) said the roster would be created by the state registrar and would be consulted by the certifier preparing the death certificate. Representatives expressed concern about possible delays during a roster's initial stand-up and the potential need for additional registrar staff; proponents said outreach by the Kansas Office of Veterans Services (KOVS) and veteran service organizations could reduce problems.

Witnesses and committee members discussed presumptive illnesses listed in the federal register (for instance, Agent Orange-related conditions for some Vietnam-era veterans) and how the bill would allow a certifier to consider presumptive illness when a VA evaluation is incomplete. Proponents said the policy aims to ensure eligible survivors receive federal benefits such as Dependency and Indemnity Compensation and to reduce the number of court cases families now bring to change certificates.

The committee heard no recorded opposition and closed the hearing.