SESSION OF 2021
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2250
As Recommended by House Committee on
Social Services Budget

Brief*
HB 2250 would update statutes related to newborn
screening and designate those statutes as the Newborn
Screening Act (Act). The bill would also establish the
Universal Newborn Screening Program (UNSP) within the
Act.
The bill would also make technical changes.

Newborn Screening Act—Amendments; Program
Creation
The bill would update provisions related to the Act as
follows:
● Establish an advance universal newborn screening
program (UNSP) to be administered by the
Secretary of Health and Environment (Secretary);
● Remove the list of conditions included in the Act
and grant the Secretary the authority to determine
the conditions to be included in the UNSP. The bill
would require the Secretary determine the
conditions included in the UNSP, including, but not
limited to, conditions listed in the recommended
uniform screening panel recommended by the U.S.
Secretary of Health and Human Services;
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 ● Clarify the stated purpose for maintaining a registry
of cases to specify the registry will maintain
information of importance including follow-up to
support early diagnosis, treatment and services for
healthy development, or the prevention of disability
or morbidity;
● Remove guidelines for the reimbursement and
purchase of medically necessary food treatment
products for all purchasers, including the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment (KDHE),
and add language that purchasers will be
reimbursed in accordance with rules and
regulations adopted by the Secretary; and
● Increase the amount available for transfer from the
Medical Assistance Fee Fund to the Kansas
Newborn Screening Fund from a maximum of $2.5
million to a maximum of $5.0 million in any one
fiscal year.
The bill would be in effect upon publication in the
Kansas Register.

Background
The bill was introduced by the House Committee on
Appropriations at the request of Representative Will
Carpenter and referred to the House Committee on Social
Services Budget.

House Committee on Social Services Budget
In the House Committee hearing, representatives of the
American Academy of Pediatrics; Bureau of Family Health,
KDHE; and the Newborn Screening Advisory Board, and two
parent advocates, provided proponent testimony.
Proponents stated allowing increased resources to the
newborn screening program would provide greater
2- 2250
opportunity to identify and treat the selected conditions,
leading to better outcomes for children.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
representatives of Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas Action
for Children, Kansas Children’s Cabinet, and Kansas Hospital
Association.
No other testimony was provided.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill, KDHE indicates transfers to the
Kansas Newborn Screening Fund are based on actual
expenditures and increasing the transfer limit would not result
in immediate increases to expenditures equal to the new cap.
Because most of the Medical Assistance Fee Fund is used for
KDHE expenditures under the Human Services Caseload
process, the increased transfer from the Medical Assistance
Fee Fund to the Kansas Newborn Screening Fund could
require an increase of up to $2.5 million from the State
General Fund for caseload expenditures. Any fiscal effect
associated with the bill is not reflected in The FY 2022
Governor’s Budget Report.

Newborn Screening Act; Department of Health and Environment: screening; rules
and regulations


3- 2250


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 65-180, 65-183, 65-181