SESSION OF 2021
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 170
As Amended by House Committee on Health
and Human Services

Brief*
SB 170, as amended, would remove the sunset date for
the Advisory Committee on Trauma (ACT) of the Kansas
Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and regional
trauma councils regarding the ability to conduct closed
session meetings when reviewing trauma cases and any
records or findings that are privileged. In current law, these
provisions will sunset on July 1, 2021.
The bill would also make technical amendments.
The bill would be in effect upon publication in the
Kansas Register.

Background
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Public Health and Welfare. [Note: A companion bill, HB 2158,
was introduced and passed out favorably in the House. A
prior version of the bill, 2020 HB 2527, passed the House
Committee on Rural Revitalization during the 2020 Legislative
Session.]

Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare
In the Senate Committee hearing, the Executive Director
of the Emergency Medical Services Board and the Director of
____________________
*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
the Kansas Trauma Program provided proponent testimony.
The proponents stated closed session meetings provide an
opportunity for trauma councils to review and have productive
dialogue on practices that have been successful and areas of
improvement in the trauma field.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
representatives of the Kansas Emergency Medical Services
Association, Kansas Hospital Association, and Kansas
Medical Society.
No other testimony was provided.

House Committee on Health and Human Services
In the House Committee hearing, the Executive Director
of the Emergency Medical Services Board and the Director of
the Kansas Trauma Program provided proponent testimony.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by
representatives of the Kansas Hospital Association and the
Kansas Medical Society.
No other testimony was provided.
The House Committee amended the bill to change its
effective date to upon publication in the Kansas Register.

Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill as introduced, KDHE indicates
enactment of the bill would have no fiscal effect on agency
operations, and support for the Kansas Trauma Program
would continue within existing resources.
Advisory Committee on Trauma; meetings; sunset


2- 170


Statutes affected:
As introduced: 75-5664, 75-5665
As Amended by House Committee: 75-5664, 75-5665
Enrolled: 65-2912, 65-2920, 65-2923