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Minutes for SB320 - Committee on Public Health and Welfare
Short Title
Expanding the definition of "infectious disease" in certain testing statutes related to crimes in which the transmission of body fluids from one person to another may have been involved.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 13, 2020
Chairman Suellentrop opened the hearing on SB320.
Jenna Moyer, Staff Revisor, gave an overview of SB320. She answered questions from committee members.
Ed Klumpp submitted testimony in support of SB320, stating that passage of the bill will require the Department of Health and Environment to identify the infectious diseases that medical personnel and first responders are exposed to. When exposures occur, it is critical to the health of those exposed to identify if the exposure was from a person who truly has an infectious disease. This allows quick treatment to avoid or control infection as well as avoid unnecessary treatment if the person is found not to have an infectious disease. (Attachment 1)
He answered questions from committee members.
Scott Stueven presented testimony in support of SB320. He stated that SB320 clarifies what serious diseases other than AIDS can be considered under that provision of the law. SB320 is a balance between the patients' rights and the need to protect the EMS providers and first responders while they perform their duties. (Attachment 2)
Robert Wing spoke in favor of SB320. He stated that SB320 proposes to expand language of what is considered an infectious disease. The current language only addresses testing of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B. The proposed changes would allow the Secretary of Health and Environment to make changes quickly to the list of testable infectious diseases in Kansas. (Attachment 3)
Deborah Barnes testified in support of SB320 by stating that by expanding the definition of "infectious disease", it will increase officer safety by allowing the court to test for all necessary diseases and inform an exposed officer about positive test results so that appropriate treatment can be obtained quickly. (Attachment 4)
Farah S. Ahmed gave proponent testimony for the passage of SB320. She stated that SB320 updates the definition of "infectious disease" to include those diseases designated by the Secretary of KDHE as infectious or contagious in nature and replaces the narrower definition of infectious diseases as AIDS. SB320 also strikes the definition of infectious diseases as only HIV and hepatitis B.(Attachment 5)
She took questions from committee members.
Written testimony in support of SB320 was submitted by:
Kevin Flory, Kansas State Firefighters Association Inc. (Attachment 6)
Mik Shanks, Kansas State Lodge Fraternal Order of Policy (Attachment 7)
Chairman Suellentrop closed the hearing on SB320.
