KHI NEWS SERVICE
TOPEKA, April 26
The Senate Ways and Means Committee met at the rail Thursday and introduced a bill meant to become the vehicle for a compromise version of a controversial change in the state”s consumer protection law, which was vetoed last week by the governor.
Committee members introduced the conceptual bill at the request of Senate Judiciary Chairman John Vratil, R-Leawood.
Vratil told the committee that efforts were underway “to arrive at a compromise that will be acceptable to the governor”s office. They are very close and because of limited time we need to get started with the process. We have to introduce a new bill and run it across the floor of the Senate. So introducing a bill in Ways and Means is the first step”
Sen. Vicki Schmidt, R-Topeka, made the motion to introduce the bill. Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, seconded the motion.
Senate Bill 55 was
vetoed by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius last Friday
. It would have exempted from the Kansas Consumer Protection Act professional services by health care providers.
SB 55 had the backing of virtually every segment of the Kansas health care industry. It passed the House 97-26 and the Senate 24-13 despite stiff opposition from consumer groups such as the AARP and trial lawyers. It also was opposed by Attorney General Paul Morrison and Sedgwick County District Attorney Nola Foulston.
The Kansas Medical Society sent an email communication Thursday saying that
an effort at compromise had failed and that a veto override was necessary.
“Protracted negotiations among KMS, the Kansas Hospital Association and Governor Sebelius’ office over the past week reached an impasse early Thursday evening in an effort to craft a compromise,” the message read in part. “While we would have preferred to work out an acceptable compromise, the unwillingness of (Kansas Trial Lawyers Association) and the Governor to agree to a workable compromise left us with no other option except to seek an override of her veto of SB 55.”