Kansas Senate Bill SB193

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/5/25
• Report Pass: 2/17/25
• Engrossed: 2/25/25
• Refer: 2/25/25
• Report Pass: 3/5/25
• Enrolled: 4/10/25
• Passed: 4/10/25

Caption

Sub for SB 193 by Committee on Public Health and Welfare - Exempting law enforcement agencies who do not provide emergency opioid antagonists pursuant to the statewide protocol from the requirement to procure a physician medical director.

Summary

SB 193 amends Kansas law governing emergency opioid antagonists, such as naloxone, by revising the statewide protocol administered by the State Board of Pharmacy. The bill keeps in place the framework allowing pharmacists to furnish emergency opioid antagonists to patients or bystanders and authorizes first responders, school nurses, and personnel working under first responder agencies to possess, store, distribute, and administer these medications, subject to training and reporting requirements. The central policy change is a narrow exemption for law enforcement agencies. Under current law, a first responder agency that elects to provide emergency opioid antagonists must procure a physician medical director to oversee the program. SB 193 exempts law enforcement agencies from that requirement unless they choose to provide emergency opioid antagonists dispensed or furnished under the statewide pharmacy protocol. The bill also preserves existing liability protections for healthcare providers, pharmacists, individuals administering the medication in good faith, and first responder agencies.

Impact

The bill amends K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 65-16,127 and repeals the existing version of that statute, making the changes part of the Kansas Pharmacy Act. In practical terms, it reduces administrative and oversight requirements for law enforcement agencies that do not participate in the statewide opioid antagonist dispensing program, while leaving the broader naloxone access and training structure intact for pharmacists, first responders, school nurses, and other covered personnel. It does not eliminate the medical director requirement for other first responder agencies that elect to provide these medications outside the law enforcement exemption.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial in the legislature. It passed the Senate 40-0, the House 122-0, and the Senate later concurred with House amendments 40-0, indicating unanimous approval at each recorded stage. The voting history suggests a strong consensus that the measure is a limited administrative adjustment rather than a major policy shift.

Contention

There is little evidence of significant opposition in the available record. The only notable policy distinction is the exemption for law enforcement agencies from procuring a physician medical director when they do not provide emergency opioid antagonists under the statewide protocol. Any potential concern would likely center on whether removing that oversight requirement could affect training, coordination, or quality assurance, but the bill preserves those requirements for agencies that do participate in the protocol and maintains training, EMS notification, and recordkeeping obligations for authorized personnel.