Kansas Senate Bill SB249

Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/7/25
• Refer: 2/10/25

Caption

Establishing the fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) advisory committee to prevent FASD and provide for treatment and support for affected individuals and their families.

Summary

SB 249 establishes a statewide fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) awareness, prevention, identification, intervention, and service-delivery program in Kansas. The bill directs the governor to designate the Department of Health and Environment as the lead agency and creates an FASD advisory task force to guide policy, coordinate programs, and develop a statewide strategic plan to reduce prenatal alcohol exposure and improve identification, treatment, and support for individuals with FASD and their families. The task force would include state agency leaders or designees from health, corrections, children and families, commerce, and education, along with public members representing health, education, criminal justice, service providers, tribal populations, and individuals with FASD or their family members. The bill also requires the department to designate a state coordinator, support the task force administratively, adopt an annual budget and work program, and submit periodic reports to the governor and legislature beginning in 2026 and 2027. The department may also seek and distribute federal funds and provide grants or contracts to public and nonprofit entities for FASD-related programs.

Impact

SB 249 would add a new state-level framework for addressing FASD by assigning responsibility to the Department of Health and Environment and creating a formal advisory task force. It would not directly create criminal penalties or new benefits, but it would expand state administrative duties, encourage interagency coordination, and authorize the use of federal funds, grants, and contracts for prevention, screening, diagnosis, intervention, and support services. The bill would affect public health, child welfare, corrections, education, and related service systems by requiring them to participate in planning and coordination efforts.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to have a generally supportive, public-health-oriented purpose with no recorded opposition in the provided materials. The bill is framed as a coordinated response to prenatal alcohol exposure and the needs of individuals and families affected by FASD, suggesting an emphasis on prevention, early identification, and service access. No committee transcript or vote data was provided, so there is no documented debate or recorded sentiment beyond the bill’s stated intent.

Contention

No specific points of contention are shown in the provided record, but potential issues inherent in the bill include the scope of the new task force, the administrative burden on the Department of Health and Environment, and the need for coordination across multiple agencies. The inclusion of members from corrections, child welfare, education, and tribal populations suggests the bill anticipates broad stakeholder involvement, which could raise questions about representation, implementation, and funding priorities. Because the bill authorizes grants and federal-fund use rather than a dedicated appropriation, funding adequacy could also be a practical concern.