Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB448

Introduced
2/2/26  
Refer
2/3/26  
Report Pass
2/11/26  
Engrossed
2/18/26  
Refer
2/18/26  

Caption

Permitting the use of expedited partner therapy to treat a sexually transmitted disease.

Impact

The legislation establishes protocols for healthcare providers when administering EPT, which includes counseling patients about the treatment and prevention of STDs and distributing informational materials to both patients and their partners. Such provisions are intended to promote awareness and ensure that partners are informed about necessary precautions, including the importance of abstinence until treatment is completed. This could lead to improved health outcomes by reducing the transmission of STDs in the community.

Summary

Senate Bill 448 seeks to enhance public health initiatives by allowing healthcare providers to utilize expedited partner therapy (EPT) for the treatment of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). This bill defines EPT as the practice of providing antimicrobial drugs to the sexual partners of patients diagnosed with STDs without the need for a physical examination of those partners. The aim is to facilitate quicker and more effective treatment, especially for partners who may be unable or unlikely to seek medical examination and treatment on their own.

Contention

Notably, the bill includes protections for healthcare providers and pharmacists from civil liability when they provide EPT in good faith compliance with the law. These protections aim to encourage practitioners to adopt EPT without fear of repercussions, thereby increasing its use. However, the bill's enactment might prompt discussions about the balance of responsibility between healthcare providers and patients, particularly regarding informed consent and the potential risks associated with administering medications without direct examination.

Additional_points

Ultimately, SB448 represents a proactive approach to managing STDs within the state, with a focus on increasing accessibility and reducing barriers to treatment. As the legislation moves forward, its implementation will likely be closely monitored to ensure it effectively addresses public health concerns while upholding safety and ethical considerations in medical practice.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS HB2002

Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the cutting healthcare costs for all Kansans act.

KS SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

KS SB6

Providing a sales tax exemption for sales of electricity to residential premises by municipally owned or operated utilities.

KS HB2001

Authorizing the secretary of commerce to enter into agreements with major professional sports franchises to establish STAR bond projects for a major professional sports complex, providing for additional revenue sources, expanding the powers and discretion of the secretary and making other changes to the STAR bonds financing act to facilitate such projects, limiting the secretary’s authority to approve such projects to one year unless extended by the legislative coordinating council, authorizing the Kansas development finance authority to issue STAR bonds for such projects, transferring funds under certain circumstances from the state gaming revenues fund to the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and, if approved by the legislative coordinating council, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

KS SB1

Modifying income tax rates for individuals, exempting all social security benefits from Kansas income tax, increasing the Kansas standard deduction and the Kansas personal exemption, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, decreasing the privilege tax normal tax, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value for property tax valuation purposes, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund and abolishing the local ad valorem tax reduction fund and the county and city revenue sharing fund.

KS SB2

Eliminating the income limit to qualify for the subtraction modification exempting social security benefits, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, citing the increased property tax homestead refund claim section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, decreasing the normal privilege tax rate, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district; providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund, reducing the state rate of tax on sales of food and food ingredients and modifying the percent credited to the state highway fund from revenue collected.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS SB3

Clarifying the procedures and restrictions on accepting a nomination for an elected office.

KS SCR1602

Approving the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County Kansas.

KS SB7

Authorizing federally licensed firearm dealers, in addition to county sheriffs, to receive applications for concealed carry licenses and forward such applications to the attorney general, prohibiting sheriffs from assessing any fee related to application services and allowing dealers to assess a fee related to application services not to exceed $20.

Similar Bills

LA HB775

Provides relative to minor's consent for medical procedures and treatments

KS HB2250

Permitting the use of expedited partner therapy to treat sexually transmitted infections, authorizing a licensed private psychiatric hospital to maintain a stock supply of emergency medication kits for pharmaceutical emergencies, allowing expired emergency opioid antagonists to be used to treat an opioid overdose, permitting first responders to distribute and administer expired emergency opioid antagonists, permitting a pharmacist to distribute epinephrine delivery systems to a school for use in emergency medication kits and amending definitions related to medication in schools to allow for use of epinephrine delivery systems.

DE SCR38

Proclaiming The Month Of April 2025 As Healthcare Workplace Violence Prevention & Awareness Month" In The State Of Delaware.

LA HB400

Provides relative to a minor's consent for medical procedures and treatments

NJ S2327

Regulates use of social care information.

NJ A787

Regulates use of social care information.

DE SCR133

Recognizing The Role Of Forensic Nurse Examiners.

GA HB1374

Insurance; methods of payment to healthcare providers; provide certain requirements