April 20, 2006
Sebelius signs bill improving services for Kansas veterans
Law improving coordination of veterans’ services among 10 signed today
To make sure Kansas veterans receive the services they earned with their military duty, Governor Kathleen Sebelius has signed into law a bill that will better coordinate veterans’ services in the state.
“Kansans value military service, which is why there are a number of services out there for veterans. But sometimes it’s hard for veterans to know which services they’re eligible for, and other times they need someone to go to bat for them to make sure they get the help they deserve,” said Sebelius. “This action will help coordinate veterans’ services and continues our commitment to the men and women who’ve proudly served our nation.”
SB 396 directs the Kansas Commission on Veterans’ Affairs (KCVA) to establish and administer a veterans’ claims assistance program to improve the coordination of veterans’ benefits counseling in the state, maximize the effective and efficient use of taxpayer dollars in this goal, and ensure every veteran is served and receives claims counseling and assistance.
During legislative consideration, the American Legion and the Veterans’ of Foreign Wars testified in favor of this initiative, and the program will be carried out through annual grant agreements with veterans’ service organizations.
In order to be eligible to receive grant money, a veterans service organization must meet several requirements, including being congressionally chartered, agreeing to cross-accredit KCVA employees and representatives of other grant program participants, and agreeing to participate in one-stop centers at each of the federal Veterans Administration medical centers in Kansas.
This bill will take effect after publication in the Kansas register.
Governor Sebelius also signed nine other bills into law today. During the 2006 Legislative session, the Governor has signed 160 bills and vetoed two bills.
Providing assistance to families with certain genetic diseases and disorders
SB 579 makes assistance available to individuals with a disease detected by the newborn screening test. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will provide treatment products to individuals meeting income guidelines. This is after all other benefits from private third-party payers, Medicare, Medicaid and other government assistance programs are exhausted. The Secretary of KDHE will adopt rules and regulations establishing income eligibility requirements for state assistance. This bill takes effect after publication in the statute book.
Protecting residents of adult homes
SB 574 clarifies that the license of an adult care home administrator may be denied, revoked or suspended for failure to provide overall management of the nutrition, medications, and treatment of residents. It also changes the composition of the Board of Adult Care Home Administrators to better represent current adult care home administrators. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Enacting Flavored Malt Beverage Act
HB 2955 enacts the Flavored Malt Beverage Act, clarifying that flavored malt beverage products, currently classified as liquor but taxed as malt beverages, would be classified and taxed as malt beverages. The bill imposes a labeling requirement on flavored malt beverage products in compliance with federal rules and regulations, and adds flavored malt beverage to the definition of cereal malt beverage. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Allowing late fees for late filed standard license applications
SB 269 amends the Real Estate Brokers’ and Salespersons’ License Act and the Brokerage Relationships in Real Estate Transactions Act to allow a fee for late filed standard license applications. It also clarifies prohibitions for salespersons or associate brokers and permits escrow funds derived from broker cooperation agreements to be held in either the Kansas licensed broker’s trust account or held by a third-party escrow agent located in Kansas. This clarifies that a licensee engaged as a transaction broker shall not act as an agent for either party in the real estate transaction. The changes are all meant to clarify existing law. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Allowing Kansas Real Estate Commission to charge additional fees for services
SB 271 amends the Real Estate Brokers’ and Salespersons’ License Act by providing additional fees that the Kansas Real Estate Commission may charge for services. It also defines the term “primary office” and includes a provision concerning real estate sales questionnaires by adding that the questionnaires will be available to licensed real estate brokers and salespersons for purposes of fulfilling their fiduciary duties to clients and providing information on market value of property to clients. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Enacting the Pharmacy Benefits Manager Registration Act
SB 547 enacts the Pharmacy Benefits Manager Registration Act, and applies to any pharmacy benefits manager that provides claims processing services, other prescription drug or device services, or both, to covered persons who are residents of Kansas. Pharmacy benefits managers must obtain a valid certificate of registration issued by the Insurance Commissioner before they can operate. This bill will take effect after publication in the Kansas register.
Authorizing Health Policy Authority to gather data for health care database
SB 577 shifts responsibility for gathering, receiving and compiling data for the health care database from the Secretary of Health and Environment to the Health Policy Authority. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Restoring Kansas version of Uniform Commercial Code Article 9
HB 2104 restores the Kansas version of the Uniform Commercial Code Article 9, which deals with security interests in oil and gas production, to the version that was in law prior to the Article 9 recodification in 2000. This bill will take effect after publication in the statute book.
Clarifying Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code
SB 352 is a technical amendment to clarify Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, regarding the filing deadline for financing statements dealing with the perfection of security interests. This bill will take effect after publication in the Kansas register.
