Kelly vetoes health regulation bill, enters Kansas into federal foster care initiative
Democratic governor strikes down Senate Bill 368 while expanding child welfare partnerships
TOPEKA, Kan. — Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday vetoed Senate Bill 368, a measure dealing with health regulators.
Kelly's veto message challenged the bill's premise. Senate Bill 368 would have limited the ability of state regulators to take action against certain health entities — for example, restricting the Kansas Department of Health and Environment from suspending or revoking licenses of facilities found to be operating outside established medical guidelines. The veto prevents those restrictions from taking effect, preserving regulators' existing authority to investigate and penalize such facilities. "There's a reason that regulators across the country are taking action against these so-called health [entities]," Kelly wrote in her message to lawmakers.
The Republican-controlled Legislature could attempt to override Kelly's veto, though such efforts have faced mixed success during her tenure. An override would require a two-thirds majority in both the Kansas House and Senate. Legislative leaders have not yet indicated whether they plan to bring the measure back for a vote, and it remains unclear if supporters of the bill can muster the votes necessary to reverse the governor's decision.
Also Thursday, Kelly announced that Kansas has joined a federal initiative aimed at bolstering the state's foster care system. The state will partner with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families in the "A Home for Every Child" initiative. The program is designed to improve the availability of foster homes, a persistent challenge for the state's child welfare agencies.
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