Kansas 2023 2023-2024 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2596 Comm Sub / Analysis

                    SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON HOUSE BILL NO. 2596
As Amended by Senate Committee on Public 
Health and Welfare
Brief*
HB 2596, as amended, would amend the state Uniform 
Controlled Substances Act (Act). The bill would also add 
tianeptine, which is not included in the federal Controlled 
Substances Act, and make technical changes.
[Note: The federal and state controlled substances acts 
provide for a five-schedule classification system of 
substances. These classifications are based on a substance’s 
accepted medical use, the potential for abuse or addiction, 
and harmfulness. Schedule I contains the substances with 
the most potential for abuse, harm, and no recognized 
medical uses, while Schedule V provides the least dangerous 
substances with known medical uses.]
Schedule I (Section 2)
The bill would add 36 new substances to the Act, 
including 23 fentanyl-related controlled substances and 
tianeptine, its optical isomers, salts, and salts of isomers.
Schedule II (Section 3)
The bill would add four additional substances to be 
excluded from control as Schedule II opioids: thebaine-
derived butorphanol, naldemedine, naloxegol, and 
samidorphan.
____________________
*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research 
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental 
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at 
http://www.kslegislature.org Schedule IV (Section 4)
The bill would add daridorexant (brand name Quviviq), a 
medication used to treat insomnia, and 
serdexmethylphenidate, an active ingredient in medication 
used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to 
the list of Schedule IV substances. The bill would remove 
fenfluramine (brand name Fintepla), a U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration-approved medication used to treat seizures, to 
mirror the federal descheduling of the drug. 
Schedule V (Section 5)
The bill would add ganaxolone (brand name Ztalmy), a 
medication used to treat a particular type of seizure, to 
Schedule V. 
Background
The bill was introduced in the House Committee on 
Health and Human Services at the request of Representative 
Clifford on behalf of the State Board of Pharmacy (Board). 
House Committee on Health and Human Services
In the House Committee hearing on January 29, 2024, a 
representative of the Board provided proponent testimony, 
stating that the Board works with the Kansas Bureau of 
Investigation (KBI) to review changes made by the U.S. Drug 
Enforcement Administration to the federal Controlled 
Substances Act. The representative also stated the bill would 
make necessary changes to the state Uniform Controlled 
Substances Act that reflect the federal updates. 
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by a 
representative of the KBI. 
2- 2596 A private citizen provided neutral testimony regarding 
the inclusion of cannabis and marijuana-related drugs as 
controlled substances.
No other testimony was provided. 
Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare
In the Senate Committee hearing on March 5, 2024, a 
representative of the Board provided proponent testimony, 
stating the bill would make necessary changes to the state 
Uniform Controlled Substances Act that reflect federal 
updates. The representative also noted the Board worked 
closely with the KBI regarding the changes.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by a 
representative of the KBI.
A private citizen provided neutral testimony regarding 
the scheduling of cannabis and marijuana-related drugs as 
controlled substances.
No other testimony was provided.
The Senate Committee amended the bill to add 
tianeptine, its optical isomers, salts, and salts of isomers as a 
Schedule I controlled substance.
Fiscal Information 
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of 
the Budget on the bill, as introduced, the Board indicates that 
enactment of the bill would have no fiscal effect on the 
agency. The Board noted that because pharmacies are 
required to follow federal law as well as state law, any 
changes the Board were to make as a result of enactment of 
the bill would have no effect on the practice of pharmacy 
because the stricter federal law is already been in place. 
Uniform Controlled Substances Act; controlled substances; schedule; drugs; 
substances; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Federal Drug 
Administration
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