Increasing state financial assistance for local health departments under certain circumstances.
Impact
The bill allows local health departments to apply for additional state assistance based on the population they serve. Should the available funds not cover all applications, the distribution is calculated proportionally according to the population of counties applying for assistance. This approach is designed to promoting equitable funding among local health departments by considering the demographic needs of communities.
Summary
House Bill 2397 aims to increase state financial assistance to local health departments under specific conditions. The bill amends existing statutory provisions to raise the guaranteed financial support from the state for each local health department from $7,000 to $12,000. The intent behind this increase is to ensure that adequate public health services are accessible to all residents in Kansas, especially for departments struggling with lower local tax revenues.
Contention
While the proposed increase in financial assistance aims to bolster local health departments, there is potential for contention surrounding the funding mechanisms and the dependency on state appropriations. There are concerns that if local tax revenues decrease, the amount of state assistance could also be reduced, ultimately undermining the bill's goal of sustainability in public health funding. Critics may argue that such ties to local tax revenues could result in disparities in health service availability across different regions.