Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB127

Introduced
1/30/25  

Caption

Expanding the hearsay exception for statements made to a physician to all healthcare providers.

Impact

The proposed changes reflect significant legal reform in Kansas. By broadening the scope of admissible statements about a person's physical or mental condition made to healthcare providers, the bill allows more comprehensive accounts of a patient's status to be considered in court cases. Proponents argue that this change will facilitate better legal determinations by providing judges and juries with relevant patient statements that denote their health conditions, thereby improving the justice that can be served in medical negligence and related cases. The impact of this reform could potentially lead to more favorable legal results for those seeking justice for medical issues.

Summary

Senate Bill 127 seeks to amend Kansas' rules of evidence, specifically by expanding the exception to the hearsay rule for statements made to healthcare providers. Currently, the hearsay rule restricts the admissibility of statements made outside of a courtroom, unless they fit certain exceptions. This bill would allow statements made to any healthcare provider—not just physicians—to be admissible as evidence under specified conditions. The intention is to enhance the evidence available in legal proceedings involving healthcare contexts, potentially improving outcomes for plaintiffs in civil actions related to health conditions.

Contention

Despite its aims, SB127 also presents potential areas of contention. Critics may argue that expanding hearsay exceptions could compromise the integrity of evidence in court, as the reliability of statements made outside of a formal witness setting can be questionable. Concerns regarding the possibility of hearsay being misused to support weak cases or the introduction of unverified information into legal proceedings are significant. As the legislative process unfolds, these debates will likely shape the bill's final form and its implementation in the legal system.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB72

Adding an exception to the hearsay rule to allow admission of statements made to a translator without the testimony of the translator.

KS HB2171

Providing that peer review privilege for healthcare providers does not apply to factual information.

KS SB233

House Substitute for SB 233 by Committee on Health and Human Services - Enacting the forbidding abuse child transitions act, restricting use of state funds to promote gender transitioning, prohibiting healthcare providers from treating children whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child's sex, authorizing a civil cause of action against healthcare providers for providing such treatments, requiring professional discipline against a healthcare provider who performs such treatment, prohibiting professional liability insurance from covering damages for healthcare providers that provide gender transition treatment to children and adding violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians and nurses.

KS HB2791

Enacting the forbidding abuse child transitions act, restricting use of state funds to promote gender transitioning, prohibiting healthcare professionals from treating children whose gender identity is inconsistent with the child's sex, authorizing a civil cause of action against healthcare professionals for providing such treatments, authorizing professional discipline against a physician who performs such treatment, prohibiting professional liability insurance from covering damages for healthcare providers that provide gender transition treatment to children and adding violation of the act to the definition of unprofessional conduct for physicians and nurses.

KS SB292

Updating statutes related to the Kansas army and air national guard, providing for the appointment of a state judge advocate, providing for the adjustment of death and disability benefits and updating the Kansas code of military justice relating to certain definitions, unlawful acts and punishment requirements thereof.

KS HB2392

Providing for the 1st Infantry Division and the armed services occupation medal distinctive license plates and relating to the definition of veteran and disabled veteran in certain statutes.

KS HB2381

Requiring the court to appoint an attorney to represent a child who is the subject of child in need of care proceedings and allowing for the optional appointment of a guardian ad litem.

KS HB2395

Continuing in existence certain exceptions to the disclosure of public records under the open records act.

KS SB430

Providing workers compensation act coverage for the Kansas national guard, limiting benefit reductions for retirement benefits, increasing dependents death benefits, reducing certain functional impairment requirements, increasing compensation for certain disability categories and for treatment without authorization, raising the evidentiary standard for future medical treatment, limiting certain procedures for post-award medical benefit claims, allowing benefit payment by funds transfer or payment cards, establishing procedures for neutral healthcare examinations, exchanges and admission of medical reports, extending employee injury notification deadlines, eliminating the deadline for motions to avoid dismissal for lack of prosecution, providing for expedited settlement and digital recording of hearings and other changes to the workers compensation act.

KS HB2391

Substitute for HB 2391 by Committee on Elections - Amending the act establishing the governmental ethics commission, relating to campaign finance, establishing a five-year statute of limitations for bringing actions before the commission, limiting the commission's subpoena power, allowing respondents to transfer a hearing before the commission to a hearing officer under the office of administrative hearings.

Similar Bills

NJ AJR99

Clarifies exception to hearsay rule concerning medical diagnosis or treatment for purposes of providing, continuing, or ending mental health services.

KS SB72

Adding an exception to the hearsay rule to allow admission of statements made to a translator without the testimony of the translator.

KY HB288

AN ACT relating to interest on medical debt.

AZ HB2648

Condominiums; planned communities; lien; assessment

NJ AJR16

Permits evidence of prompt reports of sexual assault or employment discrimination be admissible as hearsay exception.

NJ SJR32

Permits evidence of prompt reports of sexual assault or employment discrimination be admissible as hearsay exception.

NJ SJR82

Permits evidence of prompt reports of sexual assault or employment discrimination be admissible as hearsay exception.

NJ AJR163

Permits evidence of prompt reports of sexual assault or employment discrimination be admissible as hearsay exception.