Kansas 2026 Legislative Session is Over!

After a very busy session, the Kansas Legislature has wrapped up their work for 2026! Thank you for using your voice to create a healthier Kansas. Here is an overview of the key issues we worked on this year, along with a sneak peek at what’s coming next.

Nation of Lifesavers

Funding for AEDs and CPR training in schools: After several years of advocacy, funds have been passed to assist in teaching Kansas students CPR in schools and to help implement cardiac emergency response plans (CERPs). $750,000 will be available through a state-managed grant program to help purchase and maintain AEDs for schools and buy up-to-date equipment for teaching CPR. These funds are integral in ensuring Kansans are prepared for cardiac emergencies at school and in their communities.

Telecommunicator-CPR (TCPR): We spent much of this legislative session advocating for a statewide T-CPR training requirement in Senate Bill 379. However, the bill contained many provisions unrelated to T‑CPR. Combined with opposition from the Kansas Sheriffs Association, the bill stalled and never received a vote in the House committee.

Despite the bill not passing, the committee chair voiced strong support for T-CPR. A huge thank you to all the advocates, including survivors of cardiac arrest, who used their voices to bring this issue to the forefront and stress the importance of training dispatchers statewide in T-CPR. We look forward to working on this issue next session!

Nutrition

Healthy School Meals/Community Eligibility Provision (CEP): HB 2402, a bill that helps families by providing free meals for children during the school day using the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), has been signed into law by Governor Kelly! This bill will ease the burden on family budgets and support better nutrition and learning by reducing stigma and encouraging all students to eat. This win is in no small part due to American Heart Association Heart Powered advocates who used their voices to highlight the value of free, healthy meals for Kansas students.

Access to Care

Medicaid Defense: A bill to increase paperwork and red tape for Kansans on Medicaid was introduced this session. One of the most harmful provisions in this bill would require Medicaid recipients to prove their eligibility for the program four times per year, effectively quadrupling the paperwork burden for low-income Kansans. It would have resulted in loss of coverage for the people who need Medicaid the most.

Due to overwhelming opposition to this provision from advocates like yourself, the bill was amended to remove the burdensome redetermination requirements. Access to care remains a high priority for the American Heart Association, especially in Kansas, where Medicaid has yet to be expanded. Stay tuned for more opportunities to advocate on this issue!

This progress would not be possible without the determination of our advocates, who have sent emails, made phone calls, and met with lawmakers over the past 4 months. Your advocacy is making Kansas a healthier place for all, and we are so grateful for your dedication to our mission. It is important to celebrate these successes and look ahead to all the vital work that needs to be done in 2027!