A Kansas Senate committee voted to pass out a substitute for Senate Bill 67 that adds prescribing language for certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), aligning that language with wording taken from KSA 60 five-eleven 30, committee members and staff said.

The substitute passed by voice vote after the committee adopted an amendment that copies selected provisions of the APRN statute into the CRNA language and adds a sentence about administering anesthetic agents.

The committee’s action matters because it changes how CRNAs may prescribe controlled substances. Rochelle Colombo, representing the Kansas Medical Society, said the society believes the amendment “reflects what we requested in our testimony” and that it “preserve[s] the physician or dentist order.” She added the change does not represent a broader expansion of scope “except for prescribing.”

Staff and sponsors said the substitute borrows language from the APRN practice statute. ‘‘In 2022 that language was added regarding prescribing medications and so what we did is we copied, essentially that language from 6five 11 30 D1, 2, and 3 and just pasted it into here with the addition of that extra sentence related to administering anesthetic agents,’’ a committee staff member said.

Senator Geoff Clifford (Sen.) expressed concern about the effect on opioid prescribing. ‘‘This does increase the number of opioid prescribers in the State,’’ Clifford said, and added he would vote no even though he wants the bill to reach the Senate floor. Clifford said he hoped CRNA professional groups would ‘‘be self policing’’ and educate members about addiction risks.

Sponsor Senator Owens moved the amendment and later moved the substitute; Senator Rose seconded the amendment and Senator Murphy seconded the substitute. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote and then approved the substitute and passed the bill out of committee by voice vote. The committee did not record a roll-call tally during the voice votes. The transcript shows Senator Clifford stating he intended to vote no; other explicit yea/nay votes were not recorded.

Votes at a glance — Senate substitute for Senate Bill 67: amendment adopted (voice vote; mover: Senator Owens; second: Senator Rose; tally: not specified). Substitute bill passed out of committee favorably (motion to pass Senate substitute for SB67; mover: Senator Owens; second: Senator Murphy; tally: not specified).

Next steps: With the substitute passed out of committee, Senate Bill 67 will move to the Senate floor for further consideration and any additional amendments or debate there.