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Read. Follow. Verify.Kansas Legislature Expands Optometrist Scope of Practice and Credentialing Requirements
Last action · March 13, 2026: Approved by Governor on Thursday, March 12, 2026
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What This Bill Does
Kansas authorizes licensed optometrists to perform , , and skin lesion removal and biopsy, while requiring mandatory credentialing and quarterly reporting. The legislation also adds an optometrist representative to the healthcare stabilization fund board of governors and modifies professional liability insurance requirements.
Licensed optometrists gain the authority to perform advanced clinical procedures upon completing required certifications, with professional liability insurance mandates taking effect January 1, 2028.
- The Kansas healthcare stabilization fund provides excess professional liability coverage for qualified healthcare providers in the state. context
- State boards of examiners regulate professional licensure, continuing education requirements, and disciplinary actions for specific medical and health professions. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Optometrists
Optometrists gain authorization to perform expanded clinical procedures, face new credentialing and quarterly reporting mandates, and become subject to professional liability insurance requirements.
Board of Examiners in Optometry
The board is tasked with administering credentialing programs, reviewing quarterly reports, compiling public data, and appointing the interprofessional advisory committee.
Patients
Patients receive expanded access to specific eye care and minor skin lesion procedures performed directly by licensed optometrists.
Key Facts
- Optometrists are authorized to perform incision and curettage of a chalazion, removal and biopsy of skin lesions without known malignancy, laser capsulotomy, and laser trabeculoplasty.
- Optometrists who graduated from an accredited school of optometry prior to July 1, 2020, must complete a 32-hour certification program featuring didactic and clinical or laboratory experiences to obtain credentialing for injection or laser procedures.
- Credentialed optometrists must submit quarterly reports to the board containing the optometrist's name, total number of procedures performed, location, and procedure or patient outcomes.
- The board of governors of the healthcare stabilization fund is expanded from 11 to 12 members by adding a licensed optometrist nominated by the Kansas optometric association.
Show all 7 facts
- Optometrists become subject to professional liability insurance requirements on and after January 1, 2028, unless the initial surcharge to participate in the healthcare stabilization fund exceeds 15%.
- The interprofessional advisory committee is established as a seven-member committee appointed by the board to review new technologies and make recommendations on clinical or practice-related issues.
- The board of examiners in optometry may require applicants for licensure or licensees under investigation to be fingerprinted and submit to state and national criminal history record checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What new procedures can optometrists perform under this law?
What training is required for optometrists who graduated before July 1, 2020?
Are optometrists required to carry professional liability insurance?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
27 actions- Mar 13, 2026HouseEnrolledApproved by Governor on Thursday, March 12, 2026
- Mar 3, 2026HouseEnrolled and presented to Governor on Tuesday, March 3, 2026
- Feb 27, 2026HouseEngrossed on Thursday, February 26, 2026
- Feb 26, 2026HouseConcurred with amendments
- Feb 18, 2026SenateFloorFinal Action - Passed as amended
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Now working on
Show 21 earlier actions
- Feb 17, 2026SenateFloorCommittee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by
- Feb 17, 2026SenateFloorCommittee of the Whole - Amendment by was adopted
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by
- Feb 17, 2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Amendment by was rejected
- Feb 17, 2026SenateFloorCommittee of the Whole - Be passed as further amended
- Feb 10, 2026SenateFloorCommittee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by
- Jan 29, 2026SenateHearing: Thursday, January 29, 2026, 8:30 AM — Room 142-S
- Mar 19, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare
- Mar 18, 2025HouseCommittee of the Whole - Now working on
- Mar 18, 2025HouseFloorCommittee of the Whole - Be passed
- Mar 18, 2025HouseFloorMotion to advance to Emergency Final Action adopted
- Mar 18, 2025HouseFloorEmergency Final Action - Passed
- Mar 18, 2025SenateIntroducedReceived and Introduced
- Mar 14, 2025HouseFloorCommittee Report recommending bill be passed by
- Mar 12, 2025HouseHearing: Wednesday, March 12, 2025, 1:30 PM — Room 112-N
- Mar 6, 2025HouseHearing: Thursday, March 6, 2025, 1:30 PM — Room 112-N — CANCELED
- Feb 26, 2025HouseWithdrawn from House Committee on Health and Human Services; Rereferred to House Committee on Health and Human Services
- Feb 18, 2025HouseWithdrawn from House Committee on Federal and State Affairs; Referred to House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
- Feb 3, 2025HouseIntroducedIntroduced
- Feb 3, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to House Committee on Health and Human Services
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Optometric Scope and Board Governance
The legislation broadens clinical privileges for optometrists into minor surgical and laser procedures while formally integrating optometric representation into the healthcare stabilization fund's board of governors.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.kslegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance75How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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