Brief⁽¹⁾

H.B. 2408 amends a statute which presently authorizes licensed embalmers who have been properly trained to perform eye enucleation, i.e., removal of an eye from a deceased person who has made an organ donation as provided by Kansas law. The amendments broaden the group authorized to perform eye enucleation to include licensed nurses; technicians employed by a nationally certified eye bank; licensed optometrists; attendants; physician's assistants; and persons licensed to practice medicine and surgery. "Attendant," as used in H.B. 2408, includes a first responder as well as the various levels of emergency medical technician. Except for licensees in medicine and surgery, those in the categories added to the law would be required to complete the same training required for embalmers.

The House Committee on Health and Human Services amended the bill by reinserting language that was deleted by the bill. In addition, the Committee amendments changed the terminology of "eye bank technician" to "technician employed by a nationally certified eye bank."

Background

Representative Flaharty, one of the sponsors of the bill, testified before the Committee on behalf of the bill. Another proponent was the Executive Director of the Wichita Eye Bank.

The fiscal note on H.B. 2408 that was prepared in 1997 indicated the bill would have no fiscal impact.

1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/fulltext-bill.html.