Approved:

Minutes of the House Health and Services Committee

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jim Morrison at 1:30 P.M. on February 16, 2006, in Room 526-S of the Capitol, a Joint Meeting with the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee.

All members were present except Representative Kelley, who was excused.

Committee staff present:

Melissa Calderwood, Kansas Legislative Research Department
Mary Galligan, Kansas Legislative Research Department
Renae Jefferies, Revisor of Statutes’ Office
Gary Deeter, Committee Secretary

Conferees appearing before the committee:
            Dr. David Prentice, Family Research Council, Washington, D.C.
            Kevin Siek, Disabilities Rights Advocate, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center
            Alyce Brown, AARP
            Steve Jeffers, Director, Institute for Spirituality in Health           
        
Others attending:  See attached list (not available on electronic copy).

David Prentice, Ph.D., Family Research Council, Washington, D.C., presented information on adult stem cell cures.  (Attachment 1)  He outlined the basic concepts regarding stem cell research, stating that each stem cell has two characteristics, first in its native form, and then in differentiation.  He noted the difficulty of controlling differentiation of any cell, adult or embryonic.  Regarding the present stem cell lines, he said contaminants in stem cell lines can be washed to remove them.  He reviewed the issue of cloning (somatic cell nuclear transfer), commenting on therapeutic cloning and reproductive cloning, noting the difficulty of achieving a match.  He said that a New Jersey law now allows a gestating clone to be eligible for harvest any time before birth.  He then listed therapeutic or regenerative benefits using a patient’s own adult stem cells. 

Answering questions, Dr. Prentice said it is harder to harvest some types of adult stem cells than it is embryonic stem cells, but adult stem cells will transfer from, say, bone marrow to heart readily.  He acknowledged that research is moving toward using chemical transfers that will obviate the need for anything but nutrients for stem cells.  He replied that embryonic stem cells are more vulnerable to creating tumors because their “job description” is to grow rapidly; taken out of its controlled environment, embryonic stem cells become more random.  He acknowledged that adult stem cells deteriorate slightly as an individual ages, but a person’s own stem cells would less likely be rejected.  Regarding umbilical cord blood, he said those stem cells are more versatile.  He replied that the danger of a woman donating eggs for research is that daily high-dose hormone shots for a week sometimes over-stimulate the ovaries to cause serious swelling.

The Chair opened the hearing on HCR 5011.  (Last year’s testimony on the resolution is found at  http://www.kslegislature.org/hhhs/05-06/.)

Kevin Siek, Disabilities Rights Advocate, Topeka Independent Living Resource Center, spoke as a proponent, stating that 80% of all long-term home health care in America is provided by family members and that over 250,000 Kansans give 275 million hours annually.  (Attachment 2)   He said the resolution is one way to say thank you.  He provided Attachment 3 for additional documentation.

Alyce Brown, AARP, also testified in support of the resolution.   (Attachment 4)  She said unpaid caregivers deserve our thanks and our support.

Deanne Bacco, Executive Director, Kansas Advocates for Better Care, submitted written testimony in support of the resolution.  (Attachment 5)

The Chair closed the hearing on HCR 5011 and opened the hearing on HCR 5031.
 
Steve Jeffers, Director, Institute for Spirituality in Health, testified as a proponent.  (Attachment 6) He commented on the importance of clear definitions (advanced directive, health-care directive, medical durable power of attorney, and living will), noting the benefits of these resources and how few Kansans avail themselves of them.  He submitted a PointPoint presentation to illustrate his comments.  (Attachment 7)

The Chair closed the hearing.

Staff Melissa Calderwood briefed the committee on      HB 2734.  She said the bill creates new law allowing a person to take a licensure examination even if some or all credits were obtained online, so long as the credits were obtained from an accredited institution.  A fiscal note was provided.  (Attachment 8)

Staff Mary Galligan gave a briefing on HB 2739, explaining that the bill expands current law to prohibit not only smoking, but use of tobacco products—and not only in hospital facilities, but also on hospital property.  The bill mandates hospital administrative officers to develop policies implementing the requirements of the bill.  She noted that long-term-care facilities are exempt if tobacco use in conducted in a well-ventilated area. 

The Chair suggested members consider HCR 5011 for passage.  A motion was made and seconded to amend the resolution to include Social and Rehabilitative Services family care-givers and to correct the wording for the Kansas Department on (not of) Aging.  The motion passed.

A motion was made to pass the resolution out favorably as amended.

The meeting was adjourned at 3:15 p.m.