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2010 - 2011 Kansas Public Policy Priorities

Tobacco Control

• Protect and defend the newly enacted Kansas Indoor Air Act. Despite passage of the new statewide clean indoor air law there is still much to be done on this priority. Legislative opponents will almost certainly attempt to repeal or scale back the law. Lawsuits filed in Topeka and Wichita are ongoing and may or may not impact the law depending on the outcome of these suits. The American Heart Association opposes any effort to repeal or scale back the statewide law. Furthermore, we disagree with the arguments presented by the parties filing the lawsuits in Topeka and Wichita courts and will provide whatever assistance possible to push back on these challenges to the statewide law.
• Support increasing the tobacco tax to at least $1.85 per pack and a corresponding increase in the tax applied to other tobacco products. The current cigarette excise tax is 79-cents per pack, and has not been adjusted since 2003 when the tax was increased from 55 cents to 79 cents pack.  It is well below the national average of $1.41 per pack and falls further behind each year.

Obesity Prevention

• Support quality physical activity and strong nutrition policies, programs and further research necessary to effectively treat and prevent obesity. Support any legislation that would require all students to have a quality physical education as an integral part of K-12 education (specifically 150 minutes each week for elementary students and 225 a week for middle school students). 
• Support continued funding of Kansas Coordinated School Health, which is the only state funded program regarding obesity in Kansas.  KCSH provides grants to over 40 school districts, in 31 counties, including 77,746 students) for just the 2009-2010 cycle.  School districts receive state assistance to help reduce childhood obesity through physical activity and education and healthful and beverages, as well a community involvement.  

Acute Cardiovascular Care

• Support strong emergency response system critical in savings the lives of victims of heart attack, cardiac arrest and stroke.  Promote CPR and AED Training in schools (including requirement for graduation) for students as well as teachers as a Critical Part of the Chain of Survival.  Support CPR and AED training in schools with an emphasis on hands-on coursework. 

Surveillance

• Establish comprehensive surveillance systems for heart disease, stroke and STEMI in order to monitor incidence and care and evaluate the impact of prevention and treatments efforts. Strengthen and coordinate pre-hospital data collection.  Support policies that keeps funding for that participation as well as support policies that coordinate linkage of pre-hospital data to hospital level data.  Support policies which improve data quality and increase provider usage of Get With the Guidelines – Stroke and Action Registry – Get With the Guidelines.

• The powerful testimony of two individuals saved by use of AEDs was instrumental in the passage of new immunity legislation in Kansas. A high school student and a sports referee each shared their lifesaving stories with House and Senate committee members resulting in unanimous passage of a pending bill. The new law provides immunity to anyone who in good faith and without AED training gives emergency care or assistance to someone suffering sudden cardiac arrest.
• Kansas advocacy efforts also focused on statewide smoke-free air legislation. A bill began winding its way through both the House and Senate and remains alive for legislative action in 2010.