Breaking News: Kansas Governor Signs Laser Bill into Law

After years of advocacy work by the Kansas Optometric Association and others, the state was finally victorious in its fight to modernize the scope of practice for ODs. Click image to enlarge. Marking the first scope win of the year for optometrists, Governor Laura Kelly of Kansas signed a laser bill into law yesterday, effectively authorizing ODs in the state with the proper training to perform laser and other ophthalmic surgical procedures.First introduced in February 2025, House Bill 2223 now grants Kansas optometrists the right to perform subcutaneous injections of the eye and adnexa, skin lesion removal and biopsy and three optometric laser procedures: SLT, capsulotomy and LPI. The new law states, “This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the statute book.” The Kansas Board of Examiners in Optometry will need to establish the credentialing requirements for each additional procedure in the coming months. Details on the implementation of the law have yet to be fully publicized, but we will share additional information as soon as it becomes available.We’ll continue to follow this developing story and update this article as more details emerge.