Legislative Issues

The 2012 Kansas Legislature convened on January 9, 2012 and runs for 90 days until mid-April. All bills had to pass their house of origin on or before February 24, 2012 or they are dead for the session. All bills must pass the opposite house from origin on or before March 30, 2012.

The following family law related bills are now pending in the 2012 Kansas Legislature:

HB2741, relating to cleanup changes to the Kansas Family Law Code (sponsored by the Kansas Judicial Council)(in House-Senate Conference Committee 2012-Apr-30)

SB304
, relating to Certified Batterer Intervention Program Act, Domestic relations case managers, professional and educational requirements, continuing education (in House-Senate Conference Committee 2012-Apr-30)

HB2613
, relating to protection from abuse, providing for extension of protection orders for up to life. (The Senate passed the Conference Committee Amendments on March 30, 2012, 40-0)

The Conference Committee Amendments are  here
The Conference Committee Report is hereHB2740, would impose licensing and other requirements on domestic relations case managers (amended into SB304, Batterers Intervention Program Act)

HB2736, relating to stalking, requirements when defendant is under 14 years of age (dead)

HB2252, relating to name-change in Kansas for persons divorced outside Kansas (dead)

SubSB397, changing terminology used in Kansas statutes from “mental retardation” and similar terms to “intellectual disability” and similar terms. (Signed into law by Governor Brownback on April 6, 2012)(Effective July 1, 2012)

SB262, which mandates consideration of grandparent custody when a child is removed from the child’s parents’ home(s). (Conference Committee version, passed House 120-0)

SB292, which proposes to automatically revoke an ex-spouse’s inheritance rights upon divorce (except for federally protected ERISA rights, which pre-empt state actions regarding beneficiary provisions) (passed Senate, in House Committee)(dead)

SB297, which removes from “separate property” listing “gifts given by a spouse.” (passed Senate, in House Committee)(dead)

Legislative Testimony

Ronald W. Nelson frequently testifies to Committees of the Kansas Legislature on important Family Law issues and legislation, and works with state and local organizations towards improving existing laws and enacting important new laws to address emerging issues and correct problems not sufficiently addressed in current law.

2012

Testified to the 2012 Kansas House Judiciary Committee on HB2741, which “cleans-up” the recodification of Kansas Family Law in Chapter 23 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council).

Testified to the 2012 Kansas House Judiciary Committee on SB262, opposing a requirement that grandparents “must receive consideration” when a child is “removed from the custody of a parent” under the Revised Code for Care of Children.

Anticipate testifying to the 2012 Kansas House Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee on HB2736, which proposes new requirements for petitions for protection from stalking when the defendant in that case is under 14 years of age.

Testified to the 2012 Kansas House Judiciary Committee on HB2252, proposing to allow persons who are divorced outside Kansas to obtain a name-change in Kansas  (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council)

2011

Testified to the 2011 Kansas Legislature, Senate and House Judiciary Committee, on Recodification of Kansas Domestic Relations Code (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council):

Testified to the 2011 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, against enactment of Covenant Marriage and the creation of ‘classes of marriage’:

2010
Testified to the 2010 Kansas Legislature, Senate and House Judiciary Committees, on Recodification of the Kansas Domestic Relations Code (on behalf of the Kansas Judicial Council):
2009

Testified to the 2009 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, about DNA Testing and Parentage, and against a proposal to allow persons previously determined as a child’s parent to be able to have that decision reversed years after the event.

2008

 Testified to the 2008 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on Military Deployment and Child Custody, suggesting changes to a proposed bill to protect children involved in child custody matters involving military deployment:

2007

Testified to the 2007 Kansas Legislature, Joint Interim Judiciary Committee, on Military Child Custody Issues:

Testified to the 2007 Kansas Legislature, House and Senate Judiciary Committees, on child abduction prevention and in favor of enacting the Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act (UCAPA):

2006

Testified to the 2006 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on amendments to Kansas domestic relations statutes.

Testified to the 2006 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on amendments to child custody statutes

2005

Testified to the 2005 Kansas Legislature, Interim Joint Special Judiciary Committee, on amendments to child custody statutes

2004
Testified to the 2004 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on domestic violence and the need for interstate enforcement of domestic violence protection orders, including favoring enacting the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Domestic Violence Protection Orders (UIEDVPOA)
2002

Testified to the 2002 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on Protection from Abuse and Stalking

Assisted Drafting Protection from Stalking Act and changes to Protection from Abuse Act for 2002 Legislature
2001

Testified to the 2001 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on Protection from Abuse

2000

Testified to the 2000 Kansas Legislature, Senate Judiciary Committee, on enactment of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act

Testified to the 2000 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on Domestic Relations Legislation

Assisted Drafting Changes to House Substitute to Senate Bill 150 on child custody, residency, and parenting time and the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

1999

Testified to the 1999-2000 Kansas Legislature Interim Judiciary Committee, on enactment of the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act

Testified to the 1999 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, about interstate child custody jurisdiction and in favor of enacting the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

Testified to the 1999 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on Domestic Relations Legislation
1998

Testified to the 1998 Kansas Legislature, House Judiciary Committee, on Domestic Relations Legislation