Legislative Issues – 2019

The 2019 Kansas Legislature convened on Monday, January 14, 2019, for the first year of the 2019-2020 Legislature.

The Kansas legislative session generally runs for 90-days until approximately mid-April ( but the 2017 Legislative Session lasted 105-days, tying a record). In 2019, the legislative session lasted significantly less time. Elections for all House members and the Governor occurred in November 2018. With that election, Laura Kelly (D) was elected Governor defeating Secretary of State Kris Kobach. The House became more polarized since some Republican moderates were defeated by right-wing Republicans in the primary and others were defeated by Democratic candidates in the General Election (notably in northeast Johnson County).

Bills introduced into the 2019 Legislative Session survive for consideration in the 2020 legislative session, although a new version of the holdover bill is often introduced.

For the 2019 Session of the Kansas Legislature, individual requests for bill introductions had to be submitted before February 4, 2019; with committee introductions before February 11, 2019. All bills must pass its house-of-origin on or before February 28, 2019 (with some exceptions) or they die for the session. The Legislature took its mid-term break on March 1, resuming on Wednesday, March 6 for the second half of the session.

Bills, other than for funding, must pass the opposite house of origin on or before March 27, 2019 (second-house turn-around). All Bills must be considered for final action (other than bills from “exempt” committees) on or before April 5, 2019 (the “drop dead” date), when the Kansas House and Senate take “first adjournment.”

The Legislature returned for its “Veto Session” on May 1, 2019, failing to overturn the one veto override vote presented to it.

The Legislature returned again on May 28 and 29, 2019 for adjournment sine die – after the Senate returned a week earlier for a short one-day session to consider — and reject — confirmation of Governor Kelly’s nomination of District Judge Jeffrey Jack to the Kansas Court of Appeals after the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the Governor cannot withdraw the name of a candidate for the Court  of Appeals after submitting it to the Senate.

In December 2018, leading up to the session, three Republican lawmakers, Sen. Barbara Bollier (Mission Hills), Sen. Dinah Sykes (Lenexa), and Rep. Stephanie Clayton (Overland Park), changed their party affiliation from Republican to Democratic stating that the Republican Party’s dramatic turn to the right and party leadership’s insistence that the legislature start over again on education funding, including another attempt to pass a constitutional amendment that would make the legislature the sole arbiter of whether its actions were constitutional.

Sine die, as the rest of the session, was consumed with dysfunction and chaos.  The Senate considered, and approved Yea: 37 Nay: 1, the Governor’s nomination of Sarah Warner to fill the Court of Appeals vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Patrick McAnany. But, as noted by the Kansas City Star, “the Kansas Legislature’s annual session came to a chaotic, divisive end Wednesday amid the removal of disruptive protestors and an override of Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget vetoes. The final day of session is often a ceremonial affair. This time, it was anything but.” As a result of the protest staged in the gallery of the Senate, Senate President Susan Wagle, ordered the protestors arrested, the gallery closed, and news reporters barred from being present when the protestors were removed. Thus ended a session when very little of substance (family law or otherwise) occurred because of leadership’s fear that moderates and Democrats would bring to the floor bills that the overwhelming majority of Kansans had protested for, including Medicaid Expansion, restoration of teacher tenure, and removal of laws discriminating against LGBTQ individuals.

The following family law and –related bills and concurrent resolutions were introduced during and pending in the 2019 Kansas Legislature:

Senate:

SB18: Criminal procedure, crimes and punishments; diversion agreements; presentence investigation reports; counterfeiting currency; comparative crimes interstate; child abuse penalties, presumptions of parent unfitness for certain crimes, child as “aggressor”. (SENATE PASSED 40-0)(HOUSE PASSED AMENDED 124-0)(CONFERENCE COMMITTEE)(HOUSE PASSED CCR 124-0)(GOVERNOR SIGNED 13-MAY-2019) (EFF. MAY 23, 2019)

This bill was introduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 16, 2019, and referred to that Committee for hearing. As introduced, the bill would add a provision allowing the Attorney General to enter into agreements with the appropriate county or district attorney, or other appropriate parties, regarding the supervision of conditions of the diversion agreement. The bill was set for hearing by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S.  On February 7, 2019, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended that the bill be passed as introduced and be placed on the Consent Agenda. The bill was passed by the Senate on the Consent Agenda Yea: 40 Nay: 0 on February 14, 2019, and sent to the House for Consideration.

The bill was introduced into the House on February 15, 2019, and referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee scheduled hearings on the bill for Thursday, March 7, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S. On March 22, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee recommended that the bill be passed with amendments to incorporate SB19 authorizing access to presentence reports by community correctional services and any entity required to receive the information under the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision, and SB134, as amended by the Senate Committee and passed by the Senate, regarding the crime of counterfeiting currency. As amended, the House Committee of the Whole recommended passage on March 25, 2019, and the House passed the amended bill Yea: 124 Nay: 0 on March 26, 2019.

The Senate nonconcurred in the House amendments on March 27, 2019, and the House concurred on April 1, 2019, sending the bill to Conference Committee. The Conference Committee agreed to the provisions of SB18, as passed by the House, and also agreed to add the contents of the following bills:

  • HB2048, as amended by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, regarding out-of-state criminal history, appeals, and correction of illegal sentences;
  • HB2396, as amended by the House Committee of the Whole, regarding drug abuse treatment programs and probation violation sanctions;
  • SB108, as amended by the Senate Committee of the Whole, regarding the penalties for the crimes of involuntary manslaughter and abuse of a child and a mitigating factor and defining when a child could, and should not be, considered as an aggressor in an incident with an adult; and

The bill also would make technical changes to provide consistency in references to the report and consistency in statutory phrasing.

The House passed the Conference Committee Report Yea: 123 Nay: 0 on April 5, 2019. The bill as passed was presented to Governor Kelly, who signed it on May 13, 2019. The bill became law on May 23, 2019, when it was published in the Kansas Register.

SB20: Courts; Judicial funding, extending  judicial branch surcharge to fund non-judicial salaries (PASSED SENATE 35-5)(AMENDED PASSED HOUSE 118-6)(CONFERENCE COMMITTEE)(HOUSE ADOPTED CCR 120-3)(GOVERNOR SIGNED 13-MAY-2019) (EFF. JULY 1, 2019)

This bill, introduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee, would extend the existing judicial surcharge from its current end date (June 30, 2019) to June 30, 2021. The bill would direct that the moneys received from the surcharge be used to fund the salaries of non-judicial salaries within the Kansas judicial system. The bill would make other technical changes, including deletion of obsolete language. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The Committee heard testimony on the bill January 30, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. Among the groups testifying, Kansans for Life testified against the bill. The Kansas Bar Association testified in favor of the bill. On February 7, 2019, the Judiciary Committee recommended passage of the bill with an amendment to remove the sunset dates and make the surcharge permanent. On February 12, 2019, the Senate debated the amended bill in Committee of the Whole and accepted the Committee’s recommendation to pass on the amended bill to the entire Senate. On February 13, 2019, the Senate passed the bill as amended 35 Nay: 5, sending the bill to the House.

The bill was introduced into the House February 14, 2019, and referred to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings. The House Judiciary Committee scheduled hearings on the bill for Thursday, March 7, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S. On March 22, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee recommended that the Senate bill be amended to extend the judicial branch surcharge to June 30, 2023, and to insert the contents of HB 2039, as passed by the House, concerning tribal court judgments. The House Committee of the Whole recommended adoption of the amended bill on March 25, 2019, and the full House adopted the bill on March 26, 2019, Yea: 118 Nay: 6, with Representatives Burris (R-Mulvane), Capps (R-Wichita), Garber (R-Sabetha), Helmer (R-Mulvane), Jacobs (R-Fort Scott), and Rhiley (R-Wellington) voting against the bill.

The next day, March 27, 2019, the Senate nonconcurred with the House amendments, sending the bill to Conference Committee.

On April 3, 2019, the Conference Committee agreed to resolve the legislative disputes by adopting the Senate position of extending the judicial branch surcharge for six-years (instead of four-years); adding a docket fee provision that the Senate Committee of the Whole adopted in considering HB2039; and adding the contents of HB2206, as passed by the House and recommended by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, regarding bonding requirements for the crime of cruelty to animals. With the contents of HB2039 (tribal court judgments) included in the Conference Committee report on SB20, the Conference Committee on HB2039 agreed to use that bill as a shell for the contents of HB2105, updating the laws regarding limited liability companies, and HB2243, exempting animal shelters from charitable organization registration requirements.

On April 4, 2019, the House adopted the Conference Committee Report Yea: 120 Nay: 3. The bill as passed was presented to Governor Kelly, who signed it on May 13, 2019. The bill became law on July 1, 2019 when published in the Statute book.

SB37: Abuse; requiring duly ordained minister of religion or an employee of or volunteer for a religious organization to report certain abuse and neglect of children. (See SB218)

This bill, introduced by Sen. Tom Holland (D-Baldwin City), would add duly ordained ministers of religion and employees and volunteers for religious organizations as mandatory reporters of child abuse while protecting pastoral privilege in appropriate circumstances. The bill was referred to the Senate Federal & State Affairs Committee for hearing.

A slightly revised bill (SB218) was introduced later in the session

SB55: Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act

This bill was introduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 29, 2019. The Act (UPHPA) was adopted by the Uniform Laws Commission in 2010 is an act of limited scope which addresses a widespread, well-documented problem faced by many low to middle-income families across the country who have been dispossessed of their real property and much of their real property-related wealth over the past several decades as a result of court-ordered partition sales of tenancy-in-common properties. The highly unstable ownership these families experience stands in sharp contrast to the secure property rights wealthier families typically enjoy.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and set for hearing on Tuesday, February 5, 2019, 10:30 AM in Room 346-S.

SB77: Requiring the department for children and families to offer services to children with problem sexual behavior and to such child’s family (PASSED SENATE 38-0)(AMENDED PASSED HOUSE 118-0)(SENATE CONCURRED 39-0)(GOVERNOR SIGNED 12-APR-2019)(EFF. JULY 1, 2019)

Introduced into the Senate Committee on Judiciary, this bill (a duplicate of HB2094) would require the Kansas Department of Children and Families to provide  counseling and, as needed, additional services to a family of any child against whom a complaint had been made that the child had “problem sexual behavior” to offer counseling and treatment to the child and the child’s family unless the department determines there will be a high risk of future sexual abuse by the child with problem sexual behavior if such child or such child’s family refuses to accept the services.

The bill was assigned for hearing to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which set the bill for hearing on Tuesday, February 12, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. On February 21, 2019, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended that the bill be passed with an amendment to require DCF provide a referral to a child advocacy center instead of offering counseling. The amendment also adjusted the language describing a child with sexual behavior problems. On February 27, 2019, the Senate Committee of the Whole recommended passage of the amended bill, which the Senate passed Yea: 38 Nay: 0 on Emergency Final Action that same day. The bill was sent to the House for consideration after first adjournment.

When introduced in the House, the bill was assigned to the Committee on State and Federal Affairs. The Committee scheduled hearings on Monday, March 18 19, 2019, at 9:00 AM in Room 346-S, with final action on the bill scheduled for Wednesday, March 20, 2019. The Department of Children and Families presented testimony at the hearing that the bill, as amended by the Senate, would lead to a 15.0% increase in the number of calls making allegations about children exhibiting “problem sexual behaviors” to the Kansas Protection Reporting Center (KPRC). DCF estimated the increased calls would require one additional staff member at the KPRC and one additional child protection investigator at a cost of $126,352 in FY 2020 and $126,884 in FY 2021, with similar costs in subsequent years. On March 20, 2019, the House Committee amended the bill to allow DCF to provide a referral to mental health providers in addition to child advocacy centers. On March 25, 2019, the House Committee of  the Whole recommended that the House amended bill be adopted. The full House adopted the amended bill Yea: 124 Nay: 0 March 26, 2019. The Senate concurred in the House amendments on March 27, 2019. Yea: 39 Nay: 0, sending the approved bill to the Governor.

The bill was enrolled and presented to Governor on Tuesday, April 2, 2019. Governor Kelly signed the bill on Friday, April 12, 2019. The bill becomes law on July 1, 2019.

SB78: Consumer Protection, Landlord-Tenant; assignment of rights in property and casualty insurance, protections for victims of domestic violence to withdraw from rental agreements (PASSED SENATE 38-1)(AMENDED PASSED HOUSE 123-1)(CONFERENCE COMMITTEE)(CCR PASSED HOUSE 100-23)(CCR PASSED SENATE 36-1)(GOVERNOR SIGNED 22 APRIL 2019)(EFF. JULY 1, 2019)

This bill, introduced on February 1, 2019, in the Senate Committee on Judiciary was requested by the Kansas Association of Property and Casualty Insurance Companies (KAPCIC), this bill would have provided rules for the assignment of rights or benefits to a residential contractor under a property and casualty insurance policy insuring residential real estate.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which held hearings on Tuesday, February 19, 2019, at 10:30 AM Room in 346-S. The Senate Committee amended the bill pursuant to a request from KAPCIC to add further specificity to certain phrases, adjust the required notice, and adjust the provision requiring the assignment be provided to the insurer, and recommended on February 21, 2019, that the bill be passed as amended. The amended bill was debated by the Senate Committee of the Whole on February 26, 2019. In the Senate Committee of the Whole, Senator Francisco moved to amend the bill to adjust the definition of “residential real estate,” and the Senate COW adopted the amendment, with the full Senate passing the amended bill Yea: 38 Nay: 1.

The Senate passed bill was introduced into the House on February 28, 2019, and was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings. The House Judiciary Committee scheduled the amended bill for hearing on Monday, March 11, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S. On March 19, 2019, the House Judiciary Committee recommended that the Senate passed bill be further amended to clarify the definition of “residential contractor,” remove a requirement the statement contain specified language regarding assurances by the residential contractor, and adjust the requirement regarding the residential contractor providing a copy of the assignment to the insurer. The House Committee also amended the bill to include language based upon HB2162, regarding the KCPA definitions of “supplier” and “consumer transaction.” As amended, the House Committee of the Whole recommended passage, and the full House passed the heavily amended bill Yea: 123 Nay: 1.

On March 27, 2019, the Senate nonconcurred with the House amendments, sending the bill to Conference Committee. On April 5, 2019, the Conference Committee issued its report, in which it agreed to the provisions of SB78, as amended by the House Committee on Judiciary, regarding assignment of rights and benefits under an insurance policy insuring residential real estate, with one clarifying change to definitions. The Conference Committee also amended the bill to:

● Remove the changes made by the House Committee on Judiciary to SB78 to the Kansas Consumer Protection Act (KCPA) definitions of “supplier” and “consumer transaction” (from HB2162); and

● Add modified provisions from SB150 (regarding housing protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking), as amended by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, to:

  • Define “protected person”;
  • Add provisions addressing liability for the renter for amounts owed before vacating the premises, prohibiting waiver of the law, continuing the lease for non-protected persons, and for providing statutory damages;
  • Modify the list of persons who may provide declarations for supporting documentation and the content of such documentation;
  • Modify the alternative documentation that may be provided; and
  • Ensure consistency in phrasing.

On April 5, 2019, a motion made in the House to disapprove the changes made by the Conference Committee failed on voice vote. The House then concurred in the Conference Committee changes Yea: 100 Nay: 23, with Awerkamp, Bergquist, Blex, W. Carpenter, Collins, Delperdang, Dove, Ellis, Erickson, Garber, Helmer, Hoffman, Jacobs, Mason, Pannbacker, Rhiley, Straub, Sutton, Thimesch, Thompson, Vickrey, Wasinger, and Williams, voting against the bill because it included provisions from SB150. The Senate adopted the Conference Committee Report Yea: 36 Nay: 1, with only Senator Tyson (R-Parker) voting against the bill.

The bill was presented to the Governor for signing on April 12, 2019.

SB85: Domestic battery; authorizing staggered  sentencing.

This bill would allow any sentence imposed for domestic battery to be broken up into segments (e.g. three 30-day terms instead of one  90-day  term). The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.

SB88: Protective Orders; increasing penalties for violation.

This bill would increase the penalty for violating a civil protection order issued in a protection from abuse action,  protection from stalking action, or domestic relations action to a Severity Level 7 felony for a second and subsequent violation.

The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration. The bill was scheduled for hearings on Friday, February 22, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. The bill was not worked by committee and did not survive for consideration during the 2019 Legislative Session.

SB108: Child abuse, increasing criminal penalties, presumption of parent unfitness for certain crimes (PASSED SENATE 39-0)(SEE SB18)

This bill, introduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee, would increase criminal penalties for abuse of a child and involuntary manslaughter when the victim is under 6 years of age. It would also institute a statutory presumption of parental unfitness against any parent convicted of either crime. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearing.

The Senate Judiciary Committee held hearings on the bill Tuesday, February 19, 2019, at 10:30 AM Room in 346-S. On February 25, 2019, the Committee amended the bill to raise the child abuse penalty to severity level 4 instead of severity level 3, remove the CINC Code provision, and name the bill “Mireya’s Law.” As amended, the Committee recommended passage. The bill was placed on the debate calendar, but was withdrawn from the Calendar and re-referred to Committee on Ways and Means (an exempt committee) to that it could be considered by the Senate after first adjournment. The bill was placed back on the Calender for Committee of the Whole discussion February 28, 2019. The bill was put up for debate on March 26, 2019, but was then passed over but retained on the Calender. The bill was debated by the Senate Committee of the Whole the next day, March 27, 2019. The Senate Committee of the Whole debated and adopted an amendment offered by Senator Miller (R-) to incorporate into the bill as amended by Senate Committee, the provisions of HB2283, as introduced, which exempting some victims from being considered an aggressor or participant as a mitigating factor when considering a departure sentence. The full Senate adopted the bill, as amended by the Senate Committee of the Whole Yea: 39 Nay: 0, sending the bill to the House.

The bill was introduced in the House on April 1, 2019, and referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

SB119: Courts; encouraging districts to set up specialty courts

This bill, introduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee by Sen. Haley (D-Topeka), would encourage state judicial districts to set up “specialty courts,” defined as “a court program that uses therapeutic or problem-solving procedures to address underlying factors that may be contributing to a person’s involvement in the criminal justice system, including, but not limited to, mental illness or drug, alcohol or other addiction.” At the time of the bill’s introduction, Johnson County and Sedgewick County have specialty courts set up and the Kansas Supreme Court has a rule governing specialty courts.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearing. The Committee scheduled hearings on the bill for Wednesday, February 20, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S.

SB150: Housing; protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking (PASSED SENATE 40-0)(SEE SB78)

This bill, introduced on February 12, 2019, would provide protections for victims of domestic violence against being evicted from or discriminated against in housing. It is a duplicate of HB2258. The Senate sponsors are Senators Sykes, Alley, Baumgardner, Berger, Bollier, Doll, Faust-Goudeau, Francisco, Givens, Haley, Hardy, Hawk, Hensley, Hilderbrand, Holland, Kerschen, Longbine, McGinn, Miller, Olson, Pettey, Skubal, Taylor, Wagle, Ware, and Wilborn. The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings.

On February 21, 2019, the bill was withdrawn from the Committee on Judiciary and referred instead to the Committee on Ways and Means (an exempt committee). The bill was withdrawn from the Committee on Ways and Means on the next day, February 22, 2019, and re-referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings. The Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled hearings after first adjournment for Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. On March 12, 2019, the Committee amended the bill to remove administrative agency records from the listed supporting documents, specify that the allowable termination fee could not exceed one month’s rent, and clarified terminology in the termination fee provision, and recommended that the Senate pass the bill as amended. On March 14, 2019, the Senate Committee of the Whole recommended that the bill be passed as amended by Committee. The Senate passed the bill the same day Yea: 40 Nay: 0 on Emergency Final Action, sending it to the House for consideration.

The amended bill was introduced into the House on March 15, 2019, and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The Judiciary Committee scheduled hearings on the bill for Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S.

During the Judiciary Committee Conference Committee discussions, the provisions of SB150 were added to SB78, and that Conference Committee Report was adopted by both houses. (See SB78)

During Conference negotiations, SB150 was incorporated into SB78, which was then passed by both houses.

SB157: Child Custody; creating a presumption in favor of equal parenting time for temporary orders.

This bill, introduced on the last day for introduction of bills by individual legislators, is a duplicate of HB2196. The Senate version of the bill, introduced by Senators Hilderbrand, Alley, Berger, Doll, Faust-Goudeau, Francisco, Goddard, Haley, Holland, Longbine, Olson, Petersen, Skubal, Suellentrop, Taylor, Wagle and Wilborn. Like its House counterpart, the bill would require courts to impose upon families – both divorcing and couples who had never married – equal parenting time when temporary orders are issued. This bill is another in a line of proposed bad solutions for problems that don’t exist coming from complaints by individuals arising from their own cases and seeking to impose upon everyone in the system cookie-cutter solutions. Just this past December, the Kansas Judicial Council issued a report that strongly came out against these kinds presumptions in its 2018 Report on HB2529, a bill that would have done essentially the same thing this bill seeks, but with final orders. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearing.

On February 25, 2019, the bill was withdrawn from Committee on Judiciary and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means to protect it from being dead for the session. The bill was withdrawn from the Committee on Ways and Means and referred back to the Senate Judiciary Committee the next day, February 26, 2019, and set for hearing on Thursday, March 7, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. On March 7, 2019, twenty proponents and 7 opponents, including Ronald W. Nelson, presented testimony. WIBW-TV presented a summary of the testimony in an article the next day quoting Ronald W. Nelson, who presented testimony in opposition to the bill. The Committee worked the bill on Thursday, March 21, 2019, eventually passing the bill out with amendments after the bill nearly failed for lack of a second. The Committee amended the bill in four ways: (1) by inserting a provision that would allow the other party to overcome the equal parenting time presumption “if there is a presentation of documentation or other information by a parent that would support a finding of good cause that domestic abuse has occurred or is occurring.” The amendment further provides that in that instance not only would be equal parenting time provision evaporate, but there would arise a “presumption” that the parents shouldn’t have either joint legal custody or equal parenting time. (2) by defining “joint legal custody” to mean that “both parents retain the decision-making authority for the most important issues affecting a child’s life, including health, education and welfare, and that neither parent has the right to decide such matters without receiving input from or consulting with the other parent.” (3) by defining “parenting time” as “the schedule of time when each parent has actual physical access to a child, during which the scheduled parent is responsible for the physical care and supervision of the child.” (4) by defining “equal parenting time” as being “that a child’s actual physical access to each parent is regular and equal or nearly equal.” The language is poor — in many ways and for many reasons. With those amendments, the bill was placed on the Senate Calendar.

SB160: Crimes; related to domestic violence calls to law enforcement.

This bill was introduced by the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 13, 2019. It would require law enforcement officers investigating alleged domestic violence to give certain notices and conduct a lethality assessment to victims and others who are affected. The bill would require police to provide information to victims about the timing of their abuser’s release from custody when an arrest is made. KSNT (Topeka) aired a short segment about the reasons for the bill on February 13. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearing.

SB161: Defining the term “primary aggressor” in criminal code and for protection from abuse actions.

This bill, introduced on February 13, 2019, by the Senate Judiciary Committee, would define the term “primary aggressor” in the state criminal code (with references to it in the protection from abuse act) as “the person determined to be the most significant aggressor, rather than the first aggressor. In determining the primary aggressor, the court or an officer shall consider the intent of the law to protect victims of domestic violence from continuing abuse, the threats creating fear of physical injury, the history of domestic violence between the persons involved, the nature of the injuries suffered or inflicted on another and whether either person acted in self-defense.” The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings.

SB162: Children; DCF notification by foster care management contractors (PASSED SENATE 40-0)

This bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare to require notification by a foster care case management contractor and the Kansas DCF if a child in the care of the department is missing from state care for any of the reasons stated in the bill. This bill is an outgrowth of the study of the Kansas Foster Care System for reported and continuing administrative failures through the past years. The bill was assigned to the Senate Committee on Public Health and Welfare for hearings.

The bill was set for hearing Wednesday, February 20, 2019, 9:30 AM Room 118-N, but that hearing was cancelled and rescheduled the next day, February 21, 2019 at 9:30 AM in Room 118-N. Senator Baumgardner (R-Louisburg) testified in favor of the bill stating the bill would provide additional transparency and assure the Executive branch, the Legislative branch, and the general public receive timely information about delays in out-of-home placement and the children who have left their out-of home placement. A DCF representative testified to explain current procedures to address the reporting of and investigation into the children in DCF custody who are missing. The DCF representative stated the daily updates the Secretary for Children and Families receives could easily be shared with the Governor’s Office without a statutory change. The DCF representative expressed concern regarding the disclosure of confidential information on the missing children in violation of confidentiality laws relating to children’s identities that might place the federal Title IV-E funds related to child welfare at risk. On February 25, 2019, the Committee worked the bill, amending the bill to clarify the required time frame for a contractor to notify DCF of a foster care child who is missing or spent any overnight period in a facility under the control of the contractor and the time frame for DCF to subsequently notify the required parties; remove the requirement to publish such report in the applicable newspaper; and specify the information to be provided in the report.

The Senate Committee of the Whole debated the bill on February 25, 2019, making technical amendments to the bill. The full Senate passed the bill Yea: 40 Nay: 0 on Emergency Final Action that same day, passing the bill over to the House for consideration.

The bill as amended was introduced into the House on February 28, 2019, assigned to the House Committee on Children and Seniors. The Committee scheduled hearings on the bill for Monday, March 18, 2019, at 1:30 PM in Room 346-S.

SB166: Grandparents as Caregivers; deeming children as foster children.

This bill, introduced on February 13, 2019, by the Senate Judiciary Committee, would make changes to the Grandparents as Caregivers Act, including to  reduce the age of grandparents covered by the act from 50 to 40 years of age, and providing that grandparents would be able to obtain parenting skills training at no charge. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings. The bill was scheduled for hearing Thursday, February 21, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S, but was not worked by Committee before first adjournment, meaning that the bill is dead for the session.

SB214: Child death review board; confidentiality of records

This bill was introduced on February 22, 2019 and assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearing. The bill would provide exceptions to confidentiality in the event of a child death while in the care of the state allowing legislators and legislative committees with authority over the Department of Children and Families access to that information in the course of legislative investigations. The bill was scheduled for hearing Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S.

SB215: Crimes; domestic battery, child endangerment

This bill, introduced on February 25, 2019, would amend child endangerment statutes to include domestic battery in the presence of a child. The bill would also increase the penalties for domestic battery. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings.

SB218: Abuse; requiring duly ordained minister of religion or an employee of or volunteer for a religious organization to report certain abuse and neglect of children. (PASSED SENATE 39-0)

This bill, introduced into the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee after bill introduction deadline (to protect it for consideration) is a modification of SB37 originally introduced by Sen. Tom Holland (D-Baldwin City). This bill is the result of negotiations between the original proponents and the Catholic Church. The bill would add duly ordained ministers of religion and employees and volunteers for religious organizations as mandatory reporters of child abuse while protecting pastoral privilege in appropriate circumstances. The bill was referred to the Senate Federal & State Affairs Committee for hearing. The Committee held hearings on the bill Wednesday, March 13, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 144-S. On March 21, 2019, the Committee recommended the bill be passed as introduced. The Senate Committee of the Whole also recommended the bill be passed and introduced, and the full Senate voted to pass the bill, Yea: 39 Nay: 0, on March 27, 2019, sending the bill to the House.

SB332: Changing the requirements for court orders directing a child to remain in a present or future placement issued for children in need of care

This bill, introduced on January 28, 2020 into the Senate Judiciary Committee would change the requirements for temporary emergency orders in child in need of care proceedings to mandate the child be retained in protective custody for a period of 24-hours.

The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and set for hearings on Tuesday, February 4, 2020 at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. That hearing was cancelled and the hearing rescheduled for Thursday, February 13, 2020, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S.

SB334: Evidence; authentication

This bill, introduced into the Senate Judiciary Committee by the Kansas Judicial Council on January 28, 2020, would change the requirements for the authentication of documents and other evidence. The bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

The bill was originally scheduled for hearing on February 4, 2020, but changed to February 5, 2020. It was then again rescheduled for hearings on February 12, 2020, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S.

SB367: Prohibiting the use of “conversion therapy.”

This bill, introduced into the Committee on Public Health and Welfare on February 6, 2020, would prohibit any person licensed by the state board of healing arts; board of nursing; and the behavioral sciences regulatory board from performing any practice or treatment that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex or gender. The bill was assigned to the Public Health and Welfare Committee for hearings.

SB461: Foster children; designation as high risk missing persons

This bill, introduced on February 20, 2020, would add “[persons] who are children in the custody of the secretary for children and families” to the definition of “high risk missing persons” in KSA 75-712c, which would require that local police and law enforcement agencies, “immediately and specifically make such determination known to the missing and unidentified person system of the Kansas bureau of investigation and cause the information to be entered into the missing person system of the national crime information center as soon as possible after the minimum information to make such entry is received.” The bill was introduced into the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee and assigned to that Committee for hearings.

Concurrent Resolutions

SCR1610: Judiciary; Abolishing Merit Selection, Instituting Political Appointment of Judges for Supreme Court and Court of Appeals

On March 27, 2019, the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee introduced a proposed  concurrent resolution to amend the Kansas State Constitution to do away with merit selection of the Kansas appellate courts — the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals — with those appointments instead to be made by whim of the governor subject to confirmation by the Senate. This concurrent resolution was made as a further attempt by the Kansas Senate to inject more dysfunction into the political process on the heels of continuing conflict between Governor Laura Kelly and the ultra-conservative leadership in the Kansas Senate as and is a continuation of past efforts during the Brownback administration to turn the state judiciary from an independent branch of government into one controlled by the majority party without merit-based selection being required. The bill was assigned to the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee for hearings.

House:

HB2020: Courts; supreme court nominating commission, attorney licensure.

This bill, prefiled by Rep. Carmichael (D-Wichita), would restore the law to the way it read before 2016 (see 2016 HB128, 3rd CCR) when the legislature passed bills pushed by former Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Among other things, the 2016 law required (1) applicants for admission to practice law to provide the following information required of persons applying to register to vote: (a) name, (b) place of residence, (c) date of birth, (d) sex, and (e) the last four digits of the person’s social security number or the person’s full driver’s license or nondriver’s license identification card number; (2) the names, residential addresses, dates of birth, unique voter identification numbers, and dates of licensure to practice law in Kansas of all persons on such certified rosters would be disclosed upon proper request to the Clerk or to the Secretary of State; (3) changes to the Supreme Court Nominating Commission process for elections; (4) prohibing the nominating commission from having private sessions to discuss private information about judicial applicants.

The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for review. The bill was scheduled for hearing Monday, January 28, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S.

HB2025: CINC; Including a person who has filed a petition for adoption in the definition of an interested party in the child in need of care code.

This bill, prefiled by Rep. Capps (R-Wichita), would designate as an ‘interested party’ in child in need of care proceedings any person who has filed a petition for adoption of the child in need of care, “except that the court may restrict those rights if the court finds that it would be in the best interests of the child.

The bill was assigned to the House Committee on Children and Families for review.

HB2038: Inheritance rights; revoking spousal inheritance rights upon divorce (PASSED HOUSE 114-5)(AMENDED PASSED SENATE 39-1)(HOUSE CONCURRED 120-0)(GOVERNOR SIGNED 18-APR-2019)(EFF. JULY 1, 2019)

This bill would define “surviving spouse” for purposes of inheritance to exclude a person who, “Is divorced from the decedent or whose marriage to the decedent has been annulled unless, by virtue of a subsequent marriage, such individual is married to the decedent at the time of death.” The bill makes clear that “A decree of separation that does not terminate the parties’ marital status is not a divorce.” The bill provides that upon divorce (including annulment, but not separation), that event revokes any provision (1) granting a general or non-general power of attorney to the former spouse, (2) nominating the former spouse as a fiduciary, executor, or administrator or other personal representative.

The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for review and set for a hearing on Thursday, January 24, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S. On January 31, 2019, the Committee passed the bill out of Committee with a  favorable recommendation. On Wednesday, February 6, 2019, the House Committee of the Whole recommended that the bill be passed without amendment. The bill passed the House on February 7, 2019, passed Yea: 114 Nay: 5 sending it on to the Senate for consideration.

On February 8, 2019, the bill was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee for hearings. The Committee scheduled hearings for Wednesday, March 20, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. On March 25, 2019, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended passage of the bill as amended by the House. The bill was considered by the Senate Committee of the Whole the next day, March 26, 2019. In the Committee of the Whole, Senator Wilborn (R-McPherson), Judiciary Committee Chair, proposed an amendment to make the changes part of the Kansas Probate Code. The proposed amendment passed on voice vote, and the full Senate passed the amended bill, Yea: 38 Nay: 1, sending the bill to back to the House for review of the Senate amendment. On April 5, 2019, the House concurred in the Senate amendments to the bill, Yea: 120 Nay: 0, sending the bill to the governor. Governor Kelly signed the bill on April 18, 2019. The law becomes effective July 1, 2019.

HB2039: Recognition of tribal judgments Chairitable Organizations; animal shelters. (PASSED HOUSE 119-0)(AMENDED PASSED SENATE 37-2)(CONFERENCE COMMITTEE)(SEE SB20)

This bill would recognize tribal judgments as provided by Kansas Supreme Court rule. The bill directs that any Supreme Court rule “shall only extend recognition to the judgments of tribal courts that grant full faith and credit to judgments of the courts of the state of Kansas.”

The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for hearing to be held on Thursday, January 24, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S. Working the bill on January 30, 2019, the Committee adopted an amendment to the bill made by Rep. Ralph (R-Dodge City) to include in the bill a provision that,  “(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to be a waiver of the sovereign immunity of the state of Kansas or a waiver of the sovereign immunity of a federally recognized Indian tribe.” With that amendment, the Committee recommended that the bill pass the full  House. The House Committee of the Whole considered the bill on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, recommending that the full House adopted the bill as amended by Committee. The House adopted the bill, as amended by Committee, Yea: 119 Nay: 0 on February 7, 2019, sending it on to the Senate for consideration.

The bill was introduced into the Senate on February 7, 2019, and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for review. The Committee scheduled hearings for Thursday, March 21, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. On March 26, 2019, the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended that the bill be passed as amended by House Committee. Senator Wilborn (R-Mcpherson), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, proposed in the Senate Committee of the Whole that the bill be amended to provide “any person filing a tribal court judgment shall pay to the clerk of the district court a docket fee as prescribed by K.S.A. 60-2001.” The Senate Committee of the Whole adopted the amendment. The full Senate passed the bill as amended, Yea: 37 Nay: 2, returning the bill to the House for review of the amendment.

The House nonconcurred in the Senate amendments on April 1, 2019, sending the bill to Conference Committee. In Conference Committee, the conferees agreed to incorporate the bill into SB20 with other bills. (See notes on SB20). With the contents of HB2039 (tribal court judgments) included in the Conference Committee report on SB20, the Conference Committee on HB2039 agreed to use the bill as a shell for the contents of HB2105, updating the laws regarding limited liability companies, and HB2243, exempting animal shelters from charitable organization registration requirements.

HB2072: Uniform Arbitration Act; technical amendments

The updated Uniform Arbitration Act (2000) was adopted by the 2018 Session of the Kansas Legislature. However, the legislature inadvertently omitted a provision in previous law that did not allow insurance companies to force policyholders to use arbitration in disputes with them. This bill would restore that provision. The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee, which heard testimony about the proposal on Monday, February 4, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S. On February 22, 2019, the Committee recommended that the bill pass the full House as introduced.  On February 28, 2019, the bill was stricken from the House Calendar and not referred to an exempt committee, killing the bill.

HB2079: Sexual battery; Removing the spousal exception from sexual battery.

This bill was introduced by Rep. Brett Parker (D-Overland Park) and would simply remove the exemption from the crime of sexual battery that a spouse cannot commit the act. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Judiciary for hearings. As reported by the Lawrence Journal-World, Sen. Holland filed the bill on behalf of a constituent who was abused by a pastor as a child.

The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee and set for hearing on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S. On February 14, 2019, the Committee recommended that the bill be passed by the full House. The bill remained on the Calendar at first adjournment without reassignment to an exempt committee, meaning that it is dead for the session.

HB2094: Requiring the department for children and families to offer services to children with problem sexual behavior and to such child’s family. (SEE SB77)

Introduced into the House Committee on State and Federal Affairs, this bill would require the Kansas Department of Children and Families to provide  counseling and, as needed, additional services to a family of any child against whom a complaint had been made that the child had “problem sexual behavior” to offer counseling and treatment to the child and the child’s family unless the department determines there will be a high risk of future sexual abuse by the child with problem sexual behavior if such child or such child’s family refuses to accept the services.

The bill was referred to the House Committee on State and Federal Affairs, which held a hearing on the bill February 5, 2019, at 9:00 AM in Room 346-S.

Provisions of this bill are the same as in SB77, which was adopted by Senate and the House, and signed by the Governor April 12, 2019. The provisions become effective July 1, 2019.

HB2103: CINC; to provide requirements for placement of a child in a qualified residential treatment program (PASSED HOUSE 122-1)(AMENDED PASSED SENATE 39-0)(HOUSE CONCURRED 120-2)(GOVERNOR SIGNED 18-APR-2018)(EFF. JULY 1, 2019)

Introduced on January 30, 2019, by the House Committee on Children and Seniors, this bill would require that, “Whenever a child is placed in a qualified residential treatment program, the secretary shall notify the court in writing within seven days of placement.” The bill would require the court document: “(1) That the ongoing assessment of the strengths and needs of the child continues to support the determination that the needs of the child cannot be met through placement in a foster family home, that the placement in a qualified residential treatment program provides the most effective and appropriate level of care for the child in the least restrictive environment, and that the placement is consistent with the short-term and long-term goals for the child, as specified in the permanency plan for the child;

“(2) the specific treatment or service needs that will be met for the child in the placement and the length of time the child is expected to need the treatment or services; and

“(3) the efforts made by the secretary to prepare the child to return home or to be placed with a fit and willing relative, a legal guardian, or an adoptive parent, or in a foster family home.”

HB2103 would enable the state to meet requirements of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), which allows for an enhanced federal match rate toward the use of Social Security Act Title IV-E funds for certain child welfare system evidence-based prevention services and programs beginning October 1, 2019. The bill would define a qualified residential treatment program (QRTP), establish notice and hearing requirements when a child is placed in a QRTP, require certain action to be taken by the court when QRTP placement occurs, and place additional documentation requirements on the court in a permanency hearing involving a child placed in a QRTP.

The bill would also amend the definition of a “secure facility,” and require a child in need of care petition to have an attached copy of any existing prevention plan for a child.

The bill was assigned to the House Committee on Children and Seniors for hearing. A hearing on the bill was held Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at 1:30 PM Room ib 346-S. On February 20, 2019, the Committee recommended that the bill be passed without amendment. The bill was debated by the Committee of the Whole on February 26, 2019, which recommended passage without amendment. On February 27, 2019, the bill was passed by the House Yea: 122 Nay: 1 sending the bill to the Senate for consideration.

The bill was introduced into the Senate on February 27, 2019, assigned to the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. It was scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at 9:30 AM in Room 118-N, but that hearing was canceled. After being canceled, the bill was again placed on the Committee schedule for the day it had been canceled, Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at 9:30 AM in Room 118-N. That same day, the Committee passed out the bill recommending that it be approved by the Senate as introduced. In the Senate Committee of the Whole, on March 25, 2019, Senator Suellentrop (R-Wichita) proposed an amendment that the bill become law on publication in the Kansas Register instead of publication in the statute book (July 1). The amendment passed on voice vote. The full Senate passed the amended bill, Yea: 39 Nay: 0, returning it to the House for review.

On April 4, 2019, the House concurred in the Senate amendments, Yea: 120 Nay: 2, sending the amended bill to the governor.

Governor Kelly signed the bill on April 18, 2019. The law becomes effective July 1, 2019.

HB2129: Protection orders; gun safety red flag act.

This bill is a reintroduction of the ‘red flag act’ proposed in the 2018 legislative session. It would provide a way for police and family members to petition the district court to order the temporary removal of firearms from a person who may present a danger to others or themselves. Introduced by Representatives Ward and Hodge, the bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration.

HB2164: Adoption Discrimination Act; repeal

This bill would repeal the “Adoption Protection  Act,” enacted by the legislature in 2018, which sanctioned discrimination against LGBTQ persons by private adoption agencies. See 2018SB284 discussion on our 2018 Legislative page.

HB2192: Courts; restoring merit selection for Kansas Court of Appeals

This bill, introduced on February 7, 2019, would provide that Kansas Court of Appeals judges are to be reviewed and nominated by the Supreme Court Nominating Commission for merit with three candidates sent to the governor for consideration and appointment. This bill would restore the practice that existed before Sam Brownback and the GOP legislature changed it in 2014 to eliminate merit selection for court of appeals judges, leaving that process to the governor. The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings.

HB2196: Child Custody; creating a presumption in favor of equal parenting time for temporary orders.

This bill, as introduced, is a duplicate of SB157. This bill would require that courts impose upon divorcing families equal parenting time when temporary orders are issued. Introduced by Representatives Pittman (D-Leavenworth), Awerkamp (R-St. Marys), Bergquist (R-Park City), Ellis (R-Meriden), Eplee (R-Atchison), Highland (R-Wamego), Hineman (R-Dighton), and Resman (R-Olathe), this bill is another in a line of proposed bad solutions for problems that don’t exist coming from complaints by individuals arising from their own cases and seeking to impose upon everyone in the system cookie-cutter solutions. Just this past December, the Kansas Judicial Council issued a report that strongly came out against these kinds presumptions in its 2018 Report on HB2529, a bill that would have done essentially the same thing this bill seeks, but with final orders. The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for hearing.

HB2208: Crimes; creating the crime of ‘sexual extortion’

This bill was introduced into the House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice on February 8, 2019. The bill would provide another prohibition on “revenge porn,” but for when the threat to expose intimate photographs with the intention of compelling the victim to “(A) Engage in sexual contact, sexual intercourse or conduct that is of a sexual nature; or (B) produce, provide or distribute an image, video or other recording of a person in a state of nudity or engaging in conduct that is of a sexual nature.”

The House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice held a hearing Monday, February 18, 2019, at 1:30 PM in Room 152-S. The House Committee amended the bill to specify a 15- year registration requirement for the crime when one of the parties involved is under 18 years of age, and recommended that the House pass the amended bill. The bill was stricken from the House Calendar when it was not considered before turnaround day, February 28, 2019.

HB2241: Crimes; creating the crime of rape by misrepresentation of identity.

This bill, introduced on February 12, 2019, would amend the Kansas rape statute to assure that a person who committed rape could not use the defense of “consent” because of the mistaken belief by the victim that the perpetrator was a person the victim would have consented to have intimate relations with but for the false representation by the perpetrator that the perpetrator was that other person. The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for hearing.

HB2242: Abuse and Neglect; Joint Investigations of certain reports of abuse

This bill, introduced into the House Judiciary Committee on February 12, 2019, would require the Department of Children and Families to relay any second or subsequent report of abuse or neglect made by a  mandated reporter concerning the same child to an appropriate law enforcement agency within six hours of receiving that report or reports. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings.

HB2258: Housing; protections for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking or stalking (SEE SB78)

This bill, introduced on February 12, 2019, would provide protections for victims of domestic violence against being evicted from or discriminated against in housing. The House sponsors are Representatives Holscher, Alcala, Barker, Clayton, Ellis, Frownfelter, Henderson, Horn, Kessinger, Lusk, Murnan, Parker, Probst, Resman, L. Ruiz, S. Ruiz, Schreiber, E. Smith, Stogsdill, Toplikar, Whipple, Winn, Woodard, and Xu. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings. This bill is a duplicate of SB150, which was considered and passed by the Senate. That bill was then incorporated by Conference Committee into SB78, which was passed by both houses and presented for signature by the Governor.

HB2279: Domestic violence; crimes, punishment, criminal procedure, domestic violence calls (PASSED HOUSE 124-0)

Introduced into the House on February 12, 2019, this bill would the written policy manual of all law enforcement agencies in the state of Kansas include a requirement that when an arrest is made by a law enforcement officer responding to a domestic violence call, including an arrest for violation of a protection order, the officer provide the victim with information about the earliest possible time of release from custody of the person being arrested according to the bond schedule adopted in the jurisdiction within which the arrest is being made if such jurisdiction has adopted a bond schedule. The bill would also require that if bond is granted to the arrested person, the bond conditions include a provision that person shall not have contact with the alleged victim for 72-hours after bonding out. Finally, the bill would require that victims be provided with information about available victim services within the jurisdiction of the arresting agency. The bill was assigned to the House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice for hearings.

The House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice scheduled hearings for Thursday, February 21, 2019, at 1:30 PM in Room 152-S. Proponents testified that legislation is needed to provide domestic violence victims notice of a potential amount of time that would expire before the arrested person may be released from jail. Opponent testimony (by the Association of Chiefs of Police, Kansas Peace Officers Association, and Kansas Sheriffs’ Association) was that the organizations were concerned with specific bond schedule and no-contact order notice requirements contained in the bill, as introduced. On February 25, 2019, the House Committee amended the bill to specify notice is to be provided when an arrest is made for a domestic violence offense. The House Committee also adjusted the notice provision related to release from custody and no-contact orders and replaced the notice based upon a bond schedule with notice that an arrested person can be released from custody in a short amount of time. On February 27, 2019, the House Committee of the Whole recommended passage of the bill as amended by Committee. The full House passed the bill Yea: 124 Nay: 0.

The amended bill was introduced into the Senate on February 27, 2019. It was assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which scheduled hearings for Monday, March 18, 2019, at 10:30 AM in Room 346-S. On March 26, 2019, the Senate Committee recommended that the bill be passed with an amendment incorporating the contents of SB150, as amended by the Senate Committee, regarding housing protections for victims of domestic violence, which had been adopted by the full Senate on Emergency Final Action on March 14, 2019, 40-0.

HB2320: Enacting the marriage and constitution restoration act.

This bill was introduced on the last day legislators could introduce bills as individuals, February 13, 2019. The bill would enact the “marriage and constitution restoration act.” The legislators who introduced this ridiculous bill are Representatives Garber (R-Sabetha), Donohoe (R-Shawnee), French (R-Lansing), Helmer (R-Mulvane), Highland (R-Wamego), Huebert (R-Valley Center), Rahjes (R-Agra), and Rhiley (R-Wellington). The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee where it will never see the light of day.

There are not enough bad things to be said about the bill. It is poorly written; it drones on for pages and pages with “whereas” clauses (a sure sign that the drafter doesn’t know how legislation is written or how proper English is used; it is contradictory within itself, and it seems to have insult as its primary purpose. The bill reads more like a rant against modern society than anything else. It rambles on with vague complaints against “secular humanism,” marriage by same-sex couples, transgender individuals, marriage not based in the sponsors’ narrow view of what the Bible says about marriage and marital relationships. One of the bills describes sexual orientation as a “mythology.”

Thomas Witt, the Executive Director of Equality Kansas, said about the bills, “The two marriage bills introduced today represent the most vile, hateful, and disrespectful legislation I’ve seen in my fourteen years as Equality Kansas’s lobbyist. Every year, we see bills that seek to restrict, remove, and limit the rights of LGBT Kansans, but never have we seen the level of extremist vitriol laid out in legislative language. These bill combines are 18 pages of insults and name-calling. Fred Phelps would be proud. The sponsors of these bills should be ashamed of themselves.”

This bill and its companion, HB2321, quickly garnered national attention, with a Newsweek article being one of them. USAToday and TheHill.com also picked up on Kansas’s embarrassment.

HB2321:Creating the “optional elevated marriage act.”

This bill was introduced on the last day legislators could introduce bills as individuals, February 13, 2019, in tandem with HB2320, which would create the “marriage and constitutional restoration act.” This bill would enact “elevated marriage,” which is presumably better than the apparently degraded marriage everyone has always entered and that religious institutions have always recognized and blessed.” The legislators who introduced this ridiculous bill are Representatives Garber (R-Sabetha), Donohoe (R-Shawnee), French (R-Lansing), Helmer (R-Mulvane), Highland (R-Wamego), Huebert (R-Valley Center), Rahjes (R-Agra), and Rhiley (R-Wellington). The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee and will never see the light of day other than to highlight the idiocy of its sponsors.

HB2359: Establishing the child welfare system delivery task force

This bill was introduced on the last day that Committee introduced bills could be introduced by the House Committee on Children and Seniors. The bill would establish a committee (similar to the task force established in 2018 to investigate the child welfare system and recommend legislation and improvements arising out of that investigation. The task force would be tasked with:

“(1) Determining the monetary costs required to adequately fund high- quality state child welfare services;
(2) evaluating the benefits and disadvantages of the privatization of state child welfare services;
(3) determining the best level of collaboration among private and public entities that are responsible for the delivery of state child welfare services; and
(4) submitting reports to the governor and the legislature on a semi-annual basis, beginning on February 1, 2020, concerning the findings of the task force and any recommended changes of state.”

The bill was assigned to the House Committee on Children and Seniors.

HB2376: Authorizing amendments to a registrant’s birth certificate when there is a change in the registrant’s sex.

This bill was introduced by the House Federal and State Affairs Committee on February 19, 2019. It would allow for changes to an applicant’s Kansas birth certificate when there is a change in the registrant’s sex. The bill was assigned to the House Federal and State Affairs Committee for review.

HB2392: Child abuse; household members as mandatory reporters, investigations required.

This bill was introduced on March 11, 2019, into the House Federal and State Affairs Committee by Rep. Louis Ruiz (D-KCK) and referred to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings. The bill would amend the Kansas Code for Care of Children to require that a child who was an alleged victim of abuse or neglect be visually observed by the employee of the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) or the law enforcement agency investigating the report. As introduced, the bill would require that “any adult who resides in the same home as the child” would be a statutorily mandated reporter of child abuse and could suffer the same penalties for not reporting suspected child abuse as professionals now mandated with the reporting duty. The bill would provide that in the event of a joint investigation by DCF and law enforcement, both would be required to visually observe such child. All investigation reports required by the bill would have to include the date, time, and location of any such visual observation of a child.

On March 21, 2019, the bill was withdrawn from the House Judiciary Committee and referred to the House Federal and State Affairs Committee to protect it from session deadlines. The House Federal and State Affairs Committee scheduled the bill for hearings on Thursday, March 21, 2019, at 9:00 AM in Room 346-S. On March 25, 2019, the Committee amended the bill to remove the provisions that would have added any adult residing in the same home as the child to the list of individuals required to make a report if they suspect a child has been harmed as a result of physical, mental, or emotional abuse or neglect, or sexual abuse. The language eliminated by the House Committee also contained a definition of “adult residing in the same home” and several immunity provisions. The bill was placed on the House calendar for debate, but was not considered before the session’s veto session. KSN-TV published a story on the bill April 16, 2019.

HB2393: Support Debt; setoff against debtors, support debt matched by gaming facilities.

This bill, introduced on March 12, 2019, would provide for the definition of “support debt” and “support debtor,” and would provide for the collection of that support debt from any amounts of money to be paid to a support debtor by any gaming facility, lottery, race track or other similar facility.

HB2394: Child Abuse; changing penalties

This bill, introduced on March 12, 2019, would change the definition of criminal ‘abuse of a child’ to more objective and less hyperbolic terms. The present statute criminalizes “torturing or cruelly beating” a child and “inflicting cruel and inhuman pain and suffering on a child.” This bill would change that definition to instead define the term as “knowingly causing physical contact with any child less than 18 years of age that results in or could reasonably be expected to result in physical injury to the child; or recklessly causing bodily harm to any child less than 18 years of age.” The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee for hearings. The bill was set for hearings Monday, March 18, 2019, at 3:30 PM in Room 346-S.

HB2403: Establishing the joint committee on child welfare system oversight

This bill, introduced on March 21, 2019, by the Committee on Taxation would establish a joint legislative committee on child welfare system oversight. The joint committee shall review among other things, the level of oversight and supervision by the Kansas department for children and families over each entity that contracts with the Kansas department for children and families to provide reintegration, foster care and adoption services. The joint committee would consist of 11 members of the legislature from various committees. The bill was referred for hearing to the House Committee on Children and Seniors. The bill was immediately set for hearing on Friday, March 22, 2019, at 1:30 PM Room in 346-S. On March 25, 2019, the Committee amended the bill to modify the topics to be addressed by the Joint Committee, the number of authorized meetings, and the timeline for the first meeting.

HB2406: Relinquishment of firearms pursuant to certain court orders.

This bill, introduced through the House Federal and State Affairs Committee on March 25, 2019, would allow a court to order the relinquishment of firearms by anyone subject to criminal or civil orders for domestic battery, protection from stalking, or protection from abuse. The bill was referred back to the House Federal and State Affairs Committee for hearings.