Criminal Justice in Kansas

in committee · Kansas · House Feb 19, 2026

HB 2404: Prohibiting certain sex offenders from entering onto school property or attending school activities and creating criminal penalties for violation thereof.

HB 2404 prohibits adult sex offenders whose underlying crime involved a victim under 18 years old from entering school property or attending school activities in Kansas. It directly affects individuals required to register under the Kansas Offender Registration Act for crimes against minors, such as those involving indecent liberties with a child or sexual battery with a minor victim. Violating this prohibition is a felony, with penalties increasing from a severity level 6 felony for a first offense to a severity level 3 felony for third or subsequent offenses. The bill amends Kansas statutes to add this restriction to the existing offender registration framework.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 180: Requiring previous convictions to be considered in determining bond when a person is arrested for certain sex offenses.

SB 180 requires Kansas magistrates to consider a person’s prior convictions when setting bond for individuals arrested for certain sex offenses. This applies specifically to those charged with qualifying sex offenses at their first court appearance. The bill amends Kansas bond statutes to mandate that prior convictions be factored into the bond decision, alongside other safety and appearance considerations. It does not change bond amounts but adds prior criminal history as a required factor for these cases. The bill directly affects people arrested for specified sex offenses who may be released before trial.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Courts

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 239: Creating a special sentencing rule to add 100 months to a sentence for distribution of a controlled substance when the substance involved is fentanyl and the distribution causes the death of a child.

SB 239 amends Kansas sentencing laws to add 100 months to prison sentences for individuals convicted of distributing fentanyl when that distribution causes a child's death. It directly affects drug distributors whose actions result in a child's death through fentanyl distribution. The bill modifies Kansas sentencing guidelines (K.S.A. 21-6804 and 21-6805) to create this specific sentencing enhancement, requiring courts to add the 100-month penalty on top of the standard sentence. This change applies only to fentanyl-related distribution cases that directly cause a child's death, not to other drug offenses or adult deaths.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Sentencing

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2178: Allowing persons with felony drug convictions to receive benefits under the supplemental nutrition assistance program.

HB 2178 removes a restriction that previously barred Kansas residents with felony drug convictions from receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The bill amends Kansas law (K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 39-709) to allow these individuals to qualify for SNAP if they otherwise meet income and resource requirements. This change directly affects Kansans with past felony drug convictions who were previously ineligible for food assistance despite meeting other SNAP criteria. The bill does not alter other SNAP eligibility rules but eliminates a specific barrier to accessing nutrition aid. It is currently pending in the Committee on Welfare Reform.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

Sub-Topics Drug Policy

signed · Kansas · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 2192: Limiting or prohibiting work release for people convicted of a second or third offense of domestic battery, requiring an offender convicted of a first offense to undergo a domestic violence offender assessment, excluding certain offenders convicted of a nonperson felony from participation in certified drug abuse treatment programs and authorizing community correctional services officers to complete criminal risk-need assessments for divertees who are committed to such programs.

HB 2192 restricts work release for individuals convicted of a second or third offense of domestic battery in Kansas. For a second offense within five years, work release is only permitted after serving 45 consecutive days (previously 48 hours), and probation/suspension requires at least 45 days served. For a third or subsequent offense, the bill prohibits work release entirely until the offender serves 90 consecutive days of imprisonment. This amendment to Kansas law (K.S.A. 21-5414) directly affects repeat domestic battery offenders by extending mandatory prison time before eligibility for work release or other supervised release options.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Probation & Parole

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 110: Prohibiting the use of restraints during hearings under the revised Kansas juvenile justice code unless restraints are deemed appropriate by the court.

SB 110 prohibits the use of physical restraints on juveniles during court hearings under Kansas' juvenile justice code, directly affecting minors appearing in juvenile court. The bill allows exceptions only if a court makes specific written findings that restraints are the least restrictive option necessary to prevent harm, address a flight risk, or manage disruptive behavior that poses a safety threat. Courts must document recommendations for restraints, order the minimal necessary restraints, and ensure juveniles can handle documents during hearings. The law explicitly bans restraining juveniles to walls, floors, or furniture during hearings.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2253: Making the theft of livestock or implements of husbandry a severity level 5, nonperson felony.

HB 2253 elevates the theft of livestock or farm equipment (like plows or barn tools) to a severity level 5 felony, the highest penalty category for nonperson crimes in Kansas. This change applies specifically to thefts of livestock (as defined in K.S.A. 22-4807a) or implements of husbandry (as defined in K.S.A. 8-126), regardless of the property's value. The bill amends Kansas law to explicitly categorize these thefts under severity level 5, replacing the previous lower-level felony classification. It also allows for the forfeiture of property used to commit theft of farm equipment.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 208: Prohibiting the use of any prone restraint on a juvenile who is in custody at a juvenile detention facility or juvenile correctional facility or being assessed as part of the juvenile intake and assessment system.

SB 208 prohibits the use of face-down restraint (prone restraint) on juveniles aged 10-18 who are in juvenile detention or correctional facilities or undergoing intake assessments. It directly affects juvenile detention centers, correctional facilities, and staff conducting intake assessments. The law explicitly bans this restraint method in two specific settings: while juveniles are held in custody at these facilities or during the assessment process. This policy change is part of Kansas' juvenile justice code, aiming to improve safety and care standards for minors in custody.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 183: Creating the crimes of interference with a security camera in a correctional facility and aggravated interference with a security camera in a correctional facility and providing criminal penalties therefor.

SB 183 creates two new criminal offenses in Kansas: "interference" (intentionally covering a security camera in a correctional facility without permission) and "aggravated interference" (intentionally removing, damaging, or covering a camera during a riot without permission). It directly affects individuals who tamper with security cameras in jails, prisons, or juvenile detention facilities, as defined by Kansas law. Penalties include a class A misdemeanor for basic interference and felonies ranging from severity level 9 to 6 for aggravated cases. The law aims to protect camera functionality for security monitoring in correctional settings.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 187: Requiring certain records and files to be automatically expunged from a juvenile's record.

SB 187 automatically expunges most juvenile court records related to non-serious offenses once a case concludes, effective July 1, 2025. It directly affects juveniles in Kansas who were adjudicated for offenses that would not be classified as serious crimes if committed by an adult. The bill excludes records involving serious offenses like murder, rape, child exploitation, or aggravated crimes listed in subsection (b), and also prevents expungement for those required to register under Kansas' offender registration law. No fee is charged for automatic expungement under this law, though manual applications for unexpunged records remain possible with a $176 fee.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice

All criminal justice bills