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bills
All criminal justice bills
HB 2537 would increase penalties for sexual extortion when the offender is 18+ and the victim is under 18 or a dependent adult. It creates two new aggravated offenses: "aggravated sexual extortion causing great bodily harm" (a severity level 3 felony) and "aggravated sexual extortion causing death" (a severity level 1 felony), with harsher punishments than standard sexual extortion. The bill also requires Kansas’ Attorney General to develop and distribute educational materials about these crimes to schools, parents, and the public, with annual reports on implementation. This bill directly affects victims under 18 or dependent adults and offenders aged 18+ who commit sexual extortion. It is pending legislative action as of January 2026.
SB 71 increases criminal penalties for individuals convicted of buying sexual relations (soliciting sex) and requires certain offenders to complete approved educational or treatment programs focused on commercial sexual exploitation. The bill directs the Kansas Attorney General, in consultation with the Judicial Administration, to approve these programs by July 2026 and establish rules for their operation. It removes existing city ordinance provisions prohibiting the purchase of sex and changes how fines from such violations are handled, directing half of fines related to this offense to the Human Trafficking Victim Assistance Fund. The bill amends several Kansas statutes to implement these changes, focusing on strengthening penalties and treatment requirements for buyers of sexual services.
HB 2347 changes Kansas theft law by reclassifying the theft of a motor vehicle valued at less than $1,500 from a misdemeanor to a severity level 10 felony. This specifically affects individuals who steal motor vehicles under $1,500, increasing the penalty from a misdemeanor to a felony charge. The bill amends K.S.A. 21-5801 to add this provision under subsection (b)(9), directly impacting theft cases involving low-value vehicles. It does not change penalties for theft of vehicles valued at $1,500 or more, which remain classified as higher-level felonies. The bill was requested by the City of Wichita and Wichita Police Department.
