Criminal Justice (Domestic Violence)

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2748: Increasing the time of initial orders and possible extensions under the protection from abuse act and the protection from stalking, sexual assault or human trafficking act.

HB 2748 increases the maximum duration for protective orders under Kansas' Protection from Abuse Act and Protection from Stalking, Sexual Assault, or Human Trafficking Act. Currently, initial orders last up to two years and extensions can last up to three years. The bill raises these limits, allowing for longer-lasting protection for victims of abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or trafficking. This change directly affects individuals seeking or subject to these orders in court cases, providing extended safety measures without requiring additional court hearings for shorter terms.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill extends protective order durations for victims of abuse, stalking, sexual assault, and trafficking, strengthening victim protection within criminal justice.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Human Trafficking

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 494: Expanding the definition of stalking to include more technology-based methods, requiring law enforcement agencies to adopt policies for making primary aggressor assessments when responding to domestic violence calls and requiring a prosecutor to affirm such assessment was completed, prohibiting public agencies from charging fees to victims of domestic violence for public records, allowing evidence of other domestic violence offenses to be admissible in a criminal action in which the defendant is accused of a domestic violence offense, adding certain contact to options for protection from abuse or stalking orders and allowing lifetime extensions of protection from abuse orders for victims of domestic battery.

SB 494 expands Kansas' stalking definition to include technology-based harassment, such as online monitoring or digital tracking, making it easier to prosecute digital stalking. It requires police to assess the primary aggressor in domestic violence calls and mandates prosecutors to confirm this assessment before filing charges. The bill also bans public agencies from charging domestic violence victims fees for public records and allows prior domestic violence incidents to be used as evidence in new cases. Additionally, it adds specific contact restrictions to protection orders and permits lifetime extensions of these orders for victims of domestic battery.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands stalking definition to tech harassment, mandates primary aggressor assessments in DV calls, bans victim fees for records, and allows prior DV evidence - advancing victim protections and accountability in criminal justice.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExpands stalking definition to include digital tracking/harassment, strengthening privacy protections against tech-enabled abuse per bill's core focus on technology-based stalking.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Policing

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2707: Modifying the definition of abuse in the protection from abuse act to include certain acts or threats related to pets and specifying that courts may include orders relating to pets in protection from abuse act orders.

This Kansas bill (HB 2707) expands the definition of "abuse" under the Protection from Abuse Act to include intentionally harming, threatening, or causing injury to a pet to control, punish, intimidate, or distress a partner or household member. It also allows courts to include specific orders about pet custody and protection in existing protection orders. The bill directly affects individuals in abusive relationships where pets are used as tools of control, such as when an abuser threatens or harms a pet to coerce a victim. Key mechanisms include adding new provisions to the law defining abuse (Section 1) and creating specific court orders for pet-related safety (Sections 10-11 of K.S.A. 60-3107).

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands abuse definition to include pet-related threats, strengthening victim protections in domestic violence cases under criminal justice framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence

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died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2754: Enacting the providing civil relief from coerced debt act to provide protections and remedies for victims of certain debts constituting a coerced debt because of actions by another individual within the context of domestic violence.

HB 2754 creates a legal process for domestic violence victims to dispute debts incurred through abuse. It defines "coerced debt" as personal debts (not secured by property) resulting from tactics like fraud, intimidation, or misuse of personal information during domestic violence. Victims who provide a "statement of coerced debt" plus documentation (e.g., police reports, court orders, or verified third-party statements) can force creditors to stop collection efforts, remove negative credit reports, return payments, and halt lawsuits within 10 business days. The law specifically targets debts caused by economic abuse, such as restricting access to money or stealing resources, and applies only to personal debts.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects domestic violence victims' civil rights by enabling debt dispute, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of victim empowerment and reducing systemic exploitation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Domestic Violence Policing

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died · Kansas · Senate Apr 10, 2026

SB 447: Creating a domestic violence task force to study domestic violence across the state and make policy recommendations.

SB 447 establishes a 15-member domestic violence task force within Kansas' Attorney General's office to study state domestic violence laws and services. The task force, including survivors, advocates, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and law enforcement representatives, will review enforcement gaps, develop specialized victim and offender support networks, and assess shelter availability. It must make policy recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter. The bill directly affects domestic violence victims and the state's legal system by creating a structured process to identify improvements in responses to domestic violence.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill establishes task force to study domestic violence laws, review enforcement gaps, and develop victim/offender support networks - directly advancing criminal justice reform through policy recommendations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Law Enforcement

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signed · Kansas · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 2479: Authorizing electronic monitoring with victim notification as a condition of release prior to trial for certain offenders charged with a domestic violence offense, domestic battery, stalking or violation of a protective order, modifying the culpable mental state required to commit the crime of breach of privacy and increasing the criminal penalties for certain violations of such crime, modifying the elements of the crime of blackmail related to threatened dissemination of any image, video or other recording of another identifiable person who is nude or engaged in sexual activity, describing who is a person in a position of authority for a school for the crime of unlawful sexual relations and increasing the penalties for the crimes of endangering a child and aggravated endangering a child if the child is less than six years of age.

HB 2479 allows judges to require electronic monitoring with victim notification as a condition of pretrial release for defendants charged with domestic violence, domestic battery, stalking, or violating a protective order. Victims must provide informed consent after being briefed on the monitoring system's function, risks, and their rights, including the ability to withdraw consent. Judges must consider factors like the severity of past violence, the defendant's history, weapon access, and mental health when deciding, and must define specific exclusion zones (e.g., the victim's home) the defendant must avoid. The defendant pays for monitoring costs, and alerts from the system can serve as probable cause for arrest if the defendant violates a protective order. This bill amends Kansas criminal procedure law to add this monitoring requirement as a possible release condition.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates electronic monitoring with victim consent for domestic violence pretrial release, enhancing victim safety protections in court proceedings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Victims' Rights

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2198: Enacting the gun violence restraining order act to authorize the issuance of protective orders prohibiting the acquisition and possession of firearms by certain individuals.

HB 2198 creates a new court order called a "gun violence restraining order" that allows judges to prohibit certain individuals from possessing firearms if they pose a significant risk of harming themselves or others. This order can be requested by specific people, including current or former spouses, family members, individuals in a dating relationship, or those living in the same household, who must provide evidence of the risk. Courts must find "reasonable cause" to believe the person is a threat - considering past violence, threats, or other relevant facts - before issuing the order. The order prevents the restrained individual from acquiring or possessing firearms and may be issued without notifying them if immediate action is needed to prevent harm.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes gun violence restraining orders to prevent firearm access by high-risk individuals, advancing public safety and criminal justice reform.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Drug Policy Firearms

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signed · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2025

HB 2182: Prohibiting a sheriff from charging a fee for service of process for proceedings under the protection from abuse act and the protection from stalking, sexual assault or human trafficking act.

HB 2182 prohibits Kansas sheriffs from charging fees for serving court documents in protection order cases under the Protection from Abuse Act and the Protection from Stalking, Sexual Assault, or Human Trafficking Act. This means victims seeking these specific protections will not face a $15 service fee (standard for most cases) when legal documents are delivered. The bill amends Kansas law to explicitly exempt these proceedings from the standard fee structure. This removes a financial barrier for individuals accessing court-ordered protections in abuse, stalking, sexual assault, or trafficking cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRemoves $15 fee for victims seeking protection orders, reducing financial barriers in court proceedings under victim protection laws, aligning with criminal justice reform and victim access to justice.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Human Trafficking Violent Crime

died · Kansas · House Apr 10, 2026

HB 2209: Expanding the current sales tax exemption for purchases by domestic violence shelters to domestic and sexual violence programs.

HB 2209 expands Kansas' sales tax exemption to include domestic and sexual violence programs, not just domestic violence shelters. The bill amends the state tax code (K.S.A. 79-3606) to remove the current restriction that limited the exemption to "domestic violence shelters" and instead covers all "domestic and sexual violence programs." This means these programs can now purchase necessary items like supplies, equipment, and services without paying state sales tax. The change directly benefits organizations providing critical support services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence across Kansas.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands sales tax exemption to domestic/sexual violence programs, providing tax relief for essential services under state tax code (K.S.A. 79-3606).95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands tax exemptions for domestic/sexual violence programs, reducing operational costs to support victim services within criminal justice system.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands tax exemption to domestic/sexual violence programs, directly supporting mental health services by reducing operational costs for essential care providers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Tax Incentives Domestic Violence

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