Senate Judiciary Committee advances multiple bills; amendments restore felony level for some vehicle thefts and adjust publication rules

The Senate Judiciary Committee considered a set of House bills and took committee action on several during the hearing.

Motor vehicle theft culpability and penalty (House Bill 23—47) The committee amended and passed House Bill 23—47 to change culpability language for certain theft offenses and to restore a higher penalty level for motor vehicle thefts in a specified value range. The chair explained a proposed amendment would make theft of a motor vehicle valued at least $500 but less than $1,500 a level 10 nonperson felony (the House had previously struck the felony change). After discussion the committee adopted the amendment and then passed the bill as amended. Senator Titus moved the final passage; Senator Bowser seconded. The transcript records the motion carried but does not list a roll-call tally.

Sheriff liability publication change (House Bill 21—5) House Bill 21—5, which clarifies that sheriffs have liability for "official acts" in custody operations, was amended to change the publication requirement from the statute book to publication in the Kansas Register and was passed favorably. Senator Bowser moved passage and Senator Klimp seconded; the motion carried. The amendment and subsequent passage were recorded as approved by voice vote with no roll-call tally recorded in the transcript.

Open-records exceptions continuation (House Bill 21—6) House Bill 21—6, the annual continuation of certain open-records exceptions, was discussed. The reviser summarized the two exceptions being extended (statute references shown in the bill text as KSA 48962 related to local health officers and another entry related to acupuncture licensing). Senators discussed whether the COVID-related quarantine exception should be broadened; the chair said that amendment might require a separate bill and the committee deferred further action to a later meeting.

Federal concurrent jurisdiction (House Bill 22—2) House Bill 22—2, which would create a process for the governor to accept federal concurrent jurisdiction over military land, was amended to change the effective-date/publication language from the statute book to the Kansas Register, then passed favorably on a voice vote. Senator Titus moved passage and Senator Rose seconded; the motion carried by voice vote in the transcript.

Child support for unborn children (House Bill 20—2) House Bill 20—2, which would require the child support guidelines to account for medical and pregnancy-related expenses for an "unborn child" from the date of conception, drew extended discussion. Senators raised constitutional and practical questions about defining conception and establishing paternity for an unborn child, and concerns about the breadth and uniformity of "pregnancy-related expenses." Senator Haley summarized concerns: "I continue to genuinely harbor some real concerns about some of the changes ... I really don't know if the mechanics of this could work" and Senator Corson flagged worries about varying interpretations and privacy for conception-related evidence. Despite those concerns, Senator Rose moved to pass the bill and Senator Klimp seconded; the motion carried on a voice vote according to the transcript.

Procedural notes and vote recording Most recorded approvals in the hearing were voice votes; the transcript records motions, seconds and that "the motion carries" but does not provide individual yea/nay roll-call tallies for the bills listed above. Where the transcript recorded movers and seconds, those names are included below. The committee indicated it would revisit some items (for example, the CORA exceptions) at a later meeting where members requested additional drafting or alternative vehicles for proposed changes.