Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2179

Introduced
1/30/25  
Refer
1/30/25  

Caption

Prohibiting fines and fees from being assessed against a juvenile or a juvenile's parent, guardian or custodian in a case pursuant to the revised Kansas juvenile justice code.

Impact

The introduction of HB 2179 represents a shift in legislative focus towards supportive rather than punitive measures for juvenile offenders. By ceasing the assessment of financial penalties, the bill aims to reduce barriers that prevent equal access to justice for all juveniles, regardless of socio-economic status. This bill could potentially improve juvenile rehabilitation outcomes by enabling affected families to allocate resources towards rehabilitation and other supportive services rather than court fees. The legislation extends its impact to ensure that juveniles needing immediate intervention programs are not filtered out due to the inability to pay associated costs.

Summary

House Bill 2179 seeks to amend the revised Kansas juvenile justice code by prohibiting the assessment of fines, fees, or costs against juveniles or their guardians in cases that fall under this code. The intent behind this legislation is to alleviate the financial burden that can follow juveniles through the justice system, thus reducing disparities in how juvenile offenders are treated based on their families' economic situations. Beginning July 1, 2025, any outstanding financial obligations previously assessed will be discharged, marking a significant shift in how juvenile justice finances are handled in Kansas.

Conclusion

If enacted, HB 2179 will represent a notable transformation within the Kansas juvenile justice framework, prioritizing rehabilitation over punishment. It seeks to create a more equitable system that acknowledges the economic realities faced by families with juvenile offenders, promoting a healthier relationship between juveniles and the justice system.

Contention

Critics of HB 2179 may argue that waiving fines and costs could undermine accountability measures within the juvenile system. Some stakeholders express concerns about the potential for decreasing deterrents for juvenile offenders if there are no financial repercussions for their actions. However, proponents contend that the current system disproportionately affects lower-income families, complicating their interactions with the legal system and perpetuating cycles of poverty and recidivism. Thus, the bill sits at a crossroads of fiscal policy and social justice reforms within juvenile law.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS HB2002

Expanding medical assistance eligibility and enacting the cutting healthcare costs for all Kansans act.

KS SB1

Modifying income tax rates for individuals, exempting all social security benefits from Kansas income tax, increasing the Kansas standard deduction and the Kansas personal exemption, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, decreasing the privilege tax normal tax, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value for property tax valuation purposes, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund and abolishing the local ad valorem tax reduction fund and the county and city revenue sharing fund.

KS SB7

Authorizing federally licensed firearm dealers, in addition to county sheriffs, to receive applications for concealed carry licenses and forward such applications to the attorney general, prohibiting sheriffs from assessing any fee related to application services and allowing dealers to assess a fee related to application services not to exceed $20.

KS HB2001

Authorizing the secretary of commerce to enter into agreements with major professional sports franchises to establish STAR bond projects for a major professional sports complex, providing for additional revenue sources, expanding the powers and discretion of the secretary and making other changes to the STAR bonds financing act to facilitate such projects, limiting the secretary’s authority to approve such projects to one year unless extended by the legislative coordinating council, authorizing the Kansas development finance authority to issue STAR bonds for such projects, transferring funds under certain circumstances from the state gaming revenues fund to the attracting professional sports to Kansas fund for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, and, if approved by the legislative coordinating council, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026.

KS SCR1602

Approving the creation of a port authority in Wyandotte County Kansas.

KS SB2

Eliminating the income limit to qualify for the subtraction modification exempting social security benefits, increasing the income tax credit amount for household and dependent care expenses, establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, citing the increased property tax homestead refund claim section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, decreasing the normal privilege tax rate, increasing the extent of property tax exemption for residential property from the statewide school levy, decreasing the rate of ad valorem tax imposed by a school district; providing for certain transfers to the state school district finance fund, reducing the state rate of tax on sales of food and food ingredients and modifying the percent credited to the state highway fund from revenue collected.

KS HB2003

Establishing the veterans' valor property tax relief act providing for an income tax credit or refund for eligible individuals, modifying the definition of household income and increasing the appraised value threshold for eligibility of seniors and disabled veterans related to increased property tax claims and citing the section as the homeowners' property tax freeze program, providing property tax exemptions for certain personal property including watercraft, marine equipment, off-road vehicles, motorized bicycles and certain trailers, excluding internal revenue code section 1031 exchange transactions as indicators of fair market value, providing for certain exclusions from the prohibition of paying taxes under protest after a valuation notice appeal and providing four prior years' values on the annual valuation notice.

KS SB8

Exempting the sale of firearms, firearms accessories, ammunition, firearm safes and firearm safety devices from the retatilers' sales tax.

KS SR1702

A resolution honoring the life, career and trailblazing achievements of Kansas icon Ed Dwight.

KS SB6

Providing a sales tax exemption for sales of electricity to residential premises by municipally owned or operated utilities.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.