Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas House Bill HB2655

Introduced
2/3/26  
Refer
2/3/26  
Report Pass
2/16/26  
Engrossed
2/25/26  

Caption

Authorizing the chief judge of each municipal court to establish a specialty court program, providing for expungement when a person has completed the requirements of such program, authorizing judges to waive the fee in expungement cases by reviewing and granting a poverty affidavit and requiring judges to waive the fee for petitions for expungement of municipal arrest records in certain cases.

Impact

With the implementation of specialty court programs, individuals who complete the requirements of these programs may petition for the expungement of convictions and related arrest records. This change facilitates a more rehabilitative approach within the justice system, providing offenders an opportunity to reintegrate into society without the stigma of a criminal record. The bill aims to enhance the opportunities for successful rehabilitation by creating a system that supports restorative justice principles and allows individuals a fresh start after fulfilling the judicial requirements.

Summary

House Bill 2655 aims to provide a framework for the establishment of specialty court programs within the state of Kansas. The bill authorizes the chief judge of each municipal court to create such programs in accordance with supreme court rules, allowing for the rehabilitation of offenders through therapeutic or problem-solving judicial procedures. This approach is designed to address underlying issues contributing to criminal behavior, such as drug addiction or mental health problems, promoting recovery and reducing recidivism rates among participants.

Contention

Notable points of contention regarding HB 2655 may arise around the perceptions of leniency in the judicial system. Opponents may argue that this could potentially diminish accountability for criminal behaviors, especially in cases where serious offenses are involved. However, proponents emphasize that the bill's framework is focused on addressing the root causes of criminality rather than merely enforcing punitive measures. The bill emphasizes personal responsibility and measures to promote behavior change, which could frame the discourse around its acceptance within legislative bodies.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

KS SB6

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

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 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 HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

KS SB5

Authorizing counties to impose an earnings tax.

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 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 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 SCR1604

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for real property and personal property mobile homes.

KS SB8

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

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.