Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB116

Introduced
1/30/25  

Caption

Requiring prosecutors to disclose their intent to introduce testimony from a jailhouse witness and to forward related information to the Kansas bureau of investigation.

Impact

If enacted, SB116 is expected to make significant changes to existing criminal procedure laws in Kansas. The requirement for prosecutors to maintain a central record and share comprehensive details about jailhouse witnesses with both the defense and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation represents a shift towards greater transparency in the justice system. By establishing a statewide database that is confidential and restricted to prosecuting attorneys, the bill attempts to streamline the tracking of jailhouse testimony and prevent potential abuses within the criminal justice system.

Summary

Senate Bill 116, known as the Pete Coones Memorial Act, seeks to enhance the reliability of testimonies presented by jailhouse witnesses in criminal prosecutions. The bill mandates that prosecutors disclose their intent to introduce testimony from jailhouse witnesses, which includes providing crucial information such as the witness's criminal history, any benefits received for their testimony, and details of related statements. This move aims to safeguard the rights of defendants by ensuring they are adequately informed of the testimonies that may significantly impact their cases.

Contention

There are potential points of contention surrounding this bill, especially regarding the balance between transparency and witness safety. While the bill aims to enhance the defense's ability to challenge potentially unreliable testimonies, there may be concerns regarding the safety of jailhouse witnesses, as their identities and testimonies can expose them to harm within the correctional system. The provision allowing courts to withhold certain disclosures if deemed likely to cause bodily harm underscores the complexity of implementing this bill effectively while protecting all parties involved.

Notable_points

The bill does not classify jailhouse witnesses as confidential informants, which could potentially leave room for misinterpretation in future cases. Additionally, the confidentiality provisions linked to the statewide database will expire after a set period unless renewed, which raises questions about the long-term handling of such sensitive information. Overall, SB116 reflects a growing recognition of the need for reforms in the use of jailhouse witness testimonies and emphasizes the importance of ensuring that the rights of defendants are preserved.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 HB2002

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

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 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 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 SCR1603

Proposing to amend section 1 of article 11 of the constitution of the state of Kansas to limit property tax valuation increases for residential property.

KS SCR1602

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

KS SR1702

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

KS SB8

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

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.

Similar Bills

KS HB2131

Requiring prosecutors to disclose their intent to introduce testimony from a jailhouse witness and to forward related information to the Kansas bureau of investigation.

OK HB1563

Criminal procedure; authorizing the issuance of subpoena duces tecum to businesses and commercial entities; codification; effective date.

OK HB1563

Criminal procedure; authorizing the issuance of subpoena duces tecum to businesses and commercial entities; codification; effective date.

OK HB2991

Criminal procedure; increasing certain time limitations; effective date.

OK HB3742

Criminal procedure; Due Process Protection Act of 2026; preliminary examinations and proceedings; disclosure; effective date.

OK HB1973

Criminal procedure; clarifying and including additional evidentiary disclosure requirements for prosecutors; effective date.

OK HB1973

Criminal procedure; clarifying and including additional evidentiary disclosure requirements for prosecutors; effective date.