Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB306

Introduced
1/12/26  

Caption

Requiring persons convicted of or given diversion agreements for driving under the influence to attend victim impact panel programs.

Impact

This legislation revises existing statutes regarding DUI offenses and will directly alter the legal landscape for offenders by introducing additional educational and rehabilitative components to the penalties associated with such convictions. By mandating attendance at victim impact panels, the bill seeks to enhance the understanding of the consequences of DUI offenses for both offenders and the community. Additionally, it underscores a shift towards using corrective measures rather than purely punitive ones.

Summary

Senate Bill 306 aims to enhance accountability for individuals convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) by mandating attendance at victim impact panel programs as part of their sentencing. This new requirement will be effective from January 1, 2027, and will apply to all individuals convicted of DUI offenses, including those who enter into diversion agreements to avoid criminal proceedings. The victim impact panels will be conducted by nonprofit organizations approved by the court, with the possibility of online attendance if in-person sessions are impractical.

Sentiment

The sentiment around SB 306 is generally seen as positive in terms of public safety and community awareness. Proponents argue that victim impact panels can serve as a powerful tool to reduce recidivism by forcing offenders to confront the real-life consequences of their actions. However, there are concerns from some quarters about the administrative burden on courts and the potential for uneven access to programs in different jurisdictions, which might limit the effectiveness of such a requirement.

Contention

Despite general support for the intent behind SB 306, there are notable points of contention regarding its implementation. Critics argue that the requirement may disproportionately affect low-income individuals who might struggle to afford associated fees or transportation to attend in-person sessions. There is also debate regarding the efficacy of mandated participation in victim impact programs, with some questioning whether it leads to genuine behavioral change or simply serves as another layer of punishment.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

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 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 HB2002

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

KS SB4

Requiring all advance voting ballots be returned by 7:00 p.m. on election day.

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 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 SB6

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

KS SB8

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

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 HB2004

Authorizing counties to propose an earnings tax for ballot question.

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.