Volume 40 - Issue 12B - March 30, 2021

(Published in the Kansas Register March 30, 2021.)

House Bill No. 2227

An Act concerning courts; relating to orders issued by the chief justice to secure health and safety during a disaster emergency; suspension of deadlines or time limitations; authorizing suspension during a state of local disaster emergency; suspension of verification requirements under the revised Kansas code for the care of children; use of electronic audio-visual communication to expeditiously resolve pending cases; amending K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 20-172 and repealing the existing section.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

Section 1. K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 20-172 is hereby amended to read as follows: 20-172. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, during any state of disaster emergency pursuant to K.S.A. 48-924, and amendments thereto, or any state of local disaster emergency established by K.S.A. 48-932, and amendments thereto, the chief justice of the Kansas supreme court may issue an order to extend or suspend any deadlines or time limitations established by statute or suspend the verification required pursuant to K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 38-2273, and amendments thereto, when the chief justice determines such action is necessary to secure the health and safety of court users, staff and judicial officers.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the chief justice of the Kansas supreme court may issue an order to authorize the use of two-way electronic audio-visual communication in any court proceeding when the chief justice determines such action is necessary to:

(1) Secure the health and safety of court users, staff and judicial officers; or

(2) expeditiously resolve pending cases.

(c) Any order issued pursuant to subsection (a) may remain in effect for up to 150 days after a the applicable state of disaster emergency is terminated pursuant to K.S.A. 48-924, and amendments thereto, or state of local disaster emergency is terminated pursuant to K.S.A. 48-932, and amendments thereto. Any order in violation of this section shall be void.

(d) (1) For a deadline or time limitation that was extended or suspended because of an order issued pursuant to subsection (a), on the date such order terminates, a person shall have the same number of days to comply with the deadline or time limitation as the person had when the deadline or time limitation was extended or suspended; and

(2) for a deadline or time limitation that did not begin to run because of an order issued pursuant to subsection (a), on the date such order terminates, a person shall have the full period provided by law to comply with the deadline or time limitation.

(e) The provisions of this section subsections (a) and (c) shall expire on March 31, 2021 June 30, 2022.

Sec. 2. K.S.A. 2020 Supp. 20-172 is hereby repealed.

Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its publication in the Kansas register.