Topeka, KS -  Governor Laura Kelly April 12, 2024 signed House Bill 2781, increasing compensation, services, and support for victims of crimes.

“Increasing compensation for crime victims will allow survivors greater access to the resources they need to overcome trauma,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Thanks to this bill, survivors of crime will be better supported to receive the care they need to achieve stability and independence.”

House Bill 2781 increases annual funding for the Crime Victims Assistance Fund and doubles the maximum weekly compensation available to victims, increasing the weekly cap from $400 to $800.

“We have an obligation to assist victims as they recover,” said Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach. “This new law doesn’t erase their trauma, but being able to provide more and better financial assistance to crime victims helps restore a piece of their lives.”

Additionally, the bill will allow the Crime Victims Compensation Board to expand compensation beyond mental health counseling for certain victims and provides the Crime Victims Compensation Board increased flexibility to award compensation if they determine that denying a victim compensation would be a severe injustice.

“I would like to thank the House and Senate for their unanimous support for HB 2781 to increase compensation for victims and survivors of crime,” said Kansas State Senator Ethan Corson, District 7. “This is life-changing legislation that will support victims of crime by permitting the Crime Victim Compensation Board to consider the totality of the circumstances that victims and survivors may face. I’m pleased the legislature came together unanimously to address the needs of victims who were harmed by another through no fault of their own.”

“Victims of crime were struggling against an outdated law that, in some areas, hadn’t been revised since the ’90s,” said Kansas State Representative Dan Osman, District 7. “We tackled that problem holistically, with a trauma-informed approach that puts victims and survivors first. Now there will be more funding, more resources, and better avenues to compensate crime victims in Kansas.”

“The changes to Kansas Crime Victim Compensation made with the passage and adoption of HB 2781 will provide a critical expansion of supports for crime victims,” said Michelle McCormick, Executive Director, Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. “We are deeply grateful that Governor Kelly, the legislature, and the attorney general’s staff recognize that Kansans who are victimized deserve extensive support as they navigate the extraordinary circumstances of recovery, from a reality that they never should have had to experience. This update to the law should be celebrated as a significant improvement for victims and survivors and will provide greater assistance as they rebuild and reclaim their lives.”

In addition to House Bill 2781, Governor Kelly also signed the following bipartisan bills:

House Bill 2628: Requires the Department for Children and Families secretary to release information related to a child fatality when criminal charges are filed related to such fatality and that child was involved in the child welfare system.

House Bill 2703: Increases foster youth access to at-risk programs and services by including placement in foster care as a criterion for eligibility for such services.

House Bill 2353: Increases the availability of community mental health services through Assisted Outpatient Treatment programs.

House Bill 2358: Expands the types of practitioners that can medically certify cause of death on a death certificate, expediting the timely filing of death certificates across the state.

House Bill 2453: Enacts Kansas’ participation in the dentist and dental hygienist compact, creating additional workforce opportunities for the Kansas dental industry.

House Bill 2477: Increases the maximum reimbursement available to eligible persons through the Remediation Reimbursement Program for soil and ground water remediation projects.

House Bill 2483: Eliminates the requirement for Legislative Post Audit to conduct certain recurring audits.

House Bill 2484: Enacts Kansas’ participation in the social work licensure interstate compact. Participation will increase Kansans’ access to mental health care, ensure continuity of care, and simplify licensure processes for social workers.

House Bill 2491: Transitions funding for the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center to the state general fund.

House Bill 2754: Authorizes counties to use home rule powers to exempt their county health departments from conducting school sanitary inspections that are already being conducted.

Senate Bill 345: Enacts the Commercial Financing Disclosure Act, requiring certain commercial financing entities to transparently provide Kansas businesses with information on the best commercial financing options available to them. The bill also puts in place basic guardrails on commercial financing brokers.

Senate Bill 379: Clarifies certain procedures and publication notice deadlines for administration or probate of a will.

Senate Bill 405: Extends liability under the Kansas Uniform Securities Act to ensure controlling or supervisory investment advisors and brokers are held responsible if their subordinates violate the Act.