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SB 459 Kansas Senate · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Removing the prisoner review board from the supervision of the secretary of corrections, changing the appointing authority and creating qualifications for the members of the board and requiring parole hearings to be postponed if proper notice of the public comment session is not made to the victim.

SB 459 changes who appoints members to Kansas' prisoner review board and sets new qualifications for those members. It also requires parole hearings to be postponed if victims aren't properly notified about the public comment session. This directly affects victims of crimes (who must receive notice) and the parole review board (which must follow the new appointment rules). The key change is a procedural requirement: parole hearings cannot proceed without valid victim notification for the public comment period.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Feb 3, 2026 Signed Apr 9, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

{As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole} → As Amended by House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to shift the Prisoner Review Board's administrative oversight from the Secretary of Corrections to the Judicial Branch, aligning it with the Kansas Judicial Branch structure. Additionally, the bill's scope was expanded to include amendments to several new statutes related to the board's operations, seals, and reports, which were previously omitted.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include amendments to K.S.A. 22-3709, 22-3710, 22-3711, 22-3713, 74-4911f, 75-4318, 75-5217, and 77-421, in addition to the original statutes.
REQUIREMENT

The appointing authority for the Prisoner Review Board chairperson and vice-chairperson was changed from the Secretary of Corrections to the Judicial Branch (specifically designated by the Secretary of Corrections as provided in K.S.A. 75-52,152, implying a judicial appointment process).

SCOPE

The bill now includes amendments to multiple new statutes (22-3709, 22-3710, 22-3711, 22-3713, 74-4911f, 75-4318, 75-5217, 77-421) that define the board's seal, reporting requirements, and privilege of reports, which were not included in the previous version.

FISCAL

The requirement for the Secretary of Corrections to provide necessary personnel and accounting services to the board was added, establishing a specific funding and resource support mechanism.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
15
Committee
6
Apr 9, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor on Tuesday, April 7, 2026
upper
Mar 26, 2026
Upper · Passed
Concurred with amendments in conference; Yea 32, Nay 7
upper
Mar 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Motion to accede adopted; Rep. Bob Lewis, Rep. Bradley Barrett and Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen appointed as conferees
lower
Mar 23, 2026
Upper · Passed
Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Sen. Kellie Warren, Sen. Kenny Titus and Sen. Ethan Corson
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 124, Nay 0, Absent 1
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Motion to advance to Emergency Final Action adopted
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
lower
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Committee
Referred to House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Introduced
Received and Introduced
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 33, Nay 7
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Be passed as further amended
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Amendment by Sen. Chase Blasi was adopted
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Sen. Chase Blasi
upper
Feb 17, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
upper
Feb 16, 2026
Upper · Passed
Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Senate Committee on Judiciary
upper
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary
upper
Feb 3, 2026
Introduced
Introduced
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.