Division of the Budget
Landon State Office Building Phone: (785) 296-2436
900 SW Jackson Street, Room 504 adam.c.proffitt@ks.gov
Topeka, KS 66612 http://budget.kansas.gov
Adam Proffitt, Director Laura Kelly, Governor
Division of the Budget
February 8, 2023
The Honorable Fred Patton, Chairperson
House Committee on Judiciary
300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 582-N
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Dear Representative Patton:
SUBJECT: Fiscal Note for HB 2300 by House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
In accordance with KSA 75-3715a, the following fiscal note concerning HB 2300 is
respectfully submitted to your committee.
Currently, statute includes a list of mandated reporters that are required to report suspected
harm from physical, mental, emotional abuse, neglect, or sexual abuse of a child. HB 2300 would
add duly ordained ministers of religion, as defined in statute, to be added as mandated reporters.
A duly ordained minister of religion who suspects abuse or neglect based on a penitential
communication would not be required to violate penitential privilege.
The Department for Children and Families (DCF) indicates that HB 2300 would increase
the volume of reports to the Kansas Protection Report Center, resulting in an increase of $74,569
in expenditures from the State General Fund for 1.00 FTE Protection Specialist position. DCF
also assumes this bill may increase workload for DCF child investigative staff. However, while
data shows 55.0 percent of all reports are assigned for investigation, it is anticipated that many of
these calls would duplicate other calls or may be determined to be investigated by law enforcement
only. Therefore, DCF believes an increase in assigned investigations may not be significant and
could be absorbed within current resources. The bill does not address reporting requirements for
this new category of mandatory reporter and, as such, would be counted in the “other mandated
reporter” grouping. However, if reporting clergy as a separate group is intended, systems updates
would be necessary creating additional costs. The expense of systems updates is unknown.
The Office of Judicial Administration indicates that HB 2300 could increase the number
of cases filed in district courts because it expands the list of mandatory reporters of suspected child
abuse or neglect. This would increase the time spent by district court judicial and nonjudicial
personnel in processing, researching, and hearing cases. Since the crime is a misdemeanor, there The Honorable Fred Patton, Chairperson
Page 2—HB 2300
could also be more supervision of offenders required to be performed by Court Services Officers.
The bill could also result in the collection of docket fees, supervision fees, and fines assessed in
those cases filed under the provisions of the bill. However, it is not possible to estimate the number
of additional court cases that would arise or how complex and time-consuming they would be.
Therefore, a fiscal effect cannot be determined. Any fiscal effect associated with HB 2300 is not
reflected in The FY 2024 Governor’s Budget Report.
Sincerely,
Adam Proffitt
Director of the Budget
cc: Vicki Jacobsen, Judiciary
Kim Holter, Department for Children & Families