Kansas 2025-2026 Regular Session

Kansas Senate Bill SB237 Compare Versions

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1+Session of 2025
12 SENATE BILL No. 237
2-AN ACT concerning the scrap metal theft reduction act; authorizing law enforcement
3-officers to conduct investigations of violations of the act; amending K.S.A. 2024
4-Supp. 50-6,109a and repealing the existing section.
3+By Committee on Judiciary
4+2-6
5+AN ACT concerning family law; relating to child support obligations;
6+requiring the court to consider the value of retirement accounts when
7+determining support orders; prohibiting modification of a support order
8+for criminal conduct, professional misconduct or voluntary
9+underemployment; eliminating the exemption and retirement moneys
10+from claims to fulfill child support obligations; amending K.S.A. 23-
11+3002 and 23-3005 and K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 60-2308 and repealing the
12+existing sections.
13+WHEREAS, The provisions of this act shall be known as the support
14+compliance and accountability for responsible support act (SCARS).
15+Now, therefore:
516 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
6-Section 1. K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 50-6,109a is hereby amended to
7-read as follows: 50-6,109a. (a) (1) Except as provided in paragraph
8-(2), the attorney general is hereby given jurisdiction and authority over
9-all matters involving the implementation, administration and
10-enforcement of the provisions of the scrap metal theft reduction act
11-including to:
12-(1)(A) Employ or appoint agents as necessary to implement,
13-administer and enforce the act;
14-(2)(B) contract;
15-(3)(C) expend funds;
16-(4)(D) license and discipline;
17-(5)(E) investigate;
18-(6)(F) issue subpoenas;
19-(7)(G) keep statistics; and
20-(8)(H) conduct education and outreach programs to promote
21-compliance with the act.
22-(2) Kansas law enforcement officers are hereby authorized to
23-conduct investigations of violations of the scrap metal theft reduction
24-act. Upon conclusion of an investigation, investigative reports shall be
25-submitted to the attorney general regardless of whether any local
26-action was taken as a result of such investigation.
27-(b) In accordance with the rules and regulations filing act, the
28-attorney general is hereby authorized to adopt rules and regulations
29-necessary to implement the provisions of the scrap metal theft
30-reduction act.
31-(c) There is hereby established in the state treasury the scrap metal
32-theft reduction fee fund to be administered by the attorney general. All
33-moneys received by the attorney general from fees, charges or penalties
34-collected under the provisions of the scrap metal theft reduction act
35-shall be remitted to the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions
36-of K.S.A. 75-4215, and amendments thereto, who shall deposit the
37-entire amount thereof in the state treasury to the credit of the scrap
38-metal theft reduction fee fund. All expenditures from such fund shall be
39-made in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the
40-director of accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved
41-by the attorney general or the attorney general's designee. All moneys
42-credited to the scrap metal theft reduction fee fund shall be expended
43-for the administration of the duties, functions and operating expenses
44-incurred under the provisions of the scrap metal theft reduction act.
45-(d) There is hereby established in the state treasury the scrap metal
46-data repository fund to be administered by the director of the Kansas
47-bureau of investigation. All expenditures from such fund shall be made
48-in accordance with appropriation acts upon warrants of the director of
49-accounts and reports issued pursuant to vouchers approved by the
50-director of the Kansas bureau of investigation or the director's designee.
51-All moneys credited to the scrap metal data repository fund shall be
52-expended for the administration of the duties, functions and operating
53-expenses incurred under the provisions of the scrap metal theft
54-reduction act.
55-(e) The attorney general may transfer any moneys from the scrap
56-metal theft reduction fee fund to the scrap metal data repository fund.
57-The attorney general shall certify each such transfer to the director of
58-accounts and reports and shall transmit a copy of each such certification
59-to the director of the budget and the director of legislative research.
60-(f) On July 1, 2020, the Kansas bureau of investigation shall SENATE BILL No. 237—page 2
61-establish and maintain a database which shall be a central repository for
62-the information required to be provided under K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 50-
63-6,110, and amendments thereto. The database shall be maintained for
64-the purpose of providing information to law enforcement and for any
65-other purpose deemed necessary by the attorney general to implement
66-and enforce the provisions of the scrap metal theft reduction act.
67-(g) The information maintained in such database by the Kansas
68-bureau of investigation, or by any entity contracting with the Kansas
69-bureau of investigation, submitted to, maintained or stored as part of
70-the system may be provided to the attorney general and shall:
71-(1) Be confidential, shall only be used for investigatory,
72-evidentiary or analysis purposes related to criminal violations of city,
73-state or federal law and shall only be released to law enforcement in
74-response to an official investigation or as permitted in subsection (f);
75-and
76-(2) not be a public record and shall not be subject to the Kansas
77-open records act, K.S.A. 45-215 et seq., and amendments thereto.
78-(h) On or before February 1, 2021, and annually on or before
79-February 1 thereafter, the attorney general shall submit a report to the
80-president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and
81-the standing committees on judiciary in the senate and the house of
82-representatives on the implementation, administration and enforcement
83-of the provisions of the scrap metal theft reduction act.
84-(i) Any entity contracting with the attorney general or the Kansas
85-bureau of investigation to provide or maintain the database required by
86-this section shall not require a scrap metal dealer to contract with such
87-entity for the authority to release proprietary or confidential data,
88-including, but not limited to, customer information. Such entity shall
89-not charge any fee to the scrap metal dealer as a condition of providing
90-information to the database as required by the scrap metal theft
91-reduction act, including, but not limited to, a fee for electronic
92-submission of information.
93-(j) A scrap metal dealer providing information to the database as
94-required by the scrap metal theft reduction act shall not be subject to
95-civil liability for any claim arising from the negligence or omission by
96-the state of Kansas or any contracting entity in the collection, storing or
97-release of information provided by such scrap metal dealer to the
98-database.
99-Sec. 2. K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 50-6,109a is hereby repealed. SENATE BILL No. 237—page 3
100-Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
101-publication in the statute book.
102-I hereby certify that the above BILL originated in the
103-SENATE, and passed that body
104-__________________________
105-SENATE adopted
106- Conference Committee Report ________________
107-_________________________
108-President of the Senate.
109-_________________________
110-Secretary of the Senate.
111-
112-Passed the HOUSE
113- as amended _________________________
114-HOUSE adopted
115- Conference Committee Report ________________
116-_________________________
117-Speaker of the House.
118-_________________________
119-Chief Clerk of the House.
120-APPROVED _____________________________
121-_________________________
122-Governor.
17+Section 1. K.S.A. 23-3002 is hereby amended to read as follows: 23-
18+3002. (a) In determining the amount to be paid for child support, the court
19+shall:
20+(1) Follow the Kansas child support guidelines adopted by the
21+supreme court pursuant to K.S.A. 20-165, and amendments thereto; and
22+(2) take into consideration and shall order the use of the total value
23+of any individual retirement plan account that is qualified under sections
24+401(a), 401(k), 403(a), 403(b), 408, 408A or 409 of the federal internal
25+revenue code of 1986 if the person has experienced a loss of income or
26+termination from employment due to criminal conduct, loss, revocation,
27+suspension or surrender of a professional license because of professional
28+misconduct or voluntary underemployment as described in K.S.A. 23-
29+3005(a)(2), and amendments thereto.
30+(b) (1) If a parent experiences a loss of income or termination from
31+employment due to criminal conduct, loss, revocation, suspension or
32+surrender of a professional license because of professional misconduct or
33+voluntary underemployment as described in K.S.A. 23-3005(a)(2), and
34+amendments thereto, the court shall order the use of individual retirement
35+plan accounts described in subsection (a)(2) to maintain the existing child
36+support obligation until:
37+(A) All funds in such accounts are exhausted; or
38+(B) the parent establishes other means to satisfy the child support
39+obligations.
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76+(2) Claims for child support against an individual retirement plan
77+account described in subsection (a)(2) shall:
78+(A) Take priority over all other claims;
79+(B) not be subject to early withdrawal penalties if used for child
80+support payments; and
81+(C) be executed through direct payment from the retirement account
82+through the Kansas payment center.
83+(c) Any person who files a motion requesting a child support order or
84+modification order shall include in such filing a completed domestic
85+relations affidavit and proposed child support worksheet.
86+Sec. 2. K.S.A. 23-3005 is hereby amended to read as follows: 23-
87+3005. (a) (1) Subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 23-36,207, and
88+amendments thereto, the court may modify any prior child support order,
89+including any order issued in a title IV-D case, within three years of the
90+date of the original order or a modification order, when a material change
91+in circumstances is shown, irrespective of the present domicile of the child
92+or the parents. If more than three years has passed since the date of the
93+original order or modification order, a material change in circumstance
94+need not be shown.
95+(2) As used in this section, "material change in circumstance" shall
96+not include a loss of income or termination from employment due to:
97+(A) Criminal conduct;
98+(B) loss, revocation, suspension or surrender of a professional
99+license because of professional misconduct; or
100+(C) voluntary underemployment.
101+(b) The court may make a modification of child support retroactive to
102+the first day of the month following the filing of the motion to modify. Any
103+increase in support ordered effective prior to the date the court's judgment
104+is filed shall not become a lien on real property pursuant to K.S.A. 60-
105+2202, and amendments thereto, until the date of the order.
106+Sec. 3. K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 60-2308 is hereby amended to read as
107+follows: 60-2308. (a) Money received by any debtor as pensioner of the
108+United States within three months next immediately preceding the issuing
109+of an execution, or attachment, or garnishment process, cannot shall not be
110+applied to the payment of the debts of such pensioner when if it appears by
111+the affidavit of the debtor or otherwise that such pension money is
112+necessary for the maintenance of the debtor's support or a family support
113+wholly or in part by the pension money. The filing of the affidavit by the
114+debtor, or making proof as provided in this section, shall be prima facie
115+evidence of the necessity of such pension money for such support. It shall
116+be the duty of the court in which where such proceeding is pending to
117+release all moneys held by such attachment or garnishment process,
118+immediately upon the filing of such affidavit, or the making of such proof.
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162+(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), any money or other assets
163+payable to a participant or beneficiary from, or any interest of any
164+participant or beneficiary in, a retirement plan which that is qualified
165+under sections 401(a), 403(a), 403(b), 408, 408A or 409 of the federal
166+internal revenue code of 1986, and amendments thereto, shall be exempt
167+from any and all claims of creditors of the beneficiary or participant. Any
168+such plan shall be conclusively presumed to be a spendthrift trust under
169+these statutes and the common law of the state.
170+(c) AnyA plan or arrangement described in subsection (b), a
171+retiremant plan that is qualified under section 401(k) of the federal
172+internal revenue code of 1986, an individual retirement account and any
173+similar retirement instruments, including contributions and amounts
174+within such instruments shall not be exempt from the claims of an alternate
175+payee under a qualified domestic relations order or a child support order
176+issued pursuant to article 30 of chapter 23 of the Kansas Statues
177+Annotated, and amendments thereto. However, The interest of any and all
178+alternate payees under a qualified domestic relations order shall be exempt
179+from any and all claims of any creditor, other than the Kansas department
180+for children and families, of the alternate payee. As used in this subsection,
181+the terms "alternate payee" and "qualified domestic relations order" have
182+the meaning ascribed to them in section 414(p) of the federal internal
183+revenue code of 1986, and amendments thereto.
184+(d) The provisions of subsections (b) and (c) shall apply to any
185+proceeding which that:
186+(1) Is filed on or after July 1, 1986; or
187+(2) was filed on or after January 1, 1986, and is pending or on appeal
188+July 1, 1986.
189+(e) Money held by the central unit for collection and disbursement of
190+support payments designated pursuant to K.S.A. 39-7,135, and
191+amendments thereto, the Kansas department for children and families, any
192+clerk of a district court or any district court trustee in connection with a
193+court order for the support of any person, whether the money is identified
194+as child support, spousal support, alimony or maintenance, shall be exempt
195+from execution, attachment or garnishment process.
196+(f) (1) The provisions of this subsection shall apply to any proceeding
197+which that:
198+(A) Is filed on or after January 1, 2002; or
199+(B) was filed prior to January 1, 2002, and is pending on or on appeal
200+after January 1, 2002.
201+(2) Except as provided by paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection, if
202+the designated beneficiary of a family postsecondary education savings
203+account established pursuant to K.S.A. 75-640 et seq., and amendments
204+thereto, is a lineal descendant of the account owner, all moneys in the
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248+account shall be exempt from any claims of creditors of the account owner
249+or designated beneficiary.
250+(3) The provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not apply
251+to claims of any creditor of an account owner, as to amounts contributed
252+within a one-year period preceding:
253+(A) Claims of any creditor of an account owner, as to amounts
254+contributed within a one-year period preceding The date of the filing of a
255+bankruptcy petition under 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.; or
256+(B) claims of any creditor of an account owner, as to amounts
257+contributed within a one-year period preceding an execution on judgment
258+for such claims against the account owner.
259+(4) The provisions of paragraph (2) of this subsection shall not apply
260+to claims of any creditor of an account owner, as to amounts exceeding
261+$5,000 contributed within a period of time that is more than one year but
262+less than two years preceding:
263+(A) Claims of any creditor of an account owner, as to amounts
264+exceeding $5,000 contributed within a period of time which is more than
265+one year but less than two years preceding The date of the filing of a
266+bankruptcy petition under 11 U.S.C. § 101 et seq.; or
267+(B) claims of any creditor of an account owner, as to amounts
268+exceeding $5,000 contributed within a period of time which is more than
269+one year but less than two years preceding an execution on judgment for
270+such claims against the account owner.
271+Sec. 4. K.S.A. 23-3002 and 23-3005 and K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 60-2308
272+are hereby repealed.
273+Sec. 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
274+publication in the Kansas register.
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