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 Division of the Budget http://budget.kansas.gov
Adam Proffitt, Director Laura Kelly, Governor

February 7, 2023


The Honorable Kellie Warren, Chairperson
Senate Committee on Judiciary
300 SW 10th Avenue, Room 346-S
Topeka, Kansas 66612
Dear Senator Warren:
SUBJECT: Fiscal Note for SB 160 by Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs
In accordance with KSA 75-3715a, the following fiscal note concerning SB 160 is
respectfully submitted to your committee.
SB 160 would require an age verification for access by minors to pornographic internet
material and would establish a civil cause of action for actual and punitive damages, attorney fees,
and costs for persons harmed. Commercial entities that knowingly and intentionally publish or
distribute material harmful to minors on the internet from a website that contains a substantial
portion of material harmful to minors would be held liable if the entity fails to perform reasonable
age verification methods.
The Office of the Attorney General indicates that SB 160 would have no fiscal effect on
the Office. The Office of Judicial Administration indicates that SB 160 could increase the number
of cases filed in district courts because it allows for a civil suit to be filed. This, in turn, would
increase the time spent by district court judicial and nonjudicial personnel in processing,
researching, and hearing cases. Nevertheless, until the courts have had an opportunity to operate
under the provisions of SB 160, an accurate estimate of the fiscal effect on expenditures by the
Judicial Branch cannot be given. The bill would not affect revenues for the Judicial Branch,
however the bill could result in the collection of docket fees in those cases filed under the
provisions of the bill, which would be deposited into the State General Fund. Any fiscal effect
associated with SB 160 is not reflected in The FY 2024 Governor’s Budget Report.


Sincerely,

Adam Proffitt
Director of the Budget
cc: Vicki Jacobsen, Judiciary
John Milburn, Office of the Attorney General