The proposed bill seeks to strengthen protections for victims of domestic violence by broadening the definition of stalking to include technology-based harassment and mandating law enforcement agencies to adopt policies for identifying the primary aggressor in domestic violence situations. It requires prosecutors to verify that this analysis has been conducted before filing charges. Additionally, the bill prohibits public agencies from charging victims for access to public records related to domestic violence offenses and allows for the inclusion of evidence from prior domestic violence incidents in current cases. New options for protection orders are introduced, including lifetime extensions for victims of domestic battery, and the definition of "course of conduct" in stalking cases is revised to explicitly include electronic tracking and online harassment.

Furthermore, the bill amends various sections of Kansas law to enhance the legal framework surrounding protective orders and batterer intervention programs. It allows courts to issue restraining orders against defendants, including prohibitions on contacting victims and accessing connected vehicle services when the vehicle is driven by the victim. The duration of these protection orders is set between one to two years, with the possibility of extension. The bill also establishes requirements for a batterer intervention certification program and specifies that assessments must be conducted by licensed professionals. Several existing statutes are repealed, indicating a comprehensive overhaul of the legal provisions related to domestic violence and stalking in Kansas.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 45-219, 21-5427, 22-2307, 22-3201, 60-455, 60-3107, 21-5414, 21-5924, 60-31a06, 75-7d05