This bill amends existing Kansas laws regarding crimes against public safety, specifically focusing on the criminal use and possession of weapons. It increases the penalties for criminal use of weapons upon a second or subsequent adjudication and modifies the penalties for criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. The bill introduces new definitions and clarifications regarding what constitutes criminal use of weapons, including various types of firearms and dangerous weapons. It also specifies the conditions under which certain individuals, such as law enforcement officers and those with specific permits, may be exempt from these prohibitions.

Key changes include the amendment of K.S.A. 21-6301 and K.S.A. 21-6304, with significant deletions of previous legal language that outlined the conditions under which a convicted felon could possess a weapon. The bill establishes stricter criteria for weapon possession by individuals with felony convictions, including a new classification of felonies and the timeframes that dictate eligibility for possession. Additionally, the bill repeals the existing sections of K.S.A. 21-6301 and K.S.A. 21-6304, effectively replacing them with the newly defined regulations. The act will take effect upon publication in the statute book.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 21-6301, 21-6304