SESSION OF 2020
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 58
As Amended by Senate Committee on Judiciary

Brief*
SB 58 would amend law related to grand jury
proceedings summoned by petition to refer to such
proceedings as “citizen-initiated,” and would specify such
petitions are citizen-initiated throughout the section. The bill
would state the person who filed a citizen-initiated petition,
and whose name, address, and phone number appear on the
petition, is immune from civil liability for any good faith
conduct under the section. The bill also would clarify that
such person would be the first witness called to give
testimony should a citizen-initiated grand jury be impaneled.
Finally, the bill makes technical amendments to provide
consistency in statutory phrasing.

Background
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Judiciary at the request of American Family Action of Kansas
and Missouri in January 2019. In the Senate Committee
hearing in January 2020, a representative of American Family
Action of Kansas and Missouri testified in support of the bill,
stating the need to protect citizens who wish to challenge
prosecutorial discretion. Written-only opponent testimony was
provided by the League of Kansas Municipalities, stating
concerns over the potential increase of false or insufficient
allegations in citizen-initiated petitions.

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*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org
 The Senate Committee adopted a technical amendment
to update statutory references throughout the bill.
According to the fiscal note prepared by the Division of
the Budget on the bill as introduced, the Office of Judicial
Administration indicates any fiscal effect upon enactment of
the bill would be negligible.


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Statutes affected:
As introduced: 22-3001, 22-3008
As Amended by Senate Committee: 22-3008, 22-3001