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HB 2253

Making the theft of livestock or implements of husbandry a severity level 5, nonperson felony.

2025-2026 Regular Session

HB 2253 increases penalties for theft of livestock or implements of husbandry to a severity level 5 nonperson felony and adds civil forfeiture for related property and proceeds.

Died in Committee
#animals #crimes #punishmentandcriminalprocedure
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Bill Summary · HB 2253

Summary — HB 2253 (2025 session, Kansas)

Status: Introduced Jan 30, 2025; hearing Feb 13, 2025. Enacted and filed without governor’s signature Jun 20, 2025 (legislative history shows effective immediately on Jun 20, 2025). Fiscal note prepared Feb 13, 2025 anticipated an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Purpose / Intent

HB 2253 raises the criminal penalty for thefts involving agricultural property by making theft of livestock or an implement of husbandry a severity level 5 nonperson felony regardless of the stolen property’s value. The bill also authorizes civil forfeiture of property used in the commission of such thefts and provides/clarifies statutory definitions for “livestock” and “implement of husbandry.” The measure was sponsored on behalf of the Kansas Cattlemen’s Association and the Kansas Livestock Association.

Key provisions

  • Amends K.S.A. 21-5801 to classify theft of livestock or implements of husbandry as a severity level 5, nonperson felony (removes value thresholds for these categories).
  • Amends K.S.A. 22-4807a to add specific forfeiture authority related to theft of livestock or implements of husbandry, including:
    • Contraband/property used or intended to be used in commission of the offense;
    • Proceeds from the offense and property acquired with those proceeds;
    • Conveyances (vehicles, vessels, aircraft, horses/dogs) used to facilitate the offense (with protections for common carriers and secured party interests);
    • Books, records, data and other items used in the offense;
    • Items presumed acquired with proceeds (everything of value furnished/traded), excluding real property.
  • Adds/clarifies definitions: “livestock” (explicitly listing cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, mules, domesticated deer, ratites, and carcasses/skins/parts) and references an existing statutory definition for “implement of husbandry.”

Who is affected

  • Rural and agricultural communities, livestock owners, and operators of farm equipment: thefts of animals or farm implements now carry more severe felony exposure.
  • Defendants charged with such thefts face higher sentencing ranges consistent with a severity level 5 nonperson felony.
  • Law enforcement and prosecutors may pursue felony charges more often in livestock/equipment theft cases.
  • Property owners or victims could have access to forfeiture remedies for instruments and proceeds of the crime.
  • Local governments and courts: potential changes in caseload mix, supervision, and collection of supervision fees.

Fiscal and operational impacts (from Kansas Division of the Budget fiscal note)

  • Board of Indigents’ Defense Services: increased defense workload. A typical severity level 5 nonperson felony requires ~57 attorney hours; estimated state cost per new case: $4,752–$7,125 (based on public defender/assigned counsel rates). Cases upgraded from severity level 9 to level 5 would require ~22 additional attorney hours at a cost of $1,834–$2,750 each. The Board indicated a possible need for 1.0 FTE attorney and additional support staff depending on case volume.
  • Kansas Sentencing Commission: potential increase in prison admissions and bed needs, but magnitude unknown.
  • Department of Corrections: potential negligible operating cost increases (absorbable within existing resources).
  • Judiciary: potential decrease in community supervision workload and related supervision-fee revenue (exact effect not estimated).
  • Kansas Association of Counties: potential increased county expenditures for legal proceedings. League of Kansas Municipalities: negligible fiscal effect on cities.

Implementation / effective date

  • Fiscal note anticipated a July 1, 2025 effective date; legislative records indicate the bill was filed without the governor’s signature and became effective immediately on June 20, 2025.

Prepared objectively to summarize the bill’s text, key changes, affected parties, and expected fiscal/operational consequences.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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