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HB 2272

Providing that no person shall be sentenced to death for crimes committed after July 1, 2025, and creating the crime of aggravated murder.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Barbara Ballard and 5 co-sponsors

HB 2272 abolishes the death penalty for crimes committed on or after July 1, 2025, and replaces it with aggravated murder, punishable by life without parole.

Died in Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 2272

Summary — HB 2272 (Introduced Jan 30, 2025)

Title: Providing that no person shall be sentenced to death for crimes committed after July 1, 2025; creating the crime of aggravated murder

Main purpose

HB 2272 abolishes the death penalty prospectively (for crimes committed on or after July 1, 2025), repeals the state capital-murder statute, and creates a new offense of “aggravated murder” punishable by life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Key provisions

  • Prospective abolition of death penalty
    • No person may be sentenced to death for any crime committed on or after July 1, 2025.
    • Persons sentenced to death for crimes committed prior to July 1, 2025 remain subject to existing capital procedures.
  • Repeal and replacement
    • The existing capital-murder statute is repealed and replaced with the new crime of “aggravated murder.”
  • Definition and elements of aggravated murder (intentional, premeditated killing in specified circumstances), including:
    1. Killing during kidnapping (if ransom intent), or aggravated kidnapping under specified conditions.
    2. Killing pursuant to a contract or agreement to kill.
    3. Killing by an inmate/prisoner while in custody.
    4. Killing of a victim during or after certain sex crimes (rape, criminal/ aggravated criminal sodomy) or attempts.
    5. Killing of a law enforcement officer.
    6. Killing of more than one person in the same act/connected acts.
    7. Killing a child under 14 during kidnapping when committed with intent to commit a sex offense.
  • Classification and penalty
    • Aggravated murder (and attempts) is an off-grid person felony.
    • Persons convicted of aggravated murder are sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole and are ineligible for commutation, parole, probation, assignment to community corrections, conditional release, post-release supervision, functional incapacitation release, or any suspension/modification/reduction of sentence.
  • Sentencing / attempts
    • The bill clarifies sentencing rules and amends attempt statute language; it specifies that certain attempt sentencing provisions do not apply to attempting aggravated murder.

Who is affected

  • Defendants committing murder on or after July 1, 2025 (death penalty removed; life without parole applies for aggravated murder).
  • Victims and their families (changes to available punishments and post‑conviction relief possibilities).
  • State justice system actors: district and appellate courts, Office of Judicial Administration, Office of the Attorney General, State Board of Indigents’ Defense Services (OIDS), Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), and Kansas Sentencing Commission.

Fiscal and operational impacts (from Fiscal Note, Feb 24, 2025)

  • OIDS estimates savings of roughly $2.1 million/year initially in casework costs; as existing capital cases resolve, potential savings could reach $5–6 million/year (salaries & contractual services).
  • Office of the Attorney General estimates at least $500,000 in additional litigation costs from the State General Fund over the next two fiscal years to address litigation interpreting new provisions; long‑term savings possible from fewer prolonged death‑penalty prosecutions.
  • Office of Judicial Administration: courts would still need to finish pending pre-July 1, 2025 capital cases; length and resource impacts on Judicial Branch are uncertain.
  • Kansas Sentencing Commission and KDOC estimate no change in prison admissions or beds; KDOC anticipates no fiscal effect on operations.
  • Changes were not reflected in the FY 2026 Governor’s Budget Report.

Procedural status / timeline

  • Introduced Jan 30, 2025; referred to House Committee on Judiciary.
  • Fiscal Note issued Feb 24, 2025.
  • Effective date for death‑penalty abolition: applies to crimes committed on or after July 1, 2025.
  • The bill also contains numerous statutory amendments and repeals across Kansas statutes related to sentencing and criminal procedure.

Note: The bill text amends and repeals multiple K.S.A. sections; this summary highlights primary substantive changes rather than an exhaustive statutory cross‑reference.

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

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