Virginia Recreational Facilities Authority; authority to dissolve, disposition of property.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Will Davis

Kansas HB 2321 updates the Victims’ Bill of Rights to require reasonable notification; failure to provide rights cannot be grounds to appeal or reverse a conviction.

Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0169)

Summary — HB 2321 (2025) — Victims of Crime; appeal limitations for victims’ rights violations

Status and key dates
- Bill title (summary): Provides that certain legal violations relating to victims of crime are not grounds for appeal in a criminal case.
- Introduced: January 31, 2025 (filed by Rep. Tony M. McCombie / requested by Rep. Bohi on behalf of the Kansas Attorney General in the Kansas version).
- Referred to: Committee on Judiciary (Feb. 10, 2025). Related companion: SB 1191.
- Fiscal note issued: Feb. 20, 2025 (Kansas Division of the Budget).

Note on documents: The packet provided contains other jurisdictions’ HB 2321 texts (Arizona, Illinois) that are unrelated to the Kansas proposal described below. This summary focuses on the Kansas HB 2321 that amends K.S.A. 74‑7333.

Purpose and intent
- To update the Kansas “Bill of Rights for Victims of Crime” (K.S.A. 74‑7333) to (1) clarify that reasonable attempts must be made to inform victims about participation, scheduling, progress and disposition of criminal proceedings, and (2) specify that failure to provide a victims’ right, service, or notification required by law is not a basis for appealing a conviction or sentence or for a court to reverse or modify a conviction or sentence.

Key provisions
- Revises statutory victims’ rights language to require that “reasonable attempts” be made to inform victims about their role and the scheduling, progress and ultimate disposition of criminal proceedings.
- Retains and restates other victims’ rights (courtesy, information about restitution/compensation, safety measures, assistance and referrals, etc.).
- Adds explicit, substantive bar: a failure by the state, courts or agencies to provide a statutory victims’ right, service or notification is not a ground to:
- Appeal a conviction or sentence; or
- Cause any court to reverse or modify a conviction or sentence.
- Repeals and replaces the existing version of K.S.A. 74‑7333 (effectively modernizing the statutory victims’ rights provision).
- Effective date: upon publication in the statute book (per bill text).

Who is affected / likely impact
- Victims of crime: formalizes an obligation that reasonable attempts be made to notify victims about proceedings and preserves victims’ access to services and information.
- Law enforcement, prosecutors, courts and victim‑assistance offices: may need to document or standardize notification efforts to meet the “reasonable attempts” standard.
- Criminal defendants: restrictions on using procedural failures to notify victims (or provide services) as grounds for appellate relief or collateral modification of convictions/sentences. This narrows one potential avenue for post‑conviction appeals tied to victims’ procedural rights.
- Fiscal impact: Kansas Division of the Budget estimates a minimal fiscal effect, absorbable within existing agency resources; no material FY2026 budget impact was identified.

Procedural/timeline notes
- After introduction and referral to Judiciary, the bill has been read and considered in the House (record shows readings and committee activity in early–mid 2025). Current legislative status should be checked on the chamber’s website for the latest movement (committee hearings, votes or companion bill action).