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SB 481KANSASSession 2025-2026State Billpassed both
Passed

Kansas SB 481 Authorizes Municipal Judges to Order Competency Examinations and Amends Court Procedures

Original title: AN ACT concerning courts; establishing procedures in the Kansas code of procedure for municipal courts related to determination of an accused person's competency to stand trial; authorizing a municipal judge to order an examination; authorizing a district court judge to rely on a psychiatric or psychological examination ordered by a municipal court to facilitate an examination; amending K.S.A. 12-4113 and 22-3302 and repealing the existing sections.

Last action · March 20, 2026: Stricken from Calendar by Rule 1507

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Would Do

This bill establishes formal procedures for municipal courts in Kansas to determine an accused person's competency to stand trial, allowing municipal judges to order psychiatric or psychological evaluations. It suspends speedy trial requirements during evaluations, sets a 60-day completion window, and permits district courts to rely on municipal competency examinations.

Why it matters

Defendants in municipal court whose mental fitness is questioned will undergo formal psychological evaluations, and municipalities will bear the examination costs while their court proceedings are temporarily put on hold.

Who It Would Affect

Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

municipal court defendants

Defendants facing municipal ordinance violations can be subjected to competency evaluations, have proceedings suspended, and face dismissal or civil commitment if found incompetent.

Directly affected

municipalities

Municipalities must pay the costs of psychological or psychiatric examinations ordered by their municipal courts from court or general funds.

Directly affected

city attorneys

City attorneys are granted specific procedures to pursue district court filings or civil commitment petitions when municipal defendants are found incompetent.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who pays for the psychiatric or psychological examinations ordered by a municipal court?
The costs for the examination are paid from municipal court funds or the general fund of the municipality.
What happens if a municipal court defendant is found incompetent to stand trial?
The criminal charges are , and the city attorney may file a petition in district court or request a district or county attorney to review the case for filing a complaint in district court.
Can statements made by the defendant during the examination be used against them in a criminal proceeding?
No statement made by a defendant during the examination is admissible in evidence against them in any criminal proceeding.

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News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Currently passed both. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.

Procedural history

14 actions
  1. Mar 20, 2026House
    Stricken from Calendar by Rule 1507
  2. Mar 11, 2026HouseFloor
    Committee Report recommending bill be passed by
  3. Mar 4, 2026House
    Hearing: Wednesday, March 4, 2026, 3:30 PM — Room 582-N
  4. Feb 24, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Received and Introduced
  5. Feb 24, 2026HouseCommittee
    Referred to House Committee on Judiciary
  6. Feb 18, 2026Senate
    Committee of the Whole - Now working on
Show 8 earlier actions
  1. Feb 18, 2026SenateFloor
    Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
  2. Feb 18, 2026SenateFloor
    Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
  3. Feb 18, 2026Senate
    fa_fabc_912
  4. Feb 18, 2026SenateFloor
    Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended
  5. Feb 16, 2026SenateFloor
    Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by
  6. Feb 12, 2026Senate
    Hearing: Thursday, February 12, 2026, 10:30 AM — Room 346-S
  7. Feb 5, 2026SenateCommittee
    Referred to Senate Committee on Judiciary
  8. Feb 4, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced

Version history

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Connected Entities

Kansas, Senate Committee on Judiciary
locationKansas“State where the legislation was introduced”Map →
OrganizationSenate Committee on Judiciary“Legislative committee sponsoring SB 481”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.kslegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance50
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz10
    Current news / social attention level

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