The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Kansas HB 2685 Establishes Personal Civil Liability for Public Officials Who Violate Constitutional Rights
Last action · April 10, 2026: Died in CommitteeSponsor: Bill Rhiley
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What This Bill Proposed
The Public Official Accountability Act makes state, county, and local public officials personally liable in civil court for actions that violate constitutional rights or exceed their lawful duties, while prohibiting public entities from ing officials found liable with malice. The measure establishes a two-year statute of limitations for filing claims and caps punitive damages at three times compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is greater.
The measure alters legal accountability by removing traditional immunity defenses for state and local officials, opening them to personal financial damages for unconstitutional actions while preserving core judicial and legislative immunities.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Public Officials
Elected or appointed state and local officers and employees lose traditional qualified and sovereign immunity defenses and face personal financial liability for knowing or reckless unconstitutional actions.
Public Entities
State, county, and city governments are restricted from indemnifying officials found liable under the act, except for compensatory damages when the official acted without malice.
Civil Litigants
Individuals who experience constitutional violations or abuse of office gain a new state-level cause of action to seek compensatory and punitive damages, attorney fees, and court costs.
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 qualifies as a public official under this act?
Can public entities pay the damages if an official is found liable?
What standard of proof is required to establish liability?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died in committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Apr 10, 2026HouseDied in Committee
- Feb 4, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced
- Feb 4, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred to House Committee on Federal and State Affairs
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →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.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
www.kslegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy85Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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