The ACLU of Kansas is never busier than when the Legislature is in session. Either independently or with our partners in various and diverse coalitions, we work to protect civil liberties for all Kansans by either placing, supporting, altering, or defeating legislation that would threaten those civil liberties.
The 2021 legislative session was marked by one overlying theme from start to finish for the ACLU of Kansas: playing defense.
This bill is a nod to addressing sentencing proportionality and racial disparities in the enforcement of marijuana arrests, and it would update the law to align more closely with the wishes of Kansans.
The ACLU of Kansas supports HB 2434 because suspending driver’s licenses for unpaid fines and fees punishes the working poor and is counterproductive to public safety. HB 2434 is an important step forward to addressing these issues.
Thousands of provisional ballots cast by eligible voters are being rejected every election cycle due to minor technicalities that can be easily resolved. Passing SB 351 is vital to ensuring that the votes of eligible citizens are counted.
HB 2469 is good policy in that it affirms the fact that people who are facing death due to a terminal illness no longer pose a public safety risk to the community. Expanding the timeframe for this humane act from 30 days to 90 days is a small but important measure.
HB 2472 presents a valuable opportunity to expand the diversion options in the state with effective solutions to address the scourge of drug addiction within the criminal justice system, and with strong community support.