2021 Kansas Criminal Justice Reform Commission

Agenda/Minutes • Report

Senate
Senator David Haley
Senator Rick Wilborn

House
Representative Stephen Owens, Vicechairperson
Representative Gail Finney

Non-Legislative Members
Marc Bennett, Chairperson
Todd Ackerman
Jennifer Baysinger
Glenn Braun
Bill Carr
John Francis
Chad Harmon
Spence Koehn
Rustin Martin
Tabitha Owen
Sylvia Penner
Bill Persinger
Jean Phillips
Adrion Roberson
Jennifer Roth
Shelly Williams

Non-voting Ex Officio Members
Derek Schmidt, Attorney General
Scott Schultz, Executive Director, Kansas Sentencing Commission
Jeff Zmuda, Secretary of Corrections

Kansas Legislative Research Dept.
Natalie Nelson
Robert Gallimore
Milesha Segun

Office of Revisor of Statutes
Natalie Scott
Jason Thompson
Jenna Moyer

Connie Bahner, Committee Assistant

Charge

The Commission is directed to:

Analyze the sentencing guideline grids for drug and nondrug crimes and recommend legislation to ensure appropriate sentences;

Review sentences imposed for criminal conduct to determine proportionality compared to sentences for other criminal offenses;

Analyze diversion programs utilized throughout the state and recommend legislation that:

Requires pre-filing and post-filing diversion be an option in all counties
Establishes minimum statewide standards for diversion; and
Provides a method for sealing or otherwise removing diversion records from criminal records;

Review supervision practices for offenders who serve sentences for felony offenses on community supervision, including supervision by court services, community corrections, and parole;

Discuss and develop detailed recommendations for legislation that establishes research-based standards and practices for all community supervision programs that:

Provide for incentives for compliant offenders to earn early discharge from supervision;
Create standardized terms and conditions for community supervision and provide for a method that courts may utilize to use special terms as indicated through the introduction of compelling evidence;
Create standardized effective responses to behavior through a system of incentives and graduated sanctions; and
Provide for a means to consolidate concurrent supervision into one supervision agency; and

Monitor the implementation of previously endorsed Commission recommendations, including those developed through justice reinvestment, and receive updates, review data and identify opportunities for coordination, collaboration, or legislation as needed.

Pursuant to 2021 HB 2077, the Commission is also directed to prepare and finalize the statutorily required report to the 2022 Legislature by December 1, 2021.

Approved Meeting Days: 24 days (includes meetings of Commission's 6 subcommittees)