All Roll Calls
Yes: 378 • No: 28
KansasSB 4592025–2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
Removing the prisoner review board from the supervision of the secretary of corrections, changing the appointing authority and creating qualifications for the members of the board and requiring parole hearings to be postponed if proper notice of the public comment session is not made to the victim.
Sponsored By: Committee on Judiciary
Signed by Governor
house committee on corrections and juvenile justicesenate committee on judiciary
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Parole board members get compensation benefits
Beginning July 1, 2026, full-time board members receive annual pay equal to 70% of a district judge’s salary. Members also receive reimbursement for actual work travel and necessary official expenses. Eligible members can choose an agency contribution equal to 8% of salary for a deferred-compensation plan instead of retirement-system participation. They must file the retirement opt-out within 90 days of taking office and sign a plan participation agreement. The opt-out is permanent; exclusions include people with prior service in other retirement systems.
Victims get notice before parole decisions
For off-grid or class A felony cases, corrections officials must send written notice at least one month before the public comment session. Notice goes to the victim, or a deceased victim’s family, when the county or district attorney knows the address. If required notice is missing, the board must postpone the session until at least 30 days after notice is given. The board cannot decide parole before the session. The session must be in person unless the victim or family requests another format.
Serious offenses require unanimous parole approval
Every board member must vote yes to grant parole for an off-grid felony, class A felony, or legally defined sexually violent crime. This requires approval from the whole board, not just a panel. In parole reviews generally, the board no longer has to consider state prison capacity.
Independent parole board gains more members
Beginning July 1, 2026, Kansas’s Prisoner Review Board becomes independent of the Department of Corrections and grows from three members to five. The governor appoints three members, and the attorney general appoints two; members generally need Senate confirmation before exercising board powers. One governor appointee needs five years of law-enforcement experience; another needs experience serving crime victims. One attorney general appointee needs five years of prosecutor experience. All members need knowledge of victims’ rights, criminal justice, successful return to community life, and reducing repeat offenses. The board also takes over rules for reviewing release applications based on severe loss of function or terminal illness. Those rules must address whether the applicant’s condition rules out a public safety threat; this transfer does not itself change eligibility. The law repeals six listed statutes upon publication in the Kansas Register and four more on July 1, 2026. The supplied repeal provisions do not explain their separate effects.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsor
Committee on Judiciary
Affiliation unavailable
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 32 Nay: 7
Yes: 32 • No: 7 • Other: 1
Senate vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 124 Nay: 0
Yes: 124 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/23/2026
Yea: 33 Nay: 7
Yes: 33 • No: 7
Senate vote • 3/26/2026
Concurred with amendments in conference
Yes: 32 • No: 7 • Other: 1
House vote • 3/18/2026
Emergency Final Action - Passed as amended
Yes: 124 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/18/2026
Final Action - Passed as amended
Yes: 33 • No: 7
Actions Timeline
Enrolled and presented to Governor on Monday, March 30, 2026
4/9/2026SenateApproved by Governor on Tuesday, April 7, 2026
4/7/2026SenateConcurred with amendments in conference; Yea 32, Nay 7
3/26/2026SenateNonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed Sen. Kellie Warren, Sen. Kenny Titus and Sen. Ethan Corson
3/23/2026SenateMotion to accede adopted; Rep. Bob Lewis, Rep. Bradley Barrett and Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen appointed as conferees
3/23/2026HouseCommittee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
3/18/2026HouseCommittee of the Whole - Be passed as amended
3/18/2026HouseMotion to advance to Emergency Final Action adopted
3/18/2026HouseEmergency Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea 124, Nay 0, Absent 1
3/18/2026HouseCommittee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
3/17/2026HouseHearing: Monday, March 2, 2026, 1:30 PM — Room 546-S
3/2/2026HouseReceived and Introduced
2/24/2026HouseReferred to House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
2/24/2026HouseFinal Action - Passed as amended; Yea 33, Nay 7
2/18/2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
2/17/2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Sen. Chase Blasi
2/17/2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Amendment by Sen. Chase Blasi was adopted
2/17/2026SenateCommittee of the Whole - Be passed as further amended
2/17/2026SenateCommittee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Senate Committee on Judiciary
2/16/2026SenateHearing: Monday, February 9, 2026, 10:30 AM — Room 346-S
2/9/2026SenateReferred to Senate Committee on Judiciary
2/4/2026SenateIntroduced
2/3/2026Senate
Bill Text
As Amended by House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
As Amended by Senate Committee on Judiciary
As Introduced
Enrolled
{As Amended by Senate Committee of the Whole}
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