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Minutes for HB2630 - Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
Short Title
Amending the rules of evidence to allow history of previous domestic violence offenses to be admitted during a prosecution of a domestic violence offense.
Minutes Content for Wed, Feb 7, 2024
The Chair opened the hearing on HB2630. Natalie Scott provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 1)
Will Hurst, Assistant Johnson County District Attorney, testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Kansas County and District Attorneys Association. Mr. Hurst said these abusers are dangerous to themselves, to their families, and to their communities. Domestic violence is rarely about an isolated incident as one state legislature noted in passing a similar bill. The cyclical and reoccurrent nature of domestic violence distinguishes it from other crimes requiring different rules of evidence. (Attachment 2)
Brigid Markey, Assistant City Attorney, City of Topeka testified in support of the bill. Ms. Markey said situations of domestic violence are complex and often require a thorough understanding of the relationship between the parties. An individual accused of domestic violence may have a criminal history of the same acts between the offender and the victim, but currently the victim is not allowed to testify to the defendants past convictions due to the evidence rules in place presently. (Attachment 3)
Michelle McCormick, Executive Director, Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence (KCSDV) provided neutral testimony on the bill. Ms. McCormick said KCSDV supports the request to amend the Kansas Rules of Evidence as described with the caveat that there be consideration of how to build in a back stop for prosecutors so that unintended harm does not come to victims whose situations do not fit neatly into the check boxes of our system. (Attachment 4)
Written only opponent testimony was submitted by Lindsie Ford, Assistant Public Defender on behalf of the BIDS Legislative Committee (Attachment 5)
The Chair closed the hearing on HB2630.
