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Senate Status:
Senate Status:
Minutes for HB2093 - Committee on Judiciary
Short Title
Increasing criminal penalties for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer when operating a stolen vehicle and making fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer evidence of intent to commit theft of a vehicle.
Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 22, 2021
Jason Thompson gave a bill brief of HB2093 stating that the bill, as amended by the House, changes penalties for the crime of fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer and adds a provision regarding evidence in a prosecution for theft of a motor vehicle. The House amendment adds a penalty for a person who willfully drives the wrong way into an opposing lane of travel or willfully drives through an intersection causing an evasive maneuver by another driver, or causes a collision involving another driver. (Attachment 8)
There was discussion.
Adam Proffitt submitted the fiscal note for HB2093. (Attachment 9)
Scott Schultz submitted the prison bed impact statement for HB2093. (Attachment 10)
Ed Klumpp spoke in support of HB2093 stating that the bill targets auto thefts and the increased risk posed by offenders in stolen vehicles attempting to elude the police. Auto theft in Kansas is rising while it is going down nationwide. Auto theft is a gateway crime; stolen cars are used in other crimes. (Attachment 11)
Greg Smith spoke in support of HB2093 stating that auto theft is rising in Johnson County. It has gone from one in 2015 to 43 in 2020. He would like to see an amendment that addresses vehicles valued below $1500 because they fall into a different sentencing category than higher valued vehicles. These vehicles are often the sole vehicle of low income Kansans and their only means of transportation. The theft of their vehicles should reflect the value to them. (Attachment 12)
Roy Wise, representing Herman T. Jones, spoke in support of HB2093 stating motor vehicle theft in Kansas is becoming an increasingly common crime. It devastates Kansas citizens in many ways and low-income Kansans are especially vulnerable because the stolen vehicle might be their only way to compute to work or to transport their children to school or daycare. This bill will assist the Kansas Highway Patrol to fulfill their goal to pursue, apprehend and prosecute those who utilize Kansas highways for criminal activities. (Attachment 13)
Testimony, Written
- Todd Thompson, Leavenworth County Attorney (Attachment 14)
There was discussion.
There was neither neutral nor opponent testimony.
The hearing was closed.
