Brief(1)
S.B. 91 eliminates a provision which prevents district magistrate judges from hearing actions under the Protection From Abuse Act when a district judge is not available.
Background
The bill was supported by the Kansas District Magistrate Judges Association and the Kansas District Judges Association. A proponent said that current law allows a district magistrate judge to hear these cases but only when a district judge is not available. In multicounty judicial districts, a district judge often is not available. Eliminating the prohibition would simplify and clarify the law.
The bill has no fiscal impact.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html.