Governor Laura Kelly signed a bipartisan bill that establishes new guidelines for asset forfeiture. Senate Bill 458, establishes new guidelines for asset forfeiture, improving due process for property owners, increasing governmental accountability and not unduly interfering with federal assistance to local law enforcement in asset forfeiture. Kelly says the bill represents a significant step forward in ensuring fairness and accountability in asset forfeiture proceedings, and the reforms will protect the rights of property owners and promote greater transparency in law enforcement practices.
Officials with the office of the governor says for many Kansans whose property has been seized, the cost of recovering it is often greater than its value. The bill introduces key reforms to the process of Kansans recovering property they have had seized, including permitting courts to award attorney fees to certain claimants who get an order returning their property.
