House Sub. for SB 102 creates and amends law related to orders by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (Chief Justice) regarding deadlines, time limitations, and two-way electronic audio-visual communication (videoconferencing).
The bill creates provisions stating, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, during any state of disaster emergency declared pursuant to the statute providing for the same, the Chief Justice may issue an order to extend or suspend any statutory deadlines or time limitations, or authorize the use of videoconferencing in any court proceeding, when the Chief Justice determines such action is necessary to secure the health and safety of court users, staff, and judicial officers. The bill further provides that any order issued pursuant to these provisions may remain in effect for up to 150 days after a state of disaster emergency is terminated, and any order in violation of these provisions shall be void. These provisions will expire on March 31, 2021.
The bill amends the speedy trial statute in the Kansas Code of Criminal Procedure to authorize the Chief Justice to issue an order to extend or suspend any deadlines or time limitations in the statute pursuant to the provisions outlined above. The bill requires, upon termination of such order, any trial scheduled during the time such order was in effect to be placed back on the court schedule within 150 days.
Similarly, the bill amends the statute in the Code of Civil Procedure governing computation of time to authorize the Chief Justice to issue an order to extend or suspend the computation rules or time limitations established in the statute pursuant to the provisions outlined above.