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Minutes for SB220 - Committee on Judiciary
Short Title
Increasing the penalty for battery committed against a utility worker.
Minutes Content for Fri, Feb 19, 2021
Jason Thompson gave a bill brief of SB220 explaining this bill amends K.S.A. 21-5413, to add utility workers to the crime "battery against a covered employee". This designation requires a battery to be committed against the employee who is engaged in the performance of such employee’s duties. The current penalty for battery is a class B misdemeanor. Subsection (f)(5)(B) would set the penalty for battery against a utility worker as a severity level 7, person felony. (Attachment 1)
Adam Proffitt submitted the fiscal note for SB220. (Attachment 2)
Scott Schultz submitted the prison bed space impact assessment for SB220. (Attachment 3)
David Galvan spoke in support of SB220 stating that utility workers faced difficulties daily while performing their jobs. There are times that angry customers have threatened workers with guns and other weapons and he believes they deserve a safe working environment. (Attachment 4)
David Galvan addressed the Chairperson's question about whether this has been addressed in other states. He said yes, other states, including Missouri and West Virginia, have this sort of law.
Written testimony for SB220 was presented by:
- Leslie Kaufman, Kansas Electrical Cooperatives, Inc. and other electrical companies (Attachment 5)
- Eric Sartorius, Kansas League of Municipalities (Attachment 6)
There was neither neutral nor opponent testimony.
The hearing was closed and the meeting adjourned at 10:47 AM.
