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          Session of 1998
                    SENATE BILL No. 578           By Committee on Judiciary           2-3             9             AN ACT concerning venue; relating to hearings and trials; accessible
10             courtrooms; amending K.S.A. 60-612 and repealing the existing
11             section.
12            
13       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
14           Section 1. K.S.A. 60-612 is hereby amended to read as follows: 60-
15       612. (a) Without changing venue, a judge may conduct any hearing or
16       nonjury trial in any county agreed upon by all parties who are not in
17       default.
18           (b) If the county where an action was filed does not have a courtroom
19       which conforms to the americans with disabilities act accessibility guide-
20       lines and the provisions of K.S.A. 58-1301 et seq. and amendments thereto,
21       and an affidavit is filed stating that such failure to conform to the guide-
22       lines and K.S.A. 58-1301 et seq. and amendments thereto would prohibit
23       the participation of a person material to the proceeding, without changing
24       venue, the judge shall conduct any hearing or trial in any county with an
25       accessible courtroom. If any person desiring to attend the proceeding files
26       an affidavit stating such failure to conform would limit or prohibit the
27       person's attendance, without changing venue, the judge may conduct any
28       hearing or trial in any county with an accessible courtroom. Notice of the
29       change of the location shall be given to the parties at least 10 days prior
30       to the date of the first proceeding at the alternate location.
31           Sec. 2. K.S.A. 60-612 is hereby repealed.
32           Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
33       publication in the statute book.
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