Kansas2026Passed Legislature
HB2076
HB2076: Limits on Time Children Spend in Secure Facilities
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 9:52 AM
In one sentence
This bill changes Kansas law to set a time limit for how long a court can allow a child to stay in a secure facility and removes the option for courts to extend that time.
What it does
- Sets an expiration date of either 60 or 45 days, inclusive of weekends and holidays, for authorizations issued after July 1, 2025, allowing a child to be placed in a secure facility.
- Eliminates the court's ability to grant extensions for placing a child in a secure facility beyond the initial period.
- Requires courts to hold a preliminary hearing within 24 hours of taking a child into custody under an ex parte order.
- Mandates that parents, legal custodians, and guardians ad litem receive notice for all hearings regarding secure placement.
- States that the Secretary for Children and Families will only pay for secure facility services if there is a valid court order.
Who it affects
- Children who are subject to court orders requiring them to remain in a specific placement.
- Courts handling cases involving minors under the Kansas code for care of children.
- The Secretary for Children and Families regarding payment for secure facility placements.
Limits and unknowns
- The bill text contains conflicting numbers ('60' and '45') for the maximum number of days a child may be placed in a secure facility, making the exact limit unclear.
- Although the official status label says the bill passed the legislature, the last action listed is that it died in committee on April 10, 2026.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Secure facility
- A place where a child is held under court order, which cannot be an adult jail or lockup.
- Guardian ad litem
- A person appointed by the court to represent the best interests of the child in legal proceedings.
- Ex parte order
- A temporary court order issued based on one side's request before a full hearing takes place, directing that a child be taken into custody and held in a secure facility if probable cause exists.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Reducing the authorized amount of days that a child may be placed in a secure facility and eliminating the court's option to extend such authorization.
Official activity
Bill history
- Died in CommitteeHouse
- Referred to House Committee on Child Welfare and Foster CareHouse
- IntroducedHouse