Read the full stored bill text
As Amended by House Committee
Session of 2025
HOUSE BILL No. 2327
By Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
Requested by Representative Lewis
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AN ACT concerning the secretary of corrections; relating to releasing
inmates; requiring the secretary to issue a certificate of employability to
certain inmates; authorizing such certificates to be used as evidence in
negligent hiring actions.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
Section 1. (a) Upon release of an inmate from the custody of the
secretary of corrections, the secretary shall identify the educational and
training history of the inmate. The secretary shall issue a certificate of
employability to such inmate if:
(1) Prior to incarceration or while incarcerated, such inmate earned a
high school diploma, a general educational development credential, a
college degree, certification from a vocational or technical education
program or a diploma or degree from a correspondence postsecondary
education program;
(2) such inmate received no major disciplinary violations during the
year immediately preceding release; and
(3) such inmate received the necessary score on a job skills
assessment test as determined by the secretary.
(b) The secretary shall revoke a certificate of employability from an
inmate if such inmate is convicted of a felony after release from custody.
An inmate whose certificate of employability has been revoked may
appeal such decision to the secretary. The secretary shall not be liable for
damages based on the secretary's decision to issue, deny or revoke a
certificate of employability.
(c) (1) The secretary shall make all inmates aware of the opportunity
to obtain a certificate of employability and, upon request, shall confirm
whether or not a certificate of employability has been issued to a particular
inmate.
(2) An inmate shall not state or represent oneself as having been
issued a valid certificate of employability knowing that such statement or
representation is false. Violation of this paragraph is a class B nonperson
misdemeanor.
(d) In a proceeding involving a claim against an employer for
negligent hiring:
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HB 2327—Am. by HC 2
(1) Having relied on a certificate of employability issued pursuant to
this section may be a defense to such claim; and
(2) , a certificate of employability issued pursuant to this section may
be admitted as evidence of the employer's due care in hiring the inmate.
(e) Prior to January 15, 2026, and each January 15 thereafter, the
secretary shall submit a report to the governor, the speaker of the house of
representatives and the president of the senate that includes:
(1) The number of certificates of employability issued during the
preceding year; and
(2) the rate of recidivism among inmates who received a certificate of
employability.
(f) The secretary may adopt rules and regulations to carry out the
provisions of this act.
Sec. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.
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