Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateKansasIn Committee
HB 2131: Requiring prosecutors to disclose their intent to introduce testimony from a jailhouse witness and to forward related information to the Kansas bureau of investigation.
Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
HB 2131 status: In Committee — Died in Senate Committee (updated Apr 10, 2026).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
78OUT OF 100
Score:78/100 civic fit
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Moderate Impact 55/100
Constitutionality90%
Bipartisan50%
Public opinion85%
Bill summary
What changes
The bill would have mandated that prosecutors disclose their intention to utilize testimony from a jailhouse witness to both the defense and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Who is affected
Prosecutors, defense attorneys, defendants in criminal cases, and the KBI.
Requirements and enforcement
Prosecutors must notify the defense and the KBI regarding their use of jailhouse witness testimony.
Costs and funding
Potentially minimal administrative costs related to documentation and reporting.
When it takes effect
The bill reached a status of 'Died in Senate Committee' in the 2025-2026 session.
Potential benefits
Provides greater transparency in criminal proceedings and potentially reduces the usage of unreliable testimony.
Risks and tradeoffs
Potential for increased administrative workload and the absence of specific consequences for failing to report.
What is still unknown
The specific KBI procedures for maintaining this database and the legal remedies available if a prosecutor fails to disclose were not stated in the source.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Society
Positive outlook
75%
Benefits
- Increases fairness for defendants in criminal trials
- Reduces likelihood of wrongful convictions based on unreliable testimony
- Standardizes disclosure expectations for jailhouse informants
Risks
- May introduce additional procedural burdens on prosecution offices
- Could lead to pre-trial delays while disclosures are processed
- Risk of witness intimidation if disclosure protocols are poorly managed
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
Positive outlook
80%
Benefits
- Creates a mandatory oversight mechanism for prosecutor conduct
- Ensures information about witness usage is shared with state oversight bodies
- Increases public transparency regarding the use of jailhouse informants
Risks
- No specified penalty for failure to comply with disclosure requirements
- Reliance on prosecutor self-reporting to trigger the disclosure
- Potential for inconsistent application across different jurisdictions
Public Health & Safety
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
LegiScan returned a PDF-only document. PDF extraction is not enabled in this build, so the pipeline used a safer fallback.
Analysis scope
Source material is limited to a brief OpenStates summary.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedComplete
- CommitteeCurrent
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
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06
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