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20-172. Orders issued by chief justice to secure health and safety or expeditiously resolve cases; suspension of deadlines or time limitations during a state of disaster emergency or state of local disaster emergency; authorized use of two-way electronic audio-visual communication. (a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, during any state of disaster emergency pursuant to K.S.A. 48-924, and amendments thereto, or any state of local disaster emergency established by K.S.A. 48-932, and amendments thereto, the chief justice of the Kansas supreme court may issue an order to extend or suspend any deadlines or time limitations established by statute or suspend the verification required pursuant to K.S.A. 38-2273, and amendments thereto, when the chief justice determines such action is necessary to secure the health and safety of court users, staff and judicial officers.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the chief justice of the Kansas supreme court may issue an order to authorize the use of two-way electronic audio-visual communication in any court proceeding when the chief justice determines such action is necessary to:

(1) Secure the health and safety of court users, staff and judicial officers; or

(2) expeditiously resolve pending cases.

(c) Any order issued pursuant to subsection (a) may remain in effect for up to 150 days after the applicable state of disaster emergency is terminated pursuant to K.S.A. 48-924, and amendments thereto, or state of local disaster emergency is terminated pursuant to K.S.A. 48-932, and amendments thereto. Any order in violation of this section shall be void.

(d) (1) For a deadline or time limitation that was extended or suspended because of an order issued pursuant to subsection (a), on the date such order terminates, a person shall have the same number of days to comply with the deadline or time limitation as the person had when the deadline or time limitation was extended or suspended; and

(2) for a deadline or time limitation that did not begin to run because of an order issued pursuant to subsection (a), on the date such order terminates, a person shall have the full period provided by law to comply with the deadline or time limitation.

(e) The provisions of subsections (a) and (c) shall expire on June 30, 2022.

History: L. 2020, ch. 4, § 1; L. 2020, ch. 1, § 24 (Special Session); L. 2021, ch. 8, § 1; March 30.