Kansas legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Kansas HB2658: Enacting the safe and transparent arrest act to require all law enforcement agencies operating in Kansas to adopt a written policy regarding the use of facial coverings and prohibit law enforcement officers from wearing a facial covering that conceals or obscures their facial identity in the performance of their duties except as expressly authorized by law
Status: In committee, April 10, 2026
What the bill says
An act concerning law enforcement; enacting the safe and transparent arrest act; requiring all law enforcement agencies operating in Kansas to adopt a written policy regarding the use of facial coverings; prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing a facial covering that conceals or obscures their facial identity in the performance of their duties except as expressly authorized by law; waiving any privilege or immunity against a claim of civil liability for certain tortious conduct committed while committing violations thereof; providing criminal penalties for violations thereof.
From the introduced text, February 3, 2026:
AN ACT concerning law enforcement; enacting the safe and transparent arrest act; requiring all law enforcement agencies operating in Kansas to adopt a written policy regarding the use of facial coverings; prohibiting law enforcement officers from wearing a facial covering that conceals or obscures their facial identity in the performance of their duties except as expressly authorized by law; waiving any privilege or immunity against a claim of civil liability for certain tortious conduct committed while committing violations thereof; providing criminal penalties for violations thereof. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas: Section 1. (a) Sections 1 through 3, and amendments thereto, shall be known and may be cited as the safe and transparent arrest act. (b) The provisions of this act are severable. If any portion of this act is held by a court to be unconstitutional or invalid, or the application of any portion of this act to any person or circumstance is held by a court to be unconstitutional or invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other portions of this act that can be given effect without the invalid portion or application, and the applicability of such other portions of this act to any person or circumstance remains valid and enforceable. Sec. 2. (a) On or before July 1, 2026, all law enforcement …