Kansas House passes bills on body cameras, asset seizures

TOPEKA — The Kansas House has passed bills aimed at making law enforcement more transparent by revising laws dealing with officers’ body camera footage and agencies’ seizure of property.

Each measure approved Thursday by the House had bipartisan support and represented a compromise with law enforcement groups. Both measures went to the Senate.

House members approved the body camera bill, 117-0. It would require law enforcement agencies to show footage to the subject of the video or family members within 20 days of receiving a request.

It was a response to the inconsistent handling of footage in several high-profile fatal shootings by officers over the past six months.

The asset-forfeiture bill passed, 110-7. It would require the Kansas Bureau of Investigation to compile information on the property seized by law enforcement agencies.