75-7d01. Batterer intervention program certification act; powers of attorney general; inspection of records; confidentiality; advisory committees. (a) There is hereby created in the office of the attorney general a batterer intervention program certification unit.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by law, the books, documents, papers, records or other sources of information obtained and the investigations conducted by the unit shall be confidential as required by state or federal law.

(c) The purpose of the batterer intervention program certification unit is to certify and inspect batterer intervention programs in Kansas. To accomplish this purpose, upon request of the unit, the unit shall have access to all records of reports, investigation documents and written reports of findings related to confirmed cases of domestic violence or exploitation of persons or cases in which there is reasonable suspicion to believe domestic violence has occurred that are received or generated by the Kansas department for children and families, the Kansas department for aging and disability services, the department of health and environment or the Kansas bureau of investigation.

(d) The attorney general shall develop a set of tools, methodologies, requirements and forms for the domestic violence offender assessment required by K.S.A. 2021 Supp. 21-6604(p), and amendments thereto. The batterer intervention program tools, methodologies, requirements and forms shall be developed in consultation with the agency certified by the centers for disease control and prevention and the department of health and human services as the domestic violence coalition for the state and with local domestic violence victims' services organizations.

(e) The attorney general may appoint a panel to assist the attorney general by making recommendations regarding the:

(1) Content and development of a batterer intervention certification program; and

(2) rules and regulations.

(f) The attorney general may appoint such advisory committees as the attorney general deems necessary to carry out the purposes of the batterer intervention program certification act. Except as provided in K.S.A. 75-3212, and amendments thereto, no member of any such advisory committee shall receive any compensation, subsistence, mileage or other allowance for serving on an advisory committee or attending any meeting thereof.

History: L. 2012, ch. 162, § 1; L. 2018, ch. 71, § 40; July 1.