Bill > HB2754

This bill, known as the "providing civil relief from coerced debt act," establishes protections and remedies for individuals who have incurred debts due to domestic violence, defining "coerced debt" as a debt incurred through identity theft, fraud, duress, intimidation, threats, force, coercion, manipulation, undue influence, misinformation, or the unauthorized use of personal information within the context of domestic violence. The act outlines what constitutes "adequate documentation" to prove such a debt, including police reports, identity theft reports, court orders, or verification from a qualified third party, and defines "economic abuse" as behavior that controls or sabotages a person's financial resources. If a debtor provides a statement of coerced debt and adequate documentation to a creditor, the creditor must cease collection efforts, dismiss any lawsuits, stop garnishments, return payments, notify credit reporting agencies to delete the information, and refrain from selling the debt, with specific procedures for incomplete statements and requirements for bilingual notices. A debtor is not liable for a coerced debt, and can use it as a defense, with the burden on the creditor to prove otherwise if they dispute the claim, while the perpetrator of coerced debt can be held civilly liable to both the creditor and the debtor, and courts are empowered to protect victims by sealing records and conducting proceedings remotely, with creditors facing liability for actual damages, attorney fees, and punitive damages for noncompliance.

Justice

Judiciary (House)

https://kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/hb2754/