K.S.A. Chapter 21 - Article 40

CRIMES INVOLVING VIOLATIONS OF PERSONAL RIGHTS

Current through End of 2008 Legislative Session

 

21-4001           Eavesdropping.

21-4002           Breach of privacy.

21-4003           Denial of civil rights.

21-4004           Criminal defamation.

21-4005           Maliciously circulating false rumors concerning financial status.

21-4006           Maliciously exposing a paroled or discharged person.

21-4009           Smoking in a public place; definitions.

21-4010           Same; smoking in public place prohibited, exceptions; designated smoking areas.

21-4011           Same; posting smoking prohibited signs and designated smoking area signs; proprietor or person in charge of public place authorized to establish designated smoking area.

21-4012           Same; unlawful acts; penalties; action to enjoin repeated violations.

21-4013           Same; local regulation of smoking.

21-4014           Same; severability.

21-4015           Funeral picketing; unlawful acts; penalty; other relief.

21-4016           Smoking in the state capitol prohibited, exceptions.

21-4017           Smoking in a medical care facility, exceptions; penalties.

21-4018           Identity theft; Identity fraud.

 

21-4001. Eavesdropping.

            (a) Eavesdropping is knowingly and without lawful authority:

            (1) Entering into a private place with intent to listen surreptitiously to private conversations or to observe the personal conduct of any other person or persons therein;

            (2) Installing or using outside a private place any device for hearing, recording, amplifying or broadcasting sounds originating in such place, which sounds would not ordinarily be audible or comprehensible outside, without the consent of the person or persons entitled to privacy therein;

            (3) Installing or using any device or equipment for the interception of any telephone, telegraph or other wire communication without the consent of the person in possession or control of the facilities for such wire communication; or

            (4) installing or using a concealed camcorder, motion picture camera or photographic camera of any type, to secretly videotape, film, photograph or record by electronic means, another, identifiable person under or through the clothing being worn by that other person or another, identifiable person who is nude or in a state of undress, for the purpose of viewing the body of, or the undergarments worn by, that other person, without the consent or knowledge of that other person, with the intent to invade the privacy of that other person, under circumstances in which the other person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.

            (b) A "private place" within the meaning of this section is a place where one may reasonably expect to be safe from uninvited intrusion or surveillance, but does not include a

place to which the public has lawful access.

            (c) It shall not be unlawful for an operator of a switchboard, or any officer, employee, or agent of any public utility providing telephone communications service, whose facilities are used in the transmission of a communication, to intercept, disclose or use that communication in the normal course of employment while engaged in any activity which is incident to the rendition of public utility service or to the protection of the rights of property of such public utility.

            (d) Eavesdropping is a class A nonperson misdemeanor.

History: L. 1969, ch. 180, § 21-4001; L. 1992, ch. 239, § 184; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 132; L. 2000, Ch. 181, § 7, July 1.

21-4002. Breach of privacy.

            (a) Breach of privacy is knowingly and without lawful authority:

            (1) Intercepting, without the consent of the sender or receiver, a message by telephone, telegraph, letter or other means of private communication; or

            (2) Divulging, without the consent of the sender or receiver, the existence or contents of such message if such person knows that the message was illegally intercepted, or if such person illegally learned of the message in the course of employment with an agency in transmitting it.

            (b) Subsection (a)(1) shall not apply to messages overheard through a regularly installed instrument on a telephone party line or on an extension.

            (c) Breach of privacy is a class A nonperson misdemeanor.

History: L. 1969, ch. 180, § 21-4002; L. 1992, ch. 239, § 185; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 133; July 1.

21-4003. Denial of civil rights.

            (a) Denial of civil rights is denying to another, on account of the race, color, ancestry, national origin or religion of such other:

            (1) The full and equal use and enjoyment of the services, facilities, privileges and advantages of any institution, department or agency of the state of Kansas or any political subdivision or municipality thereof;

            (2) the full and equal use and enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations of any establishment which provides lodging to transient guests for hire; of any establishment which is engaged in selling food or beverage to the public for consumption upon the premises; or of any place of recreation, amusement, exhibition or entertainment which is open to members of the public;

            (3) the full and equal use and enjoyment of the services, privileges and advantages of any facility for the public transportation of persons or goods;

            (4) the full and equal use and enjoyment of the services, facilities, privileges and advantages of any establishment which offers personal or professional services to members of the public; or

            (5) the full and equal exercise of the right to vote in any election held pursuant to the laws of Kansas.

            (b) Denial of civil rights is a class A nonperson misdemeanor.

History: L. 1969, ch. 180, § 21-4003; L. 1992, ch. 239, § 186; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 134; July 1.

21-4004. Criminal defamation.

            (a) Criminal defamation is communicating to a person orally, in writing, or by any other means, information, knowing the information to be false and with actual malice, tending to expose another living person to public hatred, contempt or ridicule; tending to deprive such person of the benefits of public confidence and social acceptance; or tending to degrade and vilify the memory of one who is dead and to scandalize or provoke surviving relatives and friends.

            (b) In all prosecutions under this section the truth of the information communicated shall be admitted as evidence. It shall be a defense to a charge of criminal defamation if it is found that such matter was true.

            (c) Criminal defamation is a class A nonperson misdemeanor.

History: L. 1969, ch. 180, § 21-4004; L. 1992, ch. 239, § 187; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 135; L. 1995, ch. 251, § 14; July 1.

21-4005. Maliciously circulating false rumors concerning financial status.

            (a) Maliciously circulating false rumors concerning financial status is maliciously and without probable cause circulating or causing to be circulated any false rumor with intent to injure the financial standing or reputation of any bank, financial or business institution or the financial standing of any individual in this state, or making any statement or circulating or assisting in circulating any false rumor or report for the purpose of injuring the financial standing of any bank, financial or business institution or of any individual in this state.

            (b) Maliciously circulating false rumors concerning financial status is a class A nonperson misdemeanor.

History: L. 1969, ch. 180, § 21-4005; L. 1992, ch. 239, § 188; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 136; July 1.

21-4006. Maliciously exposing a paroled or discharged person.

            (a) Maliciously exposing a paroled or discharged person is maliciously and willfully communicating or threatening to communicate to another any oral or written statement that any person has been charged with or convicted of a felony, with intent to interfere with the employment or business of the person so charged or convicted. The above shall not apply to any person or organization who furnishes information about a person to another person or organization requesting the same.

            (b) Maliciously exposing a paroled or discharged person is a class B nonperson misdemeanor.

History: L. 1969, ch. 180, § 21-4006; L. 1992, ch. 239, § 189; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 137; July 1.

21-4009. Smoking in a public place; definitions.

            As used in this act:  (a) 'Public place' means enclosed indoor areas open to the public or used by the general public including but not limited to:  Restaurants, retail stores, public means of mass transportation, passenger elevators, health care institutions or any other place where health care services are provided to the public, educational facilities, libraries, courtrooms, state, county or municipal buildings, restrooms, grocery stores, school buses, museums, theaters, auditoriums, arenas and recreational facilities.

            (b) 'Public meeting' includes all meetings open to the public.

            (c) 'Smoking' means possession of a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or any other lighted smoking equipment.

History: L. 1987, ch. 110, § 1; July 1.

21-4010. Same; smoking in public place prohibited, exceptions; designated smoking areas.

            (a) No person shall smoke in a public place or at a public meeting except in designated smoking areas.

            (b) Smoking areas may be designated by proprietors or other persons in charge of public places, except in passenger elevators, school buses, public means of mass transportation and any other place in which smoking is prohibited by the fire marshal or by other law, ordinance or regulation.

            (c) Where smoking areas are designated, existing physical barriers and ventilation systems shall be used to minimize the toxic effect of smoke in adjacent nonsmoking areas.

History: L. 1987, ch. 110, § 2; July 1.

21-4011. Same; posting smoking prohibited signs and designated smoking area signs; proprietor or person in charge of public place authorized to establish designated smoking area.

            The proprietor or other person in charge of the premises of a public place shall post or cause to be posted in a conspicuous place signs clearly stating that smoking is prohibited by state law.  The person in charge of the premises shall also post or cause to be posted in any designated smoking area, signs stating that smoking is permitted in such room or area. The proprietor or person in charge of the public place shall have the authority to establish the percentage of area in the public place which shall be posted and designated as a smoking area.

History: L. 1987, ch. 110, § 3; July 1.

21-4012. Same; unlawful acts; penalties; action to enjoin repeated violations.

            Any person found guilty of smoking in violation of this act is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $20 for each violation.  Any person found guilty of failing to post signs as required by this act, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $50. In addition, the department of health and environment, or local department of health, may institute an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin repeated violations of this act.

History: L. 1987, ch. 110, § 4; July 1.

21-4013. Same; local regulation of smoking.

            Nothing in this act shall prevent any city or county from regulating smoking within its boundaries, so long as such regulation is at least as stringent as that imposed by this act.  In such cases the more stringent local regulation shall control to the extent of any inconsistency between such regulation and this act.

History: L. 1987, ch. 110, § 5; July 1.

21-4014. Same; severability.

            If any provision of this act or the application thereof to any person, thing or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the provisions of application of this act that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of the act are declared to be severable.

History: L. 1987, ch. 110, § 6; July 1.

21-4015. Funeral picketing; unlawful acts; penalty.

            (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the Kansas funeral privacy act.

            (b) The legislature finds that:

            (1) Family members have a personal stake in honoring and mourning their dead and objecting to unwarranted public exploitation that, by intruding upon their own grief, tends to degrade the rites and respect they seek to accord to the deceased person who was once their own.

            (2) The state has a substantial interest in protecting the legitimacy of funerals and ensuring freedom from disturbance.

            (3) Due to the nature of funerals, the funeral attendees constitute a captive audience.

            (4) Full opportunity exists under the terms and provisions of this section for the exercise of freedom of speech and other constitutional rights at times other than within one hour prior to, the scheduled commencement of a funeral, during a funeral, or within two hours following the completion of a funeral.

            (c) The purposes of this section are to:

            (1) Protect the privacy of grieving families; and

            (2) preserve the substantial privacy interest in funerals.

            (d) As used in this section:

            (1) "Funeral" means the ceremonies, processions and memorial services held in connection with the burial or cremation of a person.

            (2) "Public demonstration" means:

            (A) Any picketing or similar conduct, or

            (B) any oration, speech, use of sound amplification equipment or device, or similar conduct that is not part of a funeral.

            (e) It is unlawful for any person to:

            (1) Engage in a public demonstration at any public location within 150 feet of any entrance to any cemetery, church, mortuary or other location where a funeral is held or conducted, within one hour prior to the scheduled commencement of a funeral, during a funeral or within two hours following the completion of a funeral;

            (2) knowingly obstruct, hinder, impede or block another person’s entry to or exit from a funeral; or

            (3) knowingly impede vehicles which are part of a funeral procession.

            (f) A violation of subsection (e) is a class B person misdemeanor.  Each day on which a violation of subsection (e) occurs shall constitute a separate offense.

            (g) If any provision of this section or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of this section which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application.  To this end the provisions of this section are severable.

History: L. 1992, ch. 210, § 4; L. 1993, ch. 291, § 138; L. 1995, ch. 265, § 1; L. 2007, ch. 111, § 1; L. 2008, ch. 37, § 2; April 10.

21-4016. Smoking in the state capitol prohibited, exceptions.

            Prior to July 1, 1995, no person shall smoke in any area, room or hallway in the state capitol except in offices occupied as office space by state officers and employees which have been designated as smoking areas in accordance with K.S.A. 21-4009 et seq. and amendments thereto. On and after July 1, 1995, no person shall smoke in any area, room, hallway, or other place in the state capitol and no area of the state capitol shall be established as a designated smoking area under K.S.A. 21-4010 and amendments thereto.

History: L. 1993, ch. 220, § 1; July 1.

21-4017. Smoking in a medical care facility, exceptions; penalties.

            (a) As used in this section:

            (1) 'Medical care facility' means a general hospital, special hospital, ambulatory surgery center or recuperation center, as defined by K.S.A. 65-425 and amendments thereto, and any psychiatric hospital licensed under K.S.A. 75-3307b and amendments thereto; and

            (2) 'Smoking' means possession of a lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe or burning tobacco in any other form or device designed for the use of tobacco.

            (b) On and after July 1, 1994, smoking in a medical care facility is hereby prohibited except that a smoking area may be established within a licensed long-term care unit of a medical care facility if such smoking area is well-ventilated. On and after July 1, 1994, the chief administrative officer of each medical care facility shall cause to be posted in conspicuous places signs stating that smoking in the medical care facility is prohibited by state law.

            (c) Any person found guilty of smoking in violation of subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $20 for each violation.  Any person found guilty of failing to post signs as required by subsection (b) of this section, is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $50. In addition, the department of health and environment, or local department of health, may institute an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin repeated violations of subsection (b) of this section.

History: L. 1993, ch. 220, § 2; July 1.

21-4018. Identity theft; Identity fraud.

            (a) Identity theft is knowingly and with intent to defraud for any benefit, obtaining, possessing, transferring, using or attempting to obtain, possess, transfer or use, one or more identification documents or personal identification number of another person other than that issued lawfully for the use of the possessor.

            (b) "Identification documents" has the meaning provided in K.S.A. 21-3830, and amendments thereto.

            (c) Except as provided further, identity theft is a severity level 8, nonperson felony.  If the monetary loss to the victim or victims is more than $100,000, identity theft is a severity level 5, nonperson felony.

            (d) Identity fraud is:

            (1) Willfully and knowingly supplying false information intending that the information be used to obtain an identification document;

            (2) making, counterfeiting, altering, amending or mutilating any identification document:

            (A) Without lawful authority; and

            (B) with the intent to deceive; or

            (3) willfully and knowingly obtaining, possessing, using, selling or furnishing or attempting to obtain, possess or furnish to another for any purpose of deception an identification document.

            (e) Identity fraud is a severity level 8, nonperson felony.

            (f) This section shall be part of and supplemental to the Kansas criminal code.

History: L. 1998, ch. 179, § 1; L. 2000, Ch. 181, § 8; L. 2005, ch. 131, § 2; L. 2006, ch 149, § 6; July 1.