---
type: "Bill"
title: "Allowing criminal cases to be stayed during state appeal of writ of habeas corpus relief; creating procedures and limitations concerning contact with jurors following a criminal jury trial; clarifying methods of recording grand jury proceedings."
description: "Allowing criminal cases to be stayed during state appeal of writ of habeas corpus relief; creating procedures and limitations concerning contact with jurors following a criminal jury trial; clarifying methods of recording grand jury proceedings."
jurisdiction: "us/states/ks"
legislature: "Kansas Legislature"
session: "2017-2018"
identifier: "HB 2479"
citation: "Kansas HB 2479 (2017-2018)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: []
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: []
version_count: 3
action_count: 27
vote_count: 4
first_action: "2018-01-17"
last_action: "2018-05-04"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/c0402581-ac69-4258-b962-de6acc120c8e"
source_url: "http://www.kslegislature.org/li/api/v11/rev-1/bill_status/hb2479"
source_hash: "4bbdd5773bda306505bbd1361df3cfc22838ac2c68452487f33bbe0273c1349d"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-ks"]
---

# Kansas HB 2479 (2017-2018) — Allowing criminal cases to be stayed during state appeal of writ of habeas corpus relief; creating procedures and limitations concerning contact with jurors following a criminal jury trial; clarifying methods of recording grand jury proceedings.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **As introduced** (filed) — [source](http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2017_18/measures/documents/hb2479_00_0000.pdf)
2. **As Amended by Senate Committee** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2017_18/measures/documents/hb2479_01_0000.pdf)
3. **Enrolled - Law effective July 01, 2018** (committee substitute) — [source](http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2017_18/measures/documents/hb2479_enrolled.pdf)

## Votes

- Final Action - Passed as amended; — **40–0** (pass) · legislature
- Conference Committee Report was adopted; — **40–0** (pass) · legislature
- Final Action - Passed; — **122–0** (pass) · legislature
- Conference Committee Report was adopted; — **106–13** (pass) · legislature

## Sponsors

- Committee on Judiciary — primary (organization)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2018-01-17** Introduced `introduction`
- **2018-01-17** Hearing: Monday, January 22, 2018, 03:30 PM Room 112-N
- **2018-01-18** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2018-02-02** Committee Report recommending bill be passed by Committee on Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-02-20** Committee of the Whole - Now working on
- **2018-02-20** Committee of the Whole - Be passed `passage`
- **2018-02-21** Final Action - Passed; Yea: 122 Nay: 0 `passage`
- **2018-02-21** Received and Introduced `introduction`
- **2018-02-22** Referred to Committee on Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2018-02-28** Hearing: Wednesday, March 07, 2018, 10:30 AM Room 346-S
- **2018-03-23** Committee Report recommending bill be passed as amended by Committee on Judiciary `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2018-03-28** Committee of the Whole - Now working on
- **2018-03-28** Committee of the Whole - Committee Report be adopted
- **2018-03-28** Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Senator Haley `amendment-introduction`
- **2018-03-28** Senator Wilborn raised a question of germaneness. The amendment was ruled not germane.
- **2018-03-28** Committee of the Whole - Be passed as amended `passage`
- **2018-03-29** Final Action - Passed as amended; Yea: 40 Nay: 0 `passage`
- **2018-04-02** Nonconcurred with amendments; Conference Committee requested; appointed
- **2018-04-03** Motion to accede adopted; Senator Wilborn, Senator Lynn and Senator Haley appointed as conferees
- **2018-05-02** Conference committee report now available
- **2018-05-02** Motion to suspend Joint Rule 4 (k) to allow consideration adopted;
- **2018-05-02** Conference Committee Report was adopted; Yea: 40 Nay: 0 `passage`
- **2018-05-03** Motion to suspend Joint Rule 4 (k) to allow consideration adopted;
- **2018-05-03** Conference Committee Report was adopted; Yea: 106 Nay: 13 `passage`
- **2018-05-03** Engrossed on Thursday, May 3, 2018
- **2018-05-04** Enrolled and presented to Governor on Tuesday, May 08, 2018 `executive-receipt`
- **2018-05-04** Approved by Governor on Monday, May 14, 2018 `executive-signature`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/c0402581-ac69-4258-b962-de6acc120c8e`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Kansas legislature records).