06/24/2026
Advocates and elected officials like myself recently joined Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly for the signing of House Bill 2357. This landmark legislation establishes a legal pathway for tenants to clear past eviction records and asks district courts to consider mediation in eviction actions. Before the passage of H.B. 2357, an eviction would follow a tenant for life, making it almost impossible to find another rental.
The eviction mediation legislation grew out of the success of Johnson County's eviction mediation program. I spearheaded and brought forth the pilot program in 2023 to connect landlords and tenants with neutral mediators. Over 1000 families in Johnson County have avoided homelessness because of this new program.
I am very proud that the pilot program that I initiated received national recognition, encouraged this legislation, and has become a model for other courts throughout Kansas looking to replicate its success.
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