What New Kansas Decision-Making Law Could Mean for OCCK and Salina Families

Gov. Laura Kelly has signed Senate Bill 84, creating the Supported Decision-Making Agreements Act, a new Kansas law designed to let adults receive help with major life decisions while still maintaining control over their own affairs. According to the governor’s office, the law allows an adult to voluntarily enter into an agreement with one or more trusted supporters who can help with understanding information, weighing options, communicating decisions, and navigating matters such as health care, finances, housing, and other personal affairs.

While the bill was signed at the state level, its impact could reach communities like Salina, where local organizations already work with residents and families dealing with disability services, mental health needs, independent living, and legal questions tied to decision-making and guardianship. OCCK, which serves Saline County and north-central Kansas, includes supported decision-making and alternatives to guardianship among the disability-law resources it highlights. Kansas Legal Services also has a Salina office serving Saline County, and Central Kansas Mental Health Center is based in Salina.

Supporters of the measure say it offers another option for adults who may need assistance but do not want, or may not need, a full guardianship arrangement. In announcing the bill, Kelly said the law is intended to help Kansans receive support from trusted adults while preserving independence. The legislation establishes a legal framework for a supporter to help a principal understand choices, responsibilities, and consequences, obtain information related to decisions, communicate those decisions to others, and advocate for the principal’s wishes.

The law also places clear limits on what a supporter can do. Under the bill, a supportive adult cannot make decisions for the principal, sign on the principal’s behalf, exert undue influence, or access information unrelated to the matters covered by the agreement without consent. The governor’s office said violations would be added to the crime of mistreatment of a dependent adult or elder person, with misdemeanor or felony penalties depending on the amount of financial resources involved.

For families in Salina and across Saline County, the measure could become a practical tool in situations where a person wants help making important decisions without losing personal autonomy. That could matter in cases involving developmental disabilities, brain injuries, mental health challenges, or other impairments where support is needed, but full legal control by another person may not be the preferred path. Local service providers and legal advocates are likely to be among those helping residents understand how the new option fits alongside existing guardianship and support systems.