KS SB480

Revives and updates K.S.A. 59-2701 through 59-2708, which govern the administration of estates for missing persons who have disappeared or been reported as prisoners of war or missing in action by the U.S. Department of Defense

Establishes a 5-year presumption of death for absentees who remain unheard from by those most likely to hear from them, provided a diligent search has been conducted

Creates expedited presumptive death procedures for persons missing after catastrophic events or disasters declared by the governor or president, allowing immediate presumption of death when the body cannot be recovered and evidence places the person at the event site

Allows returning absentees to petition for restoration of their property within 5 years of final estate settlement, with protections for good-faith purchasers and fiduciaries

Modernizes statutory language by replacing gendered pronouns with gender-neutral terms and updating cross-references throughout the probate code provisions