Protecting Lives with HB 2516: Kansas Takes Action on Hot Cars

Kansas Pet Advocates is proud to highlight a major legislative victory: the passage of HB 2516 in 2018, Kansas’s “Hot Cars / Good Samaritan” law. This lifesaving legislation, which we helped champion, ensures that Kansans who act in good faith to rescue a child or pet trapped in a dangerously hot car are protected from liability.

Why This Law Matters

Every year, approximately 37 children die in the United States from vehicular heatstroke—that’s one every nine days. Tragically, there are no official statistics on the number of animals who suffer the same fate, but animal welfare professionals know the numbers are significant.

The science is clear:

On a 78° day, a car’s interior can soar to 109° in minutes.
80% of the temperature increase occurs within the first 10 minutes—meaning “just a few minutes” in the store is never safe.
Cracking the window does nothing to slow the heat rise.
A child’s body heats up 3–5 times faster than an adult’s, and pets can sustain brain damage or die within 15 minutes.

These are preventable tragedies. HB 2516 empowers ordinary Kansans to act without hesitation when seconds matter.

How the Law Works

Under HB 2516, any individual who, in good faith, believes a child or domestic animal is in imminent danger of harm may intervene and rescue them from a locked vehicle. As long as they use no more force than necessary, they are immune from civil liability.

To guide Good Samaritans, the law encourages these steps:

Assess the situation through the window for signs of heatstroke (rapid panting, disorientation, vomiting).
Call 911 and provide your location.
Wait for authorities unless the situation worsens.
If immediate action is needed, remove the child or animal using only necessary force.
Provide shade and water while awaiting emergency responders.

Kansas Joins a Growing National Movement

Before this bill, Kansas lagged behind other states. At least 18 states already had Good Samaritan protections for rescuing vulnerable people or animals in hot cars. Thanks to HB 2516, Kansas is now among the states leading the way in safeguarding children and pets.

A Coalition Effort

This achievement was made possible by a broad coalition of advocates, including the Humane Society Legislative Fund of Kansas (now Kansas Pet Advocates), Kansas Animal Control Association, KidsAndCars.org, SAFE Kids Kansas, and the Kansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Kansas Pet Advocates is honored to have played a central role in building momentum for the bill, educating policymakers, and ensuring that the voices of vulnerable animals were heard.

A Life-Saving Success

As Janette Fennell, founder of KidsAndCars.org, reminds us: “Well-meaning parents and caregivers of all socioeconomic levels leave children and animals alone in automobiles every day. It is critical for protections to be in place so that Good Samaritans can step in without hesitation to rescue them when minutes are the difference between life and death.”

HB 2516 is more than just a law—it’s a safety net for the most vulnerable among us. Kansas Pet Advocates is proud to have helped secure this protection, and we will continue fighting for policies that value compassion, responsibility, and life.