(a) Any person who, at the time of an automobile accident resulting in injuries to that person, is required but fails to maintain personal injury protection benefits coverage mandated by the Kansas automobile injury reparations act, article 31 of chapter 40 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, shall have no cause of action for recovery of noneconomic loss sustained as a result of an accident while operating an uninsured automobile. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply and a cause of action for noneconomic loss may be maintained if the court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the person bringing the cause of action did not knowingly at the time of the accident drive a motor vehicle that was without personal injury protection benefits coverage mandated by the Kansas automobile injury reparations act. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to any person who at the time of an automobile accident has failed to maintain coverage for a period of 45 days or less and who had maintained continuous coverage for at least one year immediately prior to such failure to maintain coverage.

(b) Any person who is convicted of, or pleads guilty to, a violation of Kan. Stat. Ann. §§ 8-1014 or 8-1567, and amendments thereto, or a similar violation of law in another state or an ordinance of any city, or resolution of any county, in connection with an accident, shall have no cause of action for recovery of noneconomic loss sustained as a result of the accident.

(c) The provisions of this section shall apply to a cause of action arising on and after the effective date of this act.