LIBERTY, Mo. — Schools in Kansas and Missouri differ in more ways than just the state line dividing them.
Kansas has never had a state law restricting certain sex offenders from being on school property.
In addition, Kansas doesn't have residency restrictions.
Lawmakers in Kansas want that to change.
Senate Sub for HB 2164 passed the Kansas Senate by a vote of 37-3 on Thursday.
The bill was proposed by Kansas Sen. Kellie Warren after parents in the Blue Valley School District made complaints about a registered sex offender being allowed to attend an elementary school dance in a chaperone role.
If the bill becomes law, it would be a felony offense for registered adult sex offenders convicted of crimes against minors to enter school property or attend certain school activities.
In Missouri, a registered sex offender convicted of certain crimes against a minor can't be within 500 feet of school property and can't live within 1,000 feet of a school.
The offenses include:
- Incest
- Endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree
- Use of a child in a sexual performance
- Promoting a sexual performance by a child
- Sexual exploitation of a minor
- Possession of child pornography
- Promoting child pornography
- Furnishing pornographic material to minors
The Clay County Sheriff's Office Sex Offender Registration and Enforcement Unit oversees around 460 registered sex offenders.
Sarah Boyd, public relations manager for the Clay County Sheriff's Office, said there are some special circumstances in their law that the Kansas House could consider while debating the bill.
"Missouri law does give the possibility for the school districts to grant exceptions, because, you know, everything is case-by-case, and everything that you see on a court paper may not represent the real circumstances of an incident. Not to say that we should just let all the sex offenders in the schools, but you know, there may be a chance someone's child is really struggling, and we find a way to meet off-site to talk about it," Boyd said.
Like most law enforcement agencies, Clay County Sheriff's deputies conduct address verification checks, investigate complaints, and follow up with offenders who haven't registered.
The sheriff's office also maintains strong partnerships with schools.
"Most of the schools in Clay County, when you come into the building, you have to present your driver's license and they run that and it will show up if you are a sex offender," Boyd said. "They contact us, we confirm that we're then in touch with that sex offender. Say, 'Hey, you cannot be at that school'". Boyd said.
Boyd said their main challenge can be offenders without a home.
"One of the most difficult issues for the sex offender registration and enforcement unit is transients, so we have a lot of people on the registry who are homeless," Boyd said. "That is hard to keep track of...of where they are. They have difficulty, you know, getting here to register. They can say they will live one place, but maybe that's just for a couple weeks, and then they're somewhere else."
Kansas and Missouri could soon have laws that are common to both states.
"If there's no enforcement, then there's not a lot of incentive to comply," Boyd said. "I think this legislation is a helpful tool for schools and for families to feel safer where they are. While the risk is low, it's not zero."
The bill had significant bipartisan support in the Senate and is in the House conference committee for a vote.
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KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
