Kansas considers requiring church leaders to report suspected child abuse in most cases

The bill comes a year after a Kansas Bureau of Investigation report revealed rampant clergy sexual abuse across the state. The report said it had identified 188 suspected offenders and 400 victims since 1950, but it did not name any of the accused clergy.

The measure has failed to become law four years in a row to become law despite receiving widespread bipartisan support. If the law is enacted, Kansas would join border states Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma in requiring clergy to report abuse, joining the majority of states and U.S. territories.

Rep. Tobias Schlingensiepen, a Topeka Democrat who is a pastor, sponsored the legislation. He said the bill is meant to change the culture around sex abuse in religious institutions while putting in place policies that ensure churches are properly protecting children within their care.

Schlingensiepen, who preaches at First Congregational Church in Topeka, said that no religious figure should have any reason to object to the bill, which aims to protect the vulnerable.

“I see absolutely no good reason why any faith community of any faith would want to avoid taking responsibility where it’s necessary,” he said.

And some religious organizations, such as the Kansas Catholic Conference, do support the measure with the inclusion of an exception for privileged conversations such as confession.

Chuck Weber, the executive director of the Kansas Catholic Conference, said the Catholic Church already practices the requirements outlined in the bill.

“For at least two decades, members of the Catholic clergy in Kansas have been trained, and continue to be trained, to identify and report instances of sexual abuse as a condition of their employment,” Weber said.

“The mandated reporting elements like those contained in HB 2300 are already being practiced by members of the Kansas Catholic clergy, as well as other Catholic Church or school employees or volunteers who are in regular contact with children,” he said.

Sen. Tom Holland, a Baldwin City Democrat, spearheaded the legislation in previous years after hearing stories from his constituents about clergy abuse. He called the confession exception a “get out of jail free card,” but recognized it was necessary in order to get churches on board.

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